Taking Control of Your Health
10 Surprising Steps to Take Today That Improve Your Health
by Raeann McCarty | 17 April 2021
Better Health is Achievable
Taking care of both our mental and physical well-being is critically important, and we should take each equally seriously.
We too often neglect our basic human needs, such as making time to eat healthily and get the proper nutrition for our body; making time for exercise or just moving our bodies regularly throughout the day; and—especially often these days—not allowing ourselves the time for the things that add to our happiness.
Self-care isn’t just about brushing your teeth or combing your hair. Self-care is for the needs within you.
Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being.
We too often neglect our basic human needs, such as making time to eat healthily and get the proper nutrition for our body; making time for exercise or just moving our bodies regularly throughout the day; and—especially often these days—not allowing ourselves the time for the things that add to our happiness.
Self-care isn’t just about brushing your teeth or combing your hair. Self-care is for the needs within you.
Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being.
Many of us wish to lose weight or get in better shape. Perhaps you're concerned about your health and have made the decision to take better care of your body. Are there things you could be doing to be healthier? If so, you're not alone! The good news is there are some simple things you can do to help make positive choices and achieve the better health you deserve!
When you choose the right foods and exercise, you'll look and feel better, reduce your stress levels, sleep more soundly, have more energy, and enjoy better health. Sometimes, though, making the right choices isn't as easy as it sounds, is it?
The more often you choose the healthy lifestyle you desire, the better you'll feel, both physically and mentally. Make the commitment to your health by incorporating these 10 steps into your daily routine today! Take one, or take them all, but these are proven strategies to take back control of your health and wellness.
When you choose the right foods and exercise, you'll look and feel better, reduce your stress levels, sleep more soundly, have more energy, and enjoy better health. Sometimes, though, making the right choices isn't as easy as it sounds, is it?
The more often you choose the healthy lifestyle you desire, the better you'll feel, both physically and mentally. Make the commitment to your health by incorporating these 10 steps into your daily routine today! Take one, or take them all, but these are proven strategies to take back control of your health and wellness.
Our goal at McCartyFit is to help YOU build a more fit and healthy YOU
and our unique style of Friendly Fitness Help is how we do it!
and our unique style of Friendly Fitness Help is how we do it!
1. Make Yourself a Priority
You know the saying, you can’t help anyone, if you don’t help yourself first
We put so much pressure on ourselves to be there emotionally, spiritually, and physically for our family, friends, and co-workers, that we too often put our own needs on the backburner. I'm sure we all know the saying "you can't pour from an empty cup." Putting ourselves first will help us to better support those we love.
2. Take Control of Your Environment
“Feed” yourself with kindness and positivity
The people that we surround ourselves with and environments where we spend the most time shape us into who we are by influencing, directly and indirectly, our thoughts, feelings, and actions. These influences play a larger role in your fitness and nutrition choices than you might have thought about before. For instance, do you have someone in your life who makes you feel guilty whenever you try to get in better shape or eat better? Do the five people you spend the most time with share your same goals to be more healthy, more active, more fit?
Take a moment to truly reflect: How are the people and environment of your life affecting your decisions for your health?
When it comes to news and current events, staying informed and up to date is important, but don’t allow yourself to be sucked into it to the point it negatively affects your health. When provided with the option, opt for reading over watching and listening to news stories, lowering the emotions and feelings you may attach to it.
We cannot make drastic changes to our life overnight, but we can give some thought to what we can control. Staying mindful of the type and amount of news and social media that we consume can have a surprising effect on our mood.
Now it's your turn!
Make a list of things that you can control and a list of things that are out of your control. Think about the food that you are often surrounded by. If your coworkers bring in unhealthy lunches, take you lunch to a picnic table with a book, or bring a healthy option that you know you will enjoy just as much as that donut. Try inviting your friends and family to join you in your new healthy decisions.
Take a moment to truly reflect: How are the people and environment of your life affecting your decisions for your health?
When it comes to news and current events, staying informed and up to date is important, but don’t allow yourself to be sucked into it to the point it negatively affects your health. When provided with the option, opt for reading over watching and listening to news stories, lowering the emotions and feelings you may attach to it.
We cannot make drastic changes to our life overnight, but we can give some thought to what we can control. Staying mindful of the type and amount of news and social media that we consume can have a surprising effect on our mood.
Now it's your turn!
Make a list of things that you can control and a list of things that are out of your control. Think about the food that you are often surrounded by. If your coworkers bring in unhealthy lunches, take you lunch to a picnic table with a book, or bring a healthy option that you know you will enjoy just as much as that donut. Try inviting your friends and family to join you in your new healthy decisions.
3. Protect Your Energy with Boundaries
Say NO!
None of us are superhuman. Set boundaries for yourself and force yourself to stick to them. Be protective of your time. Show people that the boundaries you set won’t be adjusted and pushed for them.
Surround yourself with positive, kind people that are healthy for your mental health. Distance yourself from negativity as much as possible. Shift your focus onto what you can control and what you plan on doing about the things that you don’t like.
Surround yourself with positive, kind people that are healthy for your mental health. Distance yourself from negativity as much as possible. Shift your focus onto what you can control and what you plan on doing about the things that you don’t like.
4. Practice Daily Gratitude
What we put our energy and focus into grows
Starting your day with gratitude puts us into a positive mindset. Try to write down one thing that you are grateful for everyday. It’s ok if you have to think about it for a while, but make sure you are writing something different each day and it is meaningful to you. Once you have made a daily gratitude routine, try increasing to a gratitude entry every morning and evening.
I start (almost) every morning journaling and writing a gratitude entry in my bullet journal. So I don’t get into a routine of being grateful for my two dogs everyday, I push myself to make each day something new and different. Make it a purposeful activity and not something that you just want to cross off of your to-do list. This helps to start my day with a positive mindset, rather than allowing external sources to have an affect on my starting mood of the day.
Once you are comfortable with completing a daily gratitude, you can eventually expand your gratitude into journal entries.
I start (almost) every morning journaling and writing a gratitude entry in my bullet journal. So I don’t get into a routine of being grateful for my two dogs everyday, I push myself to make each day something new and different. Make it a purposeful activity and not something that you just want to cross off of your to-do list. This helps to start my day with a positive mindset, rather than allowing external sources to have an affect on my starting mood of the day.
Once you are comfortable with completing a daily gratitude, you can eventually expand your gratitude into journal entries.
5. Affirmations for Health Can Help!
Positive statements that replace the negative thought processes in your mind.
In those moments when you feel weak and you don't want to eat right, get enough sleep, or exercise, affirmations targeting your health can be just what you need to help you make the healthy choice.
This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it!
When you start to talk yourself out of exercising, a negative affirmation is being repeated in your mind. An affirmation that says "I can't do it." So if a negative affirmation works, why can't a positive one?
When you're about to choose the junk foods instead of the good stuff, repeating an affirmation in your mind will remind you of your desire to be healthier and help you become more consciously and subconsciously aware of your healthy living goals.
For example, you can say, "I allow my body to receive enough rest and exercise," or "The more I take care of myself, the better I feel." Using statements like these will give you that gentle push you need when you feel inclined to be pessimistic.
Strive to repeat healthy living affirmations to yourself several times each day and whenever you need encouragement. It will take a bit of time, but, soon enough, you'll find yourself making healthy decisions more and more often.
Carry this mindset with you throughout the day. Shift your focus on what can go right, rather than the things that have gone wrong.
This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it!
When you start to talk yourself out of exercising, a negative affirmation is being repeated in your mind. An affirmation that says "I can't do it." So if a negative affirmation works, why can't a positive one?
When you're about to choose the junk foods instead of the good stuff, repeating an affirmation in your mind will remind you of your desire to be healthier and help you become more consciously and subconsciously aware of your healthy living goals.
For example, you can say, "I allow my body to receive enough rest and exercise," or "The more I take care of myself, the better I feel." Using statements like these will give you that gentle push you need when you feel inclined to be pessimistic.
Strive to repeat healthy living affirmations to yourself several times each day and whenever you need encouragement. It will take a bit of time, but, soon enough, you'll find yourself making healthy decisions more and more often.
Carry this mindset with you throughout the day. Shift your focus on what can go right, rather than the things that have gone wrong.
