7 Hacks to Kickstart Your Health
Before you start jumping down the rabbit hole of 0 to 60mph New Years resolutions, a juice cleanse/detox, or any type of “health reset” I want you to pause for a moment.
If you're in need of some bigger changes with your health that you've been scared or reluctant to start, ask yourself these 4 questions to help you roadmap your way to lasting success. But if you're generally pleased with where you are and just have a couple habits you'd like to improve upon or if you just want to start one little step at a time, I've got 8 easy hacks to kickstart your health.
Now don't go rushing into doing all these at once! Pick which 1-2 habits below that you could really do better at, and focus on implementing those consistently for 3 weeks. Then once you've mastered those and they feel like second thoughts, move onto the next!
1. Establish a healthy morning routine
If you look at nearly every successful CEO, Founder, or innovator in this world, they all have solid morning routines that they never fail to kick their day off with. Consistency of healthy habits right from the get-go establishes the tone of your workday.
READ MORE: My easy guide to crafting your morning routine.
2. Learn how to sleep WELL
Sleep is the #1 thing that slips by unnoticed when trying to improve one's health, yet is ironically one of the fundamental keys to optimal health.
READ MORE: How to create an amazing sleep environment and get your best rest ever.
3. Manage your screen time
Becoming overly glued to your phone does us no favors when it comes to stress or focus. We even benefit from little changes- one of my favorite tricks lately is using an old-school alarm clock instead of my iPhone, to help me resist the urge to open emails and social media first thing upon waking up.
READ MORE: How to manage digital stress
4. Learn how to properly manage your stress
Trying to just ignore our stress is literally slapping a band-aid on the problem. We all have daily stressors, big and small, that really can take a toll on our health. Learning how to manage our stress properly can vastly improve your general health, help your fitness progress, and just plain be a more pleasant person to be around.
READ MORE: Managing Stress- the Good Kind + the Bad Kind
5. Being accountable to your honest physical and food activity
Whether it's forgetting about the little handfuls of sugar we mindlessly graze on throughout the workday, or overestimating how efficiently we're pushing ourselves at the gym, it all adds up to affect our progress. Start tuning in to why you're choosing certain snacks and food, and be honest with yourself on how much you're moving and pushing yourself, physically. Something like a heart rate + activity tracker helps keep you accountable and gives trackable feedback— I love my Samsung Galaxy Watch that allows me to keep track of all of this!
6. Drink more water
Did you know that if your body's hydration levels drop even 15%, your physical and athletic performance is measurably deteriorated? Whether it be maintaining your mental focus for the workday, helping you manage your appetite, enabling you to work out harder, or to recover and sleep better, hydration is a cure-all for many things. Carrying around a reuseable waterbottle encourages you to drink more water, and stay eco while you’re at it!
7. Adopt an attitude of gratitude
It's scientifically proven that people who practice gratitude tend to have healthier lifestyle habits, improved sleep, healthier relationships, and improved mental strength. This mental shift can make a world of difference.
READ MORE: 4 Ways to Practice Gratitude Right Now