5 Healthy Habits to Live By

These 5 Healthy Habits have helped me build such an amazing lifestyle and I really want to share them you guys today! I really believe that using simple building blocks like these ones will allow you to create a healthy body, mindset & relationship with others. Listen to yourself and your body to make your own decisions – I hope you can use these as guidelines to create a lifestyle you love!

1. Don’t restrict or count your calorie intake

The first step to creating a healthy relationship with food is not restricting the good stuff. I recommend following a heavy-plant based diet with emphasis on fresh fruit and veggies, healthy carbs like brown rice, quinoa and rice based pastas, potatoes, sweet potatoes and healthy fats like avocados, coconut oil and nuts. Eat in abundance, eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. It’s pretty simple if you think about it!

2. Focus your meals around fruits and vegetables

Before I eat lunch or dinner at home, I always start it off with a big leafy green salad with whatever fresh veggies I keep in the fridge. For breakfast, I always start my meal off with a piece (or more) of fruit. This gets a ton of goodness in my bod before anything else, and really is the best way to start your digestion and to get those nutrients in. I like to make my meals at least 50% vegetable or fruit base, whether that be a warm veggie curry with rice or porridge with banana and berries. This is the best advice I could give anyone who is transitioning into a healthier lifestyle – add healthy foods into your diet instead of taking “bad” foods out of your diet. Your body will eventually crave these healthier foods as your taste buds change over time.

3. Practice self love – take “me” time. 

 “Me” time is SO important! I never realized how important it was until I actually starting practicing it. “Me” time to me means doing something that will benefit you by making you more relaxed, happy or comfortable. I love taking a bit of time every day to practice self love. This could be anything from completing a good workout, taking a relaxing hot bubble bath, treating myself to a slice of raw chocolate cake or watching an episode of “Friends” with a hot cup of peppermint tea. Whatever makes you happy, take a few minutes of your day to unwind and focus on yourself. 

4. Sweat Daily

Exercise produces endorphins which act as natural stress relievers, help the body relax and rebuild it’s strength, improve your ability to sleep and help you think clearly. If you’re just starting to add physical activity into your daily routine, I would recommend going for a 30-60 min walk every day and work your way up to a jog and then a run! Hikes are also a great option. All our bodies are so different, so don’t compare yourself to others, just use them as inspiration! I also recommend trying different 1 month fitness passes around your city to try out different things you may be interested in (yoga, boxing, barre, tabata, spin, etc.). My biggest tip for exercise though is to just do it! Sign up for a membership (this will force you to go) or find a running buddy. The first few times may be tough to get out there, but after a week or so you will really notice the difference and just crave the adrenaline rush! Personally, exercise has done wonders for me. It has improved my sleeps tremendously, improved my digestion, helps me think clearer, makes me feel light and energetic and makes me overall just happy! 

5. Sleep 7-9 hours per night (no less, no more)

I think a lot of us forget how important sleep really is. Take 7-9 hours per night to rest and recover will do wonders for you. This is so beneficial because it lets your body restore itself for the next day. I always recommend a pre-sleep ritual. For me, I love a hot shower, reading a few chapters of my book, massaging my feet or hands, sipping on a tea, lighting a candle or stretching. All of these, including dimming my lights, help active the melatonin in my body to help me get a good night’s sleep. A “waking up” ritual is also really important for me. Try waking up slowly but happily. I also recommend drinking a big glass of water (with lemon) right when you wake up, and breaking your “fast” with a good breakfast, always starting with at least 1 piece of fruit to help get your digestive system up and running!