In the course of a year, I wrote about healthy living habits once a month.
These monthly blog posts each centered on a simple habit we can change in our daily routine to become healthier over time.
I have put together this page so that you can have access to the links for these posts all in one spot. I hope this makes the Healthy Living Series easier to enjoy.
Healthy Living Series: 12 Habits to Level Up This Year!
1. Ditch the Soda
Soda (even diet soda) is not a healthy drink for many reasons, and affects many parts of your body negatively including: weight, brain, kidneys, digestive system, bones, heart, lungs and teeth. It is an addiction that can be hard to cure, but it is worth the effort.
2. Shake the Sugar
Sugar is addictive and comes in many varieties. It can reek havoc on your body and mood. While it isn’t practical to cut it out completely, the less sugar you can eat, the better.
3. Cut Out The Processed Food
Processed food is something we should be wary of these days. I am defining processed food as anything with 5 or more ingredients, most of which have ingredients that cannot be pronounced or easily understood. Food that can’t be found in nature and typically comes in a box or can. This is the type of “food” we need to limit in our daily lives.
4. Pay Attention To Portions
Eating the proper serving size, or portion, is key to staying healthy. Portion control is a difficult habit to start because we are used to eating as much as we want whenever we want. If we eat out, it is even worse because we want the most food for our money, even if we don’t need it.
5. Add Healthy Fats to Your Diet
We grew up thinking that eating fat makes you fat, but it simply isn’t true. Check out the list of healthy fats and think about adding one or two to your diet. You might just find you feel better and more full than with their low fat alternatives.
6. Eat The Rainbow
When eating fruits and vegetables, try to eat a variety of colors. Fruits and vegetables get their color from the micronutrients they contain. This is why it’s critical to eat all the colors of the rainbow − the vitamins and phytonutrients responsible for providing color vary in each and every plant source.
7. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is a very important part of health. It is the time our bodies have to process food and regenerate for the next day. It is usually recommended that adults get between 6 to 9 hours of sleep per night. I find that 8 hours is just about right, but you can experiment and see what works for you.
8. Exercise Should Be A Daily Priority
There are atleast 15 reasons why you should exercise daily for health. This doesn’t have to be at the gym, but anywhere you push your body to reach a physical goal.
9. Eat Less Meat
The quality of your meat is more important than the quantity. I don’t think there is any problem with good meat, but it is getting more expensive and hard to find. To save money and your health, eat less meat.
10. Dump Your Late Night Snack
Late night snacking is usually mindless eating. You are in front of the tv eating and all of the sudden that bag of chips is gone. If you are hungry, either eat more at dinner or go to bed.
11. Take A Multivitamin Everyday
Are you eating enough of the right foods to get all of the vitamins your body needs? If not, a multivitamin can help you fill in the gaps of your nutrition.
12. Probiotics for Gut Health
Many people say the source of health starts in the gut. I don’t know if that is completely true, but you gut does regulate much of your health. Help it out by taking probiotics daily.
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