I was never able to make a drastic goal around New Year’s and make it a lifestyle change. Whether it was keeping weight off permanently or eating clean, the large goals seemed like too much work. Anytime I became consumed with work, school, and apps, the goals were forgotten and I went back to my old habits. I found that setting small goals and tweaking little things overtime actually brought me closer to my big goals. Here are some of my lifestyle changes that were small but helped me in the long run:
1. Drink more water: I’m so used to having coffee throughout my entire day. I found that whenever I was thirsty, I just reached for another cup of coffee, when in reality my body was dehydrated. Make sure to drink a lot of water throughout your day to keep you hydrated.
2. Limit the sugary coffees: I don’t make my coffee at home. Every morning I go to Starbucks and get myself a coffee with caramel. If I’m feeling run down in the afternoon or evening, I would get another coffee. Instead of having all these coffees, I began to drink caffeinated green tea or just a regular coffee. That way, I don’t have so much sugar from my coffee alone and I still get the caffeine necessary to get through my day.
3. Stop the ramen: I know it’s a popular college item… whenever we are on a time crunch, we just put hot water over the ramen and ~ dinner. I noticed that I was eating spicy ramen two to three times a week, and it really began to weigh me down. My eyes got puffy from the high sodium, and I could barely get out of bed. Just toss away the ramen and you’ll notice a lot more energy coming back.
4. Eat fruits: It’s so hard to do, especially if you eat on campus almost daily. What I thought was ‘I don’t have time to eat healthy’ actually was me just being too sluggish to even concentrate. It seems like eating delivered food saves you time, but it takes a toll on you throughout the semester. You’ll begin to sleep in more, it will be harder to get out of bed, and you will feel crappy overall. I decided every time that I ordered take-out, I had to make sure to have a bowl of fruit for dessert. I then began to substitute my snacks with fruits, and soon found myself having more energy throughout the day and sometimes wouldn’t need a second cup of coffee.
5. Move your body: You don’t have to spend hours at the gym. This just means don’t sit at home all day in front of your laptop. Make it a habit to try and go for a walk daily. If it’s raining, do some yoga instead. Just get a little bit of movement in your day. You’ll be shocked at how a morning walk gives you clarity.
Image Source