Tips for Keeping Fit and Healthy
Keeping fit and healthy is a top priority for many people, but there are also people who find keeping in tip-top condition a struggle. We’re all aware of the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating, but for many, life just gets in the way. Whether it’s your busy schedule, family commitments or because you simply feel so tired at the end of the day ordering in takeout and binge-watching Netflix seems like the only option, here are some tips to help you get on track and, most importantly, stay there. The good news is you don’t have to make lots of dramatic changes to your lifestyle. Small changes and taking one day at a time will soon encourage you to adopt better habits and meet your long-term goals with ease.
- Eat Well
When you’ve had a long day at work, and you’re too tired to cook something, it’s very tempting to resort to eating processed and convenience foods. To make things even harder, the media constantly bombards you with images of so-called healthy alternatives. Fast food is another type of food you could be relying on more than you should. There’s nothing wrong with having these types of food on a treat day, but they shouldn’t become a part of your daily menu. Eating a well-balanced diet is imperative if you want to stay fit and healthy. Start making small changes right away and include more fruit, vegetables and whole grains at the same time as reducing saturated fats, salt, and sugar.
- Increase Your Exercise
Does your job mean you’re sat down for several hours during the day? Do you lounge around when you get home from work rather than getting up and doing something? Even though technology has made our lives much easier, we still spend large portions of our day sitting down or not moving enough. Being physically active has immense health benefits; for example, improving your heart and lung function, helping you lose weight and clearing your mind of negative thoughts. Don’t think that moving more means you’ve got to run a marathon every weekend, however! Gentle exercise is also beneficial in promoting a healthier lifestyle. To get the most benefits, you need to be active for at least 30 minutes every day. It could be a brisk walk around the park in your lunch break, fitness classes or taking part in a sporting activity.
If you think you might need a little extra help to get things started and improve your muscle tone and strength, there’s always the option of taking supplements. Find out more about them here.
- Stop Smoking and Drinking
One of the best things you can do for your long-term health is to quit smoking. It’s a very addictive habit that can cause a host of long-term health issues as well as being linked to cancer and emphysema. It’s not the easiest habit to quit, but there are resources and health professionals that can help you. Another habit you may need to break if you want to live a healthier lifestyle is drinking alcohol. Even a few units every week can affect your physical health and wellbeing. There’s nothing wrong with a treat every now and then but drinking alcohol daily can lead to long-term complications.
- Protect Yourself from the Sun
As soon as the sun comes out, are you out in the garden topping up your tan? Sun is essential for the vitamin D it provides, but long-term exposure could be harmful to your health. You shouldn’t be lying out it in for hours at a time, and it’s advisable to stay out of direct sunlight when it’s at its strongest, between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. Protect your skin from the harmful rays that damage the skin and could lead to cancer by using a high factor sunscreen. Sunglasses are also crucial for protecting your eyes.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential because it’s the time when your body’s batteries are recharged. To keep you going throughout the day, you should aim for six to eight hours. That doesn’t mean there won’t be moments during the day when you find yourself running low on energy. Take a small nap if you want to recharge your batteries quickly, but don’t make it any longer than 30 minutes. Nap for longer than this, and you might find yourself staying up later in the night.
There are a number of things you can do to help you sleep better, and the most important is to have a regular sleep pattern. Get up and go to bed at around the same time every night and limit your screen time before you turn off the light.
- Take Care of Your Teeth and Gums
Teeth and gums are often overlooked when people are thinking about ways to stay fit and healthy. They do, however, have a lot to do with your overall health. As well as impacting on your breath and appearance, bacteria in your mouth can also get into your bloodstream and spread to other organs. It has been known to contribute to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and infertility.
- Keep Good Company
What you eat and whether you exercise is going to be influenced by the people around you, almost as much as the effort you put into it yourself. Therefore, it’s important to surround yourself with people who have the same fitness goals as you do. If you’re struggling to find friends and family members who want the same as you, there will be groups and clubs you can join that promote a healthy lifestyle. It might not be long before your friends and family see the results of your hard work and express a desire to join you.
The ultimate choice to stay fit and healthy is yours. If you’ve spent much of your life so far eating bad food and neglecting your body, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to repair some of the damage.