With the New Year, most of us strive to change our eating habits, exercise habits, drinking habits, etc. On New Year's Day, we are told to eat black eyed peas for good luck, and cabbage for a prosperous year. Besides these suspicious traditions we understand to be true for a better year, we tend to focus on temporary New Year's resolutions, rather than lifestyle changes. I find the following tips helpful for living a healthier life over the long-term, instead of enduring a miserable fad diet.
Exercise regularly
If you're not usually the one to head to the treadmill, or go to a trail for a daily morning jog, consider lightly exercising 1-3 times a week for the first few weeks of the year. Once you're comfortable getting your heart beating a few days a week, you can focus on the parts of your body you want to see get stronger. Rather than solely focus on cardio, you need to add intervals, and strength training to your routine. If you have sensitive knees, consider brisk paced power walks at an incline, followed by short bursts of running and sprinting to get your heart racing. Check out the many online exercise videos available on the internet, or consult an active friend for further guidance (just be sure that you don't go too hard, and deter yourself from ever wanting to exercise again).There are many health benefits to exercise like sweating faster, sleeping better, and living longer. Power walk to your classes on a daily basis, and make the time to head to Fowler because your teens and early 20's are crucial to your future health, and livelihood.
Stop smoking
We are all aware that smoking cigarettes kills people, and it is not a question of if smoking will kill someone, but how. Smoking causes respiratory health problems, cancer, can lead to diabetes, and can harm children with secondhand smoke, etc. Smoking cigarettes is the most preventable death in the world, so choose a date to quit, let your friends know you're quitting, know when you're most tempted to smoke, and learn the ways to quit this unhealthy habit. If you're a smoker, you often run out of breath easily, which prevents you from being active among other daily things. Consider taking a study break at Stirling's or the Pub, instead of outside of DuPont.
Make your grains whole
With more whole grains in your diet, you boost your fiber intake (which is up to 38 grams / day). So, before grabbing any piece of bread in McClurg, check out the dietary fiber per slice, and strive for 10 grams, so that you can benefit from your toast or sandwich in a more efficient way.
Eat more vegetables and drink more water
Strive for three servings of vegetables per day at the main line in McClurg. Go for the steamed vegetables, rather than the vegetables drenched in butter and sauces. Consider adding your own salt and pepper to the more bland vegetables, and try to have some raw vegetables or a salad from the salad line for one of your meals as often as possible. Next, replace a soda or other drink with a tall glass of water every day. Every time you go to McClurg, have a big glass of water before you begin eating. Sometimes we get thirst confused with hunger; so, in this way, you will be forced to drink more water and not overindulge yourself. Attempt to drink roughly eight glasses of water a day if possible. Eating vegetables and drinking water will make you one step closer to achieving your health goals, and becoming a healthier person. We are lucky to have clean drinking water available in this country, and we should take advantage of this opportunity.
There are many ways to live a healthier lifestyle with the new year that will make you a healthier person over the long-term. Don't forget to prioritize sleep too. Pay closer attention to when you're actually hungry versus when you're bored or in a social setting, and feel pressured to eat for the fun of eating. Focus on the act of eating, and when you become full. Make the time to work out, cut out unhealthy habits, and understand the importance of a balanced diet this coming year. Good luck and all the best to you!
