The United States Department of Health and Human Services published the first Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in 2008. It recommended 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity daily or a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes per week for adults ages 18 to 64 years. Strength training for all of the major body parts, legs, hips, arms, shoulders, abdomen, back and chest is recommended at least twice a week.

If you are not already physically active, incorporating fitness activities into your life doesn’t need to pose a major challenge. A wide range of physical activities meet the guidelines. Examples of moderate physical activity include dancing, brisk walking, and cycling.

Keep in mind, 30 minutes of moderate activity provides the minimum required to gain health benefits.  More vigorous activities, such as jumping rope, Zumba and swimming, can provide even greater health benefits.

To successfully integrate physical fitness activities into your life, make them part of your daily schedule. Set aside time in your daily planner and add a reminder on your phone or watch. The most important things you can do are show up and perform some level of physical activity. Even if it doesn’t quite hit the 30 minute mark, you’re still building the habit of physical activity.

Along with physical fitness, ultimate health and wellness hinges on a healthy and balanced diet. People who eat well experience a variety of health benefits, better weight management, lower chances of developing diabetes or heart disease and lower instances of illness.

A healthy diet includes significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and unrefined grains. The recommendations also suggest lowering sodium, added sugar, trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet.

Before you look to cut things from your diet, work on adding healthy choices to your meals and snacks. Take a proactive positive approach as you make changes to what you eat. Drink a non-carbonated beverage instead of a pop or soda; you can choose unsweetened herbal tea which still provides flavor, lemon water or plain water.

Try ‘crowding out’ the unhealthy food by simply eating more healthy food. As with exercise, small daily changes can help the transition to a more healthful lifestyle.

Our emotional state can affect our food choices, our level of physical activity and our ability to maintain positive social engagement. Foods high in sugar and fat satisfy the pleasure and reward centers in our brains. If we are stressed or unhappy, many of us reach for rich foods to make ourselves feel better. Sometimes this is a conscious decision; many times it is not.

Also, feeling angry, unhappy or depressed saps energy, making it more difficult to exercise or pursue other physical activity.

There are many ways to combat this cycle. Physical activities like yoga, pilates, and tai chi expressly cultivate a healthy mind-body connection for practitioners. Each of these activities use movement tied to breath awareness to focus and calm the mind and the nervous system.

Yoga includes breathing exercises and meditation as well. These activities build fitness and relieve stress. Some mind-body activities, breathing exercises, visualization and meditation, do not involve whole body movement; they focus on channeling mental activity and relieving stress.

Using essential oils can also be a great way to relax and balance moods. Just make sure you use high quality oils like Healing Solutions essential oils. It’s important to understand how to use these oils safely and effectively. If you’re new to them I’d recommend reading The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy.

It is important to keep the body healthy and the mind in a state of equilibrium to experience a sense of well-being. Equilibrium does not mean you become an automaton. It simply means you do not experience unrealistic highs, debilitating lows or crippling anxiety. Being even tempered makes it easier to deal with stress, adapt to change and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Most experts agree it takes 21 to 30 days of consistent application to make a simple action a habit. More complex accomplishments like establishing an exercise routine, daily meditation and dietary changes can take significantly longer.

The rate of accomplishment for more complex changes can be highly variable; don’t end your quest for ultimate health and wellness if you are not seeing immediate results. The key to changing established habits and acquiring new ones is consistency and persistence. Build those new habits into your life slowly but consistently.