5 Tips to easily live a healthy lifestyle
Are you exercising and eating enough fruit? Then you must be healthy, right? Of course it’s a good start. But a healthy lifestyle involves much more than that.
What is the healthiest lifestyle and what do you want to pay attention to? We’ve checked this out for you. Here you will discover what a healthy lifestyle is thanks to perfect examples and tips.
What is a healthy lifestyle?
Do you have a healthy lifestyle? This means that you support your body optimally. You are exercising and eating healthy. In addition to sufficient exercise and healthy food, you also take care of your mental health.
By taking good care of your body, you can prevent certain diseases. It also makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight. You do feel better when you have a healthy lifestyle. But what are the characteristics of a healthy lifestyle? We checked it out for you.
Healthy food
When you think of a healthy lifestyle, you probably think of healthy eating. That is not crazy. Because nutrition is an important part of your lifestyle. But when do you eat healthy and what is a healthy eating schedule?
There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind for a healthy diet:
- Eat 200 grams of fruit and 200 grams of vegetables per day.
- Eat mainly fresh products.
- Choose whole grain products.
- Avoid sugary drinks and products.
- Eat or drink 2 to 3 bowls or glasses of dairy per day.
- Do not drink alcohol or drink a maximum of one glass of alcohol per day.
Sufficient exercise
Exercise is also part of a healthy lifestyle. Do you keep moving? Then you keep your body strong and flexible. You’ll also burn more energy. This reduces the chance of being overweight.
How much exercise do you need for a healthy lifestyle? There are a few important points to note.
For example, get up every hour and don’t sit for too long. Why is sitting so bad for you? You can read that here. In addition, exercise moderately intensively for 2.5 hours per week. Also do muscle and bone strengthening exercises twice a week.
Are you sixty years or older? Then you can also do balance exercises once a week. That makes the chance of falling slightly smaller. This reduces your risk of serious injuries.
Do not smoke
Did you know that 20% of Dutch people smoke? So you are certainly not alone if you sometimes light a cigarette.
Unfortunately, the health risks of smoking are very high. It can cause cancer, but also worsens your condition. Smoking is therefore not part of a healthy lifestyle. Yet quitting is easier said than done.
Get some good sleep
A healthy lifestyle is not just hard work. In fact, sleeping is also part of it. But what is a good sleep pattern? Scientific research shows that seven hours of sleep per night is the healthiest.
Why is sleep so important? It helps your body to recover after a busy day. Your brain also gets a refresher. This allows them to remember and process more information.
So seven hours of sleep is ideal. But it is not self-evident that you sleep well. Do you have trouble falling asleep or do you only sleep for a short time?
Then we do have a few tips for you:
- Go to bed at a fixed time every day.
- Don’t look at screens an hour before you go to sleep.
- Do something soothing in the hour before you go to sleep.
- Do not drink coffee or tea with caffeine in the evening.
- Only use your bedroom for sleeping, not for work, for example.
- Don’t take naps during the day.
- Exercise for at least half an hour every day
Relax abundantly
Stress is part of life. It helps you to be alert when danger threatens. Unfortunately, stress is becoming increasingly common these days.
Maybe you feel stressed during your work. Or does keeping up with your household cause stress. Too much stress is not good for you. It can weaken your immune system in the long term. You will then become ill more quickly.
Stress also affects your brain. You become forgetful or have difficulty concentrating. That is why relaxation is so important in a healthy lifestyle.
The benefits of a healthy lifestyle
What does a healthy lifestyle do for you? If you live a healthy life, you will feel more energetic and have a more positive outlook on life.
There are several benefits of a healthy lifestyle. We’ll tell you what the most important ones are.
Benefit 1. You are less likely to get sick
From chronic diseases to a simple cold: a healthy lifestyle reduces your risk of all kinds of diseases. You strengthen your immune system. At the same time, a healthy lifestyle ensures lower blood pressure.
Benefit 2. You feel better mentally
If you are not doing well physically, you often feel worse mentally as well. You may be depressed or worry a lot. By taking good care of yourself, you also ensure a better mood.
Benefit 3. You have more energy
Working, doing fun things, being social: it all takes energy. Do you want to get the most out of life? Then you need a lot of energy. A healthy lifestyle supports your body. This makes you feel more energetic and you don’t let fatigue hold you back.
3 Simple tips to start a healthy lifestyle
How do you start a healthy lifestyle? It may feel overwhelming to completely change your lifestyle. Fortunately, this is not necessary. We have listed here a few practical and healthy lifestyle tips for you.
Tip 1. Take it step by step
You don’t have to do it perfectly right away. Start small by first tackling one part of your lifestyle. Eat healthier, exercise more or try to get more sleep. Was the first step successful? Then it’s time to take the next step. By slowly starting a healthy lifestyle, you increase your chance of success. You take the time to get used to every change.
Tip 2. Don’t be too hard on yourself
Do you plan to never snack again? It’s not necessary. You maintain a healthy lifestyle by also enjoying unhealthy things. So grab a block of chocolate whenever you feel like it.
Balance is the key word. With a healthy lifestyle, food is largely healthy. This way you get enough nutrients. Do you mainly eat healthy products? Then there is also room to treat yourself to something unhealthy.
Do you already know the 80/20 rule? This rule means that 80% of your diet consists of healthy food. The remaining 20% may be less healthy products. That ensures the best balance.
Tip 3. Start right away
There is always a reason to postpone your new healthy lifestyle. Maybe you have a party or are going on vacation this weekend. Don’t let that stop you. It’s always the right time to start, no matter what challenges you face.
Why is it so important to start right away? Because you will immediately learn how to combine your healthy lifestyle with the rest of your life.
5 Tips to easily improve your lifestyle conclusion
A healthy lifestyle helps you stay healthy, fit and energetic. You also feel better mentally when you live a healthier lifestyle. That is why it is important to eat healthy and exercise enough. Quitting smoking, getting enough sleep and relaxing enough are also important.
Do you find it difficult to start a healthy lifestyle? Then take it step by step and don’t be too strict.
