We all want to live healthier lives. Who hasn’t made a New Year’s resolution to get in shape, to eat healthier or even to just get more sleep at least once in their life? However, we all know how hard it can be to achieve this goal, especially when you’re a mom and you are hardwired to put your child’s health above your own. However, to encourage good habits in your child, it is important you lead by example by being as healthy as possible. So if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, what should you do?
Exercise
The healthiest people actually enjoy exercising and do it not only because it’s healthy, but also because it’s fun. Sound like an impossibility for you? Well, it shouldn’t be. Exercising doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym and spend hours on the treadmill. In fact, the secret to getting decent exercise is to find ways to be active that you enjoy. It could be hiking, swimming, practicing yoga, playing soccer, or even just walking. Find an activity you like doing and fit it into your schedule.
Can’t leave the house or don’t have enough time for one of these activities? No problem! You can find some amazing workouts on the internet whether on YouTube or through blogs. There are also smartphone apps, such as The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout, that can help you find ways to get some exercise during your busy schedule. However, making sure you are properly protected when using these resources is a smart move, especially since some of them ask you to enter personal information.
View Health as a Lifestyle
For those who take their health seriously, healthy living is not just some fad or something they do for a few months. Instead, it’s a long-term commitment. This is why so many healthy people don’t believe in diets. Instead, they focus on changing their entire mindset around food and healthy eating. That means planning meals ahead of time, having healthy snacks around the house and learning how to cook using healthier ingredients.
At the same time, it also means they don’t deprive themselves of foods they love. If they want a cupcake, they’ll have one without any lingering feelings of guilt, since they know it is just a small indulgence within an otherwise healthy diet. And since they know to appreciate treats when they have them and that they don’t need to be overly strict with themselves, the temptation to eat unhealthily goes away with time. These people also know that part of living a healthy lifestyle includes annual checkups with a doctor. For those with busy schedules, it is now possible to get in-home personal care in Orange County.
Get Enough Sleep
A good night’s sleep is just as important as healthy eating. Not only does it boost your mood, but studies show sleep deprivation leads to decreased productivity and greater chances of accidents.
Yes, it’s a challenge to get enough sleep, especially if you’re a working mom. If you’ve been heading to bed too late, try to slowly adjust your sleep schedule. Start off going to bed 30 minutes early for a couple of days, and keep pushing for earlier times. If you have young children, this might mean you need to start your child’s bed routine earlier. Kids don’t like change, so try to adjust this as gradually as possible. Both you and your child will be thankful for the extra hour.
Practice Mindfulness
The world’s a busy place with unlimited distractions. There’s barely a moment where you get to sit still and just be. That’s why health instructors encourage taking at least five minutes a day to calm your mind. Sit somewhere quiet and focus on the present moment without judgment or reaction. Just simply observe. It might seem silly in the beginning, but practicing mindfulness daily can lower stress and help improve your overall happiness and physical well-being.
Try Something New
The healthiest and most successful people challenge themselves constantly, whether by learning a new training method or by learning a new language. It keeps their minds sharp and can also improve health. A study showed a connection between health and wonder. Those who experience “awe” had lower markers of inflammation, which cause everything from pain to cancer.
So if you’ve wanted to get into crochet or maybe even pottery – go for it! It will help you get out of the house and could potentially prevent cancer!
In the beginning, it can be difficult to follow these habits, but even if you have a bad day or miss a couple of days, it’s okay. Remember that everything is a process and progress isn’t linear. It’s never too late to start taking on healthier habits.
Sleep is something I struggle with constantly. I know I need to be more consistent.
I really have issues with sleep and it does make things a lot harder, there are days I can do nothing as I am so tired.
I need to start exercising more. I will try to think of it more as a lifestyle than a chore and hopefully that will help.
Getting a good night sleep is so important. I stop drinking after 6:00 so nothing wakes me up to having use the bathroom. Getting up an hour early gives me time for me and my quiet time.
I am trying to get myself on a healthier lifestyle! I have never been too bad and you are right need to think of living healthy as a lifestyle! When you do then it is easier to live that way.
Thanks for sharing these! Now that the sun is finally shining again, I’m feeling like I need to be healthier. It is really hard when you suffer from SAD.
These are all traits of my husband! I wish they were traits of me, I have stuff to work on for sure!
Getting enough sleep is hard for me. Quality sleep is so important to a healthy lifestyle.
Right now my downfall is getting enough sleep. I try and try, but my body is just not ready haha! I am eating better and exercising more. baby steps 🙂
I admit, I am sleep deprived. Not that I am in bed but can’t sleep. It is me wanting to get in bed but cannot because of a gazillion things I have to attend to. I have been wanting to try meditation. Maybe I will soon. I really need to take time off for myself or else I will start getting the physical and physiological effects of sleep deprivation.
It’s always a good reminder to keep these basic tenets of a healthy lifestyle in mind. Life can get so busy and it can easy to fall into the trap of neglecting any of these tips. Thanks for sharing!
I have done these 5 things however, my issue is consistency. I don’t exercise regularly, I fall off the “healthy eating lifestyle” at the sight of a cake, donut or bacon wrapped something. 4 hours of sleep a night is enough for me. Anything less than that and I am cranky the whole day. I will do my best to be more consistent and mind my health more.
These are great habits to live by. Getting enough sleep is a huge one! It can be hard to achieve but it’s important to try.
It is so important to teach our kids to have healthy habits. I try to make sure I get the right amount of sleep each night so I feel my best.
These are such great tips for health living. Sleeping enough and eating healthy are huge for me, as is unplugging and being outdoors.
These are all great habits of those who live a healthy life. Viewing health as a lifestyle is indeed a great tip to live by. It is so important that we get enough sleep each night to refuel our bodies. Thanks for sharing these habits/tips.
I’m hoping to get my health back on track this year. This tips are all great things to keep in mind. I often struggle with sleep — so many things to do and so many things on my mind!
Mindfulness is such a great thing to remember when being healthy. It’s so easy to do things without thinking. You really need to think through the things you are doing every day.