Living a healthier lifestyle might seem like an insurmountable goal, however, large targets can be broken down into smaller steps.
Your desire to improve your health can be simplified into easy, achievable, and less time consuming targets that you can work towards—today!
You don’t have to take them on all at once, but here are five things to choose from that you can do RIGHT NOW!
1. Work on Cardio
Keeping your heart rate up, whether you dance in your chair, push it, do chair aerobics, or even boxing, is something you can do every single day to work toward your health goal.
A quick 15-20 minutes of cardio exertion 3 times a week can help put you in a much better place on your path to a healthier lifestyle.
To work directly on your heart health, you can get your cardio in by pushing yourself in your wheelchair, or completing aerobic activities like:
• Zumba/dancing: If you already feel yourself moving to the beat, why not try modified, Latin inspired Zumba aerobics? You can follow an instructor step-by-step, or do your own style of dancing (if you’re more of a free spirit).
• Boxing: As a highly effective cardio workout, jabs and hooks while you’re in your wheelchair can get your heart pumping—just make sure that you think about any precautions to take, like putting on your chest strap.
• Wii Sports: Modified to be done by the upper body, Wii Sports are video games that only require a controller to play. You can enjoy Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling and Boxing in the comfort of your living room.
• Arm bike: All gyms will have an arm bike, which is a great cardio option to get your heart rate up and burn some calories.
• Wheelchair adapted sports: Join your local league and find a sport that you love.
It doesn’t have to look, be, or feel perfect—especially at the beginning. You might not love it. You might not be good at it. That’s okay! Just find a way to get moving!
2. Drink Water with Lemon
To help you with your health journey, watching what you eat might be a pretty broad task to take on. However, drinking water with lemon can be a simple change to make in your morning routine that can lead to pretty powerful health and weight loss benefits.
Not only is lemon water a mood-booster, helps improve your energy levels, and increases your overall immune system and metabolic health, it also provides antioxidants you need to help protect your cells from damage. It can also aid in preventing or breaking up kidney stones, as well as help with the intake of potassium citrate.
3. Kick Sugar Out of Your Diet
Although it seems quite obvious, the idea to cut back on sugar might seem a bit overwhelming. However, with a few small changes, you can kick sugar to the curb!
We’re not going to sugarcoat this—it might be difficult to make the change, but take the journey one tip at a time:
• Stop adding sugar: Whether it’s to your tea, coffee or even cereal, you might be adding even more sugar to your body than you realize by sprinkling it in your drink or on your favorite breakfast. Added sugar can also be consumed in forms like molasses, honey, and syrups.
• Focus on drinking water: You’ll find so much unwanted sugar in juices, sodas, and even sports drinks. Choosing water can help you focus purely on getting hydrated and skip all the extra ingredients.
• Eat more fruits: Still craving sweets? Fruit—especially when fresh—have all that all-natural sweet taste you want, without the negatives!
• Look for all-natural substitutes: If fruit doesn’t suit you, you can also opt for ingredients like unsweetened applesauce, spices like ginger or cinnamon, or even extracts like vanilla or almond.
• When in doubt, check the label: You might not think certain ingredients have sugar—but they could be hidden in there! You don’t have to go crazy with it, but giving the ingredients a quick glance can help stop you from consuming unnecessary (and unknown) sugars.
4. Take a Probiotic
To help keep your immune system stay as healthy as possible, probiotics are “good” bacteria that can help boost your digestive health and fight off harmful bacteria.
Focusing on your gut health can provide you with the right balance of bacteria in your body. You can take them either through supplements or au naturel through plain Greek yogurt, kefir, or even fermented veggies.
5. Smile
Whenever possible—try and keep a positive mindset! A happier outlook on life can help you not only improve the quality of your life, but also your health! To boost those good feelings, try listening to positive and motivational people—whether it’s through a podcast, an audiobook, or even have them play on repeat on your phone throughout the day.
Surrounding yourself with encouragement and positivity—especially through firsthand accounts containing entertaining and informative anecdotes—can help you adopt that mindset too.
Not only are podcasts great at making you smile and feel inspired, but they can also help you:
• Boost your imagination with vivid mental imagery
• Learn new facts, skills, or languages
• Work on your multitasking abilities
• Listen—truly listen!
• Find a new interest and gain new insight from other points of view!
Bindu Kodwaney from PUSHLivingPhotos.com)
Health Looks Different For Everyone
It’s important to focus on yourself during this journey toward a healthier lifestyle. Since optimal health looks different for everyone, there’s no point in measuring yourself up to someone else to see how healthy and happy you are.
Health is not only a physical state—it’s a mindset.
These tips are simple things that you can do RIGHT NOW—TODAY—to help you on your journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle.
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