Living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle should be the ultimate goal for an individual, as it plays a huge part in your overall well being. The following suggestions can be considered to help you boost the general satisfaction with your lifestyle. Brush and floss daily to keep your teeth and gums healthy and free of disease. Get a good night’s rest. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress, but may also have better control of their appetites. Research has shown that a lack of sleep can put our “hunger hormones” out of balance and possibly trigger overeating. Enjoy regular family meals. This allows parents to serve as good role models for their children, it can promote more nutritious eating, and sets the stage for lively conversations. Being connected to family and/or friends is a powerful and beneficial aspect of a healthy life.
Smile and laugh out loud several times a day to release feel good chemicals in your brain. It also keeps you grounded, and helps you cope with situations that would otherwise make you crazy. Read the comics, watch a sitcom, or tell jokes to bring out those happy feelings. Meditate, pray, or otherwise find solace for at least 20 minutes each day. Contemplation is good for your soul as well as the mind, it helps you cope with the demands of daily life, and may even help lower your blood pressure. Get a pedometer and let it motivate you to walk and shed a couple pounds. Forget about how many minutes of activity you need; just do everything you can to fit more steps into your day. No matter how you get it, physical activity can help defuse stress, burn calories, and boost self-esteem. Stand up straight. You’ll look 5 pounds lighter if you stand tall and tighten your abdominal muscles. Whenever you walk, think “tall and tight” to get the most out of the movement.
Power up the protein. This nutrient is an essential part of your eating plan, and can make up anywhere from 10%-35% of your total calories. Protein lasts a long time in your digestive system, combine it with high fiber foods and you’ll feel full on less calories. Enjoy small portions of nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, lean meat, poultry, or fish. Last but not least, have a positive attitude and outlook. Do your best to look at life as if “the glass is half full.” You must believe in yourself and your ability to achieve anything you put your mind to, have good support systems around you, and think positively to succeed. At the end of the day doing many smaller steps adds up over time to help achieve the best version of yourself.
Sources: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/4-steps-healthy-lifestyle#2
