Most people assume improving your health and happiness is going to take a ton of work and a lot of time. Yes, it will take work (well worth the effort), but more importantly it takes a commitment to improve your life.

Only you can decide whether or not improving your health, lowering your stress level, boosting your confidence and lifespan is worth it. The good news? Making small changes every day goes a long way!

When I work with a client on improving their health, I don’t start by telling them they will never eat their favorite foods again and they need to survive on tofu and couscous for the rest of their life. Do you think they would be excited about this? Do you think they would succeed in the program? Of course not! We start small, baby steps, create small achievable goals and work our way up.

One of my all time favorite clients started my three month health and wellness program to improve the quality of life for herself and her husband and kids. They were going down the wrong path of unhealthy eating and weight gain, unhappiness, no physical activity and a lack of family quality time together. Within one month they were all feeling great, the kids were losing weight and boosting their confidence, their family was stronger and they were having a lot more fun exploring activities that they never tried before. All from taking one step at a time!

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Don’t skip breakfast.

How many of you skip breakfast so you can eat more later in the day? This is the most important meal of the day and will set your metabolism and blood sugar early by whether you skip this meal or feed your body a healthy and filling meal right from the beginning. According to the National Weight Control Registry, the largest investigation of long-term weight loss maintenance, eating breakfast is the biggest single factor.

2. Drink your water

When I begin working with clients this is one of the first questions I ask them. Most people are severely dehydrated and don’t even know it. You could cure many of your physical ailments just by increasing the amount of water you drink everyday. Instead of grabbing a soft drink or coffee, grab a large bottle of water. You will not only lose more weight long-term, but you will boost your metabolism and get rid of some of your cravings. This is a simple solution to start with!

3. Take it outside

I don’t know about you, but just the act of being outside surrounded by nature lifts my mood. If you want to bring simplicity to improving your health and happiness level, make a commitment to get outside every day. You don’t have to go on a five mile run, just get outside and see how you feel. Meet a friend for a walk. Enjoy some fresh air during your lunch break at work. Get up a little earlier and go for a jog before you start your day.

Are you living your best life? Is your health or stress from your lifestyle holding you back from a job you love, or a great relationship or the ability to be active with those you love? Stop looking for the “quick fix” and be an advocate for yourself by committing to small change, big results!

In warm regards,