5 Small Steps That Lead to A Healthier You

Introduction

Health is the most precious gift that, unfortunately, you cannot get overnight. By adopting several changes in your lifestyle, you can improve health and well-being.

Even the smallest changes can make differences. The people who take care of their health, reduce the risk of developing diseases. Good health slows down the aging process, making you feel more active.

Health has a direct relation with sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. By keeping check and balance on these things, you will better understand your body.

Those who maintain a healthy lifestyle can prevent diseases like heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hormonal imbalance.

A healthy lifestyle improves immunity, providing strength to fight against viruses and bacteria. For adopting a healthy lifestyle, try to set smaller goals first, and step-by-step achieve them.

On the other hand, more significant goals are challenging to maintain in the initial period. Therefore, prioritize setting small goals because they bring long term changes in your health and behavior.

Moving your life doesn’t have to occur in one giant leap. You can take lesser stages to become a new, healthier you, and If you desire to progress your health, here are the five small steps that lead to a healthy standard of living. 

Increase physical activity

Most people have a sedentary job, reducing physical activity. Although we have heard it several times that regular exercise is good and reduces weight, our sedentary lifestyle does not allow us to be active.

The good news is, it’s never too late, and you can start slowly. You can also learn all about the positive effects of physical activities and can get some health career benefits by pursuing healthcare programs. You can join a gym or do simple physical activities like jogging, swimming, walking, and skipping ropes.

Your objective should be to keep yourself physically fit. If you exercise 15 to 30 minutes regularly, it controls weight, manages blood sugar level, reduces the risk of heart diseases, improves metabolism, strengthens bones and muscles, and saves from cancer.

Eat wisely

Diet plays a 70% role in improving health, while physical exercise only represents a 30% role. Due to this reason, people say that abs are built-in the kitchen, not in the gym. A proper nutritious diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins.

It would help if you ate your meals on time. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and you should never skip it. It gives our body energy boost that keeps us active all day. Add whole grains, fruits, and fibrous foods to your breakfast since they will digest slowly and maintain a constant amount of energy. Another good habit has an early dinner. Eating early dinner provides time to the body for metabolizing food completely.

There is a list of foods, and one should avoid eating like junk foods, sugary drinks, high sodium-containing foods, and processed foods. They are the main reason for obesity in most people and open doors for other diseases.

Drink lots of water

Drinking plenty of water has numerous health benefits and keeps you hydrated throughout the day. You should at least drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. However, the amount of water intake may vary based on physical activity, weather, and medical conditions like kidney stones.

After waking up in the morning, drink at least have 2-3 glasses of water. Avoid drinking water between the meals. Make a habit of drinking a glass of water before every meal. Drinking water before meals helps in maintaining body shape and stops you from overeating.

Get good sleep

Lack of sleep is among the primary reasons for causing health issues. Rest is vital because it prepares your body for the next day. Everyone should sleep at least 6 to 8 hours a day. If you suffer from lack of sleep, it will affect your working capabilities and mental health, reduce energy, affect physical health, and lack concentration. Lack of sleep can also cause mood swings, irritability, and depression.

Stress is your greatest enemy

Stress not only affects your mental health, but it impacts on your physical health as well. It can cause headaches, hypertension, heart diseases, chest pain, body pain, mood swings, anxiety, and lack of motivation, depression, stomach upset, and impacts on the sleep cycle, and obesity.

The good thing is, there are several ways to reduce stress. Do regular exercises like aerobics, yoga, and meditation? You can also get relaxation therapies like massages and aromatherapy. If nothing is working, then you should sit and examine your thoughts. Try to set realistic goals and expectations. Sometimes, it is our mind that is responsible for stress.

The Bottom Line

A healthy lifestyle is all about patience, motivation, positivity, and maintenance. Everybody is not the same. Therefore, you need to know what suits your body and adopt those changes permanently. It is your attitude, which tells that you are going to make or break it. So, keep working hard, and soon you will feel living a new healthier version of yourself.

About Theresa Duncan

Originally from Detroit, MI, Theresa has been offering health and fitness advice for the last 30 years while working as an engineer. She decided to turn her passion into a profession, and finds nothing more satisfying than helping others reach their health and fitness goals.