The healthy habits we choose to do every day are what bring us closer to our goals or further away from them. Although DNA plays a huge role in our body shape, it’s more likely that those people you admire, have beautiful bodies more because of their healthy habits than because of their body’s genetics.
A few small adjustments to your daily routine are all you need to keep your body moving.
All you have to do is choose one healthy habit to try every day, and you’re sure to notice an evolution, a more energetic body, and a better overall mood.
To be even more motivated in choosing healthy and easy-to-apply habits, I have prepared some ideas below:
1. Drink Green Tea
Green tea, plain, without milk, sugar, or honey! EGCG—a super-powerful nutrient found almost exclusively in green tea—has been shown to help break down fat and discourage new fat cells. It is preferable to drink it with breakfast, as the body absorbs the nutrients from green tea best when you drink it at least four hours after your last meal, making it a perfect way to start your morning.
2. Count the colors, not the calories
Not all calories are created equal. A handful of almonds versus the same amount of calories in French fries has a vastly different effect on your body. While portion control is crucial to keeping the pounds at bay, one of the best ways to have a well-balanced plate is by looking at the variety of colors and not the calories.
3. Don’t overdo it with exercise
To have a healthy and energetic body, rest is as important as physical activity. First and foremost, it’s important to train, but it’s equally important to take days off to rest your body and allow your body to recover.
4. Get as much rest as you can
If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, sleep should be one of your top priorities. If you want to be healthier and lose weight, skip the late movies on Netflix and go to bed early, so that you sleep at least 7 hours a day during the night and thus also avoid nocturnal snacking.
5. Be determined in what you set out to do
Even people in good physical shape have less healthy pleasures that they still crave. But they choose wisely when, for example, they order a coffee from the corner cafe. They still order a macchiato or latte but without the flavorings and chemical-enriched syrups, they consumed before they switched to healthy habits.
6. Be active outside the gym
Getting to the gym a few times during the week is what we all want. However, those who emphasize a healthy lifestyle do not stop there. Healthy people improve their daily activity by taking frequent walks in the park, in the mountains, cycling, rollerblading or playing tennis.
7. Eat a dessert once in a while
We’re all human, and we need that sweet something from time to time. And indulging in dessert once in a while is fine, but just make sure it’s not a daily thing.
8. Eat carbs every day
Carbohydrates give your body the energy it needs to function properly. Complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal and sweet potatoes, provide a constant source of energy for the body, and also keep hunger at bay.
9. Gătiți acasă cât mai mult posibil
Home-cooked food may not be as tasty as the one you order from the city, especially if you are not an expert in the kitchen, but it is certainly much healthier. Plus, cooking at home not only gives you the power to control calories and portions, it even helps you save money.
10. Surround yourself with as many active and fit people as possible
Have you ever noticed that when your friends order pizza, you end up eating all the pizza too? Surrounding yourself with people with healthy habits can help you stick to your goals. It’s much easier to stay consistent when you have a partner or two by your side who share the same culinary pleasures or physical activities as you.
11. Listen to your body
It is important to recognize when your body needs rest and even when your body needs more exercise. Healthy people are in sync with their bodies and listen to the signals that alert them when they are hungry, dehydrated, inflamed or even sick. By paying more attention to your body, you can better give it what it needs.
