How to Change your Habits for a Healthier Life
We all know how easy it is to develop bad habits – foregoing those bi-weekly gym sessions, reaching for the cookie jar at 4pm – but did you know it’s just as easy to develop good ones?
Making small, daily changes to your diet and exercise regime are not only achievable, but can lead to better overall health.
Take, for instance, walking. If you walk 10,000 steps a day you are likely to go over the recommended 150 minutes’ exercise you need a week. On average, a person walks 100 steps per minute, so to reach the 10,000 mark, you only need to be on your feet for 100 minutes a day. Make it easy for yourself: break it down into blocks of time, such as five lots of 20 minutes or four lots of 25 minutes. Step-tracking apps can make keeping ｃount simple.
Another easy change to make is to cut out adding salt to your meals. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and yet there is an abundance of it in many of the foods we eat.
Check nutritional labels on packaging – and remember it can even work its way into fresh ingredients such as bacon and bread. The maximum you should aim for is 6g a day – that’s around 1 teaspoon.
Have you also considered cutting out that after-work drink? Decreasing your alcohol intake can do wonders for your health (not to mention your bank balance). Did you know a standard glass of wine (175ml) has the same amount of calories as a chocolate mini roll? It’s little wonder alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain.
Men and women are advised to drink no more than 14 units a week, over three days or more. This equates to six pints of average-strength beer or seven glasses of wine. Remember to drink water in between drinks for hydration and never drink on an empty stomach. Avoid binge-drinking at all costs.
While it’s important to ensure we have healthy bodies, it’s also important to look after our mental health. Try introducing mindfulness meditation into your routine – it’s as easy as sitting quietly with your eyes closed and focusing on your breathing. This type of meditation can be used to combat anxiety and stress, and can be completed on your lunch break in an empty meeting room or quiet lobby.
Getting a clear picture of your health is not always easy – and sometimes it can be hard to know where to focus your attention. That’s why regular health checks are a great solution - after all, knowing you’re in good health is important for peace of mind.
Article Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/how-to-change-your-habits-for-a-healthier-life-a7739256.html
Image Source: http://www.foodforliving.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Healthy-habits-300x261.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Forego (v.) ~ omit or decline to take (something pleasant or valuable) go without
2. Abundance (n.) ~ a very large quantity of something
3. Combat (v.) ~ take action to reduce, destroy, or prevent (something undesirable)
4. Regime (n.) ~ a system or planned way of doing things, especially one imposed from above
5. Cut out (idiom) ~ remove as if by cutting
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Do you have a healthy habit? What kind of healthy activities do you do each day?
2. Do you walk every day? What do you think are the health benefits of walking?
3. What kind of healthy habit do you want to develop? How can you maintain that behavior?
