Building a healthy lifestyle is hard work — and once you’ve gotten past the first step of setting up your fitness goals, there’s still plenty more to do. One of the trickiest things to sort out in the beginning is your daily habits. Which ones are you going to try to get rid of, and which ones do you need to add in?  It can be overwhelming to narrow down the healthy habits you need most, so we’re sharing six simple ones you can start doing now to get moving in the right direction.

Carry a Water Bottle

Staying hydrated throughout the day is critical for your overall health, so carrying a water bottle around is one of the best and simplest healthy habits you can work on. In fact, the CDC says water is important in helping to regulate your body’s temperature, protecting and cushioning your joints, and ridding your body of waste and toxins. Women should aim to get around 12 cups of water per day while men should aim to get a little more than 15 cups per day, according to the Mayo Clinic. Always having a water bottle on hand means there are no excuses for not getting in your daily ounces. Plus, when you use a reusable one, it can help save the environment by reducing plastic bottle waste!

Streamline Your Snacking

Snacking is one of the things that can easily get you in trouble when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. Learning how to streamline your snacking by having healthy options ready at the right times is a super helpful habit you can form. Start by removing any temptations from your pantry and then replace those unhealthy options with nutritious snacks that actually satisfy your hunger and keep you on track toward your fitness goals. Make sure you have plenty of grab-and-go options prepared, like hummus and veggies, roasted almonds, or your favorite 9Round protein bars, to make sure you’re ready when the week gets busy.

Commit to Exercising

You may not always feel like working out, so it’s important to learn how to commit to exercising no matter what. Regular exercise is a key part of living a healthier lifestyle, so you’ve got to find ways to move your body, even if it’s just a short walk around the block. Focus on incorporating just three days of exercise per week in the beginning, as this is all it takes to get started. Remember, 9Round makes it easy to get your workouts in with no class times, so no matter what time you show up, you can get started within three minutes!

Express Your Gratitude

We know you’ve probably heard this a thousand times before, but we’re still going to mention it because it truly is a great habit to have. Learning how to express your gratitude every day is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your overall well-being. Many studies have looked at the effects of gratitude, and some of the findings are pretty major: better relationships, greater happiness, and increased self-esteem. Try writing down three things you’re grateful for first thing in the morning to start your day with a positive mindset and see how it affects the rest of your week!

Stretch Daily

Increasing your flexibility can help improve your performance of physical activities, and it can help your muscles work more efficiently. Stretching once a day can be a great healthy habit to incorporate into your routine, especially if you want to be more flexible and have greater mobility. Try waking up and performing a few stretches first thing in the morning or finish your day and wind down for the night with some stretches before bed. Another great time to stretch is after your KILLER workout to cool down and help ease your muscles. 

Practice Self-Discipline

It’s easy to set goals and let them fall to the wayside, but if you actually want to accomplish what you set out to, you’ve got to get in the habit of disciplining yourself to get it done. Self-discipline is the process of learning how to act on your thoughts and not your feelings, and it’s something that only comes with practice. But once you learn how to get yourself off the couch and into the gym or off the delivery app and into the kitchen, then you’ll be able to stick to your healthy habits despite how you feel, and each day will bring you one step closer to having the healthier lifestyle you want. 

9Round can help you work on building healthier habits with our KILLER workouts and our KILLER nutrition plan. Come see why we’re the leader in kickboxing fitness and learn more about all the perks of being a 9Rounder when you sign up for your FREE workout! Just follow the link below to get started.