If you have finally decided that you want to get more out of life and have more energy, feel better, and live longer, then you have come to the right place. If you are serious about leading a healthier lifestyle, you need first to know what your reason for wanting it is. Is it to spend more time with your loved ones?

To have more energy to pour into your passions or to set an example for your children? Or maybe it’s to look better and lose weight. Whatever your reasons, find them out and use it to motivate you when things get tough – because it will get tough! Here’s what you could do to achieve your goals, step-by-step.

Step One: 7-9 Hours of Sleep

This should be the very first aspect to master in your journey into a healthy lifestyle. Each person has their own unique needs when it comes to sleep, and finding out just how much sleep you need to perform at your best is key. The widely accepted norm is between seven and nine hours a night. Protect your sleep requirement and prioritize it above all else! Make sure to start your bedtime routine an hour before your actual bedtime to get your brain ready for bed and wind down.

Step Two: Bring in the Vegetables

Next up, you need to start including more vegetables in your diet. This means prepping veggies in advance, so you have a healthy snack like carrots and peppers with hummus ready to go when you need it. Think of dehydrated beetroot, sweet potatoes, and even nuts and dried fruit as healthy snacks that add to your five-a-day. Make more room for your serving of veg during dinner and have a veggie with your breakfast, even if it is just a sliced tomato or a helping of cucumber.

Step Three: Cut the Sugar

You knew this was coming. The goal is no added sugar, but you can take your time to work up to it. If you absolutely can’t have your coffee without sugar, consider alternatives. If those don’t do, consider skipping your coffee. Again, when things get hard, use your ‘why’ as your motivation!

Have a plan in place to avoid sugary snacks and temptations. When your brain starts to wander into thoughts of cake, cookies, and ice-cream, do something to distract it! It’s all mind over matter. Cut out the sugar, and you will survive, trust us.

Step Four: Exercise

So you have an adequate sleep, you are eating plenty of nutrients, and you are staving off the sugar. You are almost there! Now add at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise to your week at least five times. Choose something you enjoy, like jogging, squash or tennis, and stick at it! Or, choose a couple of things and rotate between them. Whatever it is, make sure you keep moving five times a week! You will enjoy the feeling of satisfaction and the results you see. Results take time, so don’t expect too much. Just enjoy yourself and take it one step t a time.

Step Five: Stress Relief

So you’re even closer to your goal now than ever before! Once you perfect the first five steps, you can take on the next, and that is finding an activity that will help you relieve stress and calm your soul. Whether it is meditation, yoga, Pilates or hiking, reading, knitting, or singing, just find what works for you.

This is important because many people break their commitments when they are stressed, and you don’t want to be one of those people. Knowing how to calm yourself is a lifesaver in times where it is overwhelming and tempting to cave in and throw in the towel.

It’s time for a change, folks! You have wanted it for a long time, and you haven’t reached out for it. Now that you are reading this, you know what you have to do to finally reach your goals and feel that happiness you have been waiting to feel. Don’t be hard on yourself along the way, though, you are only human, and you likely won’t be perfect. Such is life. Be happy, be healthy, and be human!