5 Simple Ways to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep is critical for your health, and, when you’re healthy, your energy levels are higher. Make it a priority to get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Not only will you be more alert during your waking hours but you’ll also have an easier time sticking with diet and exercise plans. Sleep is also essential for building muscle mass, which helps you burn fat. The more active you are, the healthier you’ll be. It’s as simple as that! Studies have found that lack of sleep can lead to obesity and related health problems like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. Make sure you’re getting enough rest each night by keeping your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Also try setting an alarm on your phone or other device for when it’s time to wake up—this way you won't worry about oversleeping. And remember: try not to look at any screens (TVs included) before bedtime!
2. Eat Healthy
Making better eating choices will not only benefit your health, but it can also save your money. Fruits and vegetables are relatively inexpensive when compared with more indulgent foods like sweets or restaurant meals. Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive. Focus on whole foods rather than processed foods, as these tend to be higher in sodium and fat. Eat Right: This may seem obvious, but what does eating right even mean? Eating right means eating whole foods. Whole foods come from plants and animals—not packaged products. They’re less processed than other types of food and often contain important vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Processed food usually has added sugar, salt and fat—things you don’t need extra of if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Also keep an eye on portion sizes when it comes to choosing what to eat—even foods that seem healthy can be full of unhealthy ingredients if they’re eaten in large amounts. Eat Breakfast Every Day: Breakfast has always been touted as the most important meal of the day, but now we know why: it kick-starts your metabolism. If you don’t eat breakfast (or skip meals altogether), your body goes into starvation mode, slowing down metabolic rate and burning fewer calories overall. That's not good news when trying to lose weight. Make sure to eat breakfast every day.
3. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is one of those things we’re all supposed to do, but so few of us actually do. From headaches and low energy to high blood pressure and heart disease, insufficient fluid intake can lead to some serious health problems. But it doesn’t have to be that way; drink more water and you just might be surprised by how much better you feel. Sure, you can always fill your glass with tap water. Staying hydrated is essential for overall good health. Drinking water before meals may help curb hunger pangs and reduce calorie intake at mealtime too! While alcohol does contain calories, moderate consumption has been shown to lower stress levels and improve heart health in some people. A small glass of wine after dinner might actually make you feel better about sticking with your diet plan tomorrow. You’ll stay hydrated and take in fewer calories at once. It’s a win-win! Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks: Drinking water instead of sugary drinks is one simple way to cut back on added sugar intake without feeling deprived.
4. Excercise Every Day
There are so many benefits of exercise; exercise will make you feel better, it will improve your sleep, it can reduce stress levels, and it’s also been shown to improve memory. Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. It doesn’t matter if you do yoga or go for a run—just do something that gets your blood pumping! Not only is it great for your health, but exercising regularly is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight gain in adulthood. In fact, studies show that regular exercise helps people lose more weight than dieting alone. So get moving! You’ll be glad you did. If you want to lose weight or improve your overall health, then getting in shape should be one of your top priorities. Getting enough physical activity can help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, reduce stress and anxiety levels, increase energy levels—and even make us feel better about ourselves.
5. Spend more time with friends
Studies show that close, meaningful relationships with other people have a direct effect on our quality of life and happiness. If you’re feeling lonely or depressed, prioritize spending more time with family and friends. A healthy social life can be good for your physical health as well—research has shown that spending time with friends and family encourages healthier eating habits and more exercise. And don’t forget about finding a significant other: research shows that married people are generally happier than single people. The next time you want to feel better about yourself, call up a friend! Acknowledge when you're stressed out: Everyone experiences stress from time to time. But it’s important not to ignore chronic stress, which is related to serious diseases like heart disease and cancer. It's easy to become so used to being stressed out that we stop recognizing it in ourselves. The first step toward addressing stress is simply becoming aware of how it makes us feel physically—do we feel tense? Are we experiencing headaches or stomach problems? Are we tired all day long? Once we recognize what stress feels like in our bodies, it becomes easier to identify and deal with stressful situations. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress by boosting endorphins (those feel-good hormones). In fact, one study found that regular exercisers had lower levels of cortisol (the hormone associated with stress) than those who didn't work out at all. Exercising doesn't have to mean going to the gym—it could mean taking a walk around your neighborhood or even just taking an extra five minutes during your lunch break to stretch at your desk.