Here are a few easy tips for getting healthy in a hurry:
Get More Sleep
Ideally, we are all logging somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. If you are not getting this many, try hitting the sheets five minutes earlier each night for a week to settle into an earlier bedtime routine.
Drink More Water
Try replacing one drink a day with water to increase your total intake. Consider this: we lose fluid everyday through breathing, perspiring, and visiting the restroom. It makes sense that we would have to replace those fluids to stay properly hydrated. The ultimate goal is to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water daily.
Add One Additional Workout
Even if you are not exercising at all right now, start with one day. Before you know it, you might just look forward to that day and want to add more active days to your week. Start small and build as you go.
Walk This Way
Increase your activity by walking more and you just might find yourself weighing less as a result. Park farther from your destination when shopping, walk the dog more frequently, add a bonus walk one evening a week with the kids. Every step counts toward a healthier you.
Increase Your Veggie Intake
Up your fiber and increase your fluid intake with this simple step. Precut raw veggies and store as single-servings for easy-to-grab snacks in your fridge.
Meat: It’s What’s (not always) For Dinner
Try replacing one meaty meal a week with a vegetarian entrée. You will naturally rely heavier on veggies and legumes to supplement the meal. Your cholesterol– and your grocery bill– will thank you.
Trade White for Whole Grains
There are several options for eating 100 percent whole wheat or whole grain products. Whole grains help protect us against some cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and obesity. The increase in fiber switching from white to wheat will aid your digestion, too.
Ditch the Scale
Stop obsessing over the numbers and pay more attention to size. Your waistline is a good gage of your weight, so go by how your clothes fit, and agree to stop being defined by a number.
Get Outside
Being in nature is therapeutic. Skip the retail therapy once in a while and go for green therapy! Take a hike in the hills on a weekend morning when you are less likely to be locked into work and school time constraints.
Give Back to Your Community
Boost your immunity by giving back to your community. Extensive studies have been conducted and shown that laughter, as well as time spent with friends, increases our immunity to better ward off illness. Feeling happy decreases blood pressure, increases blood circulation, and reduces muscle tension. Contributing your time to help others may increase your defenses, as well, providing a more meaningful, purpose-driven, satisfactory life.
