Today, I’m sharing 10 Healthy Habits I’ve developed over the years that have completely changed my quality of life. I think it’s a great thing to share tips and ideas with each other because some of the best habits I’ve developed have been things I’ve learned from chatting with other people.
If I’m living my best life, I want you to be living your best life too!
These habits are things that have improved my physical health, mental health, spiritual life, and daily mindset.
And, while I do try to stick to these habits daily, I don’t put too much pressure on myself, especially if I’m on vacation or have a busy schedule.
So, lets jump right into these 10 Healthy Habits and be sure to share what healthy habits you’ve developed over the years in the comment section below.
#1 – Drink Lemon Water Every Morning
When I first wake up, I like to re-hydrate my body. After going several hours overnight with no liquid, your body can become slightly dehydrated, leading to brain fog, minor headaches, and lower energy levels.
So, before I do anything else, I drink a pint of warm lemon water. Plain water is just fine, but I love adding the lemons because it gives your body an extra dose of vitamin C, which is great for gentle detox, better skin, and increasing energy.
I highly recommend reading the book, The Water Cure, to see the many benefits of drinking water first thing in the morning.
You can also watch my video “The #1 Reason I Drink Lemon Water Daily + Drink Recipe” for more details.
#2 – Morning Bible Study & Prayer Time
For me, this is similar to when people take time to meditate in the morning. There’s just something about feeding my spirit and soul first thing in the morning.
It really helps me to have a more positive, grateful, and joyful mindset throughout the day so that even if life throws you something negative that day, you’re more likely to respond to it with a positive attitude.
The important part here is to find something to do in the mornings that puts you into a positive state of mind. By doing this, you’ll notice that you enjoy your days a lot more because you tend to appreciate the smaller things in life.
I’ve been doing my daily Bible study and prayer time for years now, and when I go a few days without doing it, I can definitely tell a difference in my attitude and mindset.
#3 – Drinking a High Fiber Smoothie Daily
I’ve been consuming smoothies for 8+ years now, but I just recently started drinking them on a daily basis (or atleast 5 days per week).
I try to pack in as much nutrition as possible into my smoothies because I see them as my multi-vitamin. So, I add superfood powders, lots of healthy fats, greens, and a small amount of fruit.
And, since drinking smoothies more consistently, I’ve noticed my bowel movements are more smooth (TMI, I know.. Lol!), my skin is more glow-y, my energy is more consistent, and if I drink my smoothie in the morning, it seems to lessen my junk food cravings throughout the day.
Plus, high fiber smoothies are the easiest way to get in my daily greens. So, for that alone, I love them! 😉
#4 – Going 100% Gluten Free
I had to go gluten free because I have an allergy to gluten. And, when I found out, I went gluten free cold turkey!! No more bread, pasta, etc.
Within the first week, I had less inflammation, less bloating, more mental clarity, less breakouts, and more energy. My belly bloat went down tremendously!
But, even if you’re not allergic to gluten, you could be sensitive to it. I encourage my clients to do the elimination diet where you eliminate gluten for 2 weeks, and then introduce it back into your diet and see how you feel.
Typically, most people feel better without the processed gluten. If you do continue to include gluten in your diet, it’s best to choose organic and either sprouted or fermented for optimal digestion.
Watch My Healthy Sandwich Recipes video for more details on gluten.
#5 – Get Some Movement in Daily
I try to stick to a workout routine in the gym with a combination of cardio and weight training. But, lets be honest, there are some days when I just don’t feel like going.
On those “lazy” days, I still try to get in some sort of movement. Even if I don’t feel like it, I’ll make myself go outside and walk for at least 15-20 minutes, and every single time (without fail) it always makes me feel better.
There’s something about breathing in the fresh air and moving your body that has a way of recharging your mind. So, I try to move my body daily, even if it’s just walking or doing jumping jacks in the house.
the increased blood flow will help to stimulate the lymphatic system, clear your mind, and improve your energy levels.
#6 – Making My To-Do Out the Night Before
This daily habit has nothing to do with my physical health, but it definitely helps with my productivity and daily mindset.
This one small change of making out my to-do list the night before instead of the day-of has been a game changer for me.
By making my to-do list out the night before, my mind is able to focus on exactly what needs to be done in advance. So, as soon as I wake up, I already have a clear picture and my mindset is already set on a specific task, so I’m more productive instead of wasting time in the morning having to organize my to-do list.
I’ve been doing this for the past few years, and it’s the #1 reason I’m able to stay on track and reach my goals a lot faster!
#7 – Getting Better Quality Sleep
I’m a workaholic, I admit! And, this gets in the way of putting quality sleep at the top of my priority list. Years ago, I had slight insomnia and would wake up 2-3 times during the night to use the restroom, which would affect my sleeping patterns and quality of sleep.
I knew I needed to get to the root cause of my sleeping problems because bad sleep can definitely affect your mood, productivity, and energy levels the following day.
Once I addressed the root cause of my sleeping problems, which was a minor magnesium deficiency and elevated levels of cortisol in the evening (a hormonal imbalance), I also formed other small habits to ensure a better night’s sleep, including taking a high quality magnesium supplement, avoiding too much sugar in the evening, using a carb cycling eating style to lower cortisol levels in the evenings, and using a red light filter on my computer to block the blue lights.
These small habits took a while to develop, but they’ve made a major impact with my quality of sleep. I can now sleep a solid 8 hours without waking up once to use the restroom!
#8 – Weekly Meal Planning
Planning out my meals at the beginning of each week can seem overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. But, once you get the hang of it, it only takes about 10 minutes to do.
By planning out your meals, you save money at the store by only buying the items you need and, it helps you to stick to your clean diet throughout the week.
If you already know what your going to eat each week, then you’re more likely to avoid last minute meal options, such as fast food.
You’ll also notice yourself rotating some of your favorite healthy recipes every few weeks, which also makes the meal planning process easier because you’ll start to memorize the ingredients for your favorite recipes.
Like I said, it only takes me about 10 minutes every Sunday to plan out my meals, and I can’t imagine life without it now! Meal planning is the #1 secret (IMO) to achieving longterm results and making your clean eating habit a lifestyle, not just a diet.
#9 – Using Non-Toxic Cleaning & Home Products
Okay, this habit is a recent one because I’ve always been frustrated with how those “green” cleaning products just don’t work as well as the chemical cleaning products.
But, after doing much research on the dangers of breathing in those toxic chemicals and how they affect your endocrine (hormonal) system plus the fact that the chemical cleaning products always gave me headaches, I decided to go all in and go 100% natural!
I am testing out different DIY solutions but haven’t been completely satisfied with any yet. So, if you have any homemade cleaning solutions for laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, home soaps, etc., please comment those below. I’d love to try them!
#10 – Sticking to a Carb Cycling Diet
I’ve tried pretty much every eating style out there, including raw vegan, low fat vegan, regular gluten free, paleo, keto, etc. And, none of them made me feel my best in the long run.
So, I sort of took all of the things I enjoyed from each and made up my own eating style that I call carb cycling. I’ve been eating this way for about a year, and I’ve never felt more energized in my life.
I find that this eating style really agrees with my hormones and ensures that my thyroid and adrenal glands are getting all of the nutrients and fuel they need to maximize my metabolism and energy levels.
Each day can look different with my version of carb cycling. To give you an idea, I may go one or two days of super low carb, high fat (keto-style) and then have a moderate carb day on day 3. Or, I may eat a keto-style breakfast and lunch and include starchy carbs with dinner, such as sweet potatoes.
In fact, I’ve created a 21-Day Meal Plan of this carb cycling eating style and have had several women go through the program who’ve seen fantastic results!
If you find that the eating style you’re on now doesn’t make you feel as good as you know you should feel, then I highly encourage you to try this carb cycling approach. It has changed my life, and I’ll continue to stick to it as long as my body agrees with it!
Alright y’all… well, I hope these 10 Healthy Habits were helpful! If you have a healthy habit that’s changed your quality of life, be sure to comment below because I may need to try it! 🙂
