Do you feel like you do not have the time to improve your overall health and fitness levels? If so, you are wrong. You do not need to start running marathons or alter your lifestyle completely to get fitter and healthier. Little changes are often all that you need to improve your health.
The Ten Minute Walk
Going for a short, fast-paced walk after each of your three daily meals can boost your fitness significantly. It is wise to walk for at least thirty minutes a day. Ten multiplied by three is thirty. Thus, walking for just ten minutes after each meal will ensure you get the recommended amount of daily cardiovascular exercise. Make sure you keep up the pace when taking your daily walks. The faster you walk, the better it is for your health.
Walking requires no special equipment and is an easily accessible form of fitness for most people. A brisk daily walk can help you manage weight, reduce blood pressure, build bone health, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and more.
But, if you are not walking at all right now or if you feel like you could only manage walking one or two times a week, that is a reasonable goal as well. The key is to set goals for yourself that are realistic and achievable. One 2018 study found that people who regularly walked outdoors experienced a slight—but significant—boost in mood and energy levels. So consider adding a few loops around the neighborhood after dinner or a lap or two around the building on your lunch break.
Eat At Home
Make an effort to prepare each of your three daily meals at home using whole food ingredients. Implementing this change will prevent you from eating in fast food outlets because you feel hungry. It means you can avoid choosing junk food or highly processed meals. Preparing food at home also gives you more control of your food choices and calorie intake. If you work in an office, prepare your lunch the night before each work day, and remember to take it with you to work. Next time you make soup, pasta or scrambled eggs, toss a few handfuls of fresh chopped vegetables into the mix.
Replace oil or butter in baking recipes with the equivalent amount of unsweetened applesauce or other pureed fruit. Your baked goods will be lighter, healthier and every bit as tasty.
Have An Early Dinner
You should avoid eating any food for around three hours before you go to sleep. Doing this gives your body time to digest the food you have eaten, which will improve your sleep quality. It will also prevent you from going to bed hungry and waking up during the night for a snack.
Manage Your Stress
Un-managed stress can cause several health issues such as heart disease, anxiety, depression, obesity, headaches, Alzheimer’s, and gastrointestinal problems. Severe stress can even be deadly. Managing your stress could add years to your life.
There are different approaches you can try to bust stress. Some people find that physical activity helps them calm down. Others prefer breathing exercises, meditation, reading, or watching an amusing TV show. When you want to reduce stress, choose activities you enjoy that also help you unwind.
Drink Less Alcohol
If you consistently drink more alcohol than you should, it will harm your health. Ideally, you should not ingest more than fourteen alcohol units per week. Additionally, it is wise to space those alcohol units out instead of binge drinking. Drinking too much alcohol can cause liver disease, heart disease, hypertension, strokes, digestive issues, and various forms of cancer.
Yoga And Pilates
Yoga and Pilates are both excellent for increasing your fitness levels. They can help you reduce stress, boost muscle strength, and burn calories. Yoga and Pilates will also make you more physically flexible. You can do yoga or Pilates classes with other people. You can also do yoga and Pilates at home. If you usually run, explore a spinning class. If you’re a Pilates devotee, try a yoga class. “You’ll work different muscles, avoid exercise burnout and most likely enjoy the new experience
Keep Moving
Rather than sitting or standing completely still, keep your body moving. For instance, suppose you are in your office chair at work. In that situation, you can raise your leg off the seat, extend it straight out, and hold the position for a few seconds before lowering it again. You can then repeat this with the other leg. Repeating this intermittently throughout the day can help you burn calories, build strength, and avoid back pain.
Record Your Progress
Recording your progress with your health and fitness efforts will motivate you to keep it up. For instance, suppose you want to lose a few pounds. Charting your weight loss will remind you how much progress you have made and what you still need to do to accomplish your goal.
Make Better Choices
Choosing to do the right thing for your health rather than making excuses for yourself will help you reach your fitness goals faster. For example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator each day at work will eventually make a difference, as will choosing an apple over a cookie. You may think making one sensible choice will not amount to much. However, consistently choosing healthier options will make a massive difference in time.
Get A Fitness Buddy
If you exercise alone, you might find it quite dull. That is why it is wise to get a fitness buddy to exercise with you. For example, suppose you decide to take a daily walk on the beach because you want to get healthier. If you can walk with someone else, you can converse with them to help pass the time and make exercising less monotonous. If you don’t have time for 30 minutes of exercise? Three 10-minute blocks of activity can add up to the same heart-healthy benefits as a full half-hour.
Healthier And Happier Lifestyle
Now you know that getting fitter and healthier need not involve transforming your life. Sticking to a few small changes is all you need to become healthier and happier. So why not start implementing some changes today? You will be glad that you did.
