10 Simple Habits That Make a Huge Difference
10 Simple Habits That Make a Huge Difference
We often focus on the bigger picture and often forget the simple things that matter a lot. The same goes for fitness, people often focus on the complications of working out and dieting, ignoring simple habits that may have a bigger impact on your health in the long run. A few common sense lifestyle changes can help you prevent chronic illness. Below are a few healthy habits that can improve your health destiny and will help you feel better every single day.
1. Cut back on the sugar
Consumption of large amounts of sugar can lead to some pretty nasty diseases, we consume way too much sugar in our everyday diets. Processed foods are packed full of sugar to make it taste better. There is an abundance of sweet delicious treats everywhere you go, from the gas stations to the grocery stores to work. Cutting down sugar completely may not be possible, but lowering your consumption to minimal numbers or using natural substitutes such as stevia can always be considered.
2. Sleep half an hour earlier than usual
In a world that is moving so fast around us, getting 8 hours of sound sleep can be very hard sometimes. Sleep is much more important than it is considered to be. And most of us are surely not getting enough of it. Instead of bringing sudden changes in the sleeping patterns one can just try sleeping half an hour earlier than one’s usual time. This way you can gradually increase the time later according to your level of comfort. Insufficient sleep reduces your body’s production of hormones that suppress appetite, which can contribute to weight gain. So make sure that sleeping is a priority everyday.
3. Cook your own meals
Eating out can be one be the biggest contributors of many diseases and illnesses. Fast food contributes as the biggest source of unhealthy foods in our diet. Stay home and cook your own meals instead of going out. Add meals to your diet that are high in fiber and provide enough protein. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens in your diet which provide the necessary micro-nutrients required for the body.
4. A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away
For many of us, it’s hard to incorporate green vegetables and fruits in our daily diets. A quick fix to this is to mix up a quick healthy smoothie with 2-3 servings of your favorite fruits and vegetables for breakfast everyday. The best thing about these is that if you toss in a handful of greens in these smoothies, the taste of these will get diminished due the strong taste of fruits and the same time you will you’ll get an extra kick of nutrients through these greens. To get some healthy fats in try adding some flax seed to your smoothie.
5. Hydration is key
The body tends to get dehydrated at night when we sleep straight for 6-8 hours. So as soon as you get up in the morning, make sure you consume a good amount of water (1 liter) to restore the water levels in your body. Also carrying a big water bottle with you all day would be advisable so that you can flush out all the toxins and stay well hydrated at all times.
6. Stretch whenever you can
Sitting in one position all the time can adversely affect your posture and can cause back aches in the future. So whenever you find time, stretch and move your body a little bit. T.V commercials are a great opportunity to do this. You can even incorporate body weight exercises whenever you find time.
7. Weigh yourself every week
Tracking your weight every week can help you determine where you stand with respect to your fitness goals and also plan out new strategies for the future. While doing this make sure that you’re wearing the same amount of clothing to maintain consistency and weigh yourself in the morning as soon as you wake up and after you have used the bathroom.
8. “Use” the stairs
While taking the stairs is great option, using them for working out is much better. You can always use the stairs to get in a good cardio workout. Start off easy with a few repetitions and later increase the number as you grow stronger. Also park in the back of the parking lot at work so you get some extra steps in every day.
9. Clean your house yourself
Doing housekeeping can help you burn up to 200 calories in an hour. Doing chores is not exactly a fun thing to do. But it can always contribute to living a healthy and active life.
10. Read something uplifting every single morning
Our emotions and happiness are one of the biggest contributors to both physical and metal health. Reading something uplifting and positive every morning will help you get some good vibes for the rest of your day and will inspire you to do things that are good for you.
Living a healthy life is simple but we often tend to complicate it by focusing a bit too much on the bigger picture. Start slow and simple. You’ll be amazed with the results you can achieve through everyday habits that appear to be simple but can transform your life.
Join our awesome Facebook community!
