Leading a healthy lifestyle is one of the best decisions you will ever make, one that will impact all aspects of your life - physical, mental, and emotional. A healthy lifestyle is the biggest key factor for self-confidence, and feeling mentally and emotionally happy. Many health issues such as stress are addressed with exercise, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle practices.

 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is more than just going on a diet, it is the balance of food, sports and sleep. Being healthy is a lifestyle choice and something that has to be achieved over time, not just overnight. For most people, leading a balanced life isn’t always as easy as it seems. It takes time to adjust to your new lifestyle. The key is to start off gradually. A common mistake most people make is that they try to go too extreme with their diet and exercise too much, too fast and too soon, leading to an over worked body. Take small steps even if it is minimal, you will soon see a difference in your body but most importantly in your state of mind. Don’t worry; even pro-athletes take years of training to get their bodies to look that way.

When starting an exercise plan, one of the simplest and most effective things you can do is walking. It’s easy and you don’t need a gym membership or equipment to do it. It’s recommended that you exercise between a half-hour to an hour four to six days a week. If you don’t have time, don’t worry. Even ten or fifteen minutes of walking are better than none at all. Workouts are even better when a friend or relative tag along, so include them in your daily exercise regime. Also, remember that workouts don’t need to be extreme. A simple walk or jog will suffice. If you feel challenged, you could even mix it up, adding some cardio strength like boxing or low impact workouts like Pilates and yoga which help condition the body and the state of mind. The secret in finding a good workout is to choose something you enjoy, something to look forward to and that will make you happy and content.

Diet is the same. Starting a new diet can be daunting. The most important thing to remember when starting a healthy diet is to choose foods with plenty of vitamins, nutrients, and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean chicken and fish. This will keep you feel strong and energized throughout the whole day, without binging on snacks and junk food. Another essential element is to hydrate throughout the day. Keep a bottle of water next to you, and, if you find water a bit bland, add some lemons or fruits in it to add some taste. But, most importantly, the key is to find balance and moderation, as there are no restrictions, and don’t forget that a cheat day is always welcomed!

You’ll soon find that all of these factors snowball into each other to create an overall healthy lifestyle. For example, getting more exercise usually helps people sleep better. Indeed, sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health, as it helps you to rest completely and thus making you stronger.

 

There are no rules, no restrictions to being healthy. It is a choice, a lifestyle that takes a lot of courage, of determination and strength, but it will soon become your daily routine. You will feel stronger, leaner, healthier but most importantly you will feel happy and complete. Being healthy takes baby steps, so start small and build yourself up from there, you’ll see it is worth it and you will definitely not regret this. You will see yourself starting at the bottom but you will soon reach high up. And remember that your path to wellbeing is a journey, not a destination.

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Chloé C.