Everyone would like to improve their health and be more fit, yet so few of us take the steps that are necessary to achieve such a goal. Thanks to longer days at work and fast food restaurants on every corner many of us fall prey to the unhealthy environments we live in. For some of us admitting the fact that we must make changes to achieve better health turns out to be the biggest challenge. The following 12 tips to becoming healthier and more fit will put you on the road to enjoying a healthier and happier life.

1. Make it a life goal to obtain a healthier outlook on life which will undoubtedly lead to a healthier you, if you are determined to reach a better state of health, making it a reality will be so much easier.

2. From day one keep a journal, this can either be a traditional one or use your computer. You should include all thoughts and feelings about your new ways along with all the changes you see about yourself. This is essential to look back on to see the positive changes that are occurring due to your positive outlook and changes you have made to improve your health.

3. Get a large planner calendar, pin it up in your kitchen and mark the day when you choose to begin your new lifestyle and stick to it no matter what.

4. Support your new way of thinking by learning everything you can about ways of reaching better health and living a healthier lifestyle. You can use the Internet, books, DVDS, clubs, gyms and support groups to your benefit, knowing all you can about healthy living gives you a great base to work from.

5. Positive thoughts and self-talk or affirmations are a necessity; they will give you confidence at the beginning and will continue to take you through the tough times which will often occur during the early changes. A healthy mind will make for a healthy body.

6. You have to start somewhere so start by taking a look at your kitchen and reorganizing in preparation for your new way of life. Reorganize your kitchen cabinets, cupboards and refrigerator to ensure that there are no signs of the old you and all the signs of the things that will help you in your new lifestyle.

7. Replace old food with your new healthier choices and do not forget to purchase any small appliances which you will need to support your healthier way of eating, such as blenders and food weighing scales.

8. Along with changes to your diet you will also have to make changes to the amount of exercise you do per day. Consuming good healthy food is essential, but exercise is also just as important to help ward off the onset of health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and other health issues brought on as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. Adding exercise to your daily routine will have the added benefits of losing some weight and toning some muscle.

9. Give up any bad habits such as smoking or drinking, you will never reach your optimal peak of health while you are puffing away on cigarettes or drinking on a regular basis.

10. Make sure that you get the recommended 5 portions of fruit and veggies per day on your new regime, fruit and veggies are packed full of essential vitamins.

11. Make sure you learn ways to eliminate as much stress from your lifestyle as possible. A great way to relieve stress is to exercise, you may also use music therapy as a way of easing the tension away.

12. To really improve your diet eliminate all the white, this would be anything made with white flour such as white bread and then you have white sugar and other non-essential carbohydrates. Eliminate salt as much as possible and cut down on fatty foods as this will all help to improve your cholesterol levels and your blood pressure.

You have the ability to improve your health without deconstructing your entire life. All you really have to do is make a commitment to yourself that you are going to make these changes. It is important that you decide to make these healthy choices because it is something that you really want. When you set a goal for yourself verses trying to please others then you have a much better chance of following through with your decision.