Take it day by day. That's the best lesson in success I ever got.
Where do you want to be at the end of your life, get a dream, get a vision, then take it day by day.
This is the best way to go with health as well. It makes it way easier to avoid the pitfalls of trends that do nothing, and diets that don't sustain.
In order to have success in your health journey you need to take small bites and ensure you can sustain what you are working on. That means, each day, do 6 things to make sure you are healthy.
1) Eat Breakfast -- Make sure it has protein in it, and it's real food. Do not go for the quick fixes and instant food. Grab real fruit, eat real oats, or make a real smoothie. Don't but these things pre packaged.
2) Have a meal plan, and food ready every day. Nothing fancy, but have healthy options ready to go.
3) Move as much as possible. I'm a gym rat, I love exercise. If I didn't, but I wanted to be healthy I'd wake up and get a walk/jog done. Then I'd purposefully get away from my workstation and take a 10 minute walk at some point. After work I'd do yoga, or at least stretch and deep breath. That yoga breathing should get done at least 2 times a day. Try stopping at some point today and taking 3 minutes out of your day. Breath in so deep and slow, and breath in so deep and slow that you take 24 breaths in those 3 minutes.
4) Take time through out the day to interact with people. Not over food, and not about work. Have solid meaningful exchanges. It will allow you to remove stress, and if it's not over food, it will allow you to do something that doesn't involve eating.
5) Drink a lot of water. Don't worry about a number, or the fact that no one agrees on a number. Just keep drinking. Pick a number like 4 or 5 liters and work towards it. Get lots of fluid in your body. Make sure it's water, no flavouring and no sugar added.
6) Plan to sleep, get to sleep, and enjoy sleep. We need to get back to a place where we wind down. Your work doesn't matter so much that it should rob you of sleep. Nothing should be such a priority that it takes your health away. If you can't sleep, address the issue with a professional. Sleep deprivation is a massive problem in our world, and we are not addressing it properly.
Just as a fun aside. I've been working on a project, and it's a dream come true. I never wanted to be labeled as a "fitness nut". So I launched a series of articles with my girlfriend recently where we started recapping our dates. It's about having fun together, and keeping active and healthy. Birchwood Chevrolet has been ensuring the City hears about health by sponsoring the articles. It's our way of teaching people how to live healthy, and really live! There is no reason to not have fun, and you can do it all while making smart small decisions. Tess and I do something active together, eat at a restaurant that offers healthy alternatives, and then make sure we do something to make memories together.
That's health. No more sitting on a couch, just watching movies and going for alcohol filled drinks. No, this world needs a shake up. It needs people having fun and getting back to basics. Get out and see the world, it's super romantic! It's also an easy way to stay healthy and active.