When it comes to being healthy, it’s becoming harder to do for Americans each day. This is because while the rate of processed food is increasing, so is the rate of sedentary lifestyle thanks to office jobs and technology. It’s something that we should think about as a society, because obesity is being named an epidemic in this country of massive proportions that is rising each and every single day. Studies have shown  that it’s not usually the fault of people, either. Genetics not only plays a huge role in obesity, but so does the environment that one grows up in. Not only that, but it’s much harder for people to keep weight off that they have lost than it is to lose it in the first place, even though that is also incredibly hard. The majority of people who do lose weight tend to gain it back, and more in as little as two years. If you want to know how to get in shape and do what’s best for your mind and body, keep reading for excellent tips on how to make healthy living a reality in your life.

The first thing you should do when you’re concentrating on a healthy lifestyle is to reevaluate your expectations. When you think of losing weight as just an end goal when you get to a certain weight or fit into a certain outfit, when you get to that goal, is when it gets the hardest to keep that weight off. Maintaining the weight that you’ve lost is much more difficult, and this is something that people need to deal with, as the journey to a healthy life and healthy living is a lifestyle change, not just a short-term fix. You should re-evaluate how you think about diets and think of one that you can be on, not for short-term weight loss, but as a lifestyle change that you can commit to for the rest of your life. Although your diet and exercise routine may change up here and there, it’s important that it’s something that you think about and keep track with, because losing that ability to make good decisions for your body everyday is how people end up gaining the weight back, or making unhealthy decisions that can lead to being much less healthy than they were in the beginning.

The next thing you should do on your journey to a more healthy life is to change up your diet. Your diet  may be the singular most important factor in living a healthy lifestyle, because it’s something that dictates the way in which our body and organs function. You want to make sure that you’re getting the right amount of calories for the physical exercise that you do everyday, and that you are able to understand everything that you are eating. Something that has shown to be successful for many people is getting a calorie tracking app that will let you input information onto your account about everything that you’ve eaten. This is a great way to get a good idea of the amount of calories that you’re intaking, and if you input your exercise every day, you may also get a good idea of your calorie deficits. This is important when it comes to losing weight because it’s something that most people don’t have a good grip on. The knowledge that comes from understanding calories and what they do to your body can propel you into success.

Another great idea to get in shape is to start off small with your exercises and increase them every week. Going too hard too quick can be bad for your body, and it can also lead to issues of motivation. Instead, start off by building up your tolerance and strength and you’ll be much more likely to continue for a longer period of time. Another thing you should consider is to do things like walk or take a bike to work, instead of taking a train or your car. You can also get inspiration everyday to do this by buying your favorite outfit from Nordstrom in a smaller size, and hanging it up in your bedroom so that you’ll see it everyday that you need to the do work. This will serve as a great reminder of what is to come, as well as what will come later in life if you keep up with your healthy habits.