Keep It Simple in 2023!

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t need to be complicated. When all kinds of information are thrown at us about eating healthy and getting in shape, it can get overwhelming. We are told to count this, weigh that, don’t eat at this time of day, and chase after every trend that comes down the pike. I don’t know about you, but all that makes me want to throw my hands up and give up! I am here today to share some good news with you! Going into the new year, striving to be healthier and making real changes for the better, is pretty simple! No need for resolutions, crazy exercise programs or the latest fad diet. It is all about taking simple steps toward living a healthier lifestyle. Nothing drastic or costly. Let’s keep it simple! Making simple changes in your life and staying consistent is sustainable. If it’s not sustainable, then it will not last or produce the results in your life that you are striving for. I want to share four simple steps that you can easily incorporate into your life that you can live with! If you stay consistent, you will look back a year from now and see real progress! Progress is always the goal! Let’s look at these four simple changes you can start making today!

1. Get in God’s Word Daily. You are more than a number on a scale. We are all made up of a mind, a body and a spirit. All three parts need to be nourished to flourish! When one of these three parts suffer, your whole self suffers. The Bible tells us to set our mind on things that are eternal and not temporary. Your spirit, or your soul, is eternal. God’s plan for your life is eternal. We must have Him in the center of all we set out to do. Proverbs 16:9 says “ The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” He is the one who will illuminate our way. He will give us the strength we need to live a life that honors Him. Being healthy and strong in mind, body and spirit so that we can live out the life God leads us in is our why. If you don’t already have a daily time to meet with the Lord and read His Word, praying and seeking Him, start now. This is the absolute best thing you can do for your life. It truly is the nourishment for our souls. It puts things in perspective, guides us and teaches us the way we should go. Making Jesus Christ the center of your life is the starting point. The greater we realize our need for God, the greater joy we find in knowing Him!

2. Eat God-made food over man-made. It is simple, really. Concentrate on eating the whole, natural foods that God has given us to enjoy before it gets processed and stripped of much of it’s nutritional value. By avoiding overly-processed foods and sugary foods, you will automatically be making huge strides in living a healthy lifestyle. An easy rule of thumb is to avoid foods that typically come in a box or bag, such a chips, cookies, candy etc. Many of these types of food are just empty calories without much to offer your body. Sugar is hidden in many processed foods. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional treat, but if we eat a lot of foods laden in sugar, our taste buds get trained to need this overly sweet flavor and we don’t enjoy the sweet treats that God intended for us to enjoy, like naturally sweet fruit. Sugar is highly addictive too! Sugary treats should be just that; an occasional treat. Find healthy alternatives and you will see that your taste buds can be retrained to enjoy naturally sweet foods. Delicious treats like a banana or an apple will taste like the treat they are! Sugar is to blame for inflammation in the body as well. Cutting back on it will pay off in less aches and pains! Watch out for sugar in what your drink too! Try replacing fruit juices, sodas and sugary coffee with unsweetened tea, sparkling water or just plain water! Take small steps in replacing processed foods with natural foods and soon you will be seeing and feeling a difference in your energy level, your skin and hair, your mental focus and over-all wellbeing! If you will stick to the perimeter of the grocery store when you shop, you will be buying more of the God-made foods instead of the processed ones. Think about the layout of the grocery. You will pass through the produce section with all the fresh vegetables and fruits! Then on to the meat or dairy where you can choose lean proteins and dairy products. You will see the breads where you can choose whole grain breads. The frozen section is a great source of frozen vegetables and fruits when fresh is not an option. The middle aisles are where the snack cakes, cookies, chips and other empty calorie foods are. Of course, you will also see healthy oats, brown rice and other healthy foods; it is just a matter of sticking to what will best fuel your mind and body! God has given us so many delicious foods to enjoy!

3. Drink lots of water. Did you know that you may be walking around dehydrated and not realize it? In fact, most people do not drink enough water. Dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, light-headedness, weakness and many other issues. Sometimes we may have cravings for sweets, when in reality our body is just needing water! Water makes all the systems in our bodies work better. Not drinking enough water causes dull skin, sluggish bowel function and water weight gain. If your body is lacking in proper hydration , it will tend to hold water to try and conserve it. Drinking plenty of water every day will do wonders! Try to drink at least 8, 8 ounce glasses every day and you will feel the difference!

4. Get Exercise in Every Week. You should try to get in at least three good workouts each week that incorporate strength training, stretching and cardio. Many times, we just rely on cardio, but our bodies need more. Strength training can help you manage a healthy weight, build lean muscle mass, strengthen bones and reduce the signs and symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and diabetes! If you haven’t incorporated strength training into your exercise routine, adding it in may enhance your overall quality of life. It can improve your ability to do everyday activities and protect your joints from injury. Building muscle speeds up your metabolism and improves balance. Of course, we do need exercises that involve cardio for our heart and lungs. Ideally it is great to find a workout routine that include both strength and cardio. Then don’t forget about stretching! Good long stretches improves flexibility and mobility! I teach group fitness classes and I firmly believe that having a group to exercise with, or even one workout buddy, gives you the accountability you need to stick with it! Plus, a group fitness class can be really fun! The key is finding something you enjoy doing and stay consistent with it! You will see progress in no time!

Keeping a healthy lifestyle simple will make it sustainable! Take the emphasis off of going on a “diet” and focus on making small, realistic steps toward a healthier you this year; all of you..mind, body and spirit! Keep it simple sister!