How to Make This the Best Year of Your Life: Health & Wellbeing Action Plan -

Health and Wellbeing Action Plan

Every year, we spend so much time thinking about what we’re doing wrong:

“If I could just be healthier, faster, stronger, younger, smarter….”

Sound familiar? This year, let’s change that. Let’s put our energy into things that have lasting effects, that can be achieved easily and will show results quickly.

Let’s make THIS the year we feel better physically, emotionally and mentally. What would that look like if you weren’t worrying about what you’re doing wrong? What if suddenly, you were doing everything right? Would you have more time to spend with your kids, more energy to put towards your work or creative projects? We have so much potential to unlock by freeing up our minds from unnecessary clutter.

Let’s do it together. Here are eight ways you can make small changes that will have a lasting impact on your health. Start small, and remember, you can’t mess this up.

1. Eat More Superfoods

Superfoods are naturally occurring foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients. They are easy to add to your diet and completely beneficial to your health and wellbeing. I’ve listed a few here:

Blueberries, salmon, kale, acai, chia seeds, cacao/cocoa powder, goji berries, seaweed, maca powder, mangosteens, kefir, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast and black garlic.

2. Drink More Water

Why? I’ve got nine reasons:

Drinking more water can reduce your risk of certain cancers by up to 50%.
Dehydration affects one’s mood, so to avoid being cranky, drink more water.
Water makes up 75% of our muscle tissue, which means that to perform better, you must hydrate properly.
Oftentimes when we feel our stomachs growl, we think we’re hungry, but in fact, drinking water can quench our thirst and contribute to a thinner waistline.
Drinking more water means you’ll have less joint pain because proper hydration keeps your cartilage healthy and soft.
Water helps our digestive system act as a natural detox. Our bodies need proper hydration to function properly.
Got a headache? It may be caused by dehydration. Before reaching for the medicine cabinet, try drinking a glass of water first.
Your skin will glow! As the largest organ in our body, it’s important to keep our skin hydrated and soft.
Water assists in everything our bodies do. In order for nutrients to stay active and circulate throughout our bodies, we need proper hydration.

3. Increase Your Physical Activity

Working at a desk all day, watching TV in the evenings, driving in our cars – these are all ways we fall victim to a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity combats this and it’s as important to our health as eating and sleeping. Find a way to incorporate physical activity into your day, everyday. If you don’t like the gym, go for a walk in a garden, take the stairs at work instead of the elevator, park your car further from the entrance, take a dance class – just do something!

4. Practice Yoga and Meditation

Just as your physical wellbeing is important to your health, so is your mental wellbeing. This type of therapy offers physiological benefits that are life changing. Go to a 45-minute yoga class, or practice a few sun-salutations at home each morning. Take 10 minutes out of your day to practice meditation. The more the better, but every bit helps.

5. Eat More Protein

The more protein you eat, the less your body will react with hunger. This tip is one that will definitely benefit you physically, as you’ll be feeling fitter in no time, but it also has mental benefits – by eating more protein, we’re eating less high-carb foods that spike blood sugar levels and cause major drops in our energy levels and feelings of happiness. Aim to incorporate protein into every meal. Vegetarians can add legumes and rice proteins for the same effect.

6. Eat Naturally

This tip seems to always have a stigma attached to it. People think that by eating naturally, you must eat more expensively. That’s just not true. Buy local produce from local farmers and when you can, buy organic. Don’t break the bank, but learn to appreciate a smaller amount of a tastier food that is packed with nutrients and doesn’t leave you feeling guilty.

7. Catch some rays

There’s nothing like sunshine to chase the blues away! I’m not telling you to bake like a lobster out there, but get your face to the sun whenever possible to increase your mental happiness. If it’s not doable because of your climate, try adding cod-liver oil for some extra vitamin D.

8. Listen To Your Body & Rest Up

This one I learned the hard way many times over but I have now finally learnt to listen to my body, and to give it a rest when needed. Since adopting a balanced healthy lifestyle which includes strength training, yoga, meditation, mindfulness and intuitive listening to the body, I have experienced greater muscle gains and better recovery times than ever before. I incorporate plenty rest in the form of 15 minute power nap’s, as well as enough sleep during the night to ensure that my body recovers from my workouts.

Restorative and Relaxing Yoga Sequences You Can Do At Home

Why It Is Sometimes Okay To Skip Your Workout

Final Thoughts

A healthy diet should go hand in hand with an active, well balanced lifestyle. I’m all for enjoying life and making the most of it whilst aiming to nourish the body mind and spirit. Let me know in the comments below how you are going to make this year amazing!