I don’t have a recipe for you today or my favorite way to use a new plant-based ingredient. I have a list. The best things I ever did to improve my health. But what exactly does it mean to be healthy? If I were to ask each of you that question, I would get a wide range of answers. Health to me might be different to you. However, feeling healthy, being healthy, living a healthy life makes us feel, shall I say … whole. Healthy, happy, and whole. There was a time in my life, a long, long time ago, sometimes feels like another lifetime, where I did not feel healthy or whole. Today, I do, and I have for a while now. The best part? I plan on keeping it that way as long as I can.
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
The 7 Best Things I Ever Did to Improve My Health
Today, I am sharing with you the seven life-changing things I did in my life that had the greatest impact on my health. If you are looking for something life-changing, keep reading. The simple changes I made that can help you too.
I Found a Workout I Love
I love to sweat, push myself to my physical limits, accomplish micro-goals every single morning, challenge my mind + my body. If you know me, you know I LOVE running. However, I didn’t always love running. I am 48 years old and the first 35 of those years, I never ran one single mile. I learned I love distance running and my life and my health improved exponentially when I did. What workout do you love? Find it + your life will never be the same.
The Numbers I Pay Most Attention to Have Nothing to Do with Calories
My credit score, the weather, the thermostat when I sleep, my LDL cholesterol, and my marathon times. These are the numbers I pay most attention to. Notice what I didn’t say? My weight, calories burned, calories consumed, grams of fat or the number on a continuous glucose monitor. Why? I haven’t weighed myself in somewhere around 2 years, and I never ever count calories, and my life has never been better. Find the thing you need to let go and let it go. For me, it was the scale + the calorie counting app. What numbers do you need to let go of? Or perhaps pay closer attention to?
Apply the 80/20 Rule to Multiple Areas of Life
What you do most matters most. Read it again, it isn’t a typo. What you do most of the time matters most. From finances to eating to exercise to friendships to digital consumption to work. For example, 80 percent of the foods you consume should be the foods that are most nutritionally dense and make you feel your best leaving 20 percent of the time for the “fun” foods. This can apply to spending, saving, beverages, time on digital media, or socializing. Pay most attention to what you do most, fine tune it, and know that the 20% buffer is there when you need it.
Realize It’s You Against You
This one was exceptionally hard for me. I wanted someone else to fix whatever needed fixing in my life. However, once I committed to it, this was one of the best things, hands down, that improved my life forever. That place between stimulus and response is where habit lives. You know what else lives there? You and only you. How do you respond when you are hungry, tired, or unmotivated? Only you can talk you into being the best version of you.
Be Mindful of Oil
Bringing us back from Tara therapy talk to Tara food talk. Pay attention to oil! I won’t get into the whole seed oil controversy here. I’ve authored a few articles to guide you through choosing a cooking oil. But, seriously, pay attention to how much oil you pour on your food, put in your recipes, drizzle, dip, fry, and soak. This can impact your cholesterol, heart disease risk, inflammation, and more. It adds up + being mindful of it is the first step. You don’t need as much oil as you think! Above all, there are affordable products with high quality oils everywhere now.
Drink Water + Lots of It
Ohhhhh the health benefits of drinking enough water, let me count the ways. So many! If you only take one thing from my list today, let it be this! Better skin, improved digestion, less chance of kidney stones, less headaches, on and on and on. Drink water instead of something else, drink water before and after working out or when you don’t feel like working out, when you are thirsty and when you are hungry and I’ve said enough 😊
My Authenticity is My Biggest Strength
This one I wish I discovered sooner. I spent too many years trying to change my body, my appearance, my fill-in-the-blank quality. Then, I realized that I am unique for a reason. My eyelashes are long and my legs are short and they suit me just fine. You can eat all organic foods, cut out all the refined carbs on the planet, biohack every number in your blood work, but it all means nothing if you can’t love who you truly are under all the fluff. My authenticity is my biggest strength, can you find a way to make it yours too?
Food For Thought
There you have it, the seven best things I ever did to improve my health. No, they all might not be for you, but I am sure there are a few on there that are for you. Our bodies are all unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all, no magic pill, no workout of your dreams, no smoothie to heal everything, and definitely no fast pass to the finish line. The only way to find ultimate health is to first define what health is to you, then, walk straight into the hard work at figuring out the 7 things YOU can do to improve yours. Above all, find your authentic self + love it, and then, enjoy some good food in the company of good people.
All the best,
Tara 👩🏻🌾 💚
A Few Other Tips You Might Enjoy
Improve Your Health By Adding Not Subtracting
Your Health Goes Way Beyond Food
The Vegetarian’s Guide to Mindful Eating
Daily Healthy Habits That Are Easy
The Vegetarian’s Guide to the 80/20 Diet
⭐️Did you enjoy learning the best things I did to improve my health? Do you have a favorite? Leave a comment, I love to hear from you! ⭐️
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