This is a pre-written/collaborative post (not written by me).
***Always consult your doctor before embarking on major lifestyle changes***
The reason that so many of us struggle to stick to a healthy lifestyle is that we opt for the “quick fix”. However, the quick fix is often an unhealthy solution that can’t be maintained. Maybe you tried a fad diet to lose a lot of weight very quickly but ended up returning to your original size because you were too hungry on such a limited eating plan. Maybe you finally went to the gym but pushed yourself too hard too quickly and didn’t want to return for a long time (you might have even injured yourself).
The point is that healthiness isn’t a race. You can’t get the ideal body shape in a day or eradicate mental health issues simply by meditating once. You need to try a long-term solution. By improving your overall routine, you’ll gradually improve your health. Whilst this may be a slow solution, it’s one that’ll give you permanent results. You’ll be able to look and feel good in the knowledge that you’re actually taking care of yourself. The advice in this post should help you on that journey.
Find a consistent diet.
As mentioned in the introduction, fad diets are useless. You can’t stick to such a scarce and restrictive diet in the long-run, and it’s actually unhealthy to follow such a diet in the first place. Your body needs a certain level of sustenance to stay healthy. Avoiding calories and carbs doesn’t always make you healthier. The key is to avoid empty calories. You should cut down on junk food and other sugary treats, but substitute them with filling foods that have the right vitamins and nutrients for a healthy diet. You might even want to try a meal replacement diet so that you figure out how to eat the right kind of food for your weight loss needs. It’s good to set yourself the goal of losing weight if you’re overweight and want to lose weight; it’s just important that you do so healthily.
The food you eat also has a massive impact on your mental health. Something as simple as eating more fruit every day could help to alleviate anxiety and depression. Obviously, the nature of our hectic lives has a big impact on our minds, and we’ll discuss ways in which you can improve your mental state later in this article. However, there’s a lot you can do to improve the health of your mind by working on the health of your body. Finding a consistent diet won’t just give you a great physique; it’ll keep your mental state in check. That’s why you need to stick to a regular eating plan that works for you.
Make daily exercise a part of your routine.
Doing a strenuous gym workout once every month isn’t going to give you the results you want. You might feel exhausted after such a session. You might even feel as if you’ve earned a few weeks of recovery. However, the fact remains that irregular exercise won’t improve your health. Exercising strenuously isn’t the key to staying healthy; you need to focus on exercising frequently. And that’s much easier to maintain in the long-run anyway. Wouldn’t you much rather jog for 10 minutes every day than dread the occasional 5-hour session at the gym? You’ll be able to gradually ease yourself into an exercise routine if you start off with a simple run around your local park, for example.
Just make sure that you get your body moving every day. You’ll notice a huge improvement in your health. You’ll easily achieve a toned and slim figure if you keep up the good work. In fact, it’ll improve the health of your heart too. There are so many health benefits to exercising frequently. You don’t have to start running marathons of lifting insanely heavy weights at the gym if you don’t want to do those things. You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the rewards of exercising. You’d be surprised how far a little bit of physical activity can take you. Just make sure you find a form of exercise that works for you. Maybe you prefer social activities. You could go for a long walk with friends; you’d be exercising without even having to think about it. It’d just be a fun way to spend your time.
Sleep well.
How often do you sleep every night? 8 hours is the recommended amount of sleep for most adults, though it does vary depending on the individual. Perhaps you feel rested after 7 hours or perhaps you need as many as 9. The point is that everybody needs a certain amount of sleep in order to function properly. Sleep deprivation doesn’t just deplete your energy levels; it depletes your overall health. It can weaken your immune system and even worsen your mental state. Resting sufficiently is necessary to the recovery of your body and mind after a long day.
Stay mentally healthy.
Finally, you need to prioritise your mental health. Find time in your daily routine to check in with yourself. Overcoming mental struggles can be a gradual process, but you need to make small steps in the right direction. An important part of a healthy routine is a very active social life. Whilst you’re most likely aware of the fact that your friends and family members make you happy, you might not appreciate just how important this aspect of your life is to your overall health. Isolating yourself can lead to loneliness, and that’s the root of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. It’s so important to surround yourself with loved ones because this provides a support network that keeps you healthy. No matter how busy your life gets, make sure you find time in your routine to see the people who matter. And talk about your issues with your loved ones too. If work is stressful then you need to tell people how it’s making you feel; keeping things bottled up will only make you feel more isolated.
Remember, looking after yourself is all about creating a routine that takes into account the regular needs of your physical and mental health.
Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo
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