5 WAYS TO LIVE A HEALTHIER

LIFE NOW

A healthy life is a happy life and you're on your way.

INTRODUCTION

As motivational speaker, author, and self-help guru Jim Rohn says, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

Your body truly is your temple. When your body is run down, or not operating at its maximum potential, the rest of your life suffers. Alternately, when your body is healthy and strong, the rest of your life can follow suit. If you want to live a healthy lifestyle, you must first create a healthy body. While this may seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be. Empower yourself through knowledge, dedication, and a desire to create lasting, positive change. Follow these five simple steps to a healthier, happier you now.

Ashton AugustFounder, YogiApproved.com

CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT

FOOD IS THE BODY’S FUEL. In this sense, you truly are what you eat. To streamline your body’s health and maximize its functions, you must feed your body wholesome fuel.

Take a look at your typical eating habits in a given week: 1. Do you eat fast food? Do you eat frozen meals? What do fast food and frozen food have in common? For starters, they are easy, quick, and convenient. But the bad news is they are both highly processed and high in fat, cholesterol, and all the other negative things your body does not need. Start by replacing one processed meal per week with one home-cooked meal, and notice how quickly you’ll see changes in both your physical appearance, as well as how you feel.

2. Next, let’s look at your sugar intake. How much sugar do you consume in a given day? Take a look at your nutrition labels. One tablespoon of sugar equates to four grams. How much sugar are you unknowingly putting in your body day after day? It’s important to clarify the difference between naturally occurring fruit sugar (fructose, which is a type of carbohydrate) and table sugar (which is sucrose). To sum it up: say yes to fructose and no to sucrose. Sucrose sugar makes your body gain and retain weight. It also lowers your immune system and has even been shown to feed cancer cells. Less sugar in your diet means a healthier, happier you both now and long-term.

Life is demanding, and we are all busy. Sometimes it isn’t easy to eat healthy. Here are some helpful suggestions to eating healthy throughout the day, regardless of your demanding schedule.

1. BREAKFAST:The most important meal of the day! Eat half a grapefruit for energy. The citrus speeds up your metabolism and gets everything in your body moving. If the fruit is too bitter for your taste, dust it with a half-teaspoon of Stevia, an herbal sweetener alternative (and it’s zero calorie!). Beware of the cereals in your pantry and be sure to check even the healthier cereals for their sugar content. Organic steel-cut oatmeal is a healthy alternative that doesn’t contain any added sugar, and it has the added benefit of keeping you fuller longer.

2. LUNCH AND DINNER:You may not always have the time to prepare every meal fresh, especially when you’re working or on the go. But you can usually find the time to prepare your meals the night before. This is a good way to avoid a hasty stop at the fast food drive-thru. For both lunch and dinner, be sure to include vegetables as a main ingredient in your dish, and not just an afterthought. Cooking fresh isn’t as expensive as you might think (it’s cheaper in the long run than all those trips to the drive-thru), and it also doesn’t have to take a long time to prepare.

3. SNACKS:Don’t deprive yourself of food throughout the day. Eating a few small snacks throughout the day is a good way to avoid binge-eating later (you always make the worst food decisions when you’re starving). It keeps your metabolism up, and gives you several opportunities to fit a fruit and vegetable serving in between meals. Dust apple slices in cinnamon to make the apple stay fresh, or bring a cluster of grapes to eat mid-morning, and grab a handful of baby carrots, or small bag of snap peas to crunch on mid-afternoon.

1. CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT

NEXT, realign your purpose for eating. Many of us tend to eat emotionally when we’re depressed or upset, and also when we’re upbeat and socializing. Many of us have ingrained eating habits that aren’t healthy, like eating before bed, or eating really fast. There are many factors that contribute to our eating habits, but you have the power to change those habits with some simple awareness of them. Did you know it takes at least 15 chews per bite of food for the enzymes in your saliva to properly break down what you’re eating? Simply chewing slower and longer will help you immensely with your digestion and overall gastrointestinal functions. If you change the way you look at eating, the way you eat will change. Challenge yourself to be conscious of what you eat, and mindful of how you’re eating it. Educate yourself! Empower yourself through knowledge. Know what’s in your ingredient list. If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, odds are it probably isn’t good for you! This is why eating more organic foods and less processed foods is a foolproof way to ensure you’re only feeding your body what it actually needs for fuel and optimal performance. There are countless resources out there to support your journey to a healthier you.

Here are a few helpful recommendations:

1. Watch the Fed Up documentary to learn more about processed foods, sugar consumption, and the effects on your body. 2. Read The Enzyme Factor for an in-depth guide on how and what to eat for a healthier, happier you.

3. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your local natural foods grocer. They are a wealth of information and happy to help.

1. CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT

BE ACTIVE EVERY DAY

GETTING REGULAR EXERCISE is crucial to staying fit and feeling good on both a physical and emotional level. While you should absolutely establish a workout regimen, you should design a routine that fits with your current situation. Being active doesn’t have to mean an intense workout at the gym. Start with where you are right now. Everyone’s body, background, and needs are different, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all exercise regimen. A good place to start increasing your physical activity is simply making the commitment to be active every day. Being active can be as simple as going for a walk on your lunch break, taking the stairs, riding your bike instead of driving…the list goes on and on. Be creative! Seek out ways to be more active in everything you do. The American Heart Association recommends getting your heart rate up for a minimum of 30 minutes at least five days a week. Aerobic exercise (keeping your heart rate up consistently for an extended period of time) significantly reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also burns calories and promotes overall physical and mental wellbeing.

Now that you’ve committed to getting active, go outdoors to do it! Studies have shown that natural light is crucial to your physical and mental wellbeing. Light effects your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that dictates your sleep and wake cycles. Getting natural light outdoors is key to a healthy circadian rhythm. We can all appreciate the importance of feeling revitalized and energized, which is only attainable with proper rest. Get your pets and loved ones involved in your outdoor excursions.

The more you make being active and getting outdoors a group activity, the more likely you are to continue the routine and turn it into a habit. Invite a friend to join you for a walk. Find a new trail to hike with your pet. Establish a date night with your significant other that includes an outdoor activity (replace movie night with a bike ride, or ride your bike to the movie theatre and replace the popcorn and soda with fruit and water). Keep things interesting: diversify your routine. Make an activity schedule so you can stay organized, but add different activities. Most gyms offer a selection of fitness classes—don’t be afraid to try something new! You wouldn’t want to eat the same meal every day, so why should your approach to exercise be any different? Give yourself some new and fun options so getting and staying active becomes fun and exciting.

2. BE ACTIVE EVERY DAY

MAKE YOGA A PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

PEOPLE ASK THIS question all the time: how often do I need to do yoga for it to be considered a regular practice? It takes a minimum of three days per week of a consistent yoga practice to see measurable change. There will be a change physically: you will look and feel stronger, more agile and flexible. Your muscles will lengthen and tone, your posture will improve, and you’ll gain an overall sense of confidence and empowerment. This sense of confidence introduces the mental benefits of a regular yoga practice. Through a consistent practice, you will meet your calmer and more focused self. You will sleep better and you will have a natural boost in energy. Calming your mind will be easier, and you’ll establish a deeper level of peace throughout your day. Beyond the rewarding physical and mental aspects of yoga, there is even more treasure to behold in your regular practice. Think of the yoga mat as a classroom: what you learn on the mat you take with you into your life. The practice teaches you self-love and self-acceptance, patience, confidence, and perseverance. Yoga reminds us that we are all in this journey together—it gives us a fresh perspective on life. This heightened perspective (combined with the healing, strengthening, and calming effects) lasts long after the class has ended. As you begin your yoga journey, sample different studios and different teachers to find one that meshes best with your lifestyle and what you are seeking in your yoga practice. It is so important to feel connected to your yoga studio and teachers; otherwise, you won’t be as motivated to maintain a regular practice. If you’re new to yoga and intimidated by going to a yoga studio (don’t worry—you’re not alone!), then start with yoga DVDs or online tutorials in the comfort of your own home.

YouTube has a wealth of quality yoga videos for all levels, in addition to videos you can find for purchase online and in stores.

If you are seasoned in your practice, keep pushing yourself to try new things. This doesn’t mean pushing yourself beyond your limits—it means to keep expanding and exploring new avenues of your practice. Even the most seasoned masters are still students. Your yoga practice evolves with you. This is the true beauty of yoga—you never stop growing and learning new things about the poses themselves, as well as yourself. We’ve all heard the adage, “If it’s important, you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.” Make yoga a priority, which really just means making yourself the priority. Find a way, and show yourself what you’re truly capable of.

3. MAKE YOGA PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

MEDITATE EVERDAY

THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION are broad and compelling. From gaining mental clarity to reducing anxiety and depression, meditation truly impacts every facet of your life for the better. Establishing a meditation practice will bring you a greater sense of peace in your day-to-day life. It will connect you on a deeper level to your innermost self. Put simply, it will help you lead a more organized, connected, and empowered life. Meditation is not just for Buddhist monks and seasoned practitioners. It is accessible and beneficial for anyone from any background. Describing her meditation practice, Oprah said, “The one thing I want to continue to do is center myself every day and make that a practice for myself because I am a thousand times better when I do.” A common misconception about meditation is that it requires the practitioner to empty the mind entirely. The thought of having no thoughts can be daunting and downright intimidating. But the most important thing to remember is that meditation is not just emptying the mind. True, completely emptying the mind is the ultimate goal, but that will come with time and practice. Meditation does not have to mean you sit cross-legged for three hours without moving or thinking. Meditation comes in many forms. Walking meditation is a popular practice of walking mindfully, feeling each step beneath your feet, and becoming entirely present to that experience. Meditation can be as simple as taking five minutes for yourself in the morning to concentrate on breathing deeply and rhythmically before starting your day. These simple approaches ease you into the meditative process of fully experiencing the here and now through concentrated focus on one solitary thing. This process allows you to unplug in a way that uplifts and inspires your conscious and subconscious mind.

Meditation should be approached in baby steps. The first step to establishing a meditation practice is to establish a routine. Find a time of day that fits best with your schedule, and try to meditate at the same time each day. Allocate a space specifically for meditating. Make it comfortable and inviting. Experiment with what helps you focus. Some people like to play soft music; others find candles or incense help them feel calm and relaxed. The point is to make it as easy and accessible for yourself as possible. Finally, stay motivated and dedicated. It won’t take long for you to notice a change in your overall demeanor.

4. MEDITATE EVERYDAY

DRINK MORE WATER

WE’VE ALL HEARD that our bodies are made up of close to 60% water. But did you also know that your brain and heart are each composed of 73% water? Your lungs, muscles, and kidneys are all about 80% water. Even your bones are composed of 30% water! It makes sense that water is a necessary ingredient to much of our body’s internal workings: from forming saliva and lubricating joints, to delivering oxygen, and even aiding the brain in manufacturing hormones and neurotransmitters. Water is quite literally essential to your existence. A common rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water per day. While this sounds like a lot, it’s actually only a little over half a gallon. Get yourself a Nalgene bottle, or any type of larger water bottle that has ounce measurements on it. Make it a habit to carry your water with you, and drink regularly. Drinking from a straw is a good way to encourage drinking more in one sip and drinking more regularly. Here’s a good challenge:

Replace one soda or caffeinated beverage with a glass of water every day. Eliminate just one sugary drink per day, and notice how quickly you feel a change. You’ll cut calories, help reduce your appetite (did you know that often when you feel hungry, it’s actually your body’s response to dehydration?), and increase your overall wellbeing through healthy hydration. Staying hydrated is paramount to your health. You’ll have more sustained energy throughout your day. Your body functions will be fortified, your immune system with be strengthened, and your bowel movements will be more regular.

Drinking plenty of water is one of the easiest and simplest ways to a healthier you now!

5. DRINK MORE WATER

CONCLUSION:

We all have busy lives and demanding schedules. Sometimes it seems like

we don’t have enough time in our days to get everything accomplished.

But taking care of yourself isn’t something to put on the to-do list. Taking

care of yourself should be your number one priority so you have the

strength, energy, and confidence to accomplish everything else in your

life. Love yourself enough to commit to healthy living. Once you commit to

establishing a routine, being good to yourself will become a habit, and you’ll

wonder how you ever lived any differently. This book is not advocating that

you change your life—it is simply advocating that you take control of the

life you already live, and live it the best that you possibly can, because

you’re worth it! Above all else, always remember that you are worth it.

TO HEALTH AND HAPPINESS