Get Fit: It’s the Little Things

It’s the little things that count in the long run. Did you say “thank you” to your spouse when he/she made you coffee? Did you put down your laptop for a half hour and play with your children when they were begging for hide-and-seek or blanket tent-building? Did you make it a point to compliment your co-worker when they finished a task well? It’s the little things that add up to making you the person you are, for better or worse.

So apply the same principle to your health and you can begin to see changes in who you are. , it’s not about being able to do something for a few months and get your results and then stop. It’s about making this a part of who you are and having an active and healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life. Once it’s a part of you, you won’t want to stop.

So here are some ideas of small ways to begin changing your life. Sure, none of these things in and of themselves seem like a huge deal or that they’ll make that big of difference. But over time, they can change your whole mentality so you are looking for more ways to be active and healthy.

Move First:

A great way to get your blood pumping and metabolism boosted for the day is take five minutes and move around first thing in the morning. The longer you wait to get your body in “active” mode, the harder it’s going to be. So do some jumping jacks, pushups, or even just walk outside with the dog for a few minutes instead of just opening the door. Move your arms and your legs and tell your body first thing, today is going to be a good day!

Eat Early and Often:

Everyone says this and it’s one of my least favorite things, but it actually helps. Eat at least a small breakfast (some protein and some carbs) early on in the morning, and then eat a snack in between your three main meals. Maybe even think about it the night before so you have something quick to grab and don’t have to think too hard in the morning when you’re groggy. A boiled egg and some oatmeal, or yogurt and granola—doesn’t have to be time consuming or hard, but this is essential to getting your body on the right track first thing and then keeping your metabolism from slowing down during the day.

Change the Snacks:

Be deliberate about your snacks so you don’t have to settle for the vending machine when you hit that afternoon slump. Keep some nuts at your desk or yogurt or veggies in the fridge. Our food likes/dislikes can be trained, so don’t just say, “but I hate carrot sticks” and be content with that. Find healthy foods you do like, be deliberate, try new things, and wean yourself toward healthy choices.

Stand Up:

If you have a job that keeps you pretty sedentary, find excuses to stand up while you work.  Get up to talk to your co-worker down the hall instead of emailing or calling them. Stand to stuff envelopes. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. You might even set a timer to go off on the hour to reminder yourself to get up and walk around for a couple of minutes, just to get the blood flowing again and burn a few calories.

Drink it Up:

Keep water with you at all times. I know from experience, you are much more likely to drink the recommended eight to ten glasses if you have a water bottle with you all the time so you can just take little sips as you feel thirsty. It’s much easier to do it that way than try to guzzle several glasses at once. And if you keep yourself hydrated, you are less likely to crave that soda in the afternoon. Then, as soon as your glass gets empty, refill it! Taking another trip to the water fountain fits in nicely with your goal to get up and move more. Even the extra trips to the bathroom that you might need right at first will be nice friendly reminders to get up and move around.

Cut it in Half:

If you’ve already eaten half that chocolate banana muffin you might as well just finish it, right? Think again. If you cut each sugary or starchy carb you eat in half throughout your day that can make a huge difference just in one day. Try asking for half the pumps in your morning mocha, only eat half the bread from your lunch and add more veggies and protein to make up for it, put that second cookie back and just enjoy every bite of the first one. It adds up.

Don’t Overdo It:

Finally, don’t try to do everything at once and overwhelm yourself. Slow and steady wins the race. Maybe make a goal this week to only eat dessert one day out of the week. Then next week add healthier snacks during the day. The next week add an extra half hour walk somewhere in your week. Don’t feel like you need to suddenly eat flax seeds and exercise an hour every day. Be realistic and work towards some goals so that you slowly change your lifestyle, rather than getting burned out and giving up.