20 Easy Healthy Living Tips That Won't Leave You Hating Life
Most content about staying healthy leaves readers feeling that a healthy lifestyle is also a pretty inconvenient one. After a long day at work, who really has the time or energy to cook organic, gourmet meals that necessitate two hours of prep time, specialized kitchen utensils and ingredients?
Plus, not everyone can afford personal training sessions or a private nutritionist. To put it bluntly, a great deal of health advice demands too much effort, time and money.
Coincidentally, there are many health professionals who offer health tips that are realistic for the average working adult who has various life commitments and a budget.
Still, we tend to associate eating well, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with extra work, expenses and hassles. Check out some simple suggestions for staying healthy — you’ll almost feel like you’re cheating!
1. Body weight exercises.
Some of the best muscle-toning workouts rely on only using your body weight. You can do exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, squats and lunges without any specialized equipment — or even stepping a foot outside of your bedroom.
2. Home-cooked meals.
These are a healthier option to frozen, processed meals, so long as you avoid cooking with excessive salt, fat and sugar. They also tend to work out to be cheaper than a ready-made frozen meal.
3. Cook in bulk.
Choose a meal you love and plan accordingly so you have three or four helpings leftover afterward. This will spare you time in the kitchen but leave you with plenty of healthy home-cooked meals in the days to come.
4. Carry a water bottle.
Keep refilling it and drinking it throughout the day. You’ll be less hungry and it’s free. Staying hydrated is also one of the best beauty tips out there.
5. Never shop on an empty stomach.
Research shows that you are far more likely to spend more on unhealthy foods if you go grocery shopping while hungry.
6. DIY Projects.
Make a list of potential house refurbishments then save it for when you need a good workout. Building furniture, painting ceilings and putting up shelves are great ways to sweat and expend energy, all while making home improvements.
7. Take fruit to work.
In the midst of the work day, when you’re focused on a task but hungry for a snack, fibrous fruit will not only fill you up but will also provide you with the sugar you crave from an otherwise unhealthy alternative.
8. Find an exercise that you enjoy.
For many people, going to the gym just isn’t much fun, which makes it challenging to sustain as a lifestyle choice. Find a sport or an active leisure pursuit that you can enjoy. You’ll find it easier to commit.
9. Use chopsticks.
Chopsticks aren’t just for Asian cuisine. Using chopsticks allows you to pace your meal more slowly and digest food better. You will also feel full earlier than if you were eating faster with a knife and fork.
10. Google workouts.
Not to put personal trainers out of business, but don’t use one if your goal is to have an individualized training program. The Internet is a bottomless resource for training programs that are tailored to specific needs and desires.
11. Exercise with a friend.
Another reason you may feel the need for a personal trainer is to be motivated to workout. Find a gym buddy instead and make a pact to ensure workouts will be completed properly.
12. Frozen vegetables.
There is no replacement for fresh produce, but frozen vegetables aren’t a far cry away. You can receive similar nutritional content without having to deal with copious amounts of peeling, chopping and waste from food going bad.
13. Mix in whole grains.
Many of us prefer the taste of the unhealthier, white carbohydrates, but these lack fiber and contain much more saturated fat. If you’re not ready to completely switch to whole grain options, at least incorporate them into the meal, half and half.
14. Downsize protein.
Many people in the western world consume far too much protein, and it is also the most expensive nutrient to buy. Substitute some protein for more fruits, vegetables and other sources of vitamins and minerals.
15. Bike to work once a week.
If you live within five or ten miles of where you work, take the opportunity to bike instead of drive to work. A thirty-minute bike ride will leave you feeling energized.
16. Have good posture at work.
If you work in an office, make sure you have a comfortable, supportive desk chair. Make sure your legs rest at a 90-degree angle and that your monitor is at eye level. These simple adjustments might seem small, but given the amount of time you spend at your computer, a slight offset of posture alignment can become a crippling injury in the future.
17. Walking Breaks.
Take a break every hour at work, just to walk around. Set an alarm to make sure you do it.
18. Vigorous housekeeping.
House chores like sweeping, mopping, gardening and washing the car can be great calorie burners that help you complete the tasks you probably needed to do anyway.
19. Selectively eat out.
Limiting the amount you eat out will help save you money, but when you do eat out, only go to places that will offer good, solid meals, as in no fast food. Make the times you eat out really count.
20. Plan meals.
Create a weekly meal schedule and display it in your kitchen. This will help determine what you need to buy each week and balance the different nutrients you feed your body.
