A Healthy & Balanced Lifestyle

What does healthy mean to you? Not being sick? Eating right? Working out? Doing things that you like? Not being stressed? The list is unique to everyone.

You have 24 hours in a day to be healthy and make changes to your habits. So how can you go about being healthy all day? Here are some key things to keep in mind and do if you want to feel good about yourself and energized day in and day out.

Weekdays

Sleep

Wake up feeling refreshed. If you have to wake up at 5am every morning, make sure you go to bed on time. Not everyone needs the 7–8 hours of sleep recommended, but you should be able to listen to your body. Get about the same amount of sleep every night to set yourself into a rhythm. Feeling overly tiered then go to bed sooner or catch up on some sleep over the weekend! But most importantly listen to your body and how tiered it is! No matter what person you are, try getting in sleep.

If you are over working yourself, give yourself a nap when you can whether that is during the day if you are lucky or right after work. An hour or two of sleep during the day can sometimes charge you up for an entire week!

Food

Food, food, food. This could be an entire article of what to eat and not eat. Try being mindful of what you eat during the week, and stick to your health goals whatever they may be. Use a quick and easy food journal, like YouAte to help you stay aware of what you’re eating!

There’s no need to eat 100% on path every single day, and restricting yourself from certain foods. A healthy balance is eating 80% on path, an eating plan that allows you to reach your health and fitness goals but also allows for that occasional chocolate if that’s what you need, or a soda once in a while.

Vitamins

Vitamins can be difficult because there are so many! What’s the right vitamin to take and how often? It all differs based on your body. Personally, I get migraine, have a sensitive stomach, and suffer from lack of energy in the winter. So to help these, I take magnesium, probiotics, and vitamin B12, in addition to vitamin C — which is great for everything!

As much as you may think you are eating and living a healthy lifestyle, Vitamins are important to consider because they can help with the following:

• Our bodies cannot absorb all the vitamins through the foods that we eat and need certain ones from supplements
• They are essential nutrients that help heal wounds
• keep our immune system high so that we are not prone to getting sick
• help convert food into energy and repair cellular damage.

Consult with a doctor of what vitamins and minerals are beneficial to your health but a multivitamin can go a long way in helping you stay healthy!

Drink your water

If you haven’t taken a sip of water while reading this, then go drink some water now! Even though our bodies are made up of about 60% of water, it is important to consume at least 2–3 liters of water daily. It may be hard in the beginning but if you get used to water can…

• Fight off headaches
• Keep you feeling fuller between meals
• Helps energize the muscles so that you can perform your best each day
• Helps for proper circulation of nutrients in the body.

If you are eating healthy, taking your vitamins, it will only be beneficial if you drink an adequate water to go along with it.

Work

Believe it or not work keeps you healthy! You wake up every morning with a purpose and do something that (I hope) you like doing. If you are not enjoying your work or the work environment, take a risk and make a change. There is some type of work out there that suits you. You may have to look hard to find it and accomplish some other things along the way, but whoever said it’s easy was definitely not telling the truth.

Exercise

Working out may seem like a hassle to do everyday when there are just not enough hours in a day, but the 30–60 minutes of exercise can be beneficial to your overall health! Everyone is on different levels and has different things that they enjoy doing so maybe you’re a beginner and getting outside to go for a walk for half an hour is enough. Maybe you’re a top athlete that trains two hours a day and lifts, then go ahead and do that!

Never limit yourself. Keep pushing to be a better you each day. You’ll be one step further in living a healthier life than the person that is sitting on the couch at home.

Go outdoors

Do you work from home and spend your mornings in front of the computer until you realize that the sun has gone down already? Whether you work at home or are spending the day at home, make sure to go outside and get some fresh air!

Think back to when you were a kid and you could hardly wait for recess. Now fast forward and give yourself the adult version of “recess” by going out for air. Your brain will start working better because fresh air is full of oxygen as opposed to the stuffy air you breathe indoors.

Use your brain

Whether you go about a daily routine, or are simply completing the awaited tasks at work, these can be mindless activities for your brain. Whenever you have time, open a book about something that interests you. Think about all the new things you can learn!

Whether you are 25 or 65 you can always learn something new. Learning something new gives you a purpose of waking up in the morning. Challenge yourself by signing up for evening classes or weekend classes in something that interests you, you’re never too old to learn!

Weekends

Do something you enjoy doing

There is nothing more relaxing and energy filling than doing something you like. Think of it as “me time”.

• Sleep in later
• Go for a long hike
• Explore a new city
• Go shopping
• Pamper yourself
• Eat out at your favorite restaurant
• Go out with friends at night

Whatever it is — treat yourself. If you are doing everything at 110% during the week, take the time to do something you enjoy that relaxes you in order to recharge yourself for the coming week.

Do chores & catch up on daily things

It can be stressful to be on top of the household chores during the week, so try and get most of it done during the weekend. Devote an hour or two to cleaning up, doing laundry, etc. during your free time. Yes this can be annoying, but think of how better your week will be if you don’t have to come home and do this after work when you already are tiered?

What to take from this? Healthy may mean eating better and exercising but think of all the factors that help keep you healthy, focused and maintaining a balance in your life.