Preparing for a Lifestyle Change

So you’ve committed yourself to getting in shape, eating healthy and living well. But you aren’t sure where to start or maybe you simply are feeling overwhelmed by the idea of it all. Or perhaps you’re excited about it and want to get started right away! Either way, there are some key preparation steps to get you more in control.

First, take stock of what you have. Is there good food available in your home? Do you have fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of water? People often purge their homes of “bad” food, but ensuring that there is healthy food available is much more important! You also don’t want to exclude your favorite foods – even if they aren’t the healthiest. Rather you limit how much you eat of them. But having good food available is a must.

Then examine your current exercise gear and available facilities. If you have a gym membership, great, but if not, you can see if there are any facilities where you can just take some classes rather than make a big commitment to a gym. Energy in Motion offers community classes or you can bring classes into your work place. You can also use home videos for some activities and remember that when cost is an issue, the great outdoors are available for free! You will want to make sure you have the equipment you need, though. Breathable clothes, good shoes, a swimsuit and goggles – whatever you need for your personal preferred routine. Once you know what you have, you can either plan around it and/or purchase what you need. There’s no need to drop a ton of money on something you aren’t sure if you’ll like it; there are many places to rent equipment or test out a class.

Once you have everything you need, then it’s time to plan. Make a realistic commitment to food and exercise goals. If you’re out of shape, working out for an hour five times a week may not be realistic right away. If you have mobility issues or are obese, you may want to consider low-impact exercises such as water aerobics or yoga. Any exercise is better than no exercise and you will be able to do more as you get in better shape. For meals, if you eat out or pick up fast food almost every day, transitioning to home-cooked meals won’t happen overnight. Make a commitment to limit how often you go out, then find out the nutritional information for the restaurants you visit most often. Much of this information is available online and it empowers you to make a healthy decision even when you’re eating out.

Lastly, get started! There will be some bumps in the road, but that’s okay. Not giving up is the key to a successful change. Prepare, plan, and then see it through. It’s unrealistic to think you’ll be perfect and do everything you think you should all of the time. But living a healthy lifestyle is completely attainable if you recognize that progress is the key, not perfection.