You do not decide your future. You decide your habits, and your habits decide your future.

This quote from Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, resonates deeply with me when it comes to building habits for long-term sustainable health. Because that is what really matters. Fad diets or short-term solutions don’t work. We need to focus on eating in a way that is motivated by health first and foremost, which is sustainable over the long term.

Life is busy and messy and hectic and overwhelming at times. Keeping your health and nutrition goals on track isn’t always easy. The real secret to staying on track is to build new routines. In time, these routines start to become automatic habits and your nutrition stays on course.

Here are three daily habits I follow to stay on track:

1. Morning rituals: As a 100% solo momma, my little one and I have a wonderful morning routine to ensure we both wake up and start the day feeling happy. I don’t rush through things and hurry through it all. Healthy nutrition is imperative to start the day. These things are a MUST for me every morning:

  • A big glass of refreshing water.
  • My morning supplements  including probiotics, vitamin C, vitamin D, and omega fish oil.
  • My morning spoons – these alternate but aloe vera, chlorophyll and liquid iron are typically on the menu.
  • I eat breakfast! This is a MUST for me. I am nursing a toddler so I need to ensure I am getting adequate nourishment and hydration to stay energized. Breakfast usually consists of oats with various seeds (pumpkin, hemp, chia), oat milk and blueberries.

2. Family walks: Walking with my big dog and baby girl is an essential part of our daily routine. Living in a climate that has major weather extremes – from -40 C to +40 C — finding the motivation every day might sound difficult. However, I’ve learned that this walk is imperative to my entire family’s health and wellness. For my daughter, it is a chance for her to strap in and sit, enjoy the surroundings and chill. It’s almost like meditation for her. For my dog, it is the obvious physical component but also the mental stimulation that she needs daily. Sniffing, saying hi to people, and checking out ‘the hood’ are all so important for her health and longevity. And for me, it is physical exercise, time in nature and fresh air, stress relief and a chance to be out of the house doing something we ALL enjoy.

3. I build my meals with four things in mind:

  • Is this plate 2/3 or more fruits and vegetables?
  • Have I had at least one serving of beans or legumes today?
  • Is there at least one healthy fat on this plate?
  • And most importantly…how can I make this meal one step healthier?

These four questions are all automatic for me now, so I build my meals and snacks without too much thinking. But it takes a while to get there, and that is totally okay.

It is the small, daily habits that take our health from good to great. We don’t have to overthrow everything that we are doing overnight. We need to take small steps in the right direction for our health to improve. So that in a year from now, you will look back and see a big difference from where you were to where you stand now. But it starts with one small step, every day.

By joining me on this journey of building a healthy community, my wish is for you to have moments that inspire you to live a healthier life. The small tweaks you make every day add up over time, and bring you one step closer to your health goals!

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