Living a healthy lifestyle has been a gradual change for me. In the beginning it was geared around my desire to lose weight. As changes slowly began to happen, it became more about being healthy. Living a healthy lifestyle is about living a balanced life as much as possible, and that is what I have been trying to do. Here are the main changes I have made over several months in order to live a healthier lifestyle.
-Drink 8 glasses of water a day. For me, this was hard. I used to be a Diet Coke junkie until one day I realized that for some reason the taste of the Diet Coke triggered the urge in me to eat junk food. When I stopped drinking Diet Coke, I tried some of the mineral waters and really liked them. I found out, however, that they are not good for you either. Another thing I discovered was that when I was drinking the Diet Coke and mineral water, I was leaving out the plain water that my body was craving. Allowing myself nothing cold to drink but water means that I will drink plenty of it. Rarely do I get hunger cravings when I am drinking the water that I need to be.
-More fruits and vegetables. For a carbohydrate lover, this was also a difficult transition. I would always fill my plate with meat and potatoes or pasta with a couple of spoonfuls of vegetables on the side. When I started eating more salad and vegetables with smaller servings of meat and potatoes, I found that I was satisfied just as much or more than with the way I used to eat.
-Plenty of sleep. Nothing will set me up for failure more than a lack of sleep. When I am tired, I don’t want to do anything positive for myself. I am more prone to get some French fries at a drive thru than I am to make a salad at home. I am also more prone to be a couch potato than I am to go outside and get some exercise.
-Exercise. When I came to realization that exercise does not have to be boring or repetitive, I came to the realization that exercise can actually be fun. I can exercise by walking, playing basketball, having sex, dancing, or gardening.
Living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. When you are living a balanced lifestyle, you are less prone to have stress and anxiety, which can be huge triggers in gaining weight and developing other chronic illesses.