Healthy eating and exercise are not a whimsical matter. It is a lifestyle choice. The consistent and conscious effort is the key to success in this field.
These days, a lot of what we do is influenced by the internet. People often start following routines that they see online without thinking twice. Frequently switching your diet is harmful to the insides of your body. Here are five dos and don’ts of healthy living for your benefit.
Dos
Eat right
The impact of what you eat is much greater than we appreciate. Before binge eating or hitchhiking to a new diet, you should know your food. It helps you make smart choices. Eating the right balance of proteins and healthy fats is essential.
When you know what you eat, you should also watch the size of your portions. Mindlessly eating large portions of food while re-watching a few seasons of your favorite show would hurt your metabolism later.
Good exercise
The benefits of exercise are countless. It helps to elevate mood, and also helps people with anxiety and depression feel better.
It is a known fact that exercise helps in weight loss. Regular exercise increases your metabolic rate which increases your calorie expenditure and helps you lose weight faster. It also boosts brain function and memory.
Keep your mind healthy
A healthy brain is as important as a healthy body. People tend to forget about the health of their brain, while ironically, it’s their brain helping them remember everything else.
Exercise and learning are two simple ways of keeping up with mental health. Braintest Reviews are another go-to, as it provides accurate reviews of your brain health.
Sleep well
Your body does a lot of its functions while you’re asleep. Your brain retains the knowledge gathered throughout the day, helps your muscles grow and repairs tissue while you are in the state of slumber.
Did you know poor sleep has the potential of weight gain? Sleeping less in favor of working more will affects your brain negatively. Your focus and speed are the targets of sleep deprivation. Improper sleep schedules can lead to Diabetes, chronic heart disorders, and also depression.
Opt for variety – keep your mind engaged
Humans are a creature of patterns. From the hand, we use to brush our teeth with, to our regular orders at a restaurant; all are a result of habits we’ve developed over the years. Trying to break a habit or develop a new one keeps you mentally engaged.
Accomplishing a challenge will make you happy and motivate you to try harder in the other fields of life. So when you feel like going to a Thai restaurant instead of your favorite steakhouse, it’s better you go for it.
Don’ts
Exercise cannot fix a poor diet
If you’re exercising extra hard to substitute your poor diet, you’re on the wrong track. If your calorie intake surpasses your calorie expenditure, exercise will do you no good. Since the majority of us are not athletes, you don’t need the high-calorie pasta dinner you had last night.
Foods with high-fat content can disrupt your sleep and push you to avoid gym or exercise. If you want washboard abs or the super toned arms you’ve been dreaming of, you need to work hard for those. However, undereating or higher calorie intake can both be dangerous to your health.
Starvation does no good
If you think starving yourself will help you lose weight, you need to rethink. Not enough food in your system would lead to mood swings. Irritability would shadow you. Increased stress, insomnia, and depression are a few effects starvation will have on your mind.
Headaches, constipation, missed periods (in women) and nausea are the physical aspects. Malnutrition and low energy levels are not worth it. You can start moving around to burn those calories.
Assumptions set you back
Merely assuming that something is bad for your health does you no good. It’s better to look things up to get to know better. Avoiding frozen foods or only choosing fat-free foods could be harming you.
Consuming healthier fats is vital to your health as opposed to going fat-free. You may be doing it with the intention of weight loss or to keep your cholesterol levels down, but such foods are often an amalgam of added sugars, salt, and flour which nips the purpose in the bud.
Eating close to bedtime
How often have you fallen asleep while watching a show on Netflix and eating your favorite snacks? Or have you ever had a double cheeseburger a few minutes before bed? If you’ve been in one of those situations, remember to avoid it like the plague next time.
Having a balanced snack before bed could be good for your sleeping capabilities but an entire three-course meal of unhealthiness would only harm you. Acid reflux is the most common problem people face because of this habit. It is suggested to wait for a three hour period after your meal to lie down. It also poses the danger of sleep disruptions and weight gain.
Social isolation will bring you down
In today’s day and age people often miss out on their social life to keep track of work, studies, and other appointments. We are well connected on social media but feel socially anxious when it comes to meeting someone in person. A study states that a lack of social interactions can bring someone closer to death by an astounding 50%.
Being alone at all times can harm your mental functioning and well being, bringing you closer to illness. Increased social interactions will not only leave you feeling happy but also help you avoid a lot of chronic diseases.
Bonus
If you smile more and worry less, you will achieve almost anything. Stop overthinking and constantly planning things. Take a break, sit back and go with the flow. Carpe diem.
If you keep planning for tomorrow and stop living in the day, you would probably lose both. A happier you will become a healthier you!
