Start a Healthy Lifestyle with These Easy Ways

We all want to have a healthy lifestyle; however, changing up your current routine can be pretty daunting but isn’t impossible.

11:37 14 November 2019

Having a healthier lifestyle can be achieved if you follow these small simple steps. 

Start small

To stick to any routine, or changing a lifestyle, you need to start with small steps. Building up towards a transformation of a lifestyle is more effective than attempting to change everything all at once, which will become overwhelming very quickly. It is important to have an end goal in mind; with a breakdown of the steps, you will take to get there. Once you have your steps, start by incorporating them one at a time. And when you make a habit of one step, you can then build on your transformation by adding the next. Don’t try to go about it all at once, as you can get frustrated and just decide to quit altogether. 

Stay hydrated

Your body is made up of 70% water. It only makes sense to ensure that you continue to keep it hydrated sufficiently as this will make the biggest difference in the improvement and maintenance of your health and vital organs. Drinking at least two liters of water a day is ideal. But it is not easy to drink that amount if you are not used to it. So, keep a water bottle with you at all times and make a game of it. Every time you realize you have your water bottle with you, take at least three sips of water. 

Eat healthier

It is very difficult to suddenly change your whole diet and meal plan. You might not even have one and just eat whatever is available and on the go, which usually includes a lot of unhealthy choices. So, try to practice mindful eating. Be mindful of what you eat and when you eat. Focus on adding more vegetables to your meals. Maybe replace white bread with whole wheat. Try and replace full-fat milk with semi-skimmed milk. One by one, replace and add small things here and there that will add up to create big changes in a few months. Being mindful also means taking the time to focus on your meal. Enjoy what you eat and chew thoroughly and carefully; eating while distracted tricks us into eating larger portions than we need.

Get active 

You don’t need a full six-day workout routine to keep yourself active and healthy. 20-30 minutes of activity each day is a good start to keep you energized and build up your stamina if you wish to get more exercise. Small things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to a diner’s instead of ordering in at work, or setting a daily walk around your block or even implementing a morning stretch routine will work wonders towards getting started on a more energetic lifestyle. 

Implement a skin care regimen

Keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized is essential to feeling and creating a healthier you. Besides hydration, your facial and body skin needs special care to stay healthy. Your skin is made up of many different proteins and layers, some of which are regenerated by your body, while others need to be replenished by topical solutions. Have you ever wondered why do fingers prune when submerged in water for too long? It’s because your skin contains keratin, a protein that makes up the outermost layer of your skin and helps in creating a protective barrier, especially on your fingers and toes. The keratin is more concentrated at your extremities and will cause your skin to wrinkle. Having said that, the keratin you produce is not enough for the rest of the skin on your body and face to be protected against the harsh environment. That is why a lot of anti-aging products have keratin in them. You should also apply sunscreen every day to protect yourself from UV rays. Moisturize your body after every bath and shower as your skin will get dehydrated since water can dry it out. Apply daily serums and creams and have your daily intake of vitamins and minerals, which will keep your skin soft and protect it against free radicals in the atmosphere. 

Cut out unhealthy habits

Smoking, junk food, sugary sodas, binge drinking, and more are all things to consider cutting out one by one. If you can cut them all off at once, then go for it. However, what is recommended and what will most likely be more effective is if you start minimizing your consumption and use of the above one step at a time. Start with cutting out one unhealthy habit you are used to and keep it up for at least 21 days. Observe the difference and if you can maintain getting rid of this one habit, then try cutting out another, and so on. You can also try replacing every unhealthy habit you kick with a healthy habit to help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle. 

Apply a bedtime routine 

Start creating a bedtime routine. The earlier you go to sleep, the better, because your body repairs and fixes itself during the night. On the contrary, when you go to bed late, you end up more tired and you’ll give your body less time to work on producing the hormones and chemicals you need to maintain its healthy state. If you tend to toss and turn and generally have restless sleep, consider shutting off all electronics one hour before bed. Keep your bedroom strictly for sleeping to start training your mind that once you enter the bedroom, you will soon be going to sleep so this will not elevate your dopamine levels and cause you to stay awake. Reading before bed, meditating, or applying your skin routine are all things you can do to relax and set the mood for a good night's sleep. 

Apply a morning routine 

Try to wake up at the same time every day. Train yourself and set an alarm to give yourself a couple of hours at the start of each day. This time is not to be used for responding to emails or catching up with social media. You can meditate, exercise, catch up on reading, make a healthy breakfast, or even take a walk or jog. Going to sleep and waking up at regular times will encourage you to get a better quality sleep and rest that will improve your overall health mentally and physically. 

 

Taking small steps rather than big ones can go a long way in helping you create a healthier lifestyle. Building up a healthy routine in a slow manner will be more effective in helping you sustain a healthier and more energetic you. It’s not about how fast you switch it up, it’s about your commitment to the change in the long run that matters most.