Most people make a New Year’s resolution related to their health. But by the end of February, more than 75 percent of them have given up. If one of your resolutions was to get healthy and you haven’t done a thing, don’t despair. Here are five ways to get healthy, starting now.
It’s as Simple as 1-2-3-4-5!
Even a busy person can fit in the basics of a healthy lifestyle with a little advance planning. In fact, you’ll find yourself better able to take on that hectic schedule.
1. Take a daily multivitamin
The easiest and most efficient way to improve your health is to take a daily multivitamin with minerals. Put the bottle of vitamins on your desk and take the daily dosage at the same time every day.
2. Drink more water
Without sufficient water, you become dehydrated and may suffer from headaches, tension, and cravings. Drinking water can alleviate these symptoms and even promote weight loss by speeding up your metabolism and lessening your desire for food. Increasing your water intake also allows your body to efficiently eliminate toxins, which can resolve problems like acid reflux, ulcers and gastritis. To stay hydrated, drink at least 64 ounces of water each day.
3. Limit that “cheap” source of energy
Think sugar is a good source of energy? Think again. While sugar may provide a quick burst of energy as it spikes your blood sugar, it ultimately causes an energy deficit—the “sugar crash”—that causes fatigue and exhaustion. Avoid refined sugars (called sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, glucose or fructose) and replace them with whole foods and natural sweeteners. Whole foods that provide natural sugars are fruits (dates are a really good one) and cooked sweet vegetables (sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, squash and beets). Natural sweeteners include raw honey, real maple syrup, molasses, stevia, agave nectar, brown rice syrup and date sugar.
4. Eat mindfully
We often eat while we are working at our computers, watching TV or on the run. And we usually eat more than we need when we aren’t focusing on our food. Instead, try paying attention to what you are eating. Look at your food before you eat it. Smell it. Savor it. Also mindfully measure your serving in advance to control your portion size.
5. Get regular exercise throughout your day.
One important fact about exercise: A little bit goes a long way. This is particularly true for aerobic exercise because it increases the oxygen in your body, which can improve health, both mental and physical, and aid in digestion, circulation, and respiration. When it comes to trying to fit daily exercise into an already full schedule, get creative and think simply. Walk or bike to and from work. Take the stairs. Get off the bus a few stops before your destination. Get on the treadmill for a quick 15-minute run. Go for a hike on the weekends instead of to the movies. And every day, stand up in your office, take a stretch break and walk the halls for a few minutes during every hour.
