10 Easy Ways to Begin Living a Healthy Lifestyle
The new year is right around the corner and many people are planning their resolutions. We all want to improve our health, but it can be so hard to find time to make healthy changes. The good news is, baby steps can go a long way when working on becoming healthier. Check out these 10 easy ideas and see which ones will work for you.
1. Drink more water.
Our bodies are made of water and without putting clean fresh water in we can not function at our best. Each day we take in large amounts of things that will dehydrate us from coffee to soda. By drinking more water we fight the ill effects of these beverages and improve our overall health.2. Make an effort to go to bed earlier.
Our bodies need sleep to be healthy and by finding your way into bed sooner you allow your body the time it needs to rest and heal.3. Sneak in a workout as often as you can.
Whether it's some body weight training during a commercial or a walk on your lunch break. Small bits of exercise can help you grow healthy without having to hunt down time and energy for a full gym workout each day.4. Find time for yourself to relax and recuperate from a long stressful day.
This can be easier said than done but, it can go a long way for your physical and mental health. Even if you only get it a few times a week you can really see improvement in your overall health quickly with this small change.5. Switch to natural cleaners to help reduce the amount of chemicals used around your family.
As the one doing all or most of the cleaning, you come into even more contact with these chemicals. This small change can help you come a long way in improving your overall health.6. Switch to natural personal care products to help reduce the number of chemicals going into your body.
The chemicals you put on your body can absorb into your skin and stay in your body for life.7. Let yourself have a cheat day.
While you may choose to have a strict diet for health or weight loss you will find that you are likely to cheat. By giving you a day that you can cheat guilt free makes sticking to a healthy diet easier.8. Cut the sugar to reduce the negative effects on your body.
Sugar messes with the systems your body has in place, helps bad bacteria thrive, and lowers your immune system. By reducing your sugar intake you can regain control over your body and your health. You may feel off for a while as the bacteria in your body dies off but you will feel amazing after a few weeks.9. Lower your caffeine intake.
This one is easier said than done. Caffeine is an addictive stimulant that you become reliant on. By reducing your intake your intake you give your body back that control.10. Put the screen away.
We are often so attached to our phones, computers, and TVs. The light from these screens affects your eyes and brain. By reducing screen time you will improve your focus and sleep.Do you have any other ideas of easy ways to make a healthy change in your life? Comment and share them below.
Sugar and caffeine are a struggle for me! I am an insomniac relying on coffee to fuel my day which only perpetuates the sugar cycle. ACK!
I always say I’m going to try and be healthier but it never seems to happen! However, I’m determined to go into 2017 doing many of these things. Thanks for the share 🙂
You can always start somewhere! Good luck getting it done for 2017
I’m so confused about caffeine because I’ve heard it can help you burn more calories. I have a 15 month old so giving it up isn’t really an option… but I was under the impression it was okay for my diet?!
Small amounts of caffeine can be ok to keep in your diet, you just want to make sure to always use portion control and balance
Yes this makes so much sense. I agree mostly with 5 and 10 and these are changes that I am about to start making.
That’s great! Good luck with your lifestyle changes.
I just love having my morning cup of coffee, and sometimes I don’t know if I need it or if its out of habit. Getting more sleep is so important, I really tried to do this during 2016 because of my FitBit and it has helped a lot.
It can be hard to give up coffee, but maybe 1 day a week you could try or even try decaf (yikes, I can’t believe I even typed that!). I struggle with getting enough sleep because I am a night owl.
I don’t think I could give up my daily coffee. But I limit it to just one (huge) cup a day. I try to eat healthy most of the time, but the cheat days are much too frequent during the holidays 🙂
Haha, I agree. As long as you use moderation, it shouldn’t be an end all.
Awesome tips to a healthy living! I’m making a note of some of them. It’s just so easy to slip our minds, but making them a part of our routine is essential to overall health and wellness.
It is definitely important to make them a habit so we continue them in the long run. With busy lives, it is easy to put our healthy habits on the back burner.
I really think that relieving stress is so important. A lot of people don’t realize how much of a killer stress can be. I think it is vitally important to try to relieve stress or avoid it all costs if possible.
I do quite a few of these but need to add the rest! I’m making it my goal to be a peak health and fitness.
Drinking more water is something that I struggle with because I have never been a big water drinker. I know that I need to do more of it because it is good for my body.
I definitely need to drink more water, it’s always been such a bad habit as I’m a caffeine junkie :-/