5 ways…to be healthier in 10 minutes or less!

Health is a lifestyle…but we could all use a little boost from time to time.  These are 5 of my favorite healthy little habits that keep me feeling my best! Whether you’re bouncing back form an overindulgence or just looking for some fresh ideas, I hope this list will inspire you to take a few minutes (or seconds) to refresh your routine.

1. Drink a glass water first thing in the morning. (Time: 1 minute)

Nothing starts my day better than a big glass of water, maybe with a squeeze or two of lemon.  It wakes me up and makes me feel refreshed far more than coffee ever did (really), and the impact it has on my skin and metabolism is just a bonus 🙂  If you do nothing else on this list, try making this a habit for 2 weeks and report back about your results!

2. Be active for 10 minutes every day, no matter what*. (Time: 10 minutes)

Whether you walk the dog, rake some leaves, stretch, do push-ups and squats, sprint, shake it in a Zumba fitness class, or have a personal trainer like me telling you what to do, get active for at least 10 minutes a day no matter what. (*unless you’re severely injured, prohibited from exercise by your physician, etc.  If there’s not a medical issue, there’s probably some level of activity that you can perform for 10 minutes!)

3. Clean the kitchen. (Time: 5-10 minutes)

No, your mom didn’t call to rat you out.  Having a clean kitchen makes it so much nicer to prepare meals at home!  When I feel burned out on cooking, it’s almost always because my kitchen is in chaos, not because I don’t want to cook.  Even if you can’t finish the whole kitchen in 10 minutes, you’ll get a good start on it…and if it’s dirty enough, those 10 minutes of cleaning can count as your activity for the day 🙂

4. Breathe. (Time: negligible)

Take a deep breath…or 20.  Your body needs that oxygen to operate at its peak, and your blood pressure and hormones will thank you for the break.  It seems obvious, but can you think of the last time you stopped to take a deep breath (other than when you got to this part of the post)?

5. Add a vegetable.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacktime: add a vegetable.  Throw some pepper strips in your scrambled eggs, have some carrot sticks or cherry tomatoes alongside your sandwich at lunch, toss some frozen peas or broccoli in with your pasta at dinner…however you do it, add a vegetable to every meal and mini-meal that you eat.  Try it for two weeks and see what it does to your energy levels (and the rest of your fitness goals).  I already have this habit firmly in place, but I still look for new ways to add even more veggie power to my diet!