A healthy lifestyle is an ongoing journey that leads to a healthy mind and body. It is more than just exercising routinely and eating healthy food. This is more about making a choice to enhance your well-being.
For anyone who just started their journey into building a healthy lifestyle, there are some tips to help you toward a healthy life. As a bonus, you also want to learn how to keep these new habits going.
8 Healthy Habits to Work On
- Eat Healthy and Nourishing Food
Nutrition from food is the main source of energy, and it keeps you healthy. So make sure to eat healthy and nourished food daily.
Does your daily plate already include carbs, protein, and healthy fats, along with vitamins and fiber from fruit and vegetables? Make sure you get enough daily intake from those nutrition sources.
- Less Sugar and Processed Food
You may already know about it, but still, it was hard to do. You can try these tips to reduce your daily intake of sugar and processed food:
- Read the labels on your food because they are usually high in sodium, sugars, and unhealthy fats.
- Cook at home so you can control all of the ingredients.
- Go for healthy snacks instead of store-bought ones, for example, nuts, yogurt, and fresh fruit.
- Water to Stay Hydrated
Keep an eye on your water intake. Customize it based on your daily activity, which means that the amount of water you need may be totally different from that of your friends and family. While it may vary from one to another, the general consensus is that you need to drink around 8 to 12 glasses of water every day.
- Physical Exercise
Incorporate physical exercise as part of your daily habits and healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise helps with muscle strength, keeping your mood stable, and cardiovascular health.
You can go for:
- Aerobic exercise, such as cycling and running, for cardiovascular health
- Strength training such as weight lifting and push-ups helps build and maintain muscle.
- Quality Sleep
Quality sleep is important not only for physical health but for mental health as well. Aim for quality sleep of around 6–8 hours per day.
Try to sleep at the same time every day to build a routine. Stay away from caffeine or anything else that may affect the quality of your sleep.
- Outdoor Activity
Go take a walk or do something outdoors. Nature has some healing properties that many people take for granted.
Being out in nature could bring a sense of connection with the world, thus helping to lessen stress and anxiety. Being exposed to sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which is highly needed by your body.
- Less Screen Time
How many hours do you spend sitting and watching something on your screen? You might not realize it, but prolonged sitting and watching lead to a sedentary lifestyle where you don’t move as much as you have to.
Take a break once in a while and stretch out on your desk or take a short walk. Limit the screen time and look for other, more active activities.
- Less Alcohol and No Smoking
Excessive alcohol consumption harms your liver, heart, and overall health. While smoking is the leading cause of many diseases.
It is highly recommended to limit your alcohol intake and stop smoking altogether. If necessary, you can consult a professional to help you quit this unhealthy habit.
Build Healthy Habits that Stick
Now comes the part where you try to incorporate those habits into something that really sticks and is inseparable from your daily life. Here are some tips to try:
- Make it attractive and enjoyable; for example, run on a treadmill while watching your favorite show.
- Make it easy to do; for example, stock up the pantry with healthy food so you don’t have to go out daily to buy ingredients.
- Give yourself a reward when you manage to implement the habits for a certain number of times or when you achieve a certain goal.
- Keep it at a pace and don’t try to overdo your abilities; that way, you can prevent any burnout.
- Don’t miss any habits in a row, because it will be harder to start them all over again.
- Be specific with your goal; instead of saying to eat healthy every day, stick with one portion of salad every day.
- Find social support from friends, family, and others who share the same idea.
- Be understanding with yourself when you make a lapse; no one is perfect. The most important thing is to keep trying.
Start to make changes in your lifestyle that will benefit you in the long run. Build a healthy lifestyle one step at a time.
Try these tips and strategies as a way to start the journey of your lifestyle. Enjoy the benefits so you can live the best possible life for the sake of yourself and everyone else.
