Small Steps For Health

Working in wellness, I focus a lot on the very small steps you can make for better health.

Telling yourself you will cut a thousand calories from your daily diet or that you will go from a non-existant workout program to one that gets in you in the gym all seven days of the week is hard.  Maybe even impossible!

But small changes, that's something I can wrap my head around.

Did you ever see that magazine advertisement that showed all of those plates with just a little bit of food left on them?  All of those small bites added up to a lot of food.  A lot of potentially saved calories over a week's, month's, year's time.

Recently I've been focusing on some really small things I can do that will hopefully add up to better health for me.
 

Green Tea
I used to be a great green tea drinker, and then I got on a coffee kick.  Green tea has so many health benefits, and I'm starting to add it back to my diet.  Our office breakroom has 100% organic green tea packets for the taking.  Sometimes I'll brew it with just a small amount of hot water (enough to cover the teabag for it to steep) and then I'll add ice cubes and cold water so that I can drink it cold.  When I first started drinking it back in high school, I had to have sugar or sweetener in it, but now I drink it straight.

Move More
At the start of the year, I was given a new type of pedometer to check out, and I've been wearing it daily.  The one above (Omron; $32) is also one I've used before, and while larger than the one I'm currently wearing, it's probably my very favorite one.  Having the ability to sync the pedometer up to your computer to track progress is key.  The standard goal is 10,000 steps per day, but that's pretty difficult to hit for the average person who works in an office and isn't a big runner.  Wearing this makes me aware of days I need to rethink watching my beloved Housewives and instead lace up the shoes for a quick jaunt around the neighborhood.

Hydrate
It became apparent to me that my water intake could probably stand a little boost.  I own three of these plastic cups with straws, and on the way out of the door in the morning, I grab one.  If I have time to fill it up with water before heading to the office, great.  If I'm pressed for time, I just toss an empty cup in my lunchbag.  During the day, I remind myself to keep filling it up.  The quick walk to the water cooler adds more steps to my pedometer (about 200 steps each trip back & forth) and I'm drinking more water than I ever did on days that I didn't keep it right next to my laptop.  Out of sight, out of mind.  Right in sight, on the mind.

Which of these steps do you do?
What other small steps do you incorporate into your life?