How to make a healthy lifestyle routine

Americans are obsessed with diets and quick ways to lose weight or shortcuts to being skinny. But the truth is, there is no quick and easy way to become healthy or fit and it takes dedication and an overall change in lifestyle. Our society doesn’t make it easy to be healthy because of the prevalence of processed and fast foods and our sedentary jobs. It can be quite hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle especially when it’s against the grain. A healthy lifestyle has to become a habit for it to be sustainable. Our bodies and minds work best with routine (source: The Power of Habit), here are some tips to make healthy living a routine:

Find your cues. Figure out what unhealthy habits you have and what triggers them. For example, if you have a cookie or soda every afternoon, examine what makes you want to eat that snack. Is it because you are tired and need an energy kick or simply bored?

Replace bad habits. After you figure out what your habits are and what triggers them, find new things to replace your habits. If you need an energy kick in the afternoon, have an apple or some tea. If you’re bored, go for a walk or talk to co-workers. You will still reward your cravings, but with healthier options.

Form new healthy habits. People always say that early morning runners are crazy, but really, they’ve just made it a habit. Waking up and seeing running clothes set out next to the bed is the trigger for the good habit. Eating a green smoothie for breakfast or bringing lunch to work can become a habit.

Make healthy easy. Once you form healthy habits, make them the easier option in your daily life. If you have an apple at your desk, you are more likely to eat it than go to the vending machine for a candy bar. If you keep your fridge stocked with (healthy) food, you are more likely to eat it for dinner than pick up fast food on the way home.

Move more. You don’t have to rigorously workout for an hour each day to be healthy. Taking walks, standing at your desk, or even this 7-minute workout, are enough. Fitness trackers and apps or simply reminders on your computer/phone can help you remember to move all day long.

Share your healthy habits in the comments below!

*This post is sponsored by GigaSavvy. Visit the Molina Healthcare to learn more tips for staying healthy. Also connect with Molina on Facebook and Twitter.