By Mark Greenwald

At some point in our lives, we've all tried to live healthier. We set our goals with every intention of following through. At the beginning, it's quite a rush. The plan is in place, and we're ready to conquer the world. But as time goes on, the impact of such total change can become confusing and overwhelming. And as our lives get busier, it can become that much more difficult to incorporate healthy changes that really last. Unhealthy choices become much easier to make, simply because they save time. And before we know it, our plans for living healthier are placed on the back burner.

Change on a Grand Scale

What many of us don't realize is that change on such a grand scale simply cannot happen overnight. Creating a healthier life takes patience, time and dedication to achieve. Most often, a person who wants to enjoy better health will fixate on substantial changes to the type and amount of food they eat. But food is not the only way we nurture our bodies. Exercise, relationships, spiritual fulfillment -- all of these contribute to our overall health.

Start Small

So how can one make long-lasting and healthy changes that stick? The key is to start small. A good example is exercise. Let's say you're currently working out at the gym for 4 hours a week. Adding just one hour can benefit your body without making you feel like you're losing a lot of time. If you've got some free minutes in your schedule, adopting a breathing or meditation technique can help keep you centered and greatly improve your outlook on life. Food is no different -- a weekly or monthly plan that incorporates small and manageable changes is much easier to tolerate than a host of substantial changes. For example, one week, you may decide to start drinking more water. The next, you might decide to make your lunches with whole wheat bread instead of white.

Yes, You Can!

With time, these small and simple changes become routine, and getting healthier becomes much less of a challenge. Best of all, anyone can do it and be successful. So if you think you can, you're already halfway there.