Every so often, my company runs a health competition or initiative. In the past, it’s been things like Biggest Loser competitions or steps competitions. This year, they put out a list of small changes you can do daily, weekly, and monthly for a healthier lifestyle. Our competition runs for a month, and if you get enough points, you get a prize at the end. Nothing motivates me like prizes, even if they’re small ones.
In fact, I love the idea of this list so much, I decided to share it with you. So many of them are small things, but they can add up to a big difference in health and weight loss. I did add a few extra of my own in too! I’ve also let you know what I’m concentrating on – items in bold are things I already do on a regular basis, and items in italics are ones I see as reasonable and ones making an effort to do during this challenge!
Daily:
- Eat fruit for your dessert today.
- Try brown rice or whole wheat pasta today.
- Try a new fruit or vegetable today.
- Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing or calling today.
- Do 50 sit ups today.
- Try sitting on a balance ball instead of a chair.
- Do not eat any junk food today.
- Add at least 1,000 steps to your daily routine today.
- Split an entrée with someone today.
- Invite a friend to take a walk with you today.
- Bring a healthy lunch to work today.
- Get up and move while talking on the phone today.
- Dance to a favorite song today.
- Eat 9 servings of fruits/vegetables today.
- Take a brisk 15 minute walk today.
- Walk/run one mile today.
- Read an article on wellness/health today.
- Ask for salad dressing “on the side” today.
- Do not eat anything while watching TV today.
- Take the long way to the bathroom.
- Have your blood pressure checked today.
- Limit caffeine to 1 serving today.
- Sleep at least 8 hours today.
- Order a side of fruit or salad instead of fries today.
- Ask that the bread or chip basket be removed from the table when eating out today.
- Eat at least 25 grams of fiber today.
- “Veg up” your sandwich today. (lettuce, tomato, red onions, red peppers, avocado, etc.)
- Write down 3 positive things about yourself today.
- Smile and laugh often today.
- Stretch for five minutes today.
- Use skim or soy milk today.
- Make a long term fitness goal and share it with someone
Weekly:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator every day this week.
- At dinner, make sure half your plate is vegetables every day this week.
- Don’t eat anything after 7 p.m. any day this week.
- Do not add any sugar any day this week.
- Drink a glass or water before each meal every day this week.
- Eat only when you are sitting down this week.
- Do not drink any soda this week. (includes diet soda)
- Keep a log of what you eat every day this week.
- Park your car further away from your destination every day this week.
- Do squats while you brush your teeth every day this week.
- Do not use the salt shaker before tasting your food any day this week.
- Do 30 lunges every day this week.
- Do not eat trans fats any day this week.
- Eat wheat or whole grain bread instead of white bread this week.
- Eat your meals on a smaller plate every day this week.
Monthly:
- Try to touch your toes at least 15 times every day this month.
- Do jumping jacks for one minute every day this month.
- Drink 5 glasses of water every day this month.
- Do 5 shoulder rolls twice to release tension in your neck and shoulders every day this month.
- Take a multi-vitamin every day this month.
- Exercise during the commercials of your favorite TV show every day this month. (push-ups, sits ups, etc.)
- Pass on the vending machine every day this month.
Anything you’d add to my list?
16 Responses
These are some great ideas- and most of them seem so simple they can help kickstart a great habit. Thanks for posting the list!
– Rebekah @ Blue Giraffes and Concrete Jungles
Absolutely – here’s hoping they do that for me!
This is SUCH a good reminder list! I always eat lunch at my desk, so there used to be days I barely moved at ALL which I know is so so bad for you. In the past couple of months, I make a conscious effort every day to get up more often, use the printer down the hall, take the stairs instead of our elevator, get up and just do a few quick stretches, etc! It adds up! 🙂
It does – you can do it! Although the stairs are rough sometimes…haha.
I LOVE this!!!! Since I have started trying to lose weight I have been doing ALOT of this!
Super awesome idea!
Glad you like it – hope it helps you!
These are such easy things to do if you really think about it. They say if you do things even just five times in a row/daily it can become a habit. I wrote down a few things to do myself!
Awesome – good luck with them!
LOVING this list. When you lay it out like this… it doesn’t seem that hard to do!!
So true, especially if you just pick a few to focus on at first, then work on more as you get comfortable!
Wow, that’s cool! All of these are so little an doable, but it’s easy to see that they’d start adding up fast!
They definitely do!
I think these are good changes. But I always eat whole grain and skim milk. It doesn’t seem to work for me, haha.
This is an awesome list!
there are some really great ideas on this list! I wish I could eat fruit as dessert! but there are some other things to try on here – thanks for sharing this list.