Do you struggle to sleep at night and end up binge-watching Netflix with an assortment of snacks? Or perhaps, you’re struggling to carve out a healthy work-life balance with overwhelming workloads that cause overpowering exhaustion?
A healthy, wholesome, and rewarding lifestyle is a distant dream for millions. We all aspire to live as the best, healthiest, and fittest versions of ourselves. And yet, we struggle with the essential elements, like a healthy diet or regular exercise. How can you embrace lifestyle changes that are beneficial for your health, productivity, and life quality?
First and foremost, you must stop struggling, and for that, you must set SMART goals. Aiming for massive transformations overnight is an unrealistic goal that sets you up for failure. Keep reading to explore some effective lifestyle changes that are easier to undertake with realistic milestones.
Reduce your Exposure to Toxins
Are you an excessive smoker who continues nurturing the habit with no plans of quitting? Or perhaps, you are excessively dependent on recreational drugs and alcohol? Our environment is brimming with toxins, some of which we willingly obtain while being blissfully unaware of many others.
For instance, your house paint could contain lead, exposing you to harmful toxins and chemicals and compromising respiratory health. Or perhaps, your job specifications contribute to occupational asbestos exposure, setting the stage for life-threatening cancers. It’s highly critical to be aware of your surroundings and identify the signs to protect your health.
Asbestos-containing products used in the construction of residential and public spaces are an overwhelming health hazard. You see, asbestos exposure causes excessive lung scarring, contributing to the onset of mesothelioma – a deadly type of cancer. Working or living in a space with asbestos exposure gives rise to severe respiratory concerns.
The same applies to smoking, as inhaling tobacco and carbon monoxide exposes toxins to our lungs and respiratory tract. Excessive consumption of illicit substances and alcohol also weakens the body’s natural defenses against toxins and pollutants. Quitting these unhealthy habits, or at least reducing one’s consumption, is the healthiest lifestyle change.
A Rewarding Exercise Regime
As mind-boggling as it may sound, an exercise regime can prove incredibly rewarding if you genuinely enjoy it. You see, the human body thrives on physical activity, as it stimulates the release of feel-good brain chemicals and happy hormones. Physical activity does for the body what oiling does to machine parts – lubrication for enhanced performance.
Exercise, be it yoga or running, stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin, making us happier and content. It also promotes healthy and robust blood circulation, alongside busting stress and anxiety. Moving your limbs will help you feel more active, energetic, and inspired. And you can take up any form of activity that you enjoy the most—for instance, swimming, dancing, martial arts, Pilates, running, or even trail-hiking.
Quit the Sedentary Lifestyle
Do you find yourself becoming a couch potato who struggles to get up and perform basic chores around the house? Are you always asking family members to fetch you snacks, water and run little errands because you can’t get up? Is your living room cluttered with empty takeout boxes and a colossal mess of dirty dishes?
You’re wasting your life in a sedentary lifestyle that compromises your productivity, life quality, body fitness, and energy levels. It’s crucial to break free from these sedentary activities and adopt habits that encourage you to move around. So, start by cleaning the clutter and junk and embracing an active lifestyle. Investing in sexy athleisure attire and curve-hugging yoga tights always helps muster the motivation one needs.
Replenish your Body
Are you replenishing your body with plant-based proteins, disease-fighting antioxidants, slow-burning fiber, and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids? Undoubtedly, our body needs a regular supply of essential nutrients to regulate and strengthen its systems. And for this purpose, our diet must include balanced proportions of all major food groups.
Start by enriching your daily diet with seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. Your body needs a healthy and balanced supply of proteins, polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eating healthy and wholesome meals doesn’t always have to be bland.
You can get creative with healthy recipes to give them a flavorful twist. For instance, prepare baked salmon with a rich honey-mustard glaze, placed on a bed of roasted cauliflower. You can also revamp your breakfast with fiber-rich oatmeal, topped with crunchy nuts and flavorful berries.
Bust off the Stress
Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern-day life and all its responsibilities. Some people experience stress at work, while others encounter it at home or while navigating close relationships. Stress has many facets and causes, but the most important thing is to know how to bust it off.
You see, stress increases the levels of a dangerously damaging hormone: cortisol. Cortisol weakens immunity and proceeds to damage all bodily organs and systems. Therefore, effective stress-busting is crucial to embrace a healthy lifestyle.
How can you manage your stress effectively? Getting at least 8-9 hours of quality sleep at night is the first step towards stress-busting. It’s crucial to set priorities and create a healthy work-life balance. Carving out me-time to luxuriate in bubble baths and pamper yourself will help you de-stress and release happy hormones.
Conclusion
Changing an unhealthy lifestyle and embracing healthier and wholesome habits require us to ditch our comfort zones. When we operate from a comfort zone, we often ignore the core needs of our bodies. We ply ourselves with unhealthy treats, alcohol, and cigarettes, riddling our bodies with diseases and risk factors.
In contrast, shifting to a wholesome diet and a regular exercise regime demands willpower and consistency. It all eventually boils down to setting the right goals and staying consistent. Remind yourself of the visualized goals, and stay focused on the life quality you wish to enjoy. Indeed, it won’t happen in a day, but the progress is visible from day one.
