by LORI-ANN MARCHESE
CTFashionMag.com
Ever hear that taking trivial steps to living a healthier life is key? Well, that is true. As the holiday season is at its peak and the new year is on its way, it is never too late to begin your journey of living a healthier life.
Follow these 12 Takeaways on how to live a healthier life, and you will see that your life will change for the better. When each day goes by, grasp upon the opportunities at hand, and eventually these “12 Days” of heading towards a healthier path will become your daily regimen before you realize.
Day 1: Take Gradual Steps! First things first, slowly adjusting your lifestyle towards improving your health is key to making these small alterations become part of your daily life. Recognize and truly understand that taking gradual steps towards a healthy life will gear you towards success! An overall lifestyle change takes time, so patience and determination are ideal to maintain throughout this voyage.
Day 2: Focusing on cardio is so important for your heart health! Cardio workouts also aid in burning fat, and allowing you to maintain that slimmer look. The heart is the most important muscle in your body, so maintaining and improving its strength is crucial.
Day 3: Building strength is key! Incorporating resistance training is another healthy lifestyle method that will increase your metabolism. Muscle burns fat at a faster rate, and weight training will give you that toned look.
Day 4: Control your eating! Reducing calories in your diet creates a way to increase overall health and lower body weight. Focus on natural foods that offer a balance between foods groups. Watching your portion sizes are ideal for maintaining or losing weight. It takes at least 20 minutes for your food to digest, so have one appropriate serving of your food of choice, and give it some time to see if you actually want another serving.
Day 5: Avoid processed foods! Evading processed foods can increase overall health and prevent unwanted weight gain and illness. Processed foods are filled with unnatural ingredients and tend to be higher in carbohydrates and sodium.
Day 6: Avoid cravings! Eliminating nighttime eating will also assist in weight reduction and health improvement. Keep yourself occupied and be aware of times when cravings are highest.
Day 7: Make sure you are always staying hydrated! Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day is very important for keeping you healthy and aids in body processes that keep you functioning throughout the day. If you are one who is interested in detoxing your body, water is the best detox you can have.
Day 8: Reduce Stress! Controlling stress is another method of creating a healthy lifestyle. Unwanted food cravings typically occur during high levels of stress. Control your daily stress by first identifying certain causes and create steps to reduce stress levels. Meditation and finding activities that you like are the perfect remedy for reducing your stress and enjoying life a little bit more!
Day 9: Make sure you are getting enough sleep! Getting adequate sleep is crucial for weight reduction and health. Getting an appropriate amount of sleep will also aid in having a more energetic day which will affect your workout regimen and self-control.
Day 10: Involve your Family! Connecting the whole family with your life is the best support group you will have and quality time with loved ones will make your life that much more wholesome. Plan activities with the family that keep you all active, and before you know it, your entire family will be working towards a healthier life as well.
Day 11: Set Goals! Creating end points for yourself is the best way to accomplish all of what you have always hoped for. Writing down your goals, and sharing them with others will allow yourself to conquer things that you thought were close to impossible. In many cases, accomplishing your goal takes time, so reflecting on your progress will give you that extra push to see how far you have come.
Day 12: Believe in yourself and have confidence! If you have always wanted to accomplish something, no one is stopping you besides yourself. Visualize the end result, and do not stop working for it until it becomes your reality. The only person who can push you to never give up is yourself, and having the belief in yourself that you know you are capable of doing so, will be the difference between failure and success.
Lori-Ann Marchese is the owner of Body Construct LLC in New Britain. She is a former cast member of the reality TV series, “Game of Crowns.”