Hands up if you decided this was the year that you’d start getting healthy. And keep ’em up if, despite your best intentions, you’ve kinda been flailing around wondering where to get started. Don’t panic, I’m right there with you. If you’re out of the zone it can be super tricky to know how to start getting healthy. With that in mind, I thought I’d share some tips I’ve picked up on my travels.

Back to Basics

If a goal is kind of vague, like ‘get healthy,’ it’s hard to implement. The first thing is to figure out what ‘healthy’ looks like for you, so you can then break it into actionable steps. I wrote a little bit more about what that looks like for me over here. In it’s simplest form, being healthy comes from a combination of food and movement. Eating healthy means less processed foods, less junk, and more good quality, nutritious fresh food. For bonus points you can try eliminating sugar or cutting back on wheat-based foods and see how your body responds. More movement leads to improvement in your strength, flexibility and fitness, and means that your body works better and therefore feels better.

Getting Started

>> Start Small

When we want to make changes in our lives it’s really tempting to jump in with both feet and go hell for leather on it. That enthusiasm is awesome and you should definitely hang on to it. But if you try too much too soon it can be really overwhelming and, perhaps most importantly, unsustainable. A nutritionist friend once told me that she encourages her clients to start super small if that’s what will work for them — like adding cucumber to a ham sandwich. That’s all. Then maybe next week you can go for an extra serve of veggies with your dinner, too. A personal trainer I saw interviewed on this topic suggested you start simply by wearing your exercise gear around the house. After a couple of days, walk out to the mailbox and back. Then around the block. Sure, it might take awhile to run 5 kilometres using this method, but you’re not going to shock your body (and your ego, if you can’t achieve an unrealistic goal). Don’t be afraid to start small, there’s no shame in it. If making incremental changes means you’re more likely to stick with it then that’s a terrific option.

>> Figure out what works for you

I used to work with a girl who completely overhauled her diet and started doing boot camp three days a week, all at once. And she got amazing results! But I know if I tried to make all that change (especially at once), I would hate it and grow resentful. I’d be more likely to skip sessions and add more treats into my diet as reward for working so hard. When I was flirting with paleo I cut down on bread and pasta and found that my body worked way better without it. For others, eating wheat or not makes little difference, so it’s not worth missing out. It’s important to remember though that “it’s really hard” isn’t an excuse. You’ll still need to push yourself outside your comfort zone, but it can be a little bit at a time, not all at once.

>> Incorporate strength work

Keeping your body strong is important for a number of reasons, including supporting your frame, improving your balance, and improving your overall stamina. Simple bodyweight exercises are the easiest place to start because you don’t need any extra equipment and you don’t have to leave your house. Think squats, lunges, push ups, chin ups, planks, dips, and so on. Plus many of these can be modified to accommodate beginners as you build up strength. Nerd Fitness is a great site for people who are just starting out (and also people who are ready to level up their fitness).

>> Move more every day

This is stuff we all know, right? You won’t get the cardio benefits of a 10km run but moving more every day keeps you, well, moving! And that’s got to be a good thing, keeping you loose and flexible. Hop off the bus a stop early and walk a bit. Take the stairs. Walk down to the shops, if you’re just picking up a few things. Have a dance break. Stretch. And there you have it! Like any goal, if you don’t know where to start getting healthy the first thing to do is get more specific about what it really means, and then break it down into actionable steps (even if they’re little ones).

Are you making changes in your health zone this year? Let me know in the comments!

**Remember that this is advice based on my own experience only. Take care when starting any new health program and have a chat to your health care professional to make sure your changes are safe for you. Good luck!