Keeping ourselves fit and in good condition will depend largely on the habits we develop in our day-to-day lives. The real goal of putting healthier habits into practice is to positively impact not only our physical well-being but also our social and mental well-being. They are very important in promoting our health and especially in preventing diseases, specifically those of a general mental nature.
These habits must be done day by day and are part of our daily routine, not only when the year begins and we want to cleanse ourselves from everything we ate during the December holidays, or the typical one – Monday the gym starts – because we are already beginning to notice that our body demands a little exercise. You have to be constant and create the habit little by little. The little changes are the ones that will get you to the goal and above all keep you motivated.
To do this, we leave you with important simple guidelines that can be carried out to achieve a better and healthier life:
Creates healthy exercise and eating habits
– Start by little, adding fruits and vegetables to your dishes is a big step and you can try to make it at least five servings a week. Continuing to consume pasta or some flour is not bad, but you have to reduce the amount, adding a portion of vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats you’ll get a perfect food balance.
– Replace the sodas as companions to your dishes, for water with gas and a touch of lemon
– Avoid the ultra-processed foods in your pantry, at some point, anxiety can play you a bad pass and you’ll end up succumbing to temptation. Instead, you can buy dates, dark chocolate (while the higher the percentage of cocoa is healthier), raisins grapes, among others.
– Give a touch of color and fun to your dishes, variety will help you stay motivated and not get bored.
– Reduces the intake of foods that have high sugar content and their derivatives such as fructose, glucose, and dextrose.
Important advice, don’t go to the super hungry.
All these eating habits are good to include exercise routines and physical activity, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be to sign up for a gym and spend hours. Do you know what the acronyms NEAT refer to? The Non-exercise activity thermogenesis or energy expenditure of an activity without physical exercise, refers to the energy expenditure that we use daily in activities such as walking, cleaning the house, climbing and lowering stairs in our work or home, walking with the dog, playing with the children, among others
Do you know how to increase this activity?
1. Taking the opportunity to walk home if you can do it, going up and down stairs on public transport, and even getting up in the sink in your workplace is an activity where you can burn calories.
2. Do household chores
3. Try to set your step-to-date goals so you can count your activity.
4. If you work in an office where you have to have contact with several people, get up and go talk to them, avoid using the mail or phone, so you’ll have the perfect excuse to get up and walk.
Daily physical movement is extremely important for leading a lifestyle with healthy habits. You don’t need too many hours a day or intense movements, including just a few minutes a day, you’ll get favorable results that will help you even feel more energetic.
Reduces stress
Stress is a key piece in poor nutrition, which in turn causes side effects on our body and mind
– We are at greater risk of certain diseases
– Weight gain
– Emotional hunger, especially after a very strong period.
– It worsens our sleep habits
– Impact on our mental health.
Although not always simple, to reduce stress you can follow these tips:
1. Be your priority: listen to yourself, at least once a day try to connect with your inner self, and look at how you feel in those moments.
2. Give yourself time to experience your feelings and respond honestly.
3. Don’t skip meals, plan your days, don’t nutrients, and try adding carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, and fats to the main meals.
4. Always choose foods that are rich in nutrients. This helps our body function better, as well as the immune system, mood, and energy.
5. Incorporate quality carbohydrates at night: legumes, rice, potato or sweet potato, oats, quinoa, or fruit. The consumption of a serving of carbohydrates at night has been shown to increase serotonin (our happy hormone) and melatonin (sleep hormone).
6. Reduce caffeine in times of stress and start tea
Sleep and rest
More and more research relates food to our sleep habits. The general consensus is that adults require about 7-9 hours of sleep, but teens may need more than this and, of course, varies from person to person. The number of hours you sleep affects your quality of life and can affect your well-being and your vitality.
If you get little sleep and don’t rest, increases your feeling of hunger and this could lead to weight gain. Also, when you’re tired, your brain’s reward centers accelerate, looking for something that makes you feel better.
Do you want to sleep better? Here are some pretty useful tips:
1. Try to turn off the phone one and a half hours before going to bed
2. Create a quiet, comfortable, and relaxing atmosphere.
3. Your room is for sleep, not for work. Keep this space free of distractions that can generate stress for you.
4. Avoid soda, teas that contain high tea contents, coffee, and chocolate after 6 pm. Caffeine can stay in your system for 5 to 6 hours.
5. Turn off the lights. Darkness induces your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin, while light suppresses it.