Ways to Improve Your Health This Year With Abundance Not Restriction
Now that we’re a few weeks into 2023, you might be reevaluating your goals and resolutions that you made back at the end of 2022. If you’re like one of the many people who resolve to get healthier or exercise more you might need a little nudge in the right direction now. But while most blogs with health advice urge you to eat less and exercise more, we want to encourage a healthy lifestyle of abundance, rather than restriction. When you view your health with joy and fun, you avoid some of the negative feelings and restrictions towards your body.
Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods
Food is something to be enjoyed! While it’s trendy to be gluten-free or dairy-free, make sure to not limit yourself to only some foods (unless you have a health condition). Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods, including plants, fats, protein, and carbs to feel energized and satisfied every day. It’s totally fine to indulge in something sweet once in a while, but make sure that the majority of your food comes from nutrient-dense sources to keep you full for hours to come. If it helps, you can think about eating plants of each color of the rainbow every day, or loading half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Try building your meals to include a vegetable, a protein, and a carbohydrate for maximum satiety and nutrition.
Drink more water
You’ve probably heard it before, but we’ll say it again: drink more water. Carry a water bottle around at all times and sip it while working, in class, and before and after meals. Water helps you stay focused, elevates your energy, and keeps you hydrated, which is super important for our next tip…
Schedule fun workouts (outside!)
Don’t spend time doing boring or intense workouts. Schedule fun workouts that often include outdoor recreation. If going to a gym or completing an online workout doesn’t sound appealing to you, try hiking, surfing, biking, or climbing. If running isn’t your jam, then don’t force yourself to run! Pick up a tennis racket and recruit a friend to play. There’s also a common misconception about exercise that you need to be “good” or “the best” to do it. You do not need to be the best at tennis or skiing or climbing in order to enjoy it! Just get out there and find any ways to incorporate joyful movement into your life.
Focus on your food
Focusing on your food can look like different things for different people, but for us, a greater focus on food means understanding what you want to eat, how you can make it, and where you can mindfully source your food. Cooking at home is super healthy as well as a great skill, so try to learn some basics and get to the grocery store! Consider buying locally-sourced or organic food (if you can afford it). And when you’re eating, make an effort to turn off the television and silence your phone to really focus on the experience of eating. You’ll leave the table feeling much more satisfied and nourished.
Focus on improving your health this year with these tips to include more joy and abundance in your day-to-day. What are your favorite ways to stay healthy and happy? Let us know in the comments!