How to have a healthy lifestyle?

If you are reading this, surely it is because you have wondered how to have and (above all) MAINTAIN a healthy life?

Well, this is something I get asked all the time. How did I make this a lifestyle, how do I stay motivated, what do I have to do to make it become a habit and not quit?

The answer is extremely simple, but complicated at the same time. What I answer all the time is that only ONE thing is required. That's right, nothing else. You don't need to have a list with a thousand things to do, a subscription to the best gym, to your Pilates classes, to a program that includes food ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or the newest book with the "best diet" of the moment.

I remember when I was in high school and I used to go every day (literally every day) to the store for chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the morning and one of those chocolate milks because, obviously according to me, I couldn't buy one without the other. I remember how I felt guilty about what I was doing, but felt like it was a necessity… or as I call it now, an addiction to sugar. Afterwards I felt guilty and drank a lot of water and ate salads the rest of the day ... has this ever happened to you? I can assure you that most of us have been here at some point.

But hey, without further ado, I will tell you what you need to achieve a healthy life that will bring you great benefits in the short, medium and long term. The answer is very easy, you need to WANT IT. And yes, I say it with capital and bold letters because it's very easy and at the same time very difficult to really want to have this lifestyle. Many of us have had that "moment" where we have all the attitude and willingness to change and do everything possible to achieve it. And it is right there where the problem is...

As human beings we are volatile and we are guided by what motivates us in that exact moment; we are, in general, beings with little patience and in need of seeing immediate results. Leading a healthy life and fitness requires patience, constant work and small goals in the short term, and large in the long term.

The first thing I would suggest is to HAVE A PLAN. Set yourself a short-term, achievable goal. You don't want to have a six pack in a month, or run a marathon the next weekend. For example, an achievable goal would be: eat vegetables at every meal, avoid adding sugar in your food, eat outside once a week, etc. There are thousands of examples, but what I mean by this is that if you set yourself these little goals, it will be much easier to get into a routine.

These goals should follow the SMART protocol (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). If the goals don't have this, it will be much more difficult to achieve them since you will not have a clear idea of ​​how to carry them out, nor a specific date to achieve it, or how to measure progress.

It may seem very complicated at first, but you will see how little by little, even without thinking about it, you will make healthier decisions not only for the goal, but because you begin to feel better, with more energy, in a better mood and, of course, with a more beautiful physique!

In my case, at first it was difficult to give up on my chocolate chip cookies, but one day I decided to stop doing it and instead take an apple with me. After a few days, I didn't even crave the long-awaited cookies of the past. I loved not feeling heavy, guilty and sleepy for my next classes.

Take steps according to how you feel your response to the changes. I do need to emphasieze to you to NEVER take a step back, remember why you started and focus on your well-being. Do not forget that the most important thing is you and if you do not see for yourself, no one will.

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