Feeling Frustrated? 5 Simple Steps to Transform Your Health Without Overwhelm

Oct 16, 2024 | Uncategorized

It is easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when, we as women, have so many things piling up that we don't know what to do next. By incorporating these 5 simple steps into our daily routines, we can start to take…

The season is upon us.

The time to become overwhelmed. The holidays are approaching. Piled on top of what need to do on a daily basis – take care of our family, upkeep with our homes, working at our places of employment.

We’ve all been there. It isn’t easy.

When we get overwhelmed, we start to let ourselves go, putting others before ourselves, ignoring our own health and well-being. Yet, we know that if we could just get a little time out for ourselves, we might be able to handle all that is stressing us out. We are wanting to make a change in our health but feeling too overwhelmed to even begin. Or even feel a little bit guilty for taking the time out for ourselves.

If you’re frustrated with how you feel and don’t know where to start, this blog is for you.

1. Hydrate First

The easiest step you can take is to start drinking more water. Hydration plays a crucial role in energy levels, digestion, and overall well-being. Especially drinking water first thing in the morning, which will have benefits of assisting with increased alertness, improving mood, better brain function, reducing the risk of illness, improved skin and hair, and helping with reducing some aches and pains. Aim for at least 8 glasses a day, and you’ll notice an immediate improvement in how you feel.

2. Move Your Body Daily

You don’t need a complicated exercise routine to start feeling better. Any type of non-exercise movement can help with health benefits, from improving brain function, lowering risk of disease and diabetes, strengthening your bones and muscles, improving your sleep, and reducing the risks of falling. Even a 20-minute walk can do wonders for your mood, circulation, and stress levels. Find an activity that you enjoy, and make it a daily habit. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your friends to find something fun to do together. 

3. Prioritize Sleep

Lack of sleep affects your hormones, energy, and ability to make healthy choices. When you aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep, you help your body build its immune system, improve your blood pressure and blood sugar, and reduce your risk of accidents. Start by creating a calming nighttime routine by avoiding screens before bed, and try winding down with a book or meditation. When you get your nightly zzz’s, you are able to improve your overall health and well-being, as well as lowering that feeling of anxiety that comes with every day life.

4. Add Whole Foods to Your Diet

I could do a whole blog on this topic alone (which I will in the future), but this is a great way to start transforming your health in an easy way. Instead of focusing on restricting your diet, focus on adding more nutrient-dense, whole foods. This includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. You’ll find that when you nourish your body with real food, the cravings for unhealthy options naturally decrease. Think of it as crowding out the bad things with the good. Start small with snacks, then moving into one meal at a time. Don’t try to overwhelm yourself by doing an all or nothing switch. 

5. Practice Mindful Breathing

Stress is often a major barrier to good health. One simple technique to combat this is mindful breathing. Take a few moments each day to focus on deep, slow breaths.  Close your eyes, think of the good things that happened during the day or something your are looking forward to. Taking a time out during the day, 2 minutes here or 5 minutes there, to just breathe, be in the moment can help bring you into calm, erasing the chaos that may be invading your day. By practicing mindful breathing, you can help calm your nervous system, promotes mental clarity, reduce stress, and improve your focus.

Start small with these steps. While they are simple; as you practice them more consistently, they can lead to meaningful, lasting changes in your health—without the overwhelm. Click here for a cheat sheet for how to make these simple changes.

If you continue to struggle with how to put yourself first and focus on transforming your own health, schedule here for a time to chat so that we can, together, create a plan that fits into your schedule, with simple changes that won’t overwhelm.