Are you tired of feeling sick and tired? Do you wish you had more energy, or that you weren’t carrying around extra flab? Do you wonder what it would be like to feel alert and focused? Believe it or not, you can begin turning around your health in as little as four weeks.
30 Days to Better Health
It’s easy to feel like some people are skinny, athletic, or healthy and other people are not. But that’s simply not true. We all have the ability to improve our health. And while you might not see a total transformation in 30 days, it is possible to feel (and look) better within just a few short weeks.
Here’s a plan for getting your health back on track in one month or less:
- Stop Eating Fast Food
If you’re eating fast food more than once per week, you need to stop immediately. And if you’re eating it on a daily basis, this is an issue that should be addressed right away.
Fast food might be tasty, but it’s destroying your health. Burgers, fries, and other fast food menu items are loaded with sodium. In many cases, a single meal can exceed the recommended daily allowance.
“At McDonald’s, a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and medium fries contains 1,630 milligrams of sodium, while a Quiznos 8″ Chicken Mesquite sub has 2,230 milligrams,” explains Eat This, Not That! “The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams a day, moving toward an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 milligrams, so you can see how these meals are not helping you there.”
And it’s not just fast food that’s hurting your health. It’s processed foods in general. For best results, cut back on as many processed items as you can and focus on eating fresh options like fruits, vegetables, eggs, and lean meat.
- Drink More Water
Researchers estimate that a large percentage of Americans are unknowingly, chronically dehydrated. And even though there might not be chronic thirst, this lack of proper hydration has a negative impact on other aspects of your health.
“Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many reasons: to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly,” Harvard.edu notes. “Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.”
Experts recommend a minimum of 11 cups of water per day for women and 16 cups per day for men. While most of this water should come from fresh, clean water, you can also supplement with fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and soup.
- Exercise Daily
Once you clean up your diet and improve your hydration levels, you’ll instantly feel better. In turn, you’ll feel much more motivated to exercise.
Health professionals generally recommend 30 to 45 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. However, if you want faster results, you should aim for more like 60 minutes per day. A personal fitness coach can create a workout routine that’s tailored to your health goals.
- Limit Your Drinking
Some alcohol is fine, but you can improve your health by limiting how much you drink. We recommend a maximum of one drink per night two to three days per week.
When you cut back on drinking, you’ll instantly feel better. You’ll improve your sleep quality, have more energy, and enjoy better hydration levels.
- Sleep 8 Hours Per Night
Sleep is an important part of being healthy. Your body needs sleep in order to restore and repair your cells. This is also the time when your mind processes the information you encountered during the day. (Believe it or not, sleep can actually make you smarter!)
- Block Out Toxic Distractions
You can’t have a serious discussion about health without accounting for mental health in some capacity. More specifically, we recommend identifying toxic elements and people in your life and blocking them out as best you can.
Toxic distractions will keep you from becoming the kind of person you need to be. Examples include negative people, social media (which induces serious FOMO), and the polarizing 24/7 news cycle.
By simultaneously eliminating toxic distractions and focusing on healthy habits, you’ll accelerate your progress and feel significantly better.
Turn Your Health Around
Good health has to start somewhere. Why not begin today? By making wise decisions regarding your diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mental health, you’ll feel better, look better, and be much happier. It’s all about being proactive and planning ahead.
