Three Easy Steps to Better Health

A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult to implement – small steps done consistently are amazingly effective.

Adopting new habits to improve your health can sometimes feel overwhelming. Where to begin? How much time to spend? What’s the most effective way to improve? The reality is, making small, incremental changes—and doing them consistently—can lead to big changes for the better. “I’m a big believer in the power of the first step,” says Alan Rozanski, MD, professor of medicine the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. “Once you’ve done that, and as long as you keep going, that’s when the change occurs.”

Ready to get started? Here are three small steps to make big improvements in your health:

Let your phone nudge you to move

Technology can be your friend in staying healthy, and since you likely have a smartphone, why not put it to use? If you’ve been struggling to get yourself moving on a regular basis, set your phone’s alarm to give you a reminder each hour. When the alarm goes off, get up out of your seat and walk for just five minutes. Over a short period of time, this will become a habit, something you’ll look forward to doing. Researchers call this “implementation intentions,” or the act of turning your intentions into actions. As that five minutes becomes easier, you can gradually increase it to 10-minute increments, the sweet spot a 2025 study found to have the most positive impact.

If you don’t have easy access to the outdoors for a walk, even moving about your house for that five- to 10-minute period can help.

Train your balance while brushing your teeth

Falls can lead to a domino effect with your health, so you want to avoid them at all costs. But balance begins to decline as early as our 30s, so to maintain it—and safeguard against falls—you must practice it. Luckily, just 10 seconds of standing on one leg will help. An easy way to do that? Whenever you’re brushing your teeth, try to shift your weight onto one leg and stay there for 10 seconds. If you need it, lightly hold onto the bathroom counter with your free hand, making it your goal to eventually go without your hand. Twice a day and before you know it, you’ll have better balance.

Prep your greens once a week

Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables can be easier than you think. “I like to encourage people to think of ways to get more healthy foods into their diet, rather than taking things out,” says Dr. Rozanski. One trick he likes? Making a big salad at the beginning of the week, full of greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Then portion the salad out into smaller containers and keep them in the refrigerator, ready to grab throughout the week. Before you know it, you’ll be eating a better diet every day.

You don’t have to implement all these changes at once. In fact, says Dr. Rozanski, it’s better to “choose one area and make it consistent.” Once you’ve mastered that habit, try moving onto the next.

YOUR TURN

What small health habit have you been using? Share your tips in the comments!

This article offered by Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.  

Amanda Loudin is a Maryland-based freelancer who specializes in health and science content. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Fortune magazine and many other outlets. When not writing you can find her out running, hiking or biking.