7 Day Get Started Wellness Plan

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Suzanne Levy, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.

7 Dav Get Started Plan

You don’t have to wait to get started on living a healthier life. I have found that even making one small change can make a big difference in how you feel and look. That’s why I am offering you this simple 7 Day Get Started Plan. Here are some simple ideas to get you started to living well!

Start with Day 1 – Sunday is a great day for this – and make a commitment to implement one suggestion each day. See how you feel by the end of the week. I have a feeling you will notice a difference – maybe a big difference – before the week is over.

Day 1: Imagine

Visualize your goal – where do want to be? What do you want it to look like? How would you feel and look if you were in the best shape of your life? Just as you can’t build a house without a plan, we have to know where we want to go in order to get there.

Today’s action: Take 10 minutes to think about your goals, put them on paper, see them in your mind’s eye. Think of a time in your life when you felt you were at your best – what does that look like for you?

Day 2: Nourish

Pay attention to what you are eating today. How does what you eat affect how you feel? Are you giving your body what it needs to function at its optimum?

How is your energy? By eating whole, unprocessed foods, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and whole grains, you are giving your body fuel to be energized throughout the day. You can accomplish more and enjoy more, because you feel more alive. You will cope more effectively with stress simply because you feel physically well.

How does your eating affect how you look? Healthy foods promote good cell growth and can help eliminate harmful free radicals and toxins in your body. This in turn helps keep your skin glowing and supple, and you fresher and younger!

Today’s action: Take time to prepare and enjoy healthy meals and notice how you feel after.

Day 3: Move

There is not enough room here to go into detail about the benefits of exercise, but how is this for starters? Regular exercise can help you live longer, look better and have more energy. It will help you reach and stay at a healthy weight, and keep you happier and smarter. It will lower your risk of a list of diseases too numerous to go into here. You will be stronger, sleep better and have better sex. Need I go on?

Today’s action: Take a brisk walk, go for a bike ride, how about a game of tennis? If the weather isn’t cooperating, there are literally thousands of exercise programs on DVD and online fitness sites that offer customized plans. You can also check out your local recreation center – most offer a variety of classes. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Just move.

Day 4: Rest

Proper rest and sleep is key. Adequate sleep benefits your heart, weight, mind, and how you look and feel throughout the day. It can improve your mood, your memory and inspire creativity. Recent research has shown that adequate sleep helps with weight loss and weight management. Sleep and metabolism are closely connected. Lack of sleep can cause certain hormones to increase in your blood, the same hormones that drive appetite. If you are trying to lose weight, you may feel more hungry if you are not getting enough sleep.

Today’s action: Get at least 8 hours of sleep tonight, and notice how it makes you feel.

Day 5: Go Inward

Today, take time to be quiet. Spend a few minutes in meditation – you don’t have to sit for twenty minutes if you are new at it. Try just five to start. If it’s a nice day, go outside, kick back in the grass, and watch the clouds go by. (How long has it been since you’ve done that….?) Take a moment to appreciate a summer breeze, or the fall colors. In our fast-paced, technology filled lives it is easy to lose touch with those quieter moments that nourish our souls. Nature is a great place to do that.

Day 6: Hydrate

Every cell in your body needs water. It is vital to your wellbeing to drink enough. For example, your brain consists of 90% water. Without drinking an adequate amount, your brain will not function at its best, and you can end up with headaches or a migraine. Water also helps with metabolism, transports nutrients and oxygen into cells, protects vital organs, and helps organs to absorb nutrients. It detoxifies and is an essential component of healthy, young skin. How much water should you drink? It depends on how much you weigh, your activity level and your environment. A common suggestion is to drink 8 8-ounce glasses a day. Another recommendation is to divide your weight by 2, and drink that many ounces of water daily. (If you weigh 140 pounds, that would equal 70 ounces.)

Today’s action: Experiment. If you haven’t been drinking a lot of water on a regular basis, try one of the above ideas. Chances are your body will feel well hydrated, energized and fresh.

Day 7: Connect

If you have stuck around this week and given all these ideas a shot, by now you have to be feeling pretty good. What are you going to do with all that good feeling? What about connecting with those around you? Studies show that people with a healthy social community have nearly a 50 percent greater likelihood of survival than people without. Having a healthy community of support in family, friends and peers helps foster a sense of belonging, helps in coping with stress, increases your sense of self-worth, and an increased feeling of security. A stimulating conversation with friends over dinner, or an afternoon spent with a fishing buddy, adds to a feeling of mental vitality.

Today’s action: Get involved. Go out to dinner with your spouse or call a friend for lunch or coffee. Meet for an early morning walk or a movie. Do something fun. Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move. Get out there and share yourself with others. Both of you will benefit.

I would love to hear from you! Please let me know how this week went for you and how it impacted your life and wellness.