Happy New Year! We tend to see the new year as an opportunity to make changes and pursue new goals. And often we accomplish these goals by doing small things, day in and day out, that adds up over time.
Your body is your temple and you need to take care of it. Think of your body as your physical shell to take you through life. If you repeatedly abuse it, your shell will wear out quickly.
Life is beautiful and you don't want to bog yourself down with unnecessary health problems.
Today, your vital organs may be working well but they may not be tomorrow. Don't take your health for granted. Take proper care of your body.
Good health is not just about healthy eating and exercise, it is also about a positive attitude, a positive self-image, and a healthy lifestyle.
I have included in this article, 30 tips that will help you to live a healthy life this year, save the tips because they will be vital to living a healthier life.
1. Set your goals
Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to be able to run up and down the stairs without getting winded? Do you want to reduce cholesterol or lower your blood pressure? Decide what you want to achieve over the next month and over the next year.
One possible goal for your first month could be a resolution to take your lunch to work four days per week for each week this month instead of eating lunch in restaurants every day. Another example of a monthly goal would be to walk for 30 minutes four days per week this month.
Start with your statistics. Take body composition measurements and make your goals. Then write down your goals in a notebook or in the food diary you are going to create in step seven.
2. Don’t skip meals
When you go without food for longer than three or four hours, your blood sugar drops. This can lead to overeating and feeling too tired to be active. Instead, stick to a regular schedule of three healthy meals and two snacks each day.
3. Take time to enjoy your meals
It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know when your stomach is full. You can consume a lot of extra calories in 20 minutes, especially when you are eating fast! Try different ways to train yourself to eat slowly. Chew each mouthful 10 times. Put down your utensils between bites. If you’re with others, take breaks to focus on the conversation.
4. Avoid stress eating
Stress eating, also known as emotional eating, is eating in response to how you are feeling rather than hunger. Research shows that high-fat and high-calorie “comfort foods” actually can make us feel better. But a habit of stress eating can lead to weight gain and serious health concerns over time. That’s why we should try to understand how stress eating works and how to break the cycle.
5. Eat breakfast
If you are a breakfast-skipper, I have good news for you! Plenty of healthy, delicious morning meal options are quick, inexpensive, and easy. Try this overnight oats recipe to get started.
6. Eat a rainbow of vegetables today
The color of a vegetable is a clue to some of the nutrients inside. By eating a wide variety of colors, you will get a broad range of nutrients. A mix of color on your plate will make eating vegetables more appealing, too!
7. Treat yourself to a fruit smoothie or parfait
Both are refreshing ways to eat more fruit and drink more milk. For a smoothie, blend one cup of low-fat/fat-free plain yogurt, one cup of chopped fresh or frozen fruit (such as berries or a banana), and a half cup of 100 percent fruit juice. For a parfait, layer nonfat/low-fat yogurt and sliced fresh fruit in a glass. Top with a dollop of light whipped cream.
8. Try going plant-based for a day
A plant-based diet is pretty much what it sounds like: a way of eating that emphasizes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts and seeds over animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, milk and milk products, and eggs. For some, that’s a vegan diet, while to others it may be some form of a vegetarian or flexitarian diet. But they all consist mostly of whole-plant foods.
9. Experiment with cooked whole grains
They make a delicious substitute for white rice in casseroles, pilaf, or soup. Check cookbooks — especially those with vegetarian recipes — and the internet for ideas. Choose one of these whole grains to try this week: brown rice, wild rice, millet, whole grain barley (not pearled), bulgur (cracked wheat), or whole-wheat couscous.
10. Consider dietary supplements
A healthy diet should give you all of the vitamins and minerals you need, but many people take vitamins just to make sure. There are several formulations available, but most people take a simple multivitamin and multi-mineral supplement. Speak with your health care provider before you take any additional supplements or if you have any health conditions.
11. Make your kitchen healthier
Your success with any goal depends on your commitment to making it easier. Your living environment plays a powerful role here. Today, look at your kitchen and see what changes you can make to encourage your new healthy habits.
12. Give deep breathing a try
Breathing meditation could work for you if you give it a chance. Take a few minutes right now to sit comfortably and focus on the sensations of your breath — breathing in and breathing out. Let any thoughts that come into your mind drift by without getting involved in them. This takes practice, but it’s worthwhile. Enjoy the stillness
13. Practice good sleep hygiene
Start today by paying attention to the things you eat and drink in the evening. Make a point of avoiding napping during the day, exercising, and setting a sleep schedule.
14. Make time for self-care
It can be among the first things we throw out the window when we’re busy. But research suggests that self-care is crucial to emotional health and well-being. Not taking time for ourselves impacts how we feel, think, and act.
15. Floss your teeth
Flossing is an important oral hygiene practice because tooth decay and gum disease can develop when plaque builds up on teeth and along the gum line. If flossing isn’t already part of your routine, getting started today can make a big difference in your oral health.
16. Wash your hands
Hand washing is one of the easiest steps we can take to protect ourselves from getting sick or spreading germs to others — and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most effective. Yet many of us don’t do it often enough. Why not start today?
17. Reduce your stress
Stress is detrimental to your health. Stress includes daily events like constant deadlines at work; long drive times with excess traffic; more activities than time to do them; and emotional trauma like death or divorce.
Try these simple stress reducers you can make to live a happier, healthier life.
18. Start a new healthy habit
What actions do you take every day? For example, having coffee with breakfast, flossing your teeth before brushing, and eating a cookie each night before bed. Habits can be both “good” and “bad.” Try reprogramming yourself with one positive new habit today
19. Try a workout with your partner
More and more couples are hitting the gym together. Many couples report that working out together improves their relationship and is fun, too.
20. Improve your health at work
Clocking over 40 hours each week at a job means that the average American spends about a third of our time in the workplace. With so much time spent in one place, it’s important to make sure we are making the most of that time and doing the best we can to stay healthy. By starting small and adding a few things at a time, you can make healthy changes manageable.
21. Take an instant vacation with laughter
“Laughter is an instant vacation,” according to Milton Berle. When you’re feeling calm, make a list of things that make you laugh — a TV show, a movie, a joke you’ve heard. Pull out the list when you’re experiencing stress, and treat yourself to an instant vacation. You deserve it.
22. Take an honest look at your leisure screen time
Many of us we spend all our free time focused on technology, and we have less time for the habits and activities that make us feel good and build resilience. To take a tech time out, start by tracking the amount of non-work hours you spend on the phone, computer, or watching TV for one week. You may be surprised! Screen time can be addictive. If you discover you’re spending more time in front of a screen than you are being active, make a plan to replace some of that viewing time with “doing” time.
23. Try strength training
Strength training, also known as resistance training, is a great form of physical activity to add into a well-balanced exercise routine. Strength training can improve muscular strength, increase bone density, aid in weight management, improve posture and balance — and has many other health benefits.
24. Fit physical activity into your work day
Too much sitting and not enough moving can be bad for our health. So making movement a part of our daily routine — specifically during the workday — is a great place to start!
25. Practice optimism
Give yourself the gift of optimism today. Make a choice to notice and appreciate what you have rather than what you don’t. Remember that no matter what the situation, how you perceive it is up to you. See the opportunity instead of the problem; you and those around you will benefit.
26. Practice gratitude
Gratitude means feeling thankful as well as expressing thanks and appreciation. And there is more to gratitude than meets the eye — practicing gratitude can have a positive effect on all areas of your life: physical, mental, emotional, and even social! Research has shown that individuals who regularly practice gratitude experience many benefits like lower stress and improved sleep.
27. Volunteer your time
Becoming a volunteer can make an incredible impact on someone else’s life — but have you ever considered all the ways that volunteering can impact your own wellness? Aside from giving our lives meaning and purpose, helping others lowers stress and adds movement to your day.
28. Stay motivated
Sometimes getting started with a new healthy diet and fitness plan is the easy part. Many of us hit occasional roadblocks due to busy schedules, loss of motivation, or weight loss plateaus.
Those are the times when we feel like we do everything right, but the scale doesn't seem to budge. When this happens, don't give up. Think back to why you made the goal in the first place and find the inspiration you need to get back on track. Be sure to celebrate your small successes too!
29. Track your progress
Studies show that those who track their activities regularly are likely to be more active in the future than those who do not. If you notice you are tracking less often, try posting your activity calendar in a more prominent place. Try setting up a reminder on your computer to prompt you to complete it. It takes less than a minute to record your minutes or steps, and the payoff is well worth it!
30. Schedule yearly checkup/screenings
It’s easier to treat a disease you never get. Find out which screenings you need and when, and take a step for your health this year by setting up an appointment
I hope you enjoy this list! Try to implement a few of these tips every week for the best results and integrate these tips into your life. Share these tips with your family and friends to help them stay healthy.
Remember! To be healthy, you have to make living healthy your lifestyle.
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