Small Steps – Big Impact

The beginning of the New Year is a time of recaps and ambitious plans. They often involve a healthy lifestyle: diet, physical activity, and changing bad habits. I know that many people are quite skeptical about New Year’s resolutions. No wonder – statistics show that few people manage to stick to them, and most of us abandon them even before January ends. Nevertheless, I believe that the New Year can become a symbolic new beginning that will give you extra motivation.

In this text I have collected some important articles from my blog that are helpful when starting your adventure with a healthy lifestyle. Take from them what you currently need. I always emphasize that small steps bring great results. Therefore, do not be discouraged by small mistakes and do not strive for perfectionism at all costs. Find your golden mean and remember that even 5 minutes of training is more… than nothing! 🙂

 

Healthy Balance on Your Plate

I guess that in the maze of new information about subsequent diets, it may be difficult for you to find one that will best suit your needs. Is there an ideal diet that could meet everyone’s expectations? I think you already know the answer but I encourage you to read the text which expands on this issue and tells you how to calculate your calorie requirement. Also, read the most common diet myths to avoid them and focus on what is really important.

• Why Ideal Diets Don’t Exist? Check HERE
• 9 Diet Myths! Find out HERE

 

Activity is Key

You simply can’t skip this part. Remember that regular exercise is not only about burning calories, but above all about satisfaction and joy! Awareness of the benefits of regular training can be a motivation to stay active, which is why I leave you with a text that will show you the advantages of specific types of activity.

• Methods and Types of Sport Training. Learn about them HERE

Don’t forget about training programs from the Diet & Training by Ann application (more about the application HERE). You can train without equipment, you can exercise with weights, do pilates or yoga, and even have bachata lessons! If you are just starting out, here is a short guide that will help you choose a training program from the application.

• Which Workout from the App Should you choose? Read HERE 

 

Sleep: Recovery for the Body and Mind

We spend on average ⅓ of our lives sleeping! This time does not go to a waste as during sleep the body regenerates on many levels, memory is strengthened, memories are consolidated, and the central nervous system is cleansed. Appropriate length and quality of sleep is the true basis of a healthy lifestyle. Please read my entry on the role of sleep, in which I discussed such issues as: optimal sleep duration, consequences of lack of sleep, and the relation between sleep and excess body weight.

• A Must-Read: How Sleep Affects Your Health! Find out HERE

I will add that in the Foods by Ann & Levann offer HERE you will find the Sleep Well probiotic, which can be an additional support for your sleep, and in the Diet & Training by Ann application HERE – soundtracks, which will be perfect for evening relaxation.

 

Time to…Stop

I know that many of you have really ambitious plans and juggle a lot of responsibilities on a daily basis, which I always admire. Hard work and self-development are important, however, I would like to emphasize that the time to rest and slow down before we reach a critical point is crucial.

We often forget how much joy we can get from simple, everyday activities, often performed in an automatic, thoughtless way. We don’t have the time to think about where we are going or just be in the moment. But you can work on this too! I recommend that you explore the topic and practices of mindfulness as well as meditation that I described in two texts linked below.

• Mindfulness — or How to Be Here & Now See HERE

• Meditation: The Path to Finding Yourself Read the whole entry HERE

 

The Road to Change

Changes are not easy because they involve leaving the comfort zone. The way to a goal is often two steps forward and one step back, which is completely natural. The most important thing is to be able to draw conclusions, not give up and act as best as possible at a given moment.

I keep my fingers crossed for you and assure you that you can love a healthy lifestyle – you just need to find your own way to it! 🙂