10 Easy Lifestyle Changes for a Healthier Life

When you think of “healthy living” what comes to mind? Normally salads, fruit, jogging, small portions and zero junk food. While this isn’t incorrect, it is a bit of a misconception.

There are plenty of ways to live a healthier lifestyle that do not involve spending hours in the gym or eating salad after salad.

The important thing is to start small and work your way up which is why we have put together 10 easy lifestyle changes that you can adopt in your day-to-day to live a healthier life.

1. Eat slower

Not what you were expecting? We’ve all had those crazy workdays where we have to wolf our lunch down between meetings or where we get home from a day of not eating and inevitably vacuum down our dinner out of pure starvation.

It’s simple: slow down.

Research has proven that our appetite is controlled by hormones and these hormones signal the brain to let the body know if it is hungry or full. The catch is that it takes the brain about 20 minutes to receive these messages.

So if you wolf down your food, the body will not know if it is still hungry or not.

The solution? Eat slower.

By eating slower and thoroughly chewing your food, your body will let the brain know when it is full so you do not overeat. 

2. Be a prepared shopper

Ever gone into the supermarket without a shopping list? What a disaster that turns out to be. Not only are we guilty of buying items we do not need but we are also guilty of buying the wrong items.

Make a shopping list the previous evening or during your lunch break and stick to it. Not only will you save a ton of money but you will also stay away from unhealthy buying decisions.

Another thing: never go grocery shopping while you are hungry. You will buy more food than you need.

3. Drink more water

If there’s one thing we are all tired of being told it is to drink more water. But we are continuously told this for a reason which is why it is on the list – again.

Our bodies are made up of 60% water so it’s no riddle as to why we need to drink a lot of water. Ideally, we need to drink eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. Drinking the correct amount of water will ensure more energy, better skin and can also lead to weight loss.

Pro tip: if your lips are feeling dry it means that you have already gone too long without water. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and keep sipping through the day!

4. Eat-in instead of takeout

We get it - you’ve had a long day and do not feel like going home and slaving over the stove. Unfortunately, the quick-option is often the really unhealthy, deep-fried option. Fast food does not have a good reputation for being healthy.

Keep your fridge stocked with fresh ingredients, spices and meats. Choose grilling or baking over frying. These are all small tricks that will help you live healthier. And, once you have adjusted to making food at home, you might not miss takeout food as much as you thought you would.

5. Eat from smaller plates

The human eye can be quite deceiving to the brain. If you’re struggling to get used to eating smaller portions, help to trick the brain into thinking nothing has changed.

Having a small portion on a large dinner plate can make the amount of food appear minuscule but if you eat off of a side plate you will think that you’re eating a mountain of food – okay not quite but you get the idea!

Dish up your food into a small bowl or onto a side plate and you will be surprised at how much of a difference it makes.

6. Get more sleep

This is the next item on the list that we are all tired of hearing. There are only so many hours in the day but, the fact remains that your body needs 7-9 hours of sleep per day to perform optimally.

Even sleeping only 6 hours per night causes the risk of obesity to increase by 23%. Not only will you feel more energized if you get the correct amount of sleep but you will also be a lot happier.

Sleep isn’t for the weak – sleep is essential!

7. “I like to move it move it…”

This has become more applicable during the lockdown than ever. Many of us are a lot more inactive than we were during more normal times. But, especially those of us that work office jobs, can relate – it is important to move around during the day as much as possible.

Sore back, sore legs, that sluggish feeling – all due to lack of movement. For every hour that you spend sitting in the day, get up and walk around for at least five minutes.

You will improve your blood flow, your overall health and you will feel less sluggish. Plus it’s a reason to give your boss for stepping away from your desk every once in a while!

8. Do exercise that you enjoy

If you have Googled exercise plans then you have inevitably come across the lunges, jumping jacks, push-ups and squats side of the exercise universe.

For most that does not sound appealing – at all.

When you start an exercise plan it is important to enjoy what you are doing. If you are not in the mindset to workout then you will not give it your all.

There are plenty of fun exercise tutorials on the Internet that are similar to Zumba or, if you think a little further back into the 2000s, Tai Bo.

There’s also yoga, Pilates, swimming, judo, karate and a ton of other non-conventional ways to become more active than push-ups and jumping jacks. Just find something you enjoy and stick with it.

9. Choose popcorn over chips

Feeling snackish? Stay away from the chips and choose popcorn instead. Popcorn is actually a whole grain and is packed with nutrients and fibre making it quite healthy.

Unfortunately, microwave popcorn does not make the cut so you will need to go old fashioned with this one and make some stovetop popcorn.

Leave salt out of the equation for an even healthier snack.

10. Inconvenience yourself

Think back: in the earlier years people walked and cycled everywhere. Modern technology has made us quite lazy and, as a result, a lot unhealthier.

Try to inconvenience yourself in your day to day life – instead of taking the elevator or escalator, take the stairs instead. Instead of finding the closest parking to the store, walk across the parking lot.

Take a walk or cycle to the store the next time you need bread or milk. Rake up the leaves yourself instead of hiring a garden service.

There are hundreds of ways that we can “inconvenience” ourselves so that our body can reap the health benefits.

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What lifestyle changes have you made to live a healthier life? Please share your tips in the comments on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages to help our followers get healthy.