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Living a healthy lifestyle is like a recipe for life. If the recipe is followed correctly, the results are a lifestyle that is both stimulating and enjoyable, giving a sense of purpose and achievement. Although this would seem to be the goal that everyone would aim for, there seems to be relatively few people who actually achieve it.
Recipe for Living a Healthy Lifestyle
1. Maintaining a healthy weight
2. Being physically active
3. Having an occupation that you enjoy doing
4. Managing stress successfully
As with most lifestyle changes, making small alterations over a period of time allows for any adjustments to take place, which can then become part of a new daily routine. This will provide a greater chance of long term success.
So lets look at the individual ingredients:-
Maintaining a Health Weight
Carrying excess weight puts the body under a great deal of stress, effecting joints, back, and heart as well as increasing the risk of some cancers, and raising blood pressure. If a person is excessively overweight, then they may want to speak to their local Doctor/health worker to workout a healthy eating plan..
If someone is moderately overweight, then reviewing their current diet, is the first step required to start living a healthy lifestyle. A few simple changes might include:-
- Eat a piece of fruit instead of a biscuit/cake
- Eat breakfast every morning
- Limit takeaways to one per week
- Grill food instead of frying
- Reduce portion size by using a smaller plate
- Eat salad or veg with every evening meal
- Eat brown wholemeal bread instead of white
Choose the options which seem the easiest to start with, and add a new one every week. Over time, new eating habits will develop, without having to go on a "Diet".
Being Physically Active
There's so much choice, but the main ingredient needed to succeed, is to choose somehting that you enjoy doing. For most people, a 30 minute brisk walk at lunchtime in the park, or alternatively just walking to the deli, can work wonders!
However, if someone really wants to get fit, other activities will need to be incorporated into their fitness routine. These may include swimming, running, a zumba class, horse riding, kickboxing, or a round of golf once or twice a week. Again, building up slowly and adding a variety of activities, will build up stamina gradually and tone the body naturally. Fitness DVD's are also a great way of getting extra exercise if the weather's bad, for someone who prefers to exercise at home.
Planning a weekly schedule, can keep motivation high, and focus can be paced on the activity to be completed on individual days.
Having an occupation that you enjoy
Many people unfortunately, end up doing a job which doesn't motivate or interest them. This can drain energy on a daily basis, as well as restrict enjoyment in other areas of life. If this is the case, then positive action can be taken. Researching other occupations, and the training required to do them can be a first step. Writing down a 5 year plan, detailing what a person wants to achieve in that time, may also provide the motivation to start making changes.
Managing Stress Successfully
It's impossible not to have stress in life, but its how a person handles it which is important. Being stressed can have a damaging effect on both your physical and mental health. Eating well and being active keep the bodies immune system strong, which can in turn helps to deal with stressful situations. Physical exercise also helps to release the feel good hormones known as endorphins, creating a sense of well being.
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Stress management also requires time management, as well as the art of learning how to say 'No'. Guilt free time-out breaks are needed by everybody, to allow the brain to mentally unwind and relax. Practising meditation helps some people to achieve this, but there are many other options such as listening to music, gardening, reading, or soaking in a hot bath.
Living a healthy lifestyle is a goal worth striving for as the results are simply marvellous - start living your life today!!!!!!!
