Leo Babauta of Zen Habits teaches that you can turn anything into a habit, and that it’s important to conquer one habit at a time instead of getting burned out by trying to do a whole lifestyle shift at once. He says that it’s important to start small, and gives the example of flossing saying that instead of committing to flossing daily, commit to flossing ONE tooth. Surely once you’ve started you will find yourself flossing the rest of them, and the key is to set goals so ridiculously small that you can’t imagine not doing them.
With this in mind, we compiled the following list of healthy habits. We recommend that you pick the one that sounds the least challenging to you, start conquering it today, and then move on to the next habit in 3-4 weeks or so.
Here are 7 healthy habits that can change your life:
1. Hydrate properly
Most of us simply do not drink enough water to keep our body adequately hydrated. The new recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water daily, and more if you live in a hot climate or are extremely active. Work your way up to this goal one day at a time. For example, if your target is to drink 80 ounces per day and you are currently only drinking 16 ounces, add another glass today, two tomorrow, and so on until you reach your goal. Ionized alkaline water from a water ionizer has been found to hydrate up to six times better than standard water and does not leave a bloated or waterlogged feeling.
2. Get juicing
Green juices and smoothies made with fruits and vegetables like kale, spinach, avocado, cucumber and celery are extremely alkalizing and provide a wonderful boost to your immune system. If you aim to make one or two green juices or smoothies per day, you might start by making one a week, then two, and so on. Or you might try a 30 day challenge where you drink one every single day. By the end of the month you’ll be feeling so great and the habit will be so ingrained that you won’t want to stop!
3. Cut the crap
Do you eat a donut for breakfast every morning or a sugary dessert every night? Identify which items on your shopping list are the least healthy (anything processed and prepackaged is a good place to start) and then slowly stop buying them. So for example you could say goodbye to potato chips this week, cookies next week, and so on. If your pantry isn’t stocked with these unhealthy foods then you will be less likely to eat them!
4. Nourish your body with alkaline foods
If the idea of cutting the crap sounds too daunting, you can do the opposite and crowd out the bad with the good. Try adding one new alkaline food to your shopping cart each week or start eating one salad a day. As you start to eat more alkaline foods your taste buds will change and you will eventually no longer crave the processed crap.
5. Get Moving
Of course exercise is an integral part of health and a surefire way to boost your mood. Aim to do alkaline exercises like walking, yoga, Pilates, jogging, rebounding and stretching at least three times a week.
6. Switch to natural products
Commercial beauty products and cleaners contain toxic ingredients that wreak havoc on your health. But fortunately natural alternatives are available and you can slowly re-stock your medicine cabinet and cleaning supply closet when you develop the habit of reading labels. Try buying a fluoride-free toothpaste this week and an aluminum-free deodorant the next. A water ionizer will produce multipurpose low pH acid water that can replace everything from facial toner and hand sanitizer to Windex and Lysol.
7. Cut back on meat and dairy
Even if you’re not ready or never intend to become vegan or vegetarian, if you are eating large amounts of meat and/or dairy you can see health benefits like fewer allergies and increased energy by cutting back. Try implementing Meatless Mondays or replacing your cow’s milk with organic soy, almond or coconut milk.
Which habit will you begin implementing today? Share in the comments!