Developing a healthy lifestyle is not something that merely happens overnight. But if a person takes positive, thoughtful steps towards what will benefit his or her life, then slowly a lifestyle will emerge that is well rounded and conducive to a healthy life. This is especially important since obesity and type 2 diabetes statistics on a frightening rise. If you are in any of these two categories, or if you simply want to start developing healthier habits so that medical issues related to weight do not arise in the future, here are five tips you can use to help develop a healthier lifestyle.
Exercise Regularly.
It is vital that you develop a regular exercise schedule to follow. Not only is this the time when your body gets to burn off some of those excess calories and fat that your body has, but you are getting your respiratory system and heartrate going at an elevated rate. If you are someone who has not exercised in a very long time then take it slow at first. Start with a daily walk for 30 minutes to an hour for a week or two. Once you have followed through with the daily walks, start jogging/running for 30 minutes to an hour every other day. After a month of this, your body will be able to handle more intense sports activities like basketball, tennis, racquetball, soccer, or even the at-home DVD workout programs. There are some very good options to get an awesome workout from the comfort of your home needing nothing more than a DVD player and a tv. Definitely look into this option if you want an effective workout program with a specific planned out schedule for you to follow. Really takes the difficulty out of needing to come up with your own exercise plan – all you have to do is pop the disc in, select the appropriate workout, and get to it! Take a look at the wide variety of options available for you right here.
Pack a Lunch for Work
When you have to run out to purchase lunch from a fast food spot or your workplace cafeteria, we often do not always select the healthiest options from these places. Yes you can probably find meals that would not be terribly detrimental to eat, but in all reality, how often do you do that? If you pack yourself a lunch every morning, or the night before, then you are guaranteed to have a lunch that will be healthy and appropriately portion sized. Portion size is often overlooked and unfortunately can be the most critical error when it comes to eating. Take into careful consideration how much actual “food” you need to eat in order to become nutritionally sound. That is why making an appointment to see your doctor or nutritionist can really help in determining what an ideal calorie count would be for your age, gender, weight, and body type.
Plan Out Your Meals In Advance
If you take the time to actually plan out a weekly/monthly meal schedule you will find that not only can you plan out a menu that will be as healthy as you would like, but you can also save money on the amount of money you spend each week/month on food. Another benefit to having a planned out schedule is because it will also help cover the need to ever have to make the random trip to the local fast food chain in order to pick up dinner, or lunch while at work. When your meals are planned, there will be no need to spend extra money purchasing fast food which probably wouldn’t be a healthy choice anyways.
Drink Plenty of Water
Water is often neglected by many people, and definitely shouldn’t be especially when you are exercising regularly in order to lose weight. Your body needs water, period. Your body is comprised of about 70% water which is evidence enough that it needs water in order to survive and maintain peek performance. Try and get into the habit of always having drinking water at hand throughout the day. A travel water container or plastic water bottles are an extremely handy way to always have water right there at arms reach. At lunch, try to opt for water instead of the large coke or sprite drink option. The absence of those calories and sugar will do your body good. At dinner, choosing to have water instead of that beer or glass of wine can literally save you calories and a ton of money at the same time.
Use Restraint When Dining Out
Going out to eat at a restaurant or fast food spot can really pack on the calories, sugar count, and literally every other kind of negative statistic you can think of, unless you use restraint and choose healthy options. With a 2011 average of 4.8 restaurant meals (dine in or take-out) for Americans, that’s almost five times per week restraint must be kept in mind or that will be five times per week you may possibly be eating in an unhealthy manner. If you did not maintain restraint when eating out, it would be terribly difficult to lose weight each and every week. Therefore have some self-control when you dine out. Choose a healthy option if at all possible. Another tip is to ask for a “to-go” box (doggie bag) and as soon as your meal arrives put half of it away for take-home. Tie it up and place out of sight or even give it to your server to hold until the end of your meal so the temptation is out of sight. Doing this you will be immediately cutting out half of the calories, and at the same time have an awesome leftover meal for the next day.
