How to Get Happier Now

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Eat better and curb stress with these feel-better tips from health, fitness, and food bloggers.

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Bloggers' best feel-great moves

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Health information is everywhere on the Web. Who hasn't consulted Dr. Google? But it's not all symptom checkers, studies and stats. There's also a wealth of useful, real-world advice on staying healthy and happy, too—and much of that comes from the tons of health, nutrition, and fitness bloggers sharing their hard-earned wisdom. Here, some favorites give their go-to tips for feeling your best all day long.

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Get better-tasting water

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"If you hate the taste of plain water, it could be the chlorine content that's putting you off. Fill a pitcher with H2O and let it sit out all day. The chlorine will evaporate, leaving behind sweeter-tasting water."
—Jennifer Hanes, DO; drhanes.com

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Prep breakfast the night before

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"My favorite fast breakfast is overnight oats. The night before, I mix raw oats with milk or yogurt (or even both), sprinkle in some cinnamon, maybe add a few drops of vanilla extract and a dollop of butter and throw in frozen berries. Put it in the fridge overnight to 'cook,' and in the morning you'll have a delicious breakfast that provides filling fiber, protein and antioxidants. You can even make a big batch on Sunday and eat it all week. It won't go bad or get soggy." —Caroline Kaufman, RDN; sweetfoodie.com

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Get fit while you brush

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"When you're brushing your teeth in the morning, stand on one leg for one minute, then stand on the other leg for a minute, trying to keep steady. This simple move improves your balance, which is one of the best ways to prevent injuries and falls as you get older." —Barbara Bergin, MD; drbarbarabergin.com

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Sit like a man

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"If I see 100 patients with pain under the kneecaps or along the outside of the hips, 99 of them are women. While body mechanics play a role in this, it's also because women are taught to sit with their legs together. Sitting with your legs slightly apart takes tension off the iliotibial band, our longest tendon, which can cause hip and knee pain when it's too tight." —Dr. Bergin

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Stop worrying about water

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"Everyone thinks you need clear urine to be well-hydrated. Not true! Drink water at every meal, when you're thirsty and more when you're sick or exercising. Other than that, there is absolutely no reason that anyone should drink water around the clock." —Tiffany Sizemore-Ruiz, MD; sizemoreheart.com

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Jar your salads

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"I make sure to get my greens at lunch by preparing all my salads on Sunday in 1-quart widemouthed canning jars. It all stays fresh, even with dressing, thanks to gravity! Put it together in this order: dressing, whole grains or hearty vegetables like broccoli, chopped veggies like onions or fennel and leafy greens, followed by chopped apples, cheese or walnuts. Package protein separately. At the office, just shake it up and dump onto a plate with your protein." —Caroline Kaufman, RDN

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Ask yourself how you're doing

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"A few times a day, I ask myself, What do I need right now, and how can I meet that need right now? If I feel sluggish, I take a quick walk. If I feel scattered, I take a short break for a mini meditation. Even a few minutes can make a huge difference." —Lori Deschene; tinybuddha.com

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Sneak in movement throughout the day

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"When I get a phone call, I stand up to talk. Besides getting me on my feet, it's done wonders for my back because it reminds me to keep my core engaged." —Carla Birnberg; carlabirnberg.com

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Set workout reminders

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"I put my running shoes in front of the door when I leave the house in the morning so that when I come home, I trip over them. It reminds me to take a walk right away, which helps me transition from work mode to family mode."—Lisa Cain; snack-girl.com

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Stay present to avoid temptation

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"We all have those times when we're wandering the grocery store aisles, grabbing anything that looks halfway appealing and mindlessly putting it in the grocery cart. Staying present is key. When I pick up something unplanned, instead of tossing it into my cart, I tell myself, If I don't buy it, I can't eat it. That's usually enough to get me to put it back on the shelf and to check out with only those things that I had originally planned on buying." —Emily Sandford; authenticallyemmie.com

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Keep exercise equipment where you can see it

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"I always keep my yoga mat in the family room—often unrolled—because it reminds me to do something, like yoga, push-ups or planks, while I'm watching TV." —Angela Liddon; ohsheglows.com

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Remember that some exercise is better than no exercise

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"When I'm too tired to work out, I think of the phrase 'What you can when you can.' If all I'm able to do is a few planks or lunges or a walk around the block, then that's OK. The phrase helps me remember that perfection doesn't matter. A friend and I even created a hashtag for it, #wycwyc, and it's taken off. So I'll search for that on Twitter sometimes to get some new ideas." —Carla Birnberg

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Don't wear sunglasses in the morning

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"Bright light in the morning sets your sleep-wake cycle, essentially telling your body, 'Hey, it's daytime now. Let me set my clock so I'll be tired in 12 to 14 hours.' This also works wonders for people who feel excessively tired in the morning. Sunlight will help wake you up!" —Dr. Sizemore-Ruiz

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Meditate in bed

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"Whenever I'm having trouble falling asleep, I concentrate on relaxing every muscle in my body, starting at my toes and working up to the top of my head. First I'll focus on relaxing my feet, then my calves, knees, thighs and so on. It helps me chill out so quickly that I rarely reach my face." —Julie Fagan; peanutbutterfingers.com

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Make bedtime an event to look forward to

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"I make a big production about how excited I am to sleep. I put on my most fabulous, comfortable pajamas early and talk about going to bed like it's something awesome that I can't wait to do. This motivates me to get in there a little bit earlier." —Jeanette De Patie; fatchicksings.com

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Take a bath before bed

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"If you want to fall asleep immediately, take an Epsom salt bath before heading to bed. Epsom salts contain all-natural magnesium, which helps your muscles relax and stop aching. Even doing this just two or three times a week can help you sleep much better." —Dr. Hanes

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Come prepared for doctor's appointments

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"If your doctor is notoriously short on time, come to the visit with three questions, prioritized from most important to least. Physicians are busy and office visits are short, so being prepared can maximize the usefulness of that time." —Kevin Pho, MD; kevinmd.com

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Press your doctors for answers

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"Getting mixed messages? Ask, 'What would you do if this health problem were yours?' I do this with my own doctors and it works. They immediately become more personal and self-reflective." —Cynthia Bailey, MD; drbaileyskincare.com

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Sometimes your doctor needs some reassurance, too

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"Sometimes a doctor can seem dismissive when really she's frustrated that she hasn't been able to diagnose or fix your health problem. Simply saying, 'I know you want to help me figure this out' tells her that you trust her, which can take her off the defensive."—Jenni Prokopy; chronicbabe.com

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Eat right before you fly

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"Steer clear of processed carbs like bread and pasta. These foods are incredibly dehydrating, which doesn't help the dehydration that's already going to happen when you're flying." —Dr. Hanes

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Pack your own vacation snacks

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"Pack your own snacks. I always make sure there's room for my baggies of raw, unsalted almonds, even if it means not bringing that third pair of shoes." —Emily Sandford

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Turn your hotel room into a gym

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"Sneak in quick workouts in your hotel room. Do 20 mountain climbers, 10 tricep dips, 20 squat jumps, 10 push-ups, 20 high knees, 10 bicycle crunches. Repeat for as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes." —Julie Fagan

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22 Ways to Get Happy Now

1 of 23

Bloggers' best feel-great moves

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Get better-tasting water

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Prep breakfast the night before

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Get fit while you brush

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Sit like a man

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Stop worrying about water

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Jar your salads

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Ask yourself how you're doing

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Sneak in movement throughout the day

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Set workout reminders

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Stay present to avoid temptation

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Keep exercise equipment where you can see it

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Remember that some exercise is better than no exercise

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Don't wear sunglasses in the morning

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Meditate in bed

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Make bedtime an event to look forward to

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Take a bath before bed

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Come prepared for doctor's appointments

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Press your doctors for answers

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Sometimes your doctor needs some reassurance, too

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Eat right before you fly

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Pack your own vacation snacks

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Turn your hotel room into a gym

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