Most of us would like to embrace a healthy lifestyle, but where do we start?
If you have a hectic schedule, you might be finding it hard to prioritise your health. Maybe you don’t know much about nutrition or the effects of exercise.
You may simply be wondering how to boost your health and well-being.
In this guide, I have put some simple steps together to help you look and feel great.
Healthy eating
Diet is fundamental when it comes to taking care of your body.
Your body relies on you to provide essential nutrients through the foods you consume. Nutrition isn’t about losing weight or looking at numbers on a scale. It’s about providing your body with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to function effectively.
Try to cook at home as much as possible, embrace healthy recipes and experiment with ingredients that are bursting with goodness.
Increase your intake of whole grains, eat a diverse range of fruit and vegetables and moderate your consumption of sugar, saturated fats and salt.
Limit processed foods and take the time to read food labels and nutritional information.
If you’re keen to expand your repertoire, search for simple, healthy recipes online, save dishes that you love and browse books. TV cooking shows and social media can also provide inspiration.
Tackling stress and anxiety
Being healthy involves having good mental health, as well as physical health. It is as important to look after your mind as it is your body, yet many of us are reluctant to talk about mental well-being.
Try to be proactive in tackling stress and anxiety and managing symptoms. We all have difficult days when we feel under pressure or we experience a range of emotions.
Take time out, embrace self-care and seek advice or help if you have symptoms that last a long time or get worse. Try self-help techniques, such as massage therapy, meditation, regular exercise and CBD oil.
Spend as much time as possible outdoors and make sure you get enough downtime.
Rest and recovery are essential for optimum health yet more than a third of US adults don’t get enough sleep. Aim to achieve a good work-life balance and make time for your hobbies and interests.
Moving more
Exercise offers an array of incredible benefits for your health!
Most people who are inactive blame a lack of time, but you don’t need much time in your schedule to reap the rewards of physical activity.
Even if you only have 20 minutes free during your lunch break or a few evenings a week, you can increase your activity levels. Consider walking or cycling to work or go to exercise classes.
Work out at home, spend your weekends doing fun activities like dance classes, trampolining, rock climbing, hiking and swimming, or schedule a daily walk in your diary.
Wearing an activity tracker is a brilliant way to help you set (and keep) daily or weekly goals.
Many of us want to embrace a healthier lifestyle, but we find it hard to figure out what steps to take or how to stick to new routines.
If you’re looking for easy ways to boost your mental and physical health, take these tips on board. Just to remind yourself:
- Prioritise nutrition when searching for recipes and planning menus at home.
- Manage and tackle stress and anxiety.
- Protect your mental health.
- Try to move more and adopt a regular exercise program.
Photos by Pixabay and Shahariar Lenin on Pixabay
