What does constructing Ikea furniture have in common with living a healthy lifestyle?

In both cases, you’ll recognise some of the parts that make up the whole. So these are the ‘knowns’.

You open up your new Ikea Stefan box and you can identify the chair legs. Similarly, you can probably distinguish some basic principles of healthy living, like regular exercise.

In both cases, there are also several bits and pieces that you know nothing about whatsoever. These are our ‘unknowns’.

So with Ikea, they’re those strange looking metal bits that may or may not hold your new chair together. And likewise with a healthy lifestyle, perhaps things like myofascial release or cold thermogenesis. They’re the parts that you can’t quite identify, or ones you’ve never even considered before.

So in both examples we have the ‘knowns’ and the ‘unknowns’. But aside from one being an inanimate object and the other being a way of living, there’s one major difference:

Ikea does a good job at providing a blueprint for putting together those ‘knowns’ and ‘unknowns’, to create a clear plan for success. The same can’t always be said where healthy living is concerned.

Ikea is good at building a blueprint for success. The same cant always be said in the health world.

Hence, the HERO Blueprint Healthy Living Infographic.

It’s a collection of 34 experience/science backed ideas and healthy lifestyle tips I’ve picked up over the years, for anyone looking to piece together the ‘knowns’, and find out more about the ‘unknowns’.

In fact, they’re the exact guidelines I follow to keep myself on the path that I want to stay on – a healthy, fulfilling one. With a bit of luck, they may well do the same for you.

Let’s be clear – I’m not offering medical advice. The HERO Blueprint isn’t gonna cure all your ailments and free you from disease, and it’s not the gospel on how to live a healthy lifestyle.

But it’s not a bad start.

Låt oss börja… (Let’s begin)

[blocks layout=”layout1″] Get your free bonus checklist: This post is a hefty one, with a big old infographic and over 6000 words of content after that. As part of The Hero Academy you can download a nicely packaged Hero Blueprint Checklist that highlights the 34 healthy lifestyle tips, and how to achieve them.

[/block] [block background=”#fce48d” text_color=”#363636″ rounded=”true” shadow=”true”]This post is a hefty one, with a big old infographic and over 6000 words of content after that. As part of The Hero Academy you can download a nicely packagedthat highlights the 34 healthy lifestyle tips, and how to achieve them. Sign up here. [/block]

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The HERO Blueprint Infographic 34 Powerful Healthy Lifestyle Tips [tdivider style=”fa-bookmark” color=”#383838″] [divider style=”solid” height=”2px” color=”#ffffff”] [divider style=”solid” height=”2px” color=”#eeeeee”] Now let’s take a look at these healthy living tips in a little more detail…. [blocks layout=”layout1″]

[block background=”#ff5555″ text_color=”#ffffff” rounded=”true” shadow=”true”] HERO Blueprint Healthy Lifestyle Tips A. Establish Your Healthy Living Baseline Determine your starting point, before embarking on your hero’s journey. [tdivider style=”fa-cog” color=”#ffffff”][/block] [/blocks] [divider style=”solid” height=”2px” color=”#eeeeee”] 1. Sometimes You Need Help From the Pros

Here at Health Room, as naïve as it may be, one of my big goals is to help you feel empowered and take control of your own health. But that’s not to say you should neglect all outside help that’s available to you… Sure, to maintain your general health there’s a hell of a lot you can do on your own. But in some cases, you need help from the pros. Your Move: Remember, not all GPs are there to throw pills at you, and not all osteopaths are out to steal your money. Most are great people doing the best they can to serve you. By all means be proactive with your health, but don’t skimp on your regular check ups. If something’s not right, ask for help. If for some reason you’d like to find a doctor who specialises in plant based nutrition, fellow blogger Matt Jager put together an awesome resource that helps you do just that, so go check it out by following the link above! [divider style=”solid” height=”2px” color=”#ffffff”] [divider style=”solid” height=”2px” color=”#eeeeee”]

2. Monitor Your Own Health

I have a strange, love-hate relationship with technology.

In some respects, I think I’d be happy living a simple life in a log cabin, no Internet or fancy fitness gadgets. Just chopping wood and lifting heavy stuff. No distractions.

But at the same time, I can’t deny that some of the advancements in health and fitness tech (particularly over the past few years) have been incredible.

Fitbit-esq wearable devices are becoming more advanced as we speak, tracking everything from your heart rate variability to your sleep quality.

That data is powerful.When used correctly, it can help you establish a baseline for your health, and it highlights right in front of your eyes the impact your everyday habits have on your state of being.

If you wanna take things to the next level and get even more geeky, you can even use online blood testing services like 23andMe to map your DNA, or Wellness FX to track your hormones, vitamins, minerals, and pretty much any other marker of health that you can think of…

Your Move:

Whether it’s via low-tech methods such as a mood diary or body fat measurement, or through an online service like Wellness FX, keep tabs on your health and monitor how it changes over time.

Just be careful not to over analyse things. Some people find that quantifying everything can suck the fun out of staying fit, and can actually induce anxiety.

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3. Determine Your Current Lifestyle Habits

It’s a fundamental skill that all humans should be taught, but in reality not many of us have:

How to identify our current habits, and develop lasting healthy ones.

Apparently, 90% of New Year’s resolutions end up failing. That’s a pretty big portion of people who are looking to live a healthy lifestyle, but can’t figure out how…

Most will put it down to a lack of willpower or motivation, but I’m not buying that. I reckon it’s more to do with the method.

If you can learn the correct method behind habit changing, and figure out exactly what it is you have to do to make lasting changes, then you’re all set.

Until then, it’s gonna be a struggle to make progress.

Your Move:

Before you attempt to change your diet or start that new exercise plan, check out this article on the Golden Rules of Forming Healthy Habits, so you know what it really takes to form lasting healthy habits, and get rid of any that are holding you back.

And if you’re really serious about making changes and you want that extra bit of support, feel free to take a free preview of my online course Healthy Habits 101.

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HERO Blueprint Healthy Lifestyle Tips

B. Tune Up Your Diet

You are what you eat, so make healthy decisions when it comes to your diet.

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