These days, there are many factors that make getting and staying healthy difficult. When you leave work, your coworkers and boss can still text you at all hours of the day and night. Your phone provides a convenient but not very healthy excuse for slumping on the couch after you finish work. Staying in touch with people via text and social media can start to take the place of connecting in person. These are all detrimental to your health, but many people are beginning to fight back, and there are a number of ways to do that and prioritize one’s fitness.
First, you need to prioritize your health. That means insisting on doing things such as getting enough sleep and taking a break so that you can eat a healthy lunch. However, as important as a healthy lifestyle is, you shouldn’t try to do it all at once. Trying to make too many big changes at the same time will lead to discouragement and failure.
One way to approach change is by adding one new thing each day or week. Often, adding is an easier way to start changing habits rather than taking away. For example, maybe you’ll add one serving of fruit or vegetables to what you eat each day for a week. Another idea is to build physical activity gradually. This depends on your current fitness level, but if you’re very sedentary, you could begin with a five-minute daily walk and add a few minutes every day or each week. If you’re struggling with motivation, see if a friend or family member will join you in taking these steps to get healthy.
You can use your phone as a tool for improving your health. Use it to find healthy menus, free workouts of all kinds, and great stress relievers, such as meditation.
When you start to look up resources on how to be healthier, it can feel overwhelming at first. But the principles of good health are actually fairly basic. You need to get some exercise, including building strength. You don’t need to belong to a gym to do this. You can take walks and use your own bodyweight for strength training.
Getting enough sleep and taking breaks from work is also important. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. You also need some social interaction from time to time. Finally, eat a varied diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Avoid smoking and drugs, and consume sugar and alcohol in moderation. Try to avoid or eat very little ultraprocessed food. Having a positive attitude can go a long way toward improving your mental, physical and emotional health.
There are many aspects of American life that can make staying healthy difficult, such as an emphasis on working long hours and too few opportunities for physical activity during the day. However, people are increasingly realizing that nothing is more important than their health. By making changes gradually and tracking your progress, you can join in the trend of Americans who are increasingly taking strides to improve and maintain their health.