What Does A Healthy Lifestyle Look Like?
A healthy lifestyle is made up of lots of small, daily habits that over the course of a week, a month and a year promote a sense of well-being both inside and out. It is doing things that nourish your body and make you feel good, not just in terms of your physical health, but also mentally too.
This will look different for each person, but for me, exercise most days in some form whether it be Pilates, HIIT workouts or a dance class, coupled with great food makes me feel amazing. Throw in a good book to read and some quality time with my children and I feel great.
5 Key Habits For A Healthier Lifestyle #1 – Make Good Food Choices.
We all know the need to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, but don’t forget that we also need enough protein in our diet for repair and recovery. The recommended amount of protein one should have in their diet is 0.8g per kg of their weight, so for a person who weighs 70kg, 56g of protein per day is required. Protein comes in the form of meat, eggs, beans, lentils and fish. It can also be supplemented with protein powder, stirred into porridge or consumed as a drink.
Here is an idea of how much protein you find in various food forms – how much do you get in your diet?
Drinking lots of water (around 2L per day) is also paramount so that our body functions well.
5 Key Habits For A Healthier Lifestyle #2 – Exercise Regularly.
This will look different for everyone as we all have different lives and interests, but essentially it is important to raise your heart rate for at least 20 minutes, 3-5 times a week. A walk is good, but only if you are breathing heavily and sweating! Holding yourself accountable to moving regularly will improve not only your physical health, but will lift your mood too. Win win!
5 Key Habits For A Healthier Lifestyle #3 – Replace Energy Slumps
Swap out your afternoon coffee/sugar pick-me up for an Energy Fizz stick. These contain caffeine from green tea leaf and vitamins such as Niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and pantothenic acid, which contribute to normal energy yielding metabolism and a reduction in tiredness and fatigue. You wont get a sugar crash after drinking one of these and rest in the knowledge that you’ve taken on some extra vitamins too! There are lots of yummy flavours to choose from, including blood orange, strawberry, citrus and pomegranate.
5 Key Habits For A Healthier Lifestyle #4 – Get Enough Sleep
The ideal amount is around 8 hours per night, but some people find 7 adequate. Any less than this does not allow your body enough rest and recovery time. If you struggle with your sleep and want some help in this area, it is worth checking out our sleep blog HERE.
5 Key Habits For A Healthier Lifestyle #5 – Make Small Changes For Longer Lasting Results.
If you struggle to drink 2L of water, aim for 1L consistently then gradually increase that. If you want to move more but are not sure how to fit in into your schedule, choose the stairs over the lift or park a bit further away from work and walk the extra distance in. Pick up the apple over the packet of crisps and go to bed at 10pm rather than midnight. Really think about what it is that you want to change and make the goal small so that it is achievable. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to continue!
So there are our top 5 tips for healthy habits….what are you going to change today?
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Other Great Resources
We have several free, downloadable reports to help you relieve Back Pain, Knee Pain and Neck & Shoulder Pain.
We also have fantastic blogs where we share expert advice such as Why You Need A Sports Massage
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