Healthy Active Lifestyle habits are not always difficult but how to start implementing them and remaining consistent is often the main challenge. But the great thing is that it can be done, with guidance and accountability of course. Living a healthy active lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean eating healthy meals only but it also includes many other important things which include ones’ mental, physical and social-emotional being not forgetting the financial aspect as well. When all these are in harmony together, it becomes feasible for an individual to start and remain consistent on their journey, thus increasing the chances of leading a healthier lifestyle.
I’m not sure if you’ve heard of an Ayurvedic proverb which says, “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need”. This is a great way to remind ourself of the importance of the preventative measures.
Granted, we tend to fall off the wagon every once in a while, our resolve to change long forgotten. Yet, we all know that nothing worthwhile comes easy and this statement is not meant to give anyone a scare but to act as an inspiration to work hard towards their goals. There is nothing more satisfying than achieving something that you know you’ve worked hard for!!! With accountability, commitment, consistency and perseverance, anything is possible. We know that it all starts from the mind, the decision to act on what you want, that is why it’s so important to look after our mental state on a daily basis as this will definitely help us make wise choices.
Hence, below are the top nine (9) Daily Healthy Active Lifestyle Habits to help you achieve and live a healthier & happier life to maximise your chances of achieving set goals.
Eating Healthy
I cannot emphasise this enough, it is the key to anything you’re doing and want to achieve in life. When you nourish your body with good nutrition, you’re maximising yourself to achieve the best results, whether it’s at work, at home or in the gym, better nutrition is the key and the way to living your best life. This begins with a healthy breakfast in the morning, this set you up for the entire day. Skipping breakfast is one of the common unhealthy habit which impacts many people, and their entire health and overall wellness.
There are many ways you can your breakfast these days if you think you don’t have time. Things like nutritional shakes, healthy smoothies, or even meal prep the night before. You can also opt for healthier options such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products will stimulate the release of feel-good hormones. You just have to eat something in the morning if you want to a healthier productive lifestyle.
Practice Daily Gratitude
Something as simple as practising gratitude can increase feelings of happiness and hope as indicated in The Journal of Positive Psychology (Witvliet, 2018). There have been quite a lot of studies that have shown the importance of gratitude in ones’ life. As Lyubomirsky puts it this way, “…the more you practice and express gratitude the more self-worth and self-esteem you feel, whether it’s thinking about what others do for you, or what you have done (for yourself or others) it adds to your confidence and how effective you are at this thing called life”.
So when you’re feeling defeated and discouraged, take a piece of paper and jot down everything that you are grateful for. You can even go over them in your head as you get ready in the morning and/or before you go to sleep. This way, you get to start your day with a grateful attitude and go to sleep feeling happier and more hopeful.
Get Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep gets in the way of our well-being, impacting our thinking, our ability to make choices, energy levels and importantly our productivity. It’s not uncommon for people that sleep less to experience mental fog or experience fatigue throughout the day. A sleep-deprived individual is also likely to make poor choices when it comes to food and is more likely to gain weight in the process.
There have been several studies done on what is the actual amount of time you must-have for your sleep. One such study advice adults to at least sleep 7- 8 hours’ sleep daily. The main take-home message is to make sure you have enough sleep for you to function at a maximum level during the day.
Don’t Compare Yourself with Others
Our lives now revolve around the world of social media and we have heard of the effects of it on individuals’ state of mind. Studies show that young individuals experience poor mental health which includes depression due to social media, mostly because of the picture-perfect images depicted on such platforms. One such study was carried out at the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. People posting the perfect titbits of their lives tend to make others feel inadequate and depressed. The key thing to remember is that people rarely post the bad sides of their lives. The comparison game is the best way to steal your happiness and make you less grateful for what you already have.
As mentioned earlier, everything starts from the mind, the body does what the mind tells it to. So always filter out things that don’t benefit you in any way. Know what you want out of life and hang around people who would be of benefit to you and your progress towards achieving your goals.
Regular Exercise Routine
Exercise is not just about taking care of your physical health, but every other aspect of your well-being. Additionally, research has shown that exercise stimulates the release of the happy hormone known as dopamine. In turn, exercise helps alleviate stress, anxiety levels and even depression to heighten feelings of happiness. There are different ways which you can get your body moving. You don’t have to be lifting heavy at the gym but you can find something suitable for you.
Walking your dog every day for half an hour is a healthy active lifestyle habit that is achievable. If it’s an easy way to get your exercise in, then focus on it. The recommended minimum exercises time per week is a total of two and a half hours (2.5hrs). This is according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, obviously the more the better results.
Meditation And Mindfulness Practice
In today’s society, starting your day slow seems like a far- fetched dream. We are extremely time poor and are burdened by numerous responsibilities. So to get on top of your day, try waking up earlier so that you can have at least 30 minutes worth of quiet time. Practice your breathing techniques as its a great way to alleviate a stressful situation. Do some stretching exercises, or yoga and take care of your spiritual life.
By doing this, you’ll be able to set the pace for the rest of the day. Instead of starting the day stressed, you’ll be far more relaxed with a clear mindset for the day.
Social Time with Family and Friends
We’ve often heard that if we want to live longer, we should eat more fruits and vegetables. While that may be true, studies have found a link between longevity and an individual’s social life. An expert from Harvard known as Dr Gilbert Daniel found that “human relations are the best predictor of human happiness”. He is adamant that spending more time with family and friends leads to an increase in happiness and life span. It gives the sense of belonging and helps stimulate your thinking capacity as engaging in different social conversations.
It’s been found to increase your IQ which quite impressive. So be open to the idea of finding some time to spend with family and friends. Always focus your energy on things and people who make you better and wants what’s best for you.
Get Outside More
Numerous studies show that human beings are wired to spend time with nature. From these findings, we tend to be happier when connecting with nature and spending more time outdoors. Go for a hike, get your hands dirty and/or start your own garden. Simply go outside the house and be an adventurer. You’ll definitely be smiling post outdoor activities you engage yourself in.
Our sedentary lifestyles are contributing to our lack of nature activities. It’s up to us to avoid getting into this trap if we are to live healthier and happier lives. Ge Out More!
Cook At Home
Cooking is a creative activity that engages the mind. Because of what it entails, cooking at home equips us with the ability to live a healthier life. This is because, when we cook from home, we can control what we eat. Also, we get to know what the ingredients are. It’s a great way to know more about the food you eat.
Home-made meals can give you the inspiration to stick to and live a healthy active lifestyle. Cooking at home is a great way to save money as we all know nowadays eating out is quite expensive.
It’s however okay to occasionally eat out as long as it doesn’t become a regular event. We all love going out or having a takeaway pizza sometime and it’s good to have balance.
In conclusion, for one to enjoy and benefits of a healthy active lifestyle, they have to make a decision to change. Then take the first step to implement what it entails to achieve the goal. It is vital to remain consistent throughout the entire process. That’s when they can experience the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Start small so as to cultivate the above-mentioned practices into your daily routine. Remember progress is progress no matter how small it may seem. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing your results. The good thing is once you see them, go won’t go without these habits!
Remember it’s been shown that it takes twenty-one days to form a habit! So, don’t give up on yourself and Rome wasn’t built in one day as they always say.
