From zero to hero – How do you start a healthy lifestyle?
Congratulations on your decision to make a healthier lifestyle! Now that you’ve decided to take the plunge, where do you start? You don’t need to make big changes right away. Start with the little things and go from there.
Here are some of the things you can do to turn your lifestyle into a healthy one:
Drink more water
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you may not be drinking enough water during the day. You may drink water when you’re thirsty, but that’s not enough. The recommended amount you should drink each day depends on several factors, including physical activity, diet, gender and weight. A rough recommendation is to drink between 30 and 40 ml of water per kg of body weight. Most people think they are drinking enough. Work out how much fluid you drank today. Was it enough?
Get enough rest and sleep
Just because you can function reasonably well throughout the day after only 4 hours sleep doesn’t necessarily mean you’re healthy. For optimal brain and body function, you should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. This means you should avoid watching your favourite shows late at night during the week. Go to bed at a reasonable time so that you have enough sleep and energy to complete your tasks during the day.
Exercise whenever you can
You don’t need to sign up for a gym membership or buy home fitness equipment right away. Start by being more active every day! Walk more, take the stairs more… You can start with simple exercises and progress to more challenging ones when you are ready.
For example, you could start by walking, jogging or cycling around your neighbourhood every day for 30-60 minutes, or just do yoga at home.
Need simple instructions and a little more motivation? There are lots of good fitness guides and video tutorials on the internet to help you get started.
Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables
You’ve probably been taught to eat lots of green leafy vegetables, and that’s fine. But if you want to get the most nutrients and vitamins, you should eat as many different coloured fruits and vegetables as possible. For example, you’ll get lots of vitamins and minerals from different coloured peppers, aubergines, tomatoes, bananas, oranges and more.
Avoid negative interactions
Your physical health isn’t the only thing you need to look after. It’s also important to look after your mental health. You can’t avoid all negative interactions, but you can avoid deliberately putting yourself in these situations. For example, if you come across a post on social media that you don’t agree with, you can simply ignore it. Get more involved in stress management and try to reduce your mental stress. Exercise, socialising and meditation are good ways to balance your mind and reduce stress.
Think positively – Learn to be less negative.
Negative thinking takes a lot of energy and strength. Try to be more positive and think more positively about yourself. For example, if you’re sitting in your living room right now and you notice negative thoughts creeping into your head, try autogenic training or meditation. Put on some soothing music or a guided meditation on Spotifiy, focus and calm down. This can help you relax and think a little more positively.
Conclusion
These are just some of the basic things you can do to live a healthier lifestyle. As small as these changes may be, they are a good place to start. Just get started and think positively – this is often the best way to make an improvement.
Read more on this topic