You know that super-fit friend of yours who always seems to look so good? She has a “secret” to her success. Actually, she has 10 of them. Here are 10 habits of “always-healthy” people.
Healthy people are more optimistic than unhealthy people. They don’t waste time and energy complaining. If they think they need to make a change in their life, they do it. They know that a positive mental attitude goes a long way toward promoting other healthy behaviors in their lives.
This may sound crazy to some, but healthy people actually enjoy exercising. Here’s why: they spend their time partaking in exercises they like doing and avoid those they hate. This means if you hate running, don’t run. If you hate going to the gym, don’t go. Find something you like doing, whether it’s taking daily walks on a trail near your house; swimming laps in a pool; riding your bike; playing a few games of hoops each week; or doing yoga.
One of the downsides of “being healthy” is it definitely takes more time and effort. Practicing unhealthy behaviors is convenient. There are fast, cheap, unhealthy foods available all around us. That’s why healthy people spend time prepping healthy meals when they have moments to spare. This can mean preparing a healthy lunch the night before you go to work so you don’t have to go out to eat; cutting up veggies to take as snacks when you’re on the go; and freezing healthy foods to use at a later date.
This is perhaps the most important habit of healthy people. They make a conscious choice to be healthy. They understand that their health is a gift and they don’t take it for granted. Aside from family, friends, and work, health is one of the most important priorities in their life.
Healthy people don’t deprive themselves of the foods they love. They eat healthy most of the time … and this allows them to enjoy their favorite unhealthy foods once in a while without feeling guilty. Granted, this doesn’t mean they splurge and eat an entire pizza every Friday night. But they may eat a couple of pieces and they’re perfectly okay with that.
Diets are temporary and healthy folks are well aware of this. Diets are a short-term fix … a “band-aid” to an issue that requires a longer-term approach. Healthy people know that eating well is a lifelong endeavor.
Healthy people have a tendency to participate in healthy behaviors with folks who share their sentiments. This means you’ll often find healthy people exercising with their other healthy friends. We all have unhealthy “enablers” in our lives, but healthy people make it a point to balance it out with other friends who also participate in a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy people live by the mantra:
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
– Benjamin Franklin
They take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming others and external circumstances for why they aren’t as healthy as they could be. They refuse to accept mediocrity in their lives and own up to their mistakes.
According to the book Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation, those who suffer from lack of sleep and sleep disorders are less productive, spend more on health care, and have an increased likelihood of accidents compared to healthy people. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
Snacking can make or break your health goals. That’s why healthy people choose to eat snacks like raw almonds, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Replace the potato chips and processed snack foods in your house with these types of snacks and you’ll quickly adopt one of the most important habits of healthy people.
Let’s hear from you now. What habits have made you a healthier person?
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Featured photo credit: Sisters eating in the garden. Drink sour-milk via Shutterstock
Scott Christ shows people how to be healthier and happier on his website The Healthy Eating Guide. Subscribe to his newsletter (it's free) and get instant access to 48 healthy recipe cards and his eBook, “The Ultimate Healthy Eating Roadmap”.
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