There is a lot of material out there admonishing the value of a healthy lifestyle to maintain good health. Despite all this, people fail to implement their resolutions. Why is it like this? You don’t need fad diets to maintain optimal health levels. Basically it comes down to:
Eat less, eat right, exercise more, reduce stress, keep a positive mental attitude, reduce alcohol and get rid of the smoking habit, that’s it!
People are creatures of habit, and as the saying goes: we make our habits and our habits make us.
If you do something intentionally every day for 6 weeks or more and you enjoy it, it becomes a habit.
So what are the habits that will help you achieve your goal?
- Diet: Reduce/eliminate junk food (fries, burgers)/sugary drinks which, if consumed regularly, can lead to obesity, heart and blood vessel problems to name a few.
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Eat a bowl of freshly cut veggies (carrots, beets, tomatoes, and cucumbers) daily—the more colorful the veggies, the better. They contain high levels of antioxidants, which are healthy.
Cut the veggies and put them in a bowl in the fridge for you to eat the next day; so you don’t procrastinate. Your body needs carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals in the required amounts, and many of the trending diets reduce one of these components. Deprivation of the above nutrients leads to health problems and lethargy. Try to avoid dieting.
- Eat Less:- Try to eat smaller portions – eat at least one notch less before you feel full.
Don’t eat. People tend to eat more when they are in front of the TV. Add nuts (be careful if you’re allergic to them), whole grains, and oily fish (which contain omega-3 fatty acids) like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel.
- Exercise more:- So much advice is given in this area too. To keep it simple, walk 30 minutes a day five times a week. Park your car a block away and walk to your destination. Some experts swear by 20 minutes (twenty is definitely a lot).
If you like yoga, go ahead. Choose the exercise you like. If it’s not fun, don’t stick with it. The message here is: 30, 20 or 10 minutes, the benefits of exercise only come to fruition when done regularly.
But don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day here or there. Something is better than nothing.
As the great Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop.”
- Reduce Stress: This is extremely important. Stress increases your cortisol hormone levels, which in turn increases your blood sugar and blood pressure, leading to weight gain. In the long run, it causes a variety of health problems.
One of the worst causes of stress is resentment. Hold no grudges, forgive and let go; You will live longer and be more peaceful.
The Mayo Clinic guidelines for stress reduction are:
- Stay away from the source of the provocation.
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If you can’t, change your response to it.
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If you can’t do this, accept it.
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If you can’t, reduce it. As? Through techniques such as yoga, meditation and movement.
Smoking: There is irrefutable evidence linking smoking to cardiovascular disease, cancer and a host of other problems. You would add years to your life if you quit smoking.
Alcohol: Again, cutting back on alcohol is a good idea. Alcohol has nothing but empty calories and can be toxic to the liver in the long run, aside from adding weight.
Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
I suppose if some of the above habits become, your health would improve in ways you cannot imagine. you would feel better
Your body is the temple/abode in which you reside. Take good care of it and it will take good care of you.
I wish you all the best on this journey – have fun and you will stick with it.
Thanks to Sandeep Gopinath Menon