Spring, more than the new year, seems to be a natural time for people to make healthy changes in their life. I feel it myself, as the snow starts to melt and the blossoms come out, a lot of my obstacles in life suddenly seem a little smaller. The biggest challenge is channeling that energy in a way that can benefit my health through out the year. I recommend taking advantage of those things that spring has to offer that make healthy changes easier, so you can establish a good routine that will last through the seasons. Here are 3 things that can help you take advantage of the warm weather.
1. Make one change at a time. I find often patients want to do everything at once, and while the energy that motivates such a change is a good thing, making a dozen changes at once makes it a lot harder to sustain any of those changes. Take one thing at a time and focus all that energy on that one change until it becomes habit, then move onto the next change. It's harder to do because it doesn't feel like you're committing to as much, but that way one habit failing won't cause every healthy change to go with it.
2. Spring is the season for activity. Like the stream thawing out in the winter, you may feel that pull to start moving and get out there. This is a better time than any to do it, once it gets too warm it's going to be a lot more work to convince yourself to go for a hike or bike. Go with the energy and explore new places.
3. Try some new fresh produce. This is the time to get fresh produce in Canada and learn how much you enjoy different foods. You don't have to eat kale to be healthy, try some of the other leafy greens like Swiss chard, collard greens or rapini. Go to the market and see what's in season. Buy something new and google some recipes. Treat it as an experiment, not another boring resolution to eat more vegetables. Every new food is an adventure!
1. Make one change at a time. I find often patients want to do everything at once, and while the energy that motivates such a change is a good thing, making a dozen changes at once makes it a lot harder to sustain any of those changes. Take one thing at a time and focus all that energy on that one change until it becomes habit, then move onto the next change. It's harder to do because it doesn't feel like you're committing to as much, but that way one habit failing won't cause every healthy change to go with it.
2. Spring is the season for activity. Like the stream thawing out in the winter, you may feel that pull to start moving and get out there. This is a better time than any to do it, once it gets too warm it's going to be a lot more work to convince yourself to go for a hike or bike. Go with the energy and explore new places.
3. Try some new fresh produce. This is the time to get fresh produce in Canada and learn how much you enjoy different foods. You don't have to eat kale to be healthy, try some of the other leafy greens like Swiss chard, collard greens or rapini. Go to the market and see what's in season. Buy something new and google some recipes. Treat it as an experiment, not another boring resolution to eat more vegetables. Every new food is an adventure!