Springtime is the season that starts bringing things back to life. The warmer weather and sunshine tend to bring everyone back outside and you feel more energized to do something to benefit your health. Living a healthier lifestyle does not have to be complicated. Many practices can help motivate you to become the healthiest version of yourself.
Here are 6 health motivators for spring.
Table of Contents
1. Figure Out Your “Why”
Whether you want to start eating healthier, exercise more or form other healthy habits, you will want to identify why you are doing this. You may want to feel more confident in your body or want the food you eat to make you feel energized. Your ‘why’ is something you can revisit to keep you motivated throughout your journey and remind you to keep going on the days you want to quit.
When you have your reasons written out, you can revisit them when your motivation is low. The most effective way to reach a health goal is by staying consistent. It will give you the willpower to turn down tempting treats or get your body moving.
2. Include Activity in Your Daily Life
There are so many ways to get active. Whether cleaning the house, walking or doing an intense workout, endless opportunities exist to get your heart pumping. Find activities that you love to make you excited about the movement you will be doing.
It doesn’t always have to be an extreme workout. Walking around your neighborhood or vacuuming your home is a light form of physical activity that can be done daily with or without other exercises. You should get 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week to count those activities toward the recommended goal.
3. Eat Whole Foods
One of the best ways to become the healthiest version of yourself is by eating whole foods that nourish your body. In today’s society, many food options exist, from fast food to sugary treats at your fingertips. These foods are typically high in calories and give you energy that comes in a quick burst and then leaves you hungry again. This can lead to an overconsumption of calories with minimal necessary nutrients for your body.
You don’t need a special diet if you focus on eating whole foods. Whole foods are things that have minimal ingredients, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein. Spring is perfect for experimenting with new healthy recipes like refreshing fresh fruit smoothies. Eating whole foods will let you live a long and healthy life since you will be full of nutrients. Women tend to live over five years longer than men, but eating healthy foods can help anyone live longer.
4. Change Your Mindset
Health should not seem like a punishment. It is a privilege to be able to move your body and have access to healthy foods. Physical activity and nutritious meals should feel fun and like a reward instead of punishment.
Trying new things that make you feel healthy and happy should be exciting. If you dread your workouts and meals, you can switch things up. Finding activities and food you love will make a healthy lifestyle feel fun. Forcing yourself to go on runs every day will be harder to keep up with than attending a yoga class you enjoy. Experiment with foods and activities to find what is right for you.
5. Prioritize Sleep
Now that daylight lasts into the evening, you might be tempted to wind down later than usual. This is great since there is more time to get outdoors after long days, but it might make you feel more energized cause your sleep schedule gets thrown off. Most people need more hours of sleep, so you will want to make sure you build habits to get the sleep you need.
Getting sleep will have you refreshed and ready to take on the activities for the next day. Lack of sleep can increase your hunger hormone, causing you to overindulge in food to compensate for your lack of sleep. This should be even more motivation to get in your hours of rest to ensure you can function properly the rest of the day.
6. Get a Friend Involved
Health is a beautiful thing to share. If you have a friend, partner or family member that has been wanting to improve their health, you can do it together. Sometimes sharing goals can motivate and excite others around you to do them with you. You can schedule workouts together or plan healthy meals to keep each other motivated and accountable.
Working on health with a friend can be more fun than working alone. If you have trouble staying motivated, a buddy might be the perfect addition to your journey to better your health.
Health is a Journey
Surely there will be roadblocks that put your journey on hold. That doesn’t mean you should give up. Springtime is perfect for experimenting with all kinds of healthy activities. You might find your interests change along the way, which is perfectly fine. Remember to enjoy each step when taking on the path to a healthier life.
