5 simple wellness tips for a balanced lifestyle

(BPT) – Are you looking to revamp your habits and focus on your wellness? You don’t have to follow a strict program or completely change your schedule to have a balanced lifestyle that benefits your physical, mental and emotional health. Small, simple changes can make a big difference. Before you know it, these changes will become habits and you’ll start to see the health benefits.Not sure where to start? Check out these five simple tips for incorporating wellness into your everyday lifestyle.1. Start the day with drinking waterHydration is incredibly important to your health and metabolism, so start your morning off right with a tall glass of water. Overnight, your body loses about 1 liter of water while you sleep. As soon as you wake up, drink at least 16 ounces of water to rehydrate as soon as possible. Give it an even higher priority than your morning coffee. Forgetful? Consider setting an alarm or use a water tracker app on your phone to measure your intake.To make this habit easier to incorporate into your life, jumpstart your day by jazzing up your water with fresh slices of lemon or cucumbers.2. Keep snacks on handWho doesn’t love a good snack? If you feel sluggish and hungry between meals, keep better-for-you snacks on hand at home and on the go. A guilt-free snack can be something to look forward to after a workout or an indulgent pick-me-up during a stressful workday. Planning ahead keeps you in control of your snacking behaviors and less likely to reach for something you don’t really want.Consider Voortman® Sugar Free Wafers and Cookies as a delectable snacking choice. Aside from being tasty, these snacks contain 0 grams of sugar and are made without high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors or trans-fats, so you can satisfy your cravings without sacrificing wellness.”Consumers want great-tasting snacks that help them achieve a balance between health and indulgence,” said Adam Lisook, general manager of Voortman Cookies Limited. “We want to make it easier for people to choose a delicious snack anytime, anywhere that they can feel good about.”With nearly 20 varieties of sugar-free cookies and wafers, you’re sure to find one (or even a few) Voortman favorites to keep at home, in the office and in the car for snacking.3. Move moreThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. That number may sound daunting, but you don’t have to do it all at once. In fact, it’s beneficial to get some physical activity every day, so you can easily meet this goal by doing 30 minutes of activity five days a week.You don’t need to sign up for an exercise class or start training for a marathon. Start with a simple walk every day. Take a loop around your neighborhood in the morning before work or in the evening after dinner. Ask a work buddy to take a walk with you after lunch or invest in an under-desk treadmill if you don’t have time to leave the office. Over time, you may find that you want to extend your walks or take more than one a day.4. Put down your phone and unwindStress can negatively impact your wellness. From your mood to productivity to health, stress can lead to serious burnout and even cause physical symptoms. It’s also important to spend less time staring at screens and create healthy boundaries with our devices.To manage stress, make sure you incorporate moments of relaxation throughout the day. Silencing your phone and implementing practices like yoga and meditation into your routine can help you feel grounded and centered even on hectic days. During a busy day, find a few minutes to do some breathing exercises so you can restore some tranquility to a frantic morning or afternoon. If you’ve had a particularly tough week, consider planning an at-home spa day to unwind from the week’s stresses. You can start by lighting your favorite candles, listening to some calming music and taking a relaxing bubble bath.5. Refresh your home and get organizedBelieve it or not, your overall wellness is tied back to the organization in your life. Tidying up also can help you de-stress, give you energy to focus and improve your state of mind in various ways. Try taking inventory of items in your home and purging of things that are no longer necessary or needed.A little effort to declutter can go a long way. Spending just a few minutes each day can help make your life healthier and happier!Start small by building on good habits and practices and you’ll be surprised at how much your life can transform. Using these five simple wellness tips, you can be one step closer to creating a sustainable and balanced lifestyle.