7 Simple Steps to Start a Healthy Lifestyle
Many people don’t really know how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally. Even though living a healthy and happy life is the key to a long life. This means that the happier a person is, the more likely that person is living longer. Well, one simple way you can do to live a happier and longer life is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Come on, see the guide to starting a healthy lifestyle here.
Simple steps to start a healthy lifestyle
Here are some simple tips you can do to start a healthy lifestyle:
1. Avoid stress
Traffic on the road, deadline choking tasks or work, stagnant finances, strained relationships, and various other life events will certainly stress you out. When you feel stressed, all the systems in your body respond in different ways. Chronic stress can have an impact on your overall health. So, therefore, do your best to reduce or even avoid everything that can stress you out.
It is common to stop briefly from the activity you are working on. When you are feeling depressed, try to pull over for a while in a quiet place. Calm yourself down while taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly.
Do this over and over again until you feel more relaxed. Taking deep breaths on your own has been shown to lower cortisol levels, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.
You can also do various other activities that you enjoy. For example, reading, journaling, or playing with pets. In essence, make yourself comfortable in a way that you enjoy.
2. Choose foods wisely
What you eat will certainly affect how your body works. Therefore, it is important for you to pay attention to every food you consume every day.
Make sure that the food on your plate meets the principles of balanced nutrition, which includes carbohydrates, fiber, protein and good fats. Don’t just depend on one type of staple food. You can replace staple foods with corn, noodles, sweet potatoes, or potatoes. So, you don’t have to keep rice.
Also pay attention to your meal portions. Paying attention to the portion of your meal is very important to prevent you from becoming overweight and suffering from various chronic diseases. Remember, anything that is excessive is certainly not good for the body.
In addition to sorting out the food that will be consumed, you also have to be wise in processing it. Avoid processing food by frying it. You can process food in healthier ways, such as boiling, steaming, or sautéing.
3. Make time to exercise every day
Exercise doesn’t always have to be jogging or go to the gym. You are free to do various types of sports that you really like. If you like cycling or swimming, then don’t hesitate to do it. Likewise, if you just like a leisurely walk. The key is one, get your body active every day.
By actively moving, your body will try to burn calories that settle in the body. More than that, it also helps to get more oxygen into the cells of the body and keep them healthy. No wonder if after exercise or physical activity you feel fitter.
Now, for those of you office workers who may not have much time to exercise, you can do a variety of simple physical activities to ensure your body keeps moving.
When heading to the office, try to choose to take the stairs instead of taking the elevator or escalator. You can also take the time to go for a walk or just go up and down the stairs before and after lunch.
Sometimes small changes to your daily routine can help you become more active in sports.
4. Reduce sugar starting today
Do you like dessert, aka sweet foods? Cupcakes, ice cream, candies, brownies, are really delicious. However, starting today, intend to reduce or even avoid these foods.
This is not without reason. The reason is, too much sugar intake can trigger diabetes. Well, if you have diabetes, you will be more susceptible to various chronic diseases in the future. Some of them such as heart disease and stroke.
Start slowly. If you normally drink coffee with two spoons of sugar, now try just one spoonful. After getting used to it, you can completely eliminate sugar intake in the coffee cup you drink.
Instead of drinking bottled drinks, you better eat fresh fruit pieces. Apart from being healthier, the sugar contained in fresh fruit will certainly not be as much as in packaged drinks.
Not only sugar, you also have to slowly reduce the habit of smoking and drinking alcohol.
5. Drink lots of water
About 60 percent of your body composition is water. Unfortunately, every day the fluids in the body will continue to decrease through sweat, urine, and even every time you breathe. This is why it is important that you ensure that your fluid needs are met on a daily basis.
Furthermore, ensuring that your fluid intake is properly fulfilled not only prevents dehydration, but is also a powerful way for you not to consume sugary drinks.
Bring your own water bottle with you wherever you go. Put the bottle in your bag, so you won’t forget to take it with you. In addition, provide drinking water at the desk or in the bedroom.
6. Get enough sleep
Diligent exercise and eating high nutritious foods will end in vain if you don’t get enough sleep yourself. According to Cheri Mah, an expert on sleep disorders at Stanford University and the University of California, sleep is the most basic need for a healthy lifestyle.
Sleep forms the foundation upon which a healthy mind and body are formed. If this foundation is shaky, it will certainly have an impact on your health. Starting from immune function, energy, appetite, mood to your weight.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep duration for adults is around 7-9 hours per night. So, make sure that every night you get at least 7-9 hours of sleep, yes!
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