Want to learn how to kick start healthy habits this year?

 

 

How to Kick Start Healthy Habits

Many people who strive to have a healthy lifestyle or lose weight find it hard to know where to begin. They set lofty goals or try to follow complicated programs which may lead to failure and disappointment in the future.

The key is to kick start healthy habits using simple tips and tricks. Once you can follow these simple tips, you’ll lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle or the weight loss system you desire.
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Start Today

Benjamin Franklin wisely said, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Saying that you’re going to start being healthy ‘tomorrow’ is sometimes just procrastination.

Want a healthy lifestyle? Want to lose weight? Start today!

Set a Small Goal

What is it that you want to attain? Are you interested in weight loss or do you just want a healthier lifestyle?

No matter what your goal is, it doesn’t have to be anything drastic, nor should it span several months. Why?

1. If the goal is too big, you might get discouraged should you have any setbacks, you’re more likely to give up.
2. If the goal takes too long to reach, you might get bored with it and never feel satisfied in any progress you have made.

A goal like “lose 1-2 pounds a week” is easier to work on than “lose 100lbs in 1 year”. Or, even a goal like “eat home cooked meals 5 times a week” is easier to work with than “never eat out again”.

What is your small goal? By when do you want to achieve the goal?

Ask family or friends to help you reach your goal.

Ask your family and friends to join you in reaching your goal. You’ll get support, advice, encouragement, and perhaps even a little competition.

Each of you can have different goals or different methods to reach those goals, but having accountability will help you all reach your goals.

Try something new

Have you tried a healthier lifestyle or to lose weight before but didn’t like how you did it? Try something new! Trying new things will help keep it interesting for you.

Try:

• New healthy foods, like veggies and fruit that you have never tasted before.
• New ways to cook healthy foods.
• New healthy food plan.
• New exercise methods.
• New tracking system for food intake.

Drink more H2O

I know this might be a no-brainer for some of you, but water is so essential to our well-being. When you realize that all major systems of the body need water to function properly, you’ll find how important it is to keep yourself hydrated.

Water can:

• Increase your energy
• Promote weight loss
• Flush out toxins
• Maintain digestion regularity
• Boost your immune system

When your body feels better because it’s functioning better, you’ll be in a better mood! And when you’re in a better mood, you’re more likely to work harder toward your goals.

You can start with the standard recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses to start. You could also try to work your way up to half of your body weight in ounces, which is often recommended for weight loss success. (Note: You’ll use the bathroom a lot at first, but then your body will get used to it.

Don’t like water? Try:

• Adding fruit for flavor
• Eating your water (fruits and veggies with high water content)
• Drinking sparkling water
• Drinking unsweetened tea

Get outside

Being outdoors has so many benefits, especially when you’re striving for a healthier lifestyle. Benefits include:

• More Vitamin D.
• Increased brain function. 
• Improved mood. 
• Less stress. 
• More ways to exercise.

Just 15-20 minutes a day spent in the outdoors can help you toward your goal of a healthier lifestyle or even weight loss!

Get more rest

Getting more rest is something I strive for in my own life, as I am sure it is a goal for many of you as well. Why is sleep so important when you’re working toward a healthier lifestyle?

• Getting enough sleep lowers stress.
• Getting enough sleep can help with weight loss, helping you to feel less hungry and providing you with enough energy for exercise.
• Getting enough sleep helps to regulate your metabolism.

Need help getting more sleep?

1. Turn off electronics 30 minutes before bedtime.
2. Use a white noise machine to help you sleep.
3. Buy a comfortable mattress and pillow
4. Get exercise during the day
5. Avoid caffeine after 4-5 pm
6. Use blackout curtains in your room

Don’t be afraid of setbacks

This is a big one. Don’t be afraid of setbacks. Everyone has them!

Instead, learn from any setbacks you have. Fall back into the old habit of ordering out for dinner? Take a step back and plan your meals for the week ahead of time. Have one too many cookies? Put them out of reach so you’re not so tempted next time.

How Ibotta Can Help with Your Healthy Habits

The New Year is a good time to kick start healthy spending habits too, am I right? Start your New Year off right when you start with Ibotta. Take advantage of flexed up cash back from participating retailers like GNC, Under Armour and Blue Apron from now until 1/14!

Get the Ibotta App to get started and for more details.

Right now, Ibotta has these fantastic offers from these retailers:

• Blue Apron – new subscribers get $25 cash back (double the standard offer)
• Macy’s – 3% cash back for online purchases
• GNC – 10% cash back for online purchases
• Under Armour – 7% cash back for online purchases
• Vitacost – 8% cash back
• Home Chef – New subscribers get $10 cash back
• Hello Fresh – New subscribers get $10 cash back

Download Ibotta for free today and get started on your goals!

Many thanks to Ibotta for sponsoring this post about how to kick start healthy habits!