Living a healthy lifestyle should be a goal for everyone. It involves exercising daily, eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough rest, and spending quality time with family and friends. These are all essential components of a lifestyle that can help you cope with the daily challenges of life. You may know what you need to do, but putting it into action can be challenging. Here are some healthy lifestyle tips to help you turn your thoughts into actions and maintain a healthier, happier you:
Healthy Lifestyle Tips
1. It’s important to start small when setting fitness goals. Instead of committing to an hour-long workout every day, try starting with a fifteen-minute walk during your lunch break. Gradually increase the time and intensity of your exercise. Even small amounts of physical activity can offer significant health benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health and endurance. Remember, taking small steps every day can still lead you to your ultimate goal.
2. Don’t be hard on yourself. No one is perfect. No one. Give yourself room to make mistakes — just not excuses. Mistakes help us learn and build resiliency to failure.
3. But don’t be too easy on yourself either. Set expectations. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that 91 percent of people who made a specific plan including when and where to exercise each week and wrote it down ended up following through. So be specific about your intentions; then reward yourself when you meet them.
4. Don’t just focus on exercise. Nutrition is also important. Make sure to include lots of fruits and vegetables every day. Opt for whole grains as much as possible. Limit your sugar intake. Think variety and moderation when creating your meals. Having a really hard time getting all the nutrients you need? Check out our article on healthy eating tips. Supplements may also help.
We don’t often eat how we should and you may want to ensure you are getting the nutrition your body needs. I take basic nutritional supplements (Super Trio). It contains an antioxidant for fighting free radicals, a multi-vitamin to make sure you are getting enough of the basics and an omega-3 essential fatty
5. Get plenty of sleep. You might be able to function on just a few hours of sleep a night, but you will pay the price over time. Sleep does recharge your body and your mind. So shut off the electronics and get some shut-eye.
6. Finally, make time for family and friends. Having a strong support network is important for your mental and emotional health. Spending time with your loved ones will help relieve stress. Mental health and stress management are a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. If they get out of control, you may experience problems with sleeping, immune, digestive, and heart health. Check out this fact sheet.
If you have to, go ahead and include downtime on your daily calendar or schedule. Remember — all it takes is one small step to get started. Then continue taking those steps daily and they will lead you to your goal. If you need motivation and weekly emails with info and tips to keep you on your path, we can offer you our Healthy Lifestyle Program!