11 Common Health Habits to Embrace in Your Life.

 

We get it, bad habits are hard to break. But when it comes to developing healthy habits, small decisions can add up over time.

Exercise physiologist Christopher Travers, MS and dietitian Laura Jeffers, MEd, RD, LD, provide some diet, nutrition and fitness ideas that you can incorporate into your busy life every day.

11 Common Health Habits to Embrace in Your Life

1. Use stairs and furniture as temporary gym equipment

If you have stairs in your home or office, take advantage of every opportunity you have. However, don’t stop there. For a strong cardio workout, walk up and down the stairs repeatedly. Start with a limited number of repetitions, and then increase when you feel strong.

Get more creative by weighing wine bottles or gallons of water for plates and triceps dip exercises and using your kitchen chairs. Why buy expensive accessories when you can use your furniture?

2. Drink 1 extra glass of water a day

The health benefits of drinking more water are nothing new. It helps keep your temperature in a normal state, lubricate and soften joints, protects your spinal cord and other delicate tissues, and removes waste through urination, sweating and ***** movements. Gives. Since 50 to 75% of your body weight is water, drinking some old H2O is essential for your body to function well and stay hydrated. If plain water is not your favorite, you can add fragrances to your water to help you absorb it.

3. Replace diet soda with carbonated water

Research has shown that the brain responds to artificial sweeteners in the same way as sweeteners.

“If you drink diet soda every day, try carbonated mineral water,” Jeffers says. "Eating them often will increase your appetite for high calorie foods and increase your risk of weight gain."

If you are not a fan of carbonated water, try drinking plain water made with sweet tea, coffee or fruit. Leaving cold turkey is not realistic, but if you start reducing the intake of diet soda and artificial sweeteners, you will do wonders for both your waist and your health.

4. Take a 10 minute walk

“Even a 10-minute walk can help boost your heart health,” Travers said. "During your lunch break or walk to a store not far from the block to buy a gallon of milk - this is good for you."

If you are at work, go to the farthest bathroom and climb the stairs. While driving tasks, try to find a parking space far away and walk from there. Remember, even small amounts can still be added.

Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate and the last thing you want to do is go outside when it snows or the wind blows, but don’t let the cold weather make you feel bad. You can often walk comfortably by wearing the right clothing: start with a layer of sweat next to your body, add insulating layers for warmth and cover them with a waterproof shell.

5. Adjust your posture

When you were a kid, did your parents ever yell at you for bad posture? Well, the bad news is that what they said is true. Keeping a good posture can prevent pain and also reduce stress on your tendons. Not only this, with good posture you can prevent back pain, fatigue and muscle aches.

“You can try to leave a note for yourself to sit upright until you become unconscious,” Travers said. "Walking with your shoulders back and head high also makes you feel better about yourself."

Teaching yourself a better posture will not be resolved immediately, as sitting upright can have a positive effect on your overall health.

6. Go to bed an hour earlier

Do you get seven or eight hours of deep sleep most nights? Most of us do not do this, but experts say it is a sign of good heart health. Strong sleep not only gives you more energy, but also helps with healthy eating goals. When you sleep less, it reduces the production of hormones in your body that reduce appetite, which contributes to weight gain. If you also suffer from untreated insomnia or sleep apnea, you are at risk for heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure.

Those seven to eight hours do not have to be continuous. If you feel particularly tired, try to get some sleep in the morning. However, do not overdo it. Then limit your sleep to 30 minutes to avoid falling asleep.

Try to go to bed half an hour earlier than your normal time. Turn off your phone (we guarantee you will not miss anything!) And end up with a book. You fall asleep in the moment.

7. Include balance exercises in your daily routine

Balance on one leg for 10 seconds at a time, then switch to the other leg. Travers suggests adding this balance exercise to your routine, but it can also be done while brushing your teeth or standing in a row. It is part of neuromotor training that can help you improve your balance, agility and mobility - all the things you need in daily activities and other types of exercise.

8. Weigh yourself every week

To keep your weight off you, set a weekly maintenance or risk goal for yourself, write it down and check yourself against that goal. Weigh yourself on the same day and at the same time each week - and wear the same amount for consistency. It is important to take care of the alignment and scale measurement of the clothes.

Develop a meal plan with your doctor or dietitian so that you can achieve your weight loss goals faster and healthier.

9. Start your day with a healthy breakfast

Eat high in protein and fiber to keep you full and energetic. If you start the day right, you will eat well overall and this will reduce your risk of diabetes and improve heart health. Not only that, eating breakfast will reduce the brain haze, so you will be ready to go to meetings that morning.

Tired of the same bowl of oatmeal? Add different toppings to make it more vibrant. The omelette does not need to be bored. Throw your favorite salsa, cheese, and eggs around the cereal for a quick and easy breakfast burrito. The options are endless.

10. Include greens and lettuce in your diet

Add salad to your meal to add nutrients and water to your diet. The fiber in spinach helps you fill up and makes only 20 calories per serving. Dark green and red lettuce are highly nutritious and very tasty. But the famous, yellow iceberg lettuce provides water, fiber and folate.

11. Discover creative alternatives to unhealthy foods

Work to eliminate foods and snacks that you buy regularly, as they are high in calories but low in their health benefits. Eat them less often as an occasional treat. Try to use fruits that are low - *** healthy oils such as whole grains, avocado and olive oil and high - *** or natural sweeteners instead of sugar options.

“Keep in mind that it takes some time to form new healthy habits and it is best to treat yourself to avoid disappointment,” Jeffers says. "Focus on your goal, and if you slip along the way, start again."