Nutrition, Movement, and Motivation: 3 Pivotal Keys for Ultimate Well-Being

Navigating a healthy lifestyle can be confusing without the correct information, tools, and support. The internet, television, and radio are swarming with ads for products and programs “guaranteed” to offer a speedy solution.

But a healthy lifestyle is exactly what it sounds like — something you build over a lifetime! Unlike a diet or a quick fix, there's no on and off lifestyle. It means consistent, sustainable, and, most importantly, enjoyable habits implemented throughout your everyday life.

The easiest way to build healthy habits

Now, this may sound a little difficult to accomplish on your own. Still, with Plexus® and our Pivotal program, we have created a program to deliver what you need to succeed, all at your fingertips, on demand. Plexus has discovered 3 simple but critical elements to support your goals: nutrition, movement, and motivation!

Nutrition:

Creating a healthy meal can feel overwhelming, especially when the wellness world is flooded with misconceptions, fad diets, and long-term elimination diets that can deliver results fast but not results that last.

Pivotal nutrition tip 1: Balance your meals.

The key to healthy nutrition is balance. A simple way to do this is to divide your plate into 4 parts:

• Half of your plate should be vegetables. This can be a salad or vegetables your favorite way: raw, roasted, grilled, sauteed, etc.
• One-fourth of your plate should be protein like chicken, fish, shrimp, tofu, or beans.
• One-eighth of your plate should feature a complex carbohydrate like brown rice, chickpea pasta, or sweet potatoes.
• The remaining 1/8 of your plate should be a healthy fat like olive oil for your salad dressing, nuts, seeds, or avocado.

That’s all it takes to create a delicious, balanced meal!

But what about in between meals? What do you do when the snack monster creeps in with cravings? Mindful, planned snacking is the solution! When you have a daily strategy, you can avoid hunger and make more intelligent choices that satisfy and serve your body well.

Aim for a snack that combines protein, healthy fats, and some carbohydrates to help you feel full and energized. Protein and healthy fats take longer to digest, helping you feel satisfied, and carbohydrates fuel your body.

Pivotal nutrition tip 2: Balance your snacks.

Here are some simple, healthy snacks to try:

• Hummus and carrots or another favorite vegetable
• Cheese and apple slices
• Almonds and dried fruit
• Hard-boiled eggs and bell pepper slices
• Peanut butter and celery

It’s important to remember that a lifetime of healthy eating does not mean you have to eliminate certain food types. It simply means that you make mindful choices and eat balanced most of the time. It’s about progress – not perfection!

A lot of people follow the 80/20 rule. If the majority of the time you make healthy choices, give yourself the grace to occasionally pick some alternative options that might sound more fun.

Movement

This is where your healthy lifestyle gets fun! Your body is designed to move, and staying active is vital to a healthy life.

Regular movement can help:

• Strengthen your muscles
• Improve your stability, balance, and coordination
• Burn excess calories and propel your weight management goals
• Positively impact your mood
• Improve blood flow throughout your body
• Boost your energy level
• Release tension
• Improve your sleep
• Improve your self-image

Pivotal movement tip: Choose activities that bring you joy

Many people lead busy lives, and it can be difficult to carve out time for a trip to the gym or a mountain hike. The good news is that 30 minutes of moderate daily activity can offer significant health benefits.

The key to staying consistent is to get away from the notion that movement = exercise. While it’s true that exercise is a type of movement, not all activity must be an exercise in its traditional sense.

Choose various forms of activity that bring joy to your life. Maintaining healthy movement is done by planning to do things you enjoy and can look forward to. After all, enjoying what you do benefits your body and mind!

Here are just a few ways to incorporate fun movement into your daily life:

• Walking (on a work break, with your dog or family, on a treadmill while catching up on your favorite show)
• Running or jogging
• Swimming
• Playing tennis, basketball, or other favorite sport
• Kayaking or paddle boarding
• Cycling
• Roller skating
• Jumping rope
• Dancing
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Gardening and yard work

Motivation

Motivation comes in many forms. Whether it’s a coach, curiosity, or good old-fashioned competition that drives you, the proper motivation can push you to achieve success beyond your goals.

Pivotal motivation tip: Create a support system.

When it comes to sticking to your healthy lifestyle, you need a community that supports and motivates you. This can be a group of people who are also on the journey to higher health and understand your determination.

Some examples are:

• Your family and friends
• Facebook group
• Coworkers
• Small team from your gym or yoga studio
• Online fitness or healthy eating challenge

Healthy living is made simple.

Many people try to find the one thing that will turn their health around: cutting out the right food, finding that perfect fitness routine that burns every calorie, and drinking the magic smoothie that holds your entire day’s worth of nutrients.

But the truth is, there is no secret to achieving lasting health. It takes the right tools to continuously make intentional choices that will lead your journey to success. With Plexus and the Pivotal program, healthy living can be simple and achievable so that you love how you live! VIP Customers and Brand Ambassadors can join Plexus Pivotal™ for free to unlock tips from nutrition and fitness experts, available on demand, right in the palm of your hand.