One of the simplest things to do in life is absolutely nothing. Doing nothing takes no special skills, you don’t need any equipment or tools, and you use up very little energy. As the Geiko insurance commercial so eloquently stated, it’s ‘so easy a caveman can do it’.
However, if you are tired of doing nothing about your health and fitness, and are determined to make an actual change in your daily health choices, then the first thing that must be changed is doing nothing.
If doing nothing has helped get you into the condition you are currently in, then the opposite (doing something) will help get you out of it.
In other words, becoming proactive to make a change in your daily health choices so that progress is achieved. Here are three initial steps you should take to go from doing nothing to being actively involved in the daily health choices everyone is faced with.
1) Prepare All Meals and Maintain Appropriate Portion Sizes
When you have control over the food you make you are the one in charge of what ingredients you use along with the amount of food served on your plate. One of the biggest downsides to eating out these days is not only the ingredients used to make the food, but the enormous portion size you are served.
That’s why it’s generally unhealthy to eat out at fast food places and restaurants. Again, this is one of those daily health choices you will need to make.
For one month try to minimize the number of times you go out to eat. Instead, take the time to prepare your three main meals of the day. Be mindful of the amount of food you serve yourself and try not to eat second servings. Drink a lot of water with your meal and slow down your eating to give the body time to register the amount that’s entering.
You may find that by simply using these two tips you will save your body a whole lot of extra calories that just aren’t needed.
2) Dump The Unhealthy Snacks and Beverages
It’s time to face the facts – potato chips, cookies, soda, donuts, pies, cakes, and ice cream are just not positive daily health choices for you. Why not change those snacking habits and start making wiser daily health choices instead? You know your snacking habits the best. If you have the habit of munching from a container, then you may have surprised yourself in the past after realizing how much of the package you consumed at one time.
If you are truly determined to develop positive daily health choices, don’t put yourself in a situation where you’ll have to try and avoid the temptations to eat potato chips, or cookies, or anything else along those lines. Make it easier for yourself by simply not buying that stuff the next time you go grocery shopping. Instead purchase healthy snacks and drinks (water) and make it a point to stick with only that.
3) Start Exercising 3-5 Times Per Week
If your doctor has given you the green light to start increasing your weekly activity level, it’s time to get going. Take it slow at first and don’t feel as though you have to go full speed ahead in your first week. You may need to start out by simply walking around your neighborhood to build up some endurance before you begin jogging.