Life can be hectic enough for us not to prioritize being healthy. Nevertheless without health, there is no life. Here are 10 ways to live a healthier life!
Water is the essence of life, we literally can’t live without it. We often substitute drinking water with sugary drinks, and while this might satisfy our thirst, it doesn’t actually hydrate us. In order for our body to function properly, it is imperative that we get a specific amount of water in our system. How do we calculate this? Well, camelbak.com makes it easy! They have a calculator in which you can type in data such as your weight, age, how you exercise and it will calculate how much water you should be drinking per hour.
We know some of us would rather watch our favorite tv show, but exercise is important. You ever heard of the saying “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it”? Well, that’s what it is all about. We have to keep our body active. Just like drinking water, exercise is necessary for our bodies to function at their full capacity. Sometimes, it is hard to find the time to do it. However, any kind of activity for any amount of time is welcomed.
Some options could be doing squats, lunges and/or abs for one minute every day. Once you have committed, you will actually start craving it, and creating a habit. Exercising equals better control of our body, improvement of flexibility, strength and even breathing. Always remembering to eat right of course! My advice? Go on YouTube and search for exercise videos, there are tons of great ones and you can even pause them if they become too intense. These days, exercising is only a click and mindset away. You’ll see, you’ll be kicking ass in no time, just like Usagi!
Sleep is the most important of all of the items on this list. We can literally live longer without water, than we can without sleep. Not resting is one of the most dangerous things we can do to our body. This is because, just like our electronics, if we don’t get rest, we will overheat and crash. The benefits of sleeping are not unknown, but just for the sake of it, here some of them: improvement of our mood, our concentration, and it even helps us control our cravings!
Eating snacks is good for our metabolism, but it all depends on what you’re snacking. Instead of grabbing the first bag of chips that falls into our laps, we should consider other treats. Some of these could be apples, strawberries, cheese, almonds or even sunflower seeds. Our bodies are often asking us for water and we reply with a sugary treat. Next time you get the munchies, try drinking water and see if you still want to eat something. It is important to correctly identify what our body needs, so we can take care of it the best way possible.
*Pro Tip: If we don’t buy junk food, then we won’t have to resist it when we look for snacks in the house.
Our bodies are constantly talking to us, and more often than not we ignore them. Ever get a tummy ache from eating candy or chocolate? How about a headache? These symptoms do not appear right after we eat, they appear a little while after, and for this reason we don’t always associate it to what we ate. This is our body’s way of telling us it do not like what we are feeding it. While our minds think we want junk food, our bodies are asking to be nourished and we should give them what they ask. As I said earlier, try healthier snacks, your body will thank you.
*Pro Tip: If you don’t recognize the ingredient, your body won’t either.
It is not about calorie counting, but about feeling healthy and happy. Sometimes we look at magazines (or even friends) and feel dissatisfied with our appearance. This is normal, everyone goes through it, but the part that some of us forget is to do something about it. First, it is important to establish a positive relationship with ourselves and where we want to be. You know that moment when you look in the mirror and see about 3 different things that are “wrong” with your appearance? Well, for every 1 thing that you don’t like, pick 3 that you do like. This can establish motivation and promote self-love. Once you establish that positive relationship, if they’re still things you want to change then talk to a nutritionist, or even a friend who is studying it. They will direct you towards a healthy way to achieve your goal.
What we see, read, and hear feeds our mind, which is in our body, and therefore it is part of our health. We learn from what surrounds us, and it is important to make sure that what we are learning helps us grow as individuals. We are not saying that you shouldn’t binge-watch your favorite show. We are saying that next time you do, try and learn something valuable from it. It could be anything, from camera technique, to inspiration from a character’s life into yours. However, rather than watching tv, reading a book stimulates to mind and the imagination. Time has shown that reading isn’t for everyone, this is okay. Nowadays we can find everything on YouTube, so instead of watching a silly video of a cat, we could search for a video explaining the thoughts of humanities great thinkers. There are a lot fun philosophy cartoons online, these can be both entertaining and educational.
One of the most important, right up there with sleep and drinking water is crying. We have to allow ourselves to feel, this includes boys. Society tells us that showing our emotions makes us weak, but we believe this makes us strong. Bottling up our feelings can make us feel distant and exhausted. When we let them out, we get the complete opposite, we are energized and can think clearer. Not to mention, exploring our feelings (all of our feelings), is part of getting to know ourselves. Feeling is part of discovering who we are and who we want to be. Sometimes when life brings us down is because they are preparing us for something better. Just ask Cinderella.
Everyone has something to contribute to this world. We contribute to life every day when we interact with other people, they influence us and we influence them. Now that we’ve made you conscious of this power, use it. Spread kindness, and encourage other people and yourself. Be confident, because you can’t fail unless you give up. If you believe in it enough to work for it, it will be.
Last but not least, feed yourself happiness. We have to make sure that we love the life we have because we are the ones creating it. Obviously, not all days are good, but they don’t have to be all bad. Do something you love every day. Listen to your favorite song, draw, write, read, go out with your friends, play a game, whatever floats your boat, but make yourself happy. Do not wait for someone to make you happy when you have the power to do it yourself.
I hope this article motivates you guys to love yourself a little more and create healthier lifestyles! Tootles for now!