Food For Thought: 10 Healthy Habits (That Have Changed My Life)

Since sharing my story of discovering healthy living (and so many of you reaching out with encouraging words!) I’ve felt a lot more empowered to share more wellness tips and inspiration with you. It’s not that I ever really shied away from it, I guess I just get a tad wary because a) I’m not an expert and b) there’s still a lot I’m discovering myself! But since HB is all about doing what I can to inspire you to live YOUR fullest life, I wanted to share my personal Top 10 Life-changing Healthy Habits with you.

These are habits that I’ve adopted over the past few years that have made a significant difference in how I feel physically, mentally & emotionally. You’ll find that they’re nothing extreme by any means. In fact, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself when it comes to wellness that is an overarching theme in all of these it’s – go easy on yourself. I think sometimes we overcomplicate things when really our bodies just want to chill out! Anyway, I digress. Maybe that will make for another post 😉 So in no particular order, here are my 10 Healthy Habits that have changed my life.

1. I get by with a little help from my supplements

While I definitely believe it’s possible to get all of the important vitamins and nutrients from our food intake, I personally like adding supplements in that can help the process. Supplements are a good addition to my lifestyle because although I do eat quite healthfully, my diet is by no means perfect (and there are certainly days where not a green thing enters my body). 

My daily supplement lineup still looks pretty close to this one, give or take a few. I also currently have some or all of these on any given day:

• Care/of personalized vitamin packets
• Binto probiotics and/or multivitamin 
• “Magic potion” tea: herbal tea (lately I’ve been drinking Aloha) mixed with 1 tbsp Bragg’s apple cider vinegar and a few drops of liquid stevia
• Water with chlorophyll drops
• Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil in my coffee
• Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (also in my coffee, or in a smoothie)
• Super Elixir Alkalizing Formula 
• Havasu NeuroIGNITE

These are the supplements I’ve found that make me feel great, improve my skin, increase my energy, and I believe strengthen my immunity. Another great benefit I’ve found is that just having the habit of taking these supplements makes me feel better mentally – like I know I’m making decisions to better my health. That then trickles into other areas of my life when it comes to what I eat, how I move, etc.

2. Make the bed every morning

This is a bit of an unconventional healthy habit, but I can’t tell you how much of an impact this simple act has made on my life from a mental standpoint. Making my bed has become my “okay let’s do this” cue every morning to get started with my day from a place of organization, productivity, and basically having my life together. It’s such an easy act that can trickle into everything else you do. And if a Navy Seal admiral things it’s important…well, I’ll have what he’s having. 

3. Give in to cravings (sooner rather than later)

Let’s just say I’m not one of those “brush your teeth and the craving will go away!” people. For me personally, if I’m really craving a bagel and I don’t let myself have one, the craving will just grow and grow until I want three bagels (notice I have a thing for bagels?). Instead, I tell myself “well, for some reason or another my body wants a bagel. So let’s make it happen.” And you know what? The world doesn’t end. I don’t gain 10 pounds. But what does happen is I can focus on thinking about more important things in my life like my relationships and career, rather than dwelling on a damn bagel.

4. Eat food you actually enjoy

On that same note, find ways to eat foods you enjoy ALL the time! I’m not saying to go on an all out binge fest, but I’ve personally found that when I eat healthy, whole foods that I actually enjoy – rather than feeling like they’re what I’m “supposed” to eat – I don’t have that many cravings anyway. You can only eat tilapia and steamed broccoli for so long before you realize it’s a flavorless, unsustainable way to eat. Discover a healthy eating routine that you actually love and look forward to, and you’ll find it’s easy to stick to long term. For me, that means things like having whole grain toast with my breakfast, sometimes opting for good ol’ fashioned Skippy peanut butter over the fancy nut butters, and having some sort of treat/dessert on the reg.

5. Find the meal timing that works for you

I think there’s a lot to be said not just for what you eat, but WHEN you eat it. Over the years I’ve personally learned that I much prefer 3 (larger) square meals a day, rather than grazing or 5-6 mini meals. I’ve also dabble in Intermittent Fasting, which I think is a great tool for many people. I think meal timing is something that is often overlooked that can actually make a huge impact on how you feel, what you choose to eat, etc.

6. Have a list of whys

Having vision in every area of life is SO important. Otherwise, why do the things we do? When you have a vision – or your WHYS – for your wellness journey, it makes every little decision easier. I encourage you to write down somewhere WHY healthy living is important to you. Is it for a specific health problem? To lose weight? To just feel your best? Having your whys is especially important when you feel like giving up because you can go back and remind yourself that it’s not just about what you’re eating and how you’re moving – it’s about living your best, most fulfilling life. 

7. Exercise to build, not burn

To be honest, this is still a habit I’m trying to solidify in my own life. Years and years of thinking exercise was all about burning calories has left me with that mindset that isn’t exactly easy to shake. But what has really helped was shifting my focus from BURNING to BUILDING. Building muscle, building confidence, building strength not just in my body but in my mind. Like I said, that shift is still very much a process, but it’s so short & sweet that it’s starting to stick. 

8. Walking, walking, and more walking

On that same note, more and more I’m realizing just how much I LOVE walking. I truly think it’s so underrated! Walking isn’t just great from a physical standpoint (those steps can add up!), but I find it to be my favorite form of therapy. There’s just something about taking a long walk that instantly calms me down and helps me get outside of whatever things might have been stressing me out. I’ve also found that taking long walks is a perfect time to kill two birds with one stone. When I take my walks I like to make phone calls and spend time chatting with my loved ones (usually mom or sis), or listen to a podcast/audio book.

9. Have a designated water bottle

“Drink more water” is probably on every single healthy habits list out there, right? But for a lot of people that’s easier said than done, mostly because it’s something that’s so easy to forget. I’ve found that having my water right in front of me all day long helps me remember to…well, drink it! I have a designated 1 liter water bottle that I keep in front of (or carry with) me throughout the entire day so I’m constantly reminded to drink it. I probably make it through 2-3 liters a day! 

10. DGAF what other people are doing

This. This. THIS. These days there is more healthy living inspiration out there than ever – which can be a totally great thing – but it can also be overwhelming sometimes. When we see others having results or success with a particular lifestyle, we think “oh I should be doing that too!” But – and I’ve said it a million times – you HAVE to find what works best for YOU…your body & your lifestyle. Dig deep and find what that looks like, and then you almost have to force yourself to stop caring what anyone else is doing. That might mean you have to unfollow some people, and that’s okay. Personally I’ve gotten so comfortable with what wellness looks like in my own life that I’m okay following people that have other styles that work for them. You can still pull inspiration from people who might have a different outlook on wellness than you without adhering 100% to that lifestyle. 

I hope you found these motivating in some way! I’d love to learn what healthy habits have made the most impact in your own life (and maybe some that I should consider taking on!). As always thanks for reading, and follow more of my day-to-day on the Hungry Blonde Instagram (Stories) 🙂 xoxo GG

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This post is not sponsored, however please note it does include affiliate links. Please note that I am NOT a doctor or medical professional. This post is based solely on my personal thoughts and experience. Please consult a doctor before starting any new health, diet, or supplement routine.