With so much noise on social media it can be easy to think health and wellness is expensive. Here’s the thing, if you’re not currently doing the basics to take care of yourself consistently, none of the other stuff will make a significant difference.
Being healthy doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Start by prioritizing the basic pillars of health before trying to over trying to overhaul your life with supplements, gadgets, memberships, etc. Boring and basic isn’t sexy, but it’s what actually works. Consistency with these things and you will see the most progress over time.
SLEEP
I put sleep first because I think it’s that important and so many of us aren’t getting enough sleep or quality sleep. Do you need an Oura ring for better sleep…absolutely not! Prioritize sleep by having a good evening routine and going to bed earlier. During sleep our body is literally cleaning up shop after the day and preparing for the next day. Muscle and tissue repair is taking place and hormones are regulated. If we don’t get adequate sleep you’re setting yourself up for a rough day. Your energy will be low, your hunger hormones are increased causing you to make poor food choices to increase energy. You’re also likely to skip a workout or not exercise as intense as you would with a good night’s rest.
DIET
You don’t need to spend $$$ on supplements, nor should you, to be healthy. Controversially, you also don’t need to buy organic, wild caught, cage free, etc. foods to be healthy. While there may be slight health benefits to these foods it’s not crucial to good health. Instead, prioritize home cooked meals and eat out less. Prioritize real and whole foods and less packaged foods. I’ve written a million blog post on nutrition and diet, so search the blog if you want more guidance, but my point being keep it simple with your diet and focus on getting in the basic nutrients. This does not need to be complicated or expensive.
EXERCISE
You don’t need a fancy gym membership, a personal trainer, or an Apple Watch to exercise. An effective workout like going for a walk is free. You don’t need to blow your pay check on a $45 Barrys Bootcamp class for a good workout. Don’t get me wrong, I love an overpriced trendy workout every once in a while, but the bulk or my workouts are done at home with weights we got off Amazon. Just like your diet, simple and straightforward workouts are often the most effective 😉
HYDRATION
Water is free! You don’t need anything fancy to hydrate. You don’t need the Stanley or some silly PH water. Every single cell, tissue, and organ in the body requires water to function properly. Even mild dehydration can cause symptoms of fatigue and weakness. Inadequate water intake can also make you feel hungry when really you just need to drink more water.
Here’s the goal: take your weight and divide it in half and that’s the minimum about of oz of water you should be consuming a day.
MOVEMENT
We covered the importance of physical activity above, but working out for an hour and then sitting on your butt the rest of the day isn’t it for health. Our bodies want to MOVE! The more daily movement the better. I wrote a blog post on NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), why it’s important, and how to move more…all of which are totally FREE 😉
xx, A
Yes, yes and yes – everyone should read this one!!