Want to have a healthier body? It doesn't have to be an
endless struggle to get in shape and improve your health—it just takes a few
simple steps in the right direction! Here are a few things you can do today:
Sleep More
A good night's sleep is important for so many reasons: it
decreases your appetite, encourages better muscle growth, reduces fatigue,
gives you more energy for your workouts, sharpens your concentration, and
enables fat burning. Get at least 7 solid hours of sleep at night, 7 nights a
week!
Meditate
Your mind is as important as your body! Spend time
meditating to relax your mind and body, soothe stressful thoughts, and cleanse
anxiety from your life. Meditating can encourage weight loss, enhance
mindfulness, and make you more alert throughout the day. Even just 10-20
minutes of meditation per day can do wonders.
Drink More Water
Your body needs more water in order to function—it's made up
of 2/3 water, after all! Water helps to suppress your appetite, boost your
energy levels, and improve fat burning. Try to drink at least 3 liters of water
per day, but don't hesitate to drink more.
Drink More Tea
Green, black, white, oolong, and Pu-Erh tea all contain
antioxidants that will improve your health and reduce the oxidative damage
caused by stress, environmental toxins, and chemicals. Tea can also improve fat
burning, enhance memory and cognitive function, and give you a subtle boost of
energy without the crash common with coffee.
Improve Your Gut Health
Consider taking probiotic supplements
that improve the bacteria living in your gut. Definitely increase your fiber
intake to promote better digestion and elimination of wastes. Avoid foods that
decrease the beneficial bacteria in your stomach, and try to avoid antibiotics
unless absolutely necessary.
Work Out
A daily workout is a must for your health. Try to mix up
aerobic (running, cycling, walking, jogging, rowing, swimming, etc.) and
anaerobic (HIIT, CrossFit, weightlifting) workouts, and spend no less than the
150 minutes per week recommended by the US Government. The more exercise you
do, the healthier you'll be!
Stretch
Stretching is easily as important as your workout itself.
Stretching helps to limber up your muscles and loosen joints that may have
stiffened from long hours of sitting down. Spending a few minutes stretching
every day can help to improve your mobility and posture, which can prevent a
number of range of movement issues.
Get Out
The more time you can spend outdoors, the better! Not only
are you more likely to move when you're outside, but you get more time in the
sun: your best source of Vitamin D. Though you really only need about 30
minutes of sunlight every day to get your daily recommended dose of Vitamin D,
it's always best to spend more time outside and active.
Move Around
Even if you can't get to the gym every day, you should still
make an effort to move around. That means spend more time walking—to your car,
around the office, up the stairs, around the shopping mall, at the park, and
anywhere else you can move. Spend less time sitting on your couch and more time
outside the house, engaged in activities that get you moving. More movement is
the key to better weight loss, as movement stimulates your metabolism and
signals to your body that you need energy. Even if you never see the inside of
a gym, moving around more will be enough to promote weight loss.
