As I look at my calendar and realize it’s the last day of March, I am acutely aware of two stress-inducing, albeit unchangeable, facts:

One, I forgot to post in February; a sure sign of my already busy 2023 schedule.

And two, twenty-five percent of the year is gone and I’m still trying to get my diet and fitness plan dialed in.

Ugh. Seriously? So frustrating. Unfortunately there is no way to go back to February and write a post but, since I know health is a journey and not a destination, I can banish the self-flagellation and turn my thoughts toward April.

If I’m being honest, I wish health WAS a destination. I could ask Siri to get me directions; a turn, a few steps, another turn, and BOOM there I am! So easy.

Alas, health is a journey. A journey of small decisions made daily whose sum total bears out in the later years of life.

I’m writing this post to share a few of my go-to health tips (and also to make sure I don’t miss posting in March). No, I am not a doctor, nutritionist or fitness trainer. I am, however, a busy middle-aged American so I know the struggle.

• Drink more water.

We all know hydration is important but it’s just so easy to grab another cup of coffee or a canned drink from the fridge. I replaced soda with unflavored sparkling mineral water; the carbonation helped me feel like I was still getting soda.

• Meal prep or meal plan.

I’ve taken a run at meal prepping and, while I found the easy to grab lunches and snacks convenient, I found the half-day of cooking often not possible. Meal planning, on the other hand, works great for me. I use an app called Cooklist. I can search meals, create my own meals or add meals I find online to the schedule for the nights I cook at home. I’ve tried almost all the meal planning apps and this one is the best. It does everything from creating a full-day meal plan for you based on diet and food preferences to creating a shopping list and keeping track of your pantry items. Eating more at home significantly helps me get in the nutrients necessary for internal health.

• Expand your food tastes.

When I was a kid, I hated okra, Brussel sprouts, tomatoes, green peppers, meatloaf, ham, onions, avocado, jelly, liver, fish, any kind of casserole, corned beef and cabbage…I’m sure you get it, I was super picky. As I navigated adulthood, I realized food was important to my health so, I began to research “healthy” food by looking at cookbooks. The cookbook photos of tortilla soup with avocado slices, pink salmon steaks with asparagus and festive tables featuring corned beef and cabbage all created a desire to try these meals myself after a while. There are now only a couple things on that list that I still don’t like as an adult. So retry some old stuff, you might like it now. Or try some new things!

• Shop smarter.

Plan your grocery list before you head to the store. Knowing what you need will help you navigate more quickly and ensure you don’t end up with all the snacks you’ve been trying to avoid. If you end up with those things even when you have a list, try the online grocery pickup option. This is fantastic if you meal plan because your app can most likely be set up to attach to your grocery store of choice; once you have your meals set, you can just order what you need through the app and pick it up at your chosen time. Easy peasy.

• Stay regularly active.

Unless you have a very physical job, you probably need scheduled physical activity. Whether you tackle the seasons by snow shoeing, skiing, hiking, cycling and paddle boarding; walk your dog rain, sleet or shine; or hit your favorite gym faithfully, we all benefit from regular movement. Ask a friend to join you if it’s difficult to stay on track. Activity is not only good for your body but your mental health will benefit too.

I hope my simple tips make your life a little easier. Happy Spring!