How to Get Healthy: Where Do You Start?

So, you want to know how to get healthy. Good for you! But where the hell do you start?

Maybe you’ve been feeling tired, sluggish, out of shape, or just plain fed up with the way things are going. Maybe you’ve been promising yourself for months that you’re going to start eating better, exercising, getting more sleep, and generally taking better care of yourself.

Tomorrow, right?

We’ve all been there. I certainly have.

Here’s something I’ve learned over the years: Getting healthy doesn’t have to begin with some dramatic, life-changing decision. You don’t need a gym membership, an expensive diet program, or a collection of supplements that costs more than your groceries.

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Well, that’s where things get interesting.

We’ve All Fallen Off the Wagon

I’ve spent a good part of my life trying to look after my health, and even I get off track sometimes.

Life has a funny way of interfering with our best intentions.

There are responsibilities, family matters, work, distractions, and about a thousand other things competing for our attention. Before you know it, the healthy habits you worked so hard to establish have quietly disappeared.

That’s been happening to me, too.

I’m looking after my 104-year-old mother, building this website, and dealing with all the other things life throws at us. Some days, there simply don’t seem to be enough hours.

But I’ve come to realize something important.

There will always be something competing for your time.

If you’re waiting until life settles down before you start looking after yourself, you might be waiting a very long time.

And when you do get off track, don’t waste time beating yourself up about it. You’re human. Join the club.

Just get back to it.

My Non-Negotiable Morning Walk Changed Everything

Last summer, I came across an idea that really struck a chord with me: the non-negotiable morning walk.

Something about those words grabbed me.

Not something I’d do if the weather was nice. Not something I’d squeeze in if I had a few minutes left over. Not something I’d think about doing after checking the news, answering emails, and getting distracted by everything else.

No. This was going to happen.

Every morning. No negotiations.

And I started doing it.

During the summer, it was wonderful. I’d get outside in the morning sunshine, get my body moving, enjoy the fresh air, and start the day doing something positive for myself.

But there’s a little problem with living in Canada.

It’s called winter.

And sometimes that beautiful morning sunshine gets replaced by cold, darkness, snow, and weather that makes staying inside seem like a pretty good idea.

So I adapted.

When the Weather Changed, I Changed the Routine

These days, I’m using my little rebounder trampoline every morning.

I put on the morning news, get on the trampoline, and start moving. Before I know it, half an hour has gone by.

I’m now doing about 5,000 steps every morning on the trampoline, usually taking a little over half an hour.

And you know what?

I actually enjoy it.

That’s a big part of the secret. I’ve found something that fits into my life, something I don’t have to dread getting out of bed to do.

Since making morning movement a priority, I’ve noticed changes in how I feel. My sleep seems better. My days have a better rhythm. I’m more inclined to keep moving and make healthier choices.

I lift weights, do some stretching, dance when the mood strikes, and try to get my 10,000 steps throughout the day.

Do I do everything perfectly? Hell no.

Some days I probably don’t do enough of anything.

But I’m moving. Every single day.

And for me, that’s made a real difference.

How to Get Healthy Without Turning Your Life Upside Down

If you’re wondering how to start getting healthy, my suggestion is to begin with one activity you can realistically do every day.

Not ten activities. Not an ambitious program that leaves you exhausted and discouraged after three days.

One.

Maybe that’s a ten-minute walk around the neighbourhood. Maybe it’s putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room.

Maybe it’s yoga, stretching, calisthenics, a little weight training, or some gentle movement while watching television.

Whatever works for you.

And if you’re just beginning, don’t worry about matching what somebody else is doing. My 5,000 morning steps aren’t your starting requirement. They’re simply where I’ve worked my way up to.

The objective is to make daily movement part of your life, not another chore you’re constantly trying to avoid.

Make It Enjoyable, or You’ll Find an Excuse to Quit

Here’s another thing I’ve learned: If you absolutely hate what you’re doing, chances are you’re not going to keep doing it.

We’re pretty good at finding excuses to avoid things we don’t enjoy.

And there’s research to back that up. A review of 68 studies on maintaining physical activity found that people who stuck with exercise tended to enjoy it, make it a priority, and work it into their daily routines.

So why not have a little fun?

You could even make every day different:

• Monday: A morning walk.
• Tuesday: Yoga and stretching.
• Wednesday: Dancing to some great music.
• Thursday: Light weights or calisthenics.
• Friday: A trampoline session.
• Saturday: Another walk, perhaps somewhere new.
• Sunday: Whatever gets you moving and feels good.

That’s only an example. You don’t need a schedule like that unless it helps you.

Personally, I like doing a little of several things throughout the day.

And some days I’ll put on some music and dance for a few minutes simply because I feel like it.

Who says exercise has to be miserable?

You’re allowed to enjoy yourself while you’re getting healthy!

One Good Habit Can Lead to Another

Something interesting started happening when I made morning exercise non-negotiable.

It wasn’t just about the exercise anymore.

I began noticing how one positive decision seemed to influence the next one.

When you’ve already started your day doing something good for yourself, it can change how you approach everything else.

You might find yourself paying more attention to what you’re eating. You might start thinking about getting to bed earlier. Maybe you’ll feel like taking another walk in the afternoon instead of sitting around.

I’m finding that the more consistent I become with my morning routine, the more I want to improve other parts of my life.

It’s almost as though taking responsibility for one healthy habit reminds me that I can take responsibility for the others, too.

And that’s where things can really start to change.

Don’t Wait for Motivation. Make It Non-Negotiable.

Motivation is a funny thing.

Some mornings you wake up ready to conquer the world. Other mornings you’d rather pull the covers over your head and tell the world to come back tomorrow.

If your health depends entirely on how motivated you happen to feel, you’re going to have a pretty inconsistent routine.

That’s why I love the word non-negotiable.

I actually repeat it to myself almost every morning.

My non-negotiable morning walk.

Even though these days it might be a trampoline session, the principle hasn’t changed.

I don’t spend the morning arguing with myself about whether I feel like doing it.

I’ve already made the decision.

And that takes a lot of the nonsense out of the equation.

Of course, being consistent doesn’t mean ignoring your body. Some days you may need to do less, choose something gentler, or take a break. The point is to keep looking after yourself rather than abandoning the whole idea.

Your Health Doesn’t Have to Change Overnight

We’re surrounded by promises of quick fixes.

Lose weight in 30 days. Transform your body in six weeks. Follow this revolutionary program and become a completely different person by Christmas.

Give me a break.

What I’m talking about is much simpler, and probably a lot more sustainable.

Start making better choices today than you made yesterday.

Maybe you begin with your morning movement. Then you start paying more attention to your food. Perhaps you replace some processed junk with Real Food, Mostly Plants.

Maybe you work on your sleep, your daily routine, or another habit you’ve been meaning to change.

You don’t have to fix everything at once.

And if you have a bad day, or even a bad week, that doesn’t erase all the good things you’ve already done.

Tomorrow morning is another opportunity.

So, How Do You Get Healthy? Start Tomorrow Morning.

Here’s what I’d like you to do.

Before you go to bed tonight, decide what you’re going to do tomorrow morning.

Maybe it’s a walk around the block. Maybe it’s ten minutes of stretching. Maybe you’ll turn on some music and dance around your kitchen like nobody’s watching.

Whatever it is, choose something realistic, something you might actually enjoy, and something you can imagine doing again the next day.

Then make that decision non-negotiable.

Don’t worry about changing your entire life tomorrow.

Just start.

And when tomorrow comes, do it again.

I’ve spent a lot of years learning that nobody can take care of my health quite the way I can.

That’s what Insure Your Health Yourself is all about.

I’m still working at it. Still learning. Still trying to improve. And yes, occasionally still getting myself back on track.

But I’m making progress.

And you can, too.

So what are you waiting for? Your healthier life isn’t going to start itself.