Committing to a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have be as complicated and as time consuming as you think. In fact, all you have to do is make a few small tweaks to your daily routine over time to make a big difference in your wellbeing.

In fact, many medical professionals agree that making small changes is the best way to solve major health issues related to lifestyle diseases. According to the Colorado Center For Health And Wellness at the University of Colorado:

“The small changes approach that has become our overriding philosophy for the past decade began with a think tank “exercise” to see how, as a nation, we got to this obesity epidemic. We estimated that modifying energy balance (i.e. energy intake and/or expenditure) by 100 kcal/day could prevent weight gain in 90% of the adult U.S. population. We also estimated that a similar or slightly higher degree of modification of energy balance could stop excessive weight gain in U.S. children.”

Try some of these 3 minute health and fitness makeovers to make a big difference in your life over time.

• Drink more water – Try drinking 16oz of water immediately when you wake up to start your day off hydrated. Time: 1 minute.

 

• Do 3 sets of pushups – Get down and do a 60 second set of pushups three times a day to get your blood flowing. Time: 3 minutes.

 

• Eat a low carb breakfast – Scramble 2 eggs in the microwave in the morning or grab a handful of nuts on your way out the door to control your blood sugar levels all day. Time: 2 minutes.

 

• Pack your own lunch – Save dinner leftovers and add a side salad for an easy lunch that you can pack the night before. Time: 3 minutes.

 

• Incorporate tabatas into your workout – Tabata rounds are high intensity intervals that include 20 seconds of all out effort followed by 10 seconds of recovery. Try doing 4 rounds to squeeze in an aerobic workout in 2 minutes. Time: 2 minutes.

 

• Use a foam roller – Foam roll your major muscles after a tough workout to help massage the lactic acid out of your muscles. Time: 3 minutes.

 

• Darken your bedroom – Sleeping in a silent, dark room can increase the quality of your sleep. Good sleep quality has been linked to improved muscle repair and regeneration. Pull down your shades to darken your bedroom. Time: 2 minutes.

 

Which small changes have you made in your life recently that have improved your health and fitness?