Pursuing the Healthy Lifestyle

Summer
Our new guest contributor

It seems these days as if everyone wants to jump on the latest health kick trend...gluten free, "paleo," non-fair, Atkins, raw food...the trends are endless. But, sometimes it feels as though people are eating in the trendy way without thinking about why they are eating this way; they are forgetting the main reason they even started to look into a healthy lifestyle. That's where I come in. I'm Summer--the new guest contributor on The Accessorized Life. I like to eat clean and exercise, so I will be your go-to-gal for all things about health, fitness, and wellness. So, without further ado, let's discuss how to get healthy, and finding a plan to stick to!

We all have our own reasons for why we want to be healthier (losing a little weight, toning your body, or feeling better about yourself). And, eating healthy is always a key component in that equation. But, in the end there is not a one size fits all program when it comes to getting fit and feeling good. You have to listen to your body--you need to do what is right for you, and only you. It is also important to remember that this is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Know that you aren't going to lose those 10 (or more) pounds overnight, you will have slip ups (those chocolate chip cookies are sometimes just too good to pass up!), and you will have moments where you don't want to do this anymore. Remember, you can't change everything about your lifestyle in one day.

This change has to come from within as well--yes your family and friends may inspire you to get healthier, but unless you are truly ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle, your changes won't stick. Making changes to your lifestyle has to be for you, and you alone. How many of us know someone who has tried to quit smoking for their family or friends? Or someone who swears they are going to lose weight because their significant other asked them to? They never truly quit, or lose the weight, or get healthy until they actually want to do it for themselves.

The first step is to identify your goal, and why you want to meet that goal. Next? Find ways to work towards that goal. Make a plan that works for you, one that is realistic and that you can actually stick to.

If your goal is to start eating healthier, take it one step at a time. First track what you are eating for a week (be honest--even down to that one little piece of candy you grabbed from the receptionist's desk or the mint at the diner that you ate). Then, look at what is good and bad about your diet. Do you eat a lot in the evening but not enough early on in the day? Are you getting too hungry in between means, resulting in overeating? Are you eating mostly junk food? Did you finally realize that you re eating way more of the unhealthy stuff than the good stuff? Figure out where your diet can be tweaked then look at ways to slowly move out some of the bad items and replace them with better choices. So, instead of cookies for a snack, opt for fruit--even if it's only once a week, or if you allow yourself one small cheat snack a day (for example one cookie after dinner instead of half of the package). Remember to take small steps--don't try to change everything in one day. If you make these small changes, you will be able to stock with it longer. Most people try to do some big dramatic change to how they eat--this leaves them feeling unsatisfied, empty, and mostly hungry. In the end, they end up eating more bad stuff as they crave it and just go on overload. Remember, eating healthy doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the bad stuff like cake, cookies, candy, and ice cream (especially because the bad stuff just tastes so good!). It just means having them in moderation--you know, once a week or at a special occasion, not three times a day.

If your goal is to be more active, then get out there and start moving. Don't expect to run a marathon on your first day out--or even walk a mile (although you may surprise yourself!). Start simply--park in the back of the parking lot and enjoy that walk to your office, the mall, a doctor's appointment...wherever you're going. You can start by taking a walk every other day--go out for 15 or 20 minutes and just walk. If you can power walk, power walk. If not, just stroll. Any activity is good activity. (But, don't use a 20 minute walk as an excuse to eat badly!) Bottom line? Get yourself moving. As you start to exercise more frequently, you'll find you can do more--build yourself up to more walking, then jogging, and then even (gasp!) running. If walking and running aren't your thing, try taking a class such as yoga, barre, Zumba, or spin class. Even if you are the slowest one in there, even if you need to take breaks, even if you can't keep up with the moves and find yourself laughing far more than you do following along, that's okay (laughing burns calories, too!)--as long as you are off the couch, away from the snacks, and getting your heart rate up, you're doing good things for your body. Have a gym membership that is doing little more than gathering dust? Don't be like chandler from Friends (no, you don't want to quit the gym!). Just make some small lifestyle changes that will make going to the gym easier and more productive. Try bringing your workout clothes with you to work, then go straight to the gym. Everyone gets tired after a long day of work and it's easy to make up excuses not to take that walk or go to the gym. So try to just go right after work. If after work doesn't work for you, set your alarm for an hour earlier, go to the gym before work, shower, and get ready for work at the gym, and then go to work. That way it is done and out of the way and you can enjoy the rest of your day. You'll find that if you go, you'll feel better about yourself, you'll have more energy, and you'll just feel good! Don't beat yourself up if you miss a day (or even two), just don't make missing a habit, or you'll quickly find yourself back to being a couch potato wit lofty dreams and goals and an expanding waist size or growing flab.

Being healthy needs to become a way of life. If you incorporate it all (healthy eating and exercise) and make it a priority, it soon just becomes a part of who you are and doesn't feel like a chore. Before you know it, you'll be automatically making the healthy choices--and enjoying it while you do. If you need someone to keep you motivated and honest, enlist a friend, or two, to accompany you on this journey. Find a gym buddy who will motivate you to show up or push you to the next level. Find a friend or two that you can text your workout details to--someone who will be truly excited for you to embark on this journey and who will celebrate your successes, and make suggestions on how to get healthier (after all, that's what Lauren, Stacy, and I do for each other!). Text your friend pictures of yourself periodically so you can celebrate your successes together. If social media is your thing, post to Twitter, post to Facebook, post photos of yourself pre- and post-workout to Instagram. Whatever works to keep you on track, find it and stick to it!

Now...get off the couch, get healthy, and get moving!

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com