3 Steps I Took To Improve My Health…That Didn’t Involve Dieting or Workouts

By Ryan Nelson

Everybody says the best way to lose weight is by eating better and exercising daily. We all know that by now, but I was able to try some new things to improve my health on my own and it worked!

5 Minutes to De-Stress
I have a lot on my plate, but I didn’t have to cut back on any of it in order to feel less stressed. Instead, I took the time to meditate. At first, I thought it would be difficult, but all it took at first was any kind of meditation music that calmed me and some concentration. Every day, I gave myself a minute more and promised myself that during the five minutes I was sitting quietly, I would focus on only that moment and breathing. No worrying about the future or the past, or what I really needed to be doing instead of meditating. When I was done, I realized it was well worth the five minutes to take care of myself, and helped me having more energy later. It reminded me I deserve a break, and I end up stress-eating less because of it.

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Shh- It’s Time for Bed
Remember when you used to sleep like a baby? Those days are long over for me. I was getting an average of 5 hours of sleep every night. Once I moved my bedtime a little earlier, took away the television and phone, unhooked from social media, and did something relaxing before bed (meditation or reading works for me), I was able to fall asleep quickly. I typically get 7-8 hours now, and it’s helping!

Getting 7-9 hours of sleep is the ideal, and I’m working towards it. I look better, feel refreshed, am less hungry during the day, have more energy to go out and maybe even run (maybe!) and can focus a lot more on things I need to get done. Because I can focus more and don’t feel like a complete zombie, I’m not searching for coffee during the day, and I don’t go to the vending machine for a pick-me-up. I even started shopping healthier. When I’m feeling tired and lazy, it’s easy to grab something unhealthy or order out.

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Dry Skin Brushing
Yes, it’s a real thing! Our skin is the largest organ our body has, and it’s important to take care of it. Taking 5 minutes out of the day to dry brush your skin sounds odd and probably not relaxing, but it has a lot of health benefits, and it feels good! I exfoliated dead skin that I didn’t know I had (remember all those flakes on your legs after showering? It’s not just dry skin!), it unclogs my pores, and I even noticed cellulite disappearing. It makes sense that brushing your skin that way would improve circulation too, and stimulate the lymphatic system (which helps remove toxins). All of that without having to do one of those master lemon cleanses! I do it twice a day because it feels good, but who’s counting?

Take This Vitamin for Healthy Skin and Hair.

I feel healthier every day with the tiniest changes, and none of these were difficult to add into my routine. The best part? It had nothing to do with counting calories or running to the gym, it’s all about taking care of yourself.

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