Most of us desire to live long, happy, prosperous, and healthy lives. Unfortunately, in our quest for achievement, we often sacrifice our health, and as a result, we end up with various illnesses and disabilities that we could have prevented.
That doesn’t have to be the case. Although many of us live stressful, demanding lives, we may build habits that will help us live healthier and more productive lives with a little adjusting here and there.
Old habits are difficult to break. Changing your habits is a multi-step process. It can take some time for adjustments to become new habits. You may also encounter obstructions along the route.
Adopting new, healthier behaviours could help you avoid significant health issues such as obesity and diabetes. A healthy diet and regular physical activity are two new habits that may help you lose weight and gain energy. If you persist with these modifications for a while, they may become a part of your routine.
Here are the seven habits that can help you kick-start a healthy lifestyle:
1. Choose exercise that you enjoy
Regular exercise aids in weight loss, bone, muscle and joint health and lowers our risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Even a 30-minute brisk walk can do wonders to your health and add years to your life. Taking the stairs whenever you can, getting a 10-15 minute stroll during lunch, or walking while talking on the phone can all help. The most important thing is to select an activity that you enjoy rather than the one that is a chore.
2. Don’t skip your breakfast
It’s significant for a variety of reasons. It helps to kick-start your metabolism and prevents you from overeating later. Furthermore, studies show that individuals who eat a nutritious breakfast do better at work, and children who eat a breakfast meal perform better on tests. If a plateful isn’t your thing, start with a protein bar or a piece of fruit but do not skip it.
3. Improve your posture
Good posture can help you avoid aches and lessen stress on your ligaments. Furthermore, correct posture helps to reduce backaches, exhaustion, and muscle soreness. Walking with your shoulders back and your head held high can help boost your self-esteem.
While improving your posture isn’t something you can do overnight, reminding yourself to sit up straight has a positive impact on your overall health.
4. Proper hydration
Every cell, tissue, and organ in our body requires water, therefore getting the correct amount is critical. We’ve always been told that we need eight glasses of water per day, yet medical evidence for this has never been found. Drinking enough water to urinate once every 2-4 hours and having light-colored urine would be a good measure.
Many free applications are easily available to help you create and maintain this habit. If plain water isn’t your thing, flavour it with pieces of orange, lemon, lime, watermelon, or cucumber.
5. Go offline
Do you spend a lot of time checking your email and social media? Make a plan to log off and put the phone down at a certain time. This is a requirement in today’s world. You can become exhausted and unproductive if you spend too much time online. When you reduce your screen time, you have more time to focus on other things. Take a walk, read a book, spend time with family, or assist with chores around the house.
6. Manage stress
Stress has serious consequences for both the body and the psyche. When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, which can contribute to weight gain, poor focus, and even a weakened immune system in the long run. Healthy practices such as meditation, visualization, and gratitude can help you manage stress and avoid its bad consequences. Plus, you’ll feel more fulfilled and capable of reaching your full potential.
7. Get enough sleep
A good night’s sleep improves your mood, memory and focus, and ability to learn new things. It lowers your risk of heart disease and helps you stay lean in the long run. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. To get the best rest, stick to a routine of going to bed and waking up at roughly the same times each day. To avoid falling asleep later than you should, limit your naps to 30 minutes.
Finally, it’s important to remember that developing new healthy habits takes time, and it’s fine to reward yourself to avoid feeling deprived. Maintain your focus on your goal, and if you stumble, simply restart.
