A healthy lifestyle is a choice. Like any other lifestyles: sedentary or nomadic, rural or urban, minimalism or materialistic, plant or animal-based food lifestyle (and the list goes on), we have probably inherited all of these from our family or have been influenced by our social circle. Thankfully, it can always be changed and will always remain our own choice.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is happening when you consciously build stronger and healthier habits through:
Nutritious Food
including hydration
Physical Activities
including breathing
Mental Care
including meditation, self-love, or mastering mindfulness through the art of expanding our awareness and being more aligned
Physical Care
aka self-care including quality sleep, rejuvenating rest, or wellness
All of these elements are interconnected. Combined, they will shape our lives with a positive and vibrant energy.
If you want to enjoy a better quality of life and make the best of it, adopting a healthy lifestyle is the way to go.
So how do you start a healthy life?
#1
Be clear on your intention
To avoid this decision being a "New Year's resolution trap", it is always smart to set clear intentions and reason first.
By defining them, you lay a solid foundation that will guide you through this lifelong journey. On the inevitable tough days, it can be a powerful tool to combat the old persistent pattern.
Most of us actually know why it is good to follow a healthy lifestyle but why and how will it impact and improve YOUR life? Who will you become in the process?
It is important to take the time to think about it and write down somewhere visible (on your phone, notebook, or post-it) your personal reasons and intentions to pursue a healthy lifestyle. That way, you can quickly go back to your personal motives in case you need to remember why you are doing this in the first place.
You know you've nailed this crucial step as soon as you have realized why you must live a healthy lifestyle. You will recognize it is time to change because the old system is not serving you anymore.
Pro tip: the best type of intentions are the ones that impact you directly because they will stick and resonate with you much longer than the ones that involve external matters/people. They are good but should be secondary reasons.
#2
Set up your new standard and start gradually
You are ready to set up new standards to live up to your expectations when you are well aware the only way for the healthier version of you to show up is to change that old habit and take consistent actions toward your new self.
When you decide to switch a habit you have for years (maybe forever), it won't be an easy task. Be prepared to fight against old, well-anchored patterns that will hold you back from the new you.
From my personal experience, here are the mindsets and standards that helped me grow toward my healthier self:
Creating new realistic habits and replacing them progressively
I went from 1 to 2 workout sessions a week and then increased the volume once I managed to integrate that change in my life
Aiming for small but consistent changes rather than very intense but irregular ones
A bit every day is better than an intense session once a week
Mastering the basics
Taking again workout as an example, before going to more advanced techniques, I am willing to learn in-depth the fundamentals, like the ability to breathe properly during a workout so I can fully apprehend the complex options
Persistence and kindness
It is a long journey but you must believe it is worth the effort and be kind to yourself when you get off track. When you do, the most important is what will you do next. Will you give up or will you learn the lesson and try again?
#3
Make it enjoyable
A healthy lifestyle is a journey. It should be a fun and appealing experience so you are enjoying the transformation.
Consider these aspects when you want to build a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle:
Find something you love
No excuses, there are so many healthy options available, different types of exercise and physical activities that would fit your needs and liking. Experiment and pick a couple of options that resonate with you and give you pleasure to pursue day after day the greater version of you, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Break the routine with healthy alternatives
Part of making this whole process fun and sustainable is to incorporate every now and then some newness into your healthy routine (it could be a new workout class, new recipe, or new way of relaxing for example). You will not only keep it fresh and exciting for you, but you will also grow in this journey.
Don't stress, plan it in advance
When you have a structure in place and plan those things ahead, the whole process is smoother. You have more head space to enjoy the activity instead of wasting your time thinking about what to do. Personally, I have decided to set a specific time to work out during the week and consciously decided to always have a week of rest each month. This system has helped me so much to stay consistent that I have recently applied more structure to my mental care routine too.
It's worth the investment
Have you ever considered investing in good quality sports gear or wellness tools that will make the whole experience more pleasant? Whatever you need to achieve your healthy goal, investing in good materials or services will bring the excitement up. Do not forget to read and educate yourself about the healthy habits you want to implement. This level of mastery will last you for a lifetime.
#4
Find your balance
Let's be straight, if a healthy lifestyle is a synonym for zero tolerance, we might be setting ourselves up for failure. Nobody is perfect.
There will be days when we want to enjoy this extra piece of chocolate chip cookie (d*mn periods...). Some days, you will feel too exhausted to commit to the workout plan, and the only thing on your mind is to binge-watch the latest Netflix show. It is fine and normal. However, if you are serious about changing your lifestyle to a healthier one, these have to remain exceptions.
In the ideal world, we still allow some "rest/cheat days" in our regime. Even the best like The Rock is indulging himself in this treat. If you have been consistent and disciplined the whole week, why not?
When we have just started the journey, we need to find a good balance between being too loose about the routine schedule and too strict on our program. Being on one of the two extremes will inevitably fail us. Unless we have an important deadline or big goal coming up, then no excuses, keep yourself rigorously focused on it if you want to put all the chances to succeed. If you miss one day, the most important decision, again, is what your next move will be.
#5
Be, think, and act like you are already thriving in that lifestyle
If you found your meaningful reasons and strong motivations, you probably want to make this lifestyle permanent and sustainable.
The best starting point to begin our quest for well-being is to be, think, and act like you are already thriving in that lifestyle. How would you do that if you have never experienced it?
Remove your limiting beliefs and habits. You absolutely need to start becoming this new, upgraded version of yourself.
Educate, learn, and get inspired by people who have already achieved your goal. What are they frequently doing that you are not at the moment? How can you implement this into your routine?
The best way to bring this lifestyle to life is to put consistent actions toward it. To keep this part alive in your daily life, it is crucial to surround yourself with people with the same interests and goals. When you are part of a community of like-minded people, the environment is naturally pushing you in the right direction. People are having the right mindset for you to grow. They will encourage you, and keep you accountable.
All you need to focus on is to be excited about the result and your future self.
The choice is yours.
Living a healthy lifestyle is first and foremost a personal choice. The healthy path can be long and difficult to begin with but it will transform your life. Imagine the positive impact you can make on the people around you when you are feeling your best.
Key takeaways
to successfully transition to a healthy lifestyle
Last but not least, trust the process! With discipline and consistency, you will make it happen and it will become part of your identity.