If you want to live longer, feel better, and have more energy, you need to make a concentrated effort to become the healthiest version of yourself. You don’t have to sacrifice the things you enjoy, nor do you have to fully dedicate your life to health and fitness to do it.
For most people, the path to a healthier, happier self can be a straightforward and relatively accessible one.
So how exactly do you accomplish this?
Mastering Physical Health
Let’s start by focusing on some of the habits that can help you become physically healthier.
- Drink more water. One of the best and easiest strategies you can employ is drinking more water throughout the day. Our bodies are made of mostly water, and we need to stay hydrated to think, work, and act our best. There are many beverages that can supply you with hydration, but when it comes to health, there’s no beating water. Consider keeping a water bottle with you at all times so you can take sips throughout the day.
- Watch what you eat. It’s also a good idea to monitor your eating habits and guide yourself to consistently healthier consumption. With the help of trained weight loss professionals, you can start identifying the nutritional content of the foods you eat, so you can gradually shift away from junk foods in favor of more nutritious foods. Keep in mind that this doesn’t have to be a sacrifice; there are many healthy, nutritious foods that are delicious, especially when prepared properly. You can also still indulge in junk foods and still be healthy, as long as you do so occasionally and in balance with your other nutritional needs. Even if you don’t have any specific weight loss goals, eating healthier can help you look and feel better.
- Get some exercise every day. Exercise is critical for physical health, as it keeps your bones, muscles, and other systems fully engaged. It’s also a great way to relieve stress and develop more confidence and energy. If you don’t like the idea of being at the gym all the time, that’s totally fine; even a small amount of mild exercise on a daily basis can help you improve your health. If you’re not used to exercise, you can start with a brisk walk around the neighborhood every day and gradually incorporate other exercises as you feel comfortable.
- Allow plenty of sleep and rest. Don’t neglect your sleep. It’s recommended that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. You may not be able to get this consistently, but any effort you make can benefit you. Cutting out digital interactions before bed, going to bed earlier, and making positive changes to your sleeping environment can all be beneficial.
- Cut out problematic substances. If you indulge in problematic substances, like alcohol or tobacco, to an excessive degree, consider cutting back. Eliminating a habit can be extraordinarily difficult, but it can have a profoundly beneficial impact on your life.
Mastering Mental Health
Here’s the good news: many of the strategies that can help you become physically healthier will also help you become mentally healthier. For example, making better eating choices and exercising on a daily basis can help you relieve stress, have more energy, and generally feel better about yourself.
These additional strategies can help you become even mentally healthier:
- Meditate daily. The benefits of meditation are now well-documented. Even relatively short sessions of meditation, when practiced consistently, can give you more control over your emotions, a more positive mindset, and a stronger locus of self-control. It can also help you cope with stress more easily and fluidly.
- Build and use a social support system. Talk to friends and family members on a regular basis. If you don’t have many people to stay in contact with, make it a point to strike up new friendships and build bigger circles.
- Set and achieve meaningful goals. Setting and achieving meaningful goals can give you more confidence and self-esteem. The nature of these goals isn’t especially important. What matters is that you set goals that mean something to you.
- Practice gratitude. Practicing gratitude can make you feel better in the moment and set you up for a healthier mindset globally. At least once a day, sit down and write out a few things you’re grateful for, or just think about them in your head. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated; all that matters is that you draw your own attention to things that you appreciate.
Building Better Health Habits
Most of the strategies featured in this guide are habits best implemented daily. That doesn’t mean every day needs to be perfect, nor does it mean you have to pursue these habits in their most extreme versions. But if you want to be and feel healthier, it’s important to be proactive about changing and incorporating new habits into your life.
This can be very challenging, especially if you’re used to a certain pattern or routine. But you can be more successful in integrating habits with the following tactics:
- Prioritize consistency over everything else. Practicing new habits consistently makes it much easier to fully integrate them into your life. For example, try to get at least some exercise every day, even if it’s just a quick walk around the neighborhood.
- Find a way to stay motivated. Some days, you’ll be tempted by unhealthy indulgences and you won’t have the natural energy to do the work necessary to be healthier. Find a way to motivate yourself out of this pit. Common motivational strategies include motivation boards, friendships with like-minded people, and reminders of your end goals.
- Reward yourself. Don’t make your path to a healthier life a total slog. Take the time to reward yourself when you hit milestones or find significant successes!
Once you make positive changes to both your physical and mental health, you’ll feel better, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll naturally develop more confidence. Even a handful of habit changes can make a significant impact on your life, so don’t procrastinate making them.