8 Great Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Spring

Spring is here, and with it comes the end of a cold and snowy winter. The weather can be a big factor when it comes to motivation and upholding those New Year's resolutions for being healthier. It can be hard to bring yourself to leave the comfort of your home to go the gym or head to the store for healthier food options. It's often easier to stay in where it's warm and order delivery.

If you gave up on your resolution after a week or two, pick it up again this spring or try out one of these tips to get you moving down the right path. Spring is a great time for healthy lifestyle changes.

Morning Stretches and Workouts

Earlier sunrises come with spring. Take advantage of this to go for a morning jog or brisk walk. If going out isn't up your alley, you can create a morning stretch or cardio routine to do in your home to get your blood flowing. This helps to wake you up just like a cup of coffee. With the sun up earlier, it will be easier for you to get out of a bed a little earlier.

Get Your Sleep

Getting enough sleep and having a regular sleep pattern benefits your physical, mental and emotional health. A good night's sleep goes hand-in-hand with morning workouts because morning exercise contributes to more restful sleep, and this allows you to get up more easily for your morning exercise.

Getting to Work

If you work near your home, try some alternate means of getting there, like biking or walking. The spring weather is perfect for this - not too hot and not too cold.

Make Small Talk

If you want to improve your memory and stay mentally sharp, an easy way to do so is by talking. Engaging in casual conversations with other people while out and about or at work is actually good for your brain. Your intellectual health is just as important as your physical health.

New Shoes

Buying new shoes may not seem very important. On the other hand, you may be excited by the prospect of spring shoe shopping. In either case, a new pair of shoes, particularly a good pair of sneakers with proper support, is an easy way to better your health without doing much extra. Good sneakers make short walks into more effective exercise and help you avoid knee and other pain during more rigorous workouts.

Get a Massage

After you've finished up your spring cleaning, you should treat yourself to a massage. Massages aren't just a great reward after seasonal organizing - they are actually very good for you, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting at your job. They are also great if you suffer from a lot of lower back or neck pain for any reason.

Tea Over Coffee

Though coffee has its health benefits, herbal teas have more. You can easily find one or more that you like and add some variety to your spring mornings while getting a major health boost, too. The changing weather often causes the common cold to surge and many herbal teas can help fend it off.

Get Creative in the Kitchen

Eating healthier can seem like a challenge. Make the transition slowly, and spring is a good time to start. A lot of amazing fruits and vegetables are in season in the spring. Be adventurous with them and do not be afraid to try new things in the kitchen. Cooking your own healthier dishes can be fun and make the transition a lot easier.

Eugene Wood is a leading NYC and Long Island Massage Therapist and the Education Chair for the NY Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association. Eugene has offices in Manhattan and Wantagh, Long Island. Learn more by visiting his website at: http://www.nyc-massage.com.