Introduction
Do you have any reason to feel like it’s time to make a healthy change? Do you have goals to meet with your health regarding your optimal health, weight or energy levels? Do you have a hard time getting started and sticking to a program? Are you tired of having to feel like the only way to do this is to buy expensive systems or products to be able to get in shape or feel better and be healthier? We are pleased to offer a customizable 7 day guide ABSOLUTELY FREE. This guide can help you in many ways no matter where you are in life with your health and well being. We are offering this guide below as an downloadable/printable version as well as access to support through our closed Facebook group. Request to join and we will approve it! We will offer one-on-one help with tailoring these guidelines to fit your specific needs, all for free. Consider downloading this guide and joining us if you are looking to improve your health in any way, including but not limited to:
- Eating healthier
- Maintaining an already healthy lifestyle
- Practicing moderation in general or with food, exercise or stress levels
- Drinking enough water each day
- Starting to exercise or find ways to exercise more
- Improving your stress level and being happier
JOIN US! Take 7 days to start strictly following a healthier lifestyle and reach your goals. Follow this simple guide to make positive sustainable changes! See how easy it is to feel your best with day by day instructions for cultivating a happier, healthier life!
Please feel free to also join us on the Facebook Group that we run for general support with a healthy lifestyle. You’re welcome to subscribe in the sidebar for email updates from our site when new posts are up. Also follow us for inspiration on Instagram and Facebook. We truly appreciate your support on social media!
Key points for diet:
KEEP IT REAL!
When fueling your body with food follow this general rule-only eat it if you can recognize the ingredients.
*Limit natural “junk foods” i.e. excessive amounts of sugar and processed health food.
EAT ENOUGH!
Do not severely limit your consumption of food or focus on counting calories. Eat whole, healthy food when you are hungry, stop when you are full.
*Eat real foods for each meal and snack with a focus on balancing protein, healthy fat and dense carbs with plenty of vegetables.
HYDRATE!
Drink enough water to stay hydrated each day! Add lemon juice to 16 oz of water each morning and drink first thing to start your day off best! Limit/eliminate caffeine and processed drinks (soda, energy drinks, sugary juices)
*Drink water at least 20 min before or after eating. Avoid drinking water during meals. Add fruit pieces to your water to make it more exciting!
Key points for lifestyle:
RELAX & REFLECT DAILY!
Even if it’s not until you’re about to go to sleep, take time to sit down and be present with yourself. Reflect on the day and everything you did, positive or negative, accept it and LET IT GO.
Tips for doing this are:
- Choose to accept all of your actions, negative or positive-as it’s now the past and you can’t change it.
- Think about what you gained from it, where you could improve and what you’re proud of.
- Accept that you gave today your best and let go of any regrets you may have then smile! Tomorrow is a new day-look forward to improving in those areas tomorrow!
MOVE MORE!
Wherever you are now with your fitness-improve on that. Think about what is practical for you. If you do best with a 15-30 min strict workout, find one (YouTube is great for this!) and commit to it. Take a walk, go to the gym, run around playing with your pets or kids, whatever works! If you already work out, maintain that and challenge yourself with a new routine!
If it’s better to build it in to your day (this is what I do) then find a trigger event that you do frequently each day and attach 1-10 minutes of activity to it. (depending on your time limits and goals) try push-ups, sit-ups, squats, jumping jacks, going up and down stairs a few times, etc.
*For example: before or after using the restroom, eating, drinking, checking email or social media, do a set amount of activity like 2 minutes jumping jacks or 15 squats and 15 wall push-ups.
If you choose to use the small steps guide it will make the transition to a healthier lifestyle a little more gradual and regimented. This guide is an excellent option to help you ease into this healthier lifestyle if you are brand new to it or just do better with more structure. A commitment to being healthier takes a lot of work and sometimes can be a lot of changes at once! Following this will allow the changes to build up as the days go and if you follow it exactly, it will ease you into a living a sustainable healthier lifestyle by 7th day. Changes to the protocol each day are indicated in bold. Once you have finished day 7 using this guide we recommend maintaining that level for at least 7 more days without straying from it to get the best results! By that time you will find that it IS POSSIBLE to be healthier on a daily basis and can learn to moderate occasional indulgences and balance your entire life a little better. Click here for a PDF version of the 7 Day Health Challenge!
DAY 1-Get started!
Goals:
- First thing when you wake up, drink 1 large glass (about 10-15 oz) of water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon if possible
- Take at least 5 minutes of time to yourself to reflect and meditate on your life and your goals-sit or lay down and do absolutely nothing. Do this whenever you can, bedtime is a great time! *Check out these YouTube channels for guided meditations ranging from a few minutes to over an hour. The Honest Guys, Michael Sealey and Meditation Relax Club. There is a nice free application for your Android smartphone that I really enjoy, it has guided meditations that are 3-25 minutes long. I am not familiar with Apple options so let me know if you know of a good one!
- Add a little more activity to your day. *Take the stairs instead of the elevator, get up and go get the thing that you would normally ask someone to grab for you, even if it is on the other side of the room or house. Park farther away from wherever you are planning to go to increase the amount of walking.
- Prepare at least one of your meals from scratch. *We recommend making a large dinner and having leftovers for incorporating into a meal the next day! Phase out processed drinks and food from your diet and home. Choose a healthier option if eating out.
DAY 2-Do a little more!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between at least one meal, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Again spend at least 5 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for.
- Spend at least 5 minutes being active. *Make sure to go at a reasonable pace for yourself. Stay within the appropriate range of difficulty for your level of fitness. You don’t need to feel like you’re dying the next day. Examples of good ways to do this for beginners is to go for a walk, go up and down a set of stairs, alternate 2 min of strengthening calisthenics (such as push-ups, crunches/sit-ups, squats, lunges, etc) with 1 minute of cardio; something like jumping jacks, running in place, butt-kicks, jump rope (with or without rope) going up stairs, etc. Anything to get your heart rate up! Check out short yoga or Pilates videos on YouTube!
- Prepare at least 2 of your meals from scratch, including the meal comprised of leftovers if that is what you chose to do. Phase out processed foods, continue making healthier choices when buying food for your home and eating out.
DAY 3-Get into the habit!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between 2 meals, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Spend at least 5 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for. Also think of and focus on 5 things that make you feel happier.
- Spend at least 7 minutes being active. *See suggestions above.
- Prepare at least 2 of your meals from scratch, including the meal comprised of leftovers if that is what you chose to do. Continue to phase out all processed food and eating healthier meals and snacks.
DAY 4-Keep it up!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between all meals, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Spend at least 10 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for. Again think of and focus on 5 things that make you feel happier
- Spend at least 10 minutes being active. *See suggestions above.
- Prepare at least 2 of your meals from scratch, including the meal comprised of leftovers if that is what you chose to do. At this point be rid of all processed food and unnecessary chemicals and sugar from processed food, sugary drinks and treats.
DAY 5-You’ve got this!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between all meals, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Spend at least 10 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for. Again think of and focus on 5 things that make you feel happier
- Spend at least 12 minutes being active. See suggestions above.
- Prepare all of your meals from real food. Order as close to real food as possible when eating out. Eat only real food snacks between meals.
DAY 6-Almost there!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between all meals, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Spend at least 10 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for. Again think of and focus on 5 things that make you feel happier. Additionally think of and focus on 5 things you love about yourself.
- Spend at least 15 minutes being active. See suggestions above.
- Prepare all of your meals from real food. Order only real food when eating out. Eat only real food snacks between meals.
DAY 7-Here you are!
- Drink your morning water plus a glass in between all meals, no more than 20 minutes before or after eating.
- Spend at least 10 minutes meditating sometime during the day. Additionally, during a time that you would normally busy yourself with your phone, magazine, book or TV, instead think of and focus on 5 things you are grateful for. Again think of and focus on 5 things that make you feel happier. Additionally think of and focus on 5 things you love about yourself. Think of 5 goals that you have for your life, short or long term.
- Spend at least 20 minutes being active. See suggestions above.
- Prepare all of your meals from real food. Order only real food when eating out. Eat only real food snacks between meals.
Continue to use the guidelines for day 7 as a general template for a healthier lifestyle! Build up to more intense activity and explore different recipes to keep it fun and fresh!
Feel free to modify the plan and comment your modifications below!
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