I've made a lot of changes in the past year that not only have helped me to get in better shape, but to live a healthier life and just be happier! I wanted to share with you 5 of the most important changes I made in my life, whether it helped my skin, my sanity, my body, or anything else!
These habits are all inexpensive habits that ANYONE can do, and I wanted to pick things that weren't obvious like drinking lemon water?? We've all heard that before. Without further ado here are the top 5 habits I've adopted in the last year that changed my life.
1. Listened to my body and ate based on what it was saying
Okay people...I've been lactose intolerant for about 7-ish years and only really started taking it seriously in the last year. Most lactose intolerant people I know are the same way, because avoiding dairy is really annoying!! Think of anything delicious...mac n cheese, ice cream, pizza?? So you can't blame me for not taking it seriously. I used to just take some lactaid and still suffer both on the toilet and with painful acne on my face. It wasn't until my boyfriend told me I should really actually start cutting it out that I finally made a change, and I can't tell you how much better I feel. If you have any kind of intolerance or if any food makes you not feel good, cut it out and you will feel so much better! My skin is so much better and I'm spending less time in the bathroom and more time living my life! I've also cut back on gluten, processed foods, and artificial sweeteners, as I've found they upset my stomach and cause me to break out.
2. Committed to making a smoothie every day
This is one of my favorite habits I've formed, because smoothies are sooo delicious and I look forward to them every day. I used to be super crazy and would juice every other day, but that habit got time-consuming and expensive FAST! Making smoothies is so simple, and you can always tailor them to whatever you like! I like putting in lots of spinach with berries, almond milk, water, and some protein powder, but you can put whatever you want! It's a great way for me to get in extra servings of fruits and veggies, and you can conveniently drink it on the go. We always buy frozen fruit because it's cheaper and it won't go bad as fast as fresh fruit! Start off slow making a smoothie every other day with mostly fruit and gradually add in more spinach! Your body and skin will love you for it.
3. Replaced all my chemical skincare products with natural oils
I've always suffered with acne from around the age of 9, and I've tried pretty much every face wash, moisturizer, scrub, prescription cream, and pill that you can think of! Nothing worked until I decided that I didn't want to put anymore chemicals on my face. Now all I use is coconut oil, rosehip oil, and vitamin E, and my skin has cleared up so much. There are so many benefits to using natural oils on your face: it's much cheaper, you know exactly what's going on your skin (no chemical ingredients you can't name!), and it's better for the environment. I promise that you will not regret switching over to natural oils!!
4. I started going to bed early
Every since middle school, I've been the kind of person who stayed up way past midnight and either took a nap every day or slept in til noon on the weekends. College only made the problem worse, when I would sometimes find myself not crawling into bed until 4 am. Well once the real world kicked in I had to make a choice to either continue being tired or during the day or actually getting a good night's sleep. Deciding to get into bed to really go to sleep by 9 pm was such a good decision. Not only am I getting enough sleep, but I'm waking up ready to take on the day! It's such a difference waking up in a good mood instead of being miserable getting out of bed. Plus has anyone noticed how beautiful and peaceful the mornings are?? I wish I had learned that before.
5. Investing in good dental care
I've always brushed my teeth twice a day...flossed on occasion? It was only recently that I realized I needed to step up my game. Teeth are one thing you REALLY don't want to mess up. Investing money in an electric toothbrush has been a game-changer, and I highly recommend getting one! I've also been making an effort to floss every day. I haven't been using any whitening products besides a whitening tooth paste, and my teeth are so much whiter and just feel so much cleaner! It's led to me smiling much more, which is always a good thing :)