People wishing to improve their lifestyle are easily caught up in the latest gimmicks regarding diets, fitness trends, and anti-aging solutions. Products, programs, and procedures that promise to build muscle, tone flab, drop pounds, and take years off the appearance of skin with no effort required by the user are exaggerated, to say the least. Lifestyle changes take determination and effort.
Improving lifestyle, losing weight, getting into better physical condition, and looking younger does not have to cost a small fortune, become a complicated process, or consume a lot of time. Keeping efforts, changes, and expectations realistic and simple will result in long-lasting lifestyle improvements. The success will also be higher than making drastic changes all at once.
The first thing to keep in mind is that changing a lifestyle with the goal of being healthier does not happen overnight. Those seeking a quick fix will be disappointed, discouraged, and defeated. Begin the process slowly so changes will be permanent. It is not realistic, for example, to go from drinking ten cups of coffee per day to drinking zero. The headaches alone will make that move unbearable, most people will not be able to maintain the sudden change, and the benefits will be fleeting.
Start by switching out three cups of coffee a day for water, juice, or milk. Do that for one week, and then build on that success by drinking three less cups of coffee a day for the next week. The total cups of coffee each day will then be down to four. Within one month, with slow and steady progress, the coffee intake will be zero. That change is more likely to be permanent that a sudden change.
Exercising is another positive change for those who have led sedentary lives. Going for a walk is an ideal way to start moving the body. It is low impact, costs no money, and can be completed at any pace. After a week, walk faster, or go for a longer walk. Begin to take the stairs to get to the office instead of always using the elevator. Purchase a set of hand weights to use while watching television, or checking emails. Increase pace, repetitions, and activities as flexibility, strength, and stamina improves.
