Living a healthy lifestyle when you’re in your twenties is probably one of the most obvious, simplest and practical rules to live by, but it’s also one of the most underappreciated and ignored. Most Quarterlifers are too preoccupied and consumed with school, work, and social obligations to consciously monitor or improve their physical, mental and emotional health. As a busy young professional or student, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and worn down by all of the external forces that we deal with on a daily basis, but the best preventative strategy against stress and sickness is to make sure we take care of our body, mind and heart. The best thing about living a healthy lifestyle is that it’s one of the easiest rules to follow and if you develop a few simple habits to help take care of your health, then eventually you won’t even have to consciously put in too much effort to always feel great and perform at your highest level.
A common misconception about living healthy is that it takes a lot of added thought, work and effort, which many twentysomethings feel like they can’t afford in a busy lifestyle. If you want to live out a dream of being a professional athlete, then you might need to make a few drastic changes and serious commitments. For the rest of us, getting and staying healthy doesn’t mean you need to dramatically change your lifestyle by going on a strict diet and hitting the gym everyday. Of course eating right and exercising when you can is a pretty great way to stay healthy, but really the easiest and most effective way to keep yourself in good mental, physical and emotional shape is by making healthy choices. In all aspects of our life we have choices- where to live, where to work, what to do in our free time, etc. However, sometimes we don’t think about our choices and when trying to be healthy, it can be easy to make the wrong ones. As busy and preoccupied as you may be, all it takes to be healthy without making dramatic changes in your lifestyle is by simply choosing healthier alternatives in your daily life. Choose the healthier option when you go out to eat, choose not to have “just one more drink” when you’re out at the bar, choose to go for a walk or a jog on the weekend instead of catching up on TV. It’s always hard at first to get in the habit of doing anything, but little by little if you start making better and healthier choices, eventually it will become a daily habit and routine in every part of your life.
Being healthy all starts with making the right choices, but there are also many other practical and simple ways to help you feel at your best. The key is the make it fun and easy, and less like a chore. There are many resources available to help you stay healthy- most of which don’t cost any money- so no matter how busy and preoccupied you may be with the stresses of daily life, there is often no excuse to make at least a few smart choices in your day. Here are just a few examples of simple ways that can effortlessly be adapted into any lifestyle to help you stay healthy:
- Get enough sleep: Unfortunately for a lot of busy twentysomethings, sleep is often underrated and ignored which can cause a lot of unnecessary health problems. If you get a sufficient amount of sleep, you’ll be more energetic, focused and productive throughout your day. If you think you’re not getting enough sleep, force yourself to go to bed a few minutes early, or (if you can afford the time) set your alarm for a few minutes later than normal in the morning. Getting enough sleep is the best way to fight off illness and is the first and most important step in staying healthy.
- Take advantage of your health benefits: If you have health insurance (and now if you’re under 26 you can be on your parents’ insurance plan), you should take advantage of it as much as you can and go to the doctor/dentist/etc on a regular basis. Unfortunately, a lot of people (especially new, young professionals) who have health benefits are not always explained what you can and cannot do with your health plan. It’s to your best advantage to first choose a good plan that you can afford, and then make sure you understand what you are entitled to with your benefits. With most health insurance plans, you can get quite a lot of health support for whatever you need- from minor illnesses, to physical checkups, medications and even mental health support if you need it- often at little to no extra cost beyond what you already contribute to your coverage.
- Make exercise a social activity: Sometimes the hardest part about incorporating exercise into our day is doing it alone. The solution to this is to make exercise a more social activity. Schedule regular runs, walks or hikes with friends so that you have an easy excuse to exercise more. It’s a can be a great alternative to meeting for a meal or drinks and will make both of you feel great. Also join or start sports clubs at work. Start a hiking club or form a sports (softball and dodgeball are always popular) team or league at your company. Make it fun and competitive. It’s a great way to get to know your colleagues and also foster corporate teamwork.
- Take classes at your gym: If you belong to a gym, sometimes it can be hard to motivate yourself to get out the door or spend an hour before or after work to hit the treadmill or the exercise bike. However, most gym memberships let you take various exercise and fitness classes for free, and they’re offered at all times of the day. If you’re the type of person who works best on a schedule, find a class at a convenient time and force yourself to go just once and see how you enjoy it. Not only will attending regular classes keep you on a schedule and give you a reason to go to the gym at a specific time and day, but it’s also a great opportunity to be social at the gym and meet other active people.
- Make small changes in your diet: There are a lot of people who believe that eating right, losing weight and staying healthy means adhering to a strict and rigorous diet. On the contrary, that can often be the problem and not the solution. The simple solution is just to make small and simple changes in your daily diet choices. For example, choose water instead of soda or alcohol at lunch; have wheat bread instead of white on your sandwich; only eat until you’re full instead of feeling obligated to clear your plate; and most importantly, always eat something in the morning, as breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. You don’t have to stop eating things you enjoy, just make the healthy choice in your diet every now and then.
It’s not an understatement to say that living healthfully can be the most important thing we can do for ourselves to help us be at our best. The ripple effect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be pretty astounding. If we take care of our bodies and minds and make smart, healthy choices then it’s amazing how easy it is to be stress-free, illness-free, energetic and motivated in our daily lives. No matter how overwhelmed you might be at this point in your life, if you focus taking care of yourself first and live a healthy lifestyle, then you’ll be even more prepared, willing and eager to take on any challenge that comes your way.
No comments:
Post a Comment