Living a healthy lifestyle is something many of us aspire to achieve. Unfortunately, healthy habits are difficult to fit into our routines and can require a good amount of dedication to keep going. There is however hope, and making little changes to your schedule over time can mean developing healthier lifestyle habits that will have long-term benefits.
Good habits are important to build and maintain as they can help prevent serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes. They can also have positive effects on our mental health whilst helping us lose weight and increase our energy levels throughout the day.
We’ve come up with a list of healthy habits to try incorporating into your routine today!
10 healthy habits to start today
Eat and drink well
One key to living a healthy lifestyle is maintaining a good diet. Healthy eating can energise us and have positive effects on our long-term health.
There are a few tips we have to make sure you’re making the right choices when it comes to your eating habits.
Fruit and veg
It’s one that’s been drilled into us from a young age, but for good reason! Fruit and vegetables are full of important nutrients like minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that help support your immune system and the body’s normal functions.
Fruit and veg are also low in calories, so can help you cut back on some weight.
Gosh! food
At Gosh! we are big advocates for eating well to feel good and we love coming up tasty recipes to fuel your day. We regularly post ideas over on our Instagram page, so make sure you give us a follow and check out some of the creations from ourselves and our community.
Some of our recent favourites include:
If you’ve got your own ideas on how to incorporate our products into your own delicious designs, we would love to hear from you. Reach out to us on any of our socials or send us an email on [email protected].
Avoid artificial sweeteners
Many of us opt for artificial sweeteners when drinking our morning coffees. There is a perception that artificial sweeteners are better for us as they’re lower in calories. However, there are a bunch of negative effects associated with them including weight gain, diabetes and increased levels of hunger.
If possible artificial should be avoided when pursuing a healthier lifestyle.
Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is a healthy habit that should at the top of everyone’s list. Did you know up to 60% of the human body is made up of water!? If we miss out on the right amount we can be left dehydrated, leading to negative effects like tiredness and headaches.
How much water do we need to drink a day?
According to the NHS’s Eatwell Guide we should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. “Fluid” can include water, lower-fat milks and lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks.
One of the best times to take on fluid is first thing in the morning, so try and have a glass of water shortly after waking up. This is a great way to get the digestive system going and get in your first healthy habit of the day.
Don’t skip breakfast!
One of the best things you can do to kick-start your day is have a nutritional breakfast. Having a good breakfast can stop you from overindulging later on in the day, helping fight weight gain. The right breakfast can also help keep you energised throughout the day.
Some of the best foods to eat in the morning include:
- Fruit
- Yoghurt
- Bread
- Whole-grain cereals
- Low-fat milk
- Water
If you’re looking to pursue a healthier diet, why not check out our Five Day Easy Vegan Meal Plan for some great plant-based inspiration. At Gosh! we also have our own plant-based range you can check out. All of our products are high in fibre, low in saturated fat and a great source of protein.
We recently put together a weekly self care checklist and shared it on our socials. Check it out to find out what else we think are top tips on keeping your mind and your body healthy throughout the week.
Sleep habits
We’ve all been known to burn the midnight oil, and our devices and streaming services are making it harder to switch off than ever. Quality sleep however is crucial to maintaining healthy living and the benefits a good nights sleep provides are endless.
It is recommended we go for at least 8 hours of shut-eye a night, with serious issues like memory-loss, immune deficiency and mood swings affecting those who aren’t getting enough rest. If you’re struggling to switch-off, we recommend putting down your devices at least an hour before bed. Instead of scrolling through feeds, read a book or reflect on the day you’ve just had.
What are the stages of sleep?
Sleep is broken down into four main stages. These are awake, light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Each stage is crucial in maintaining good mental and physical health.
Going to bed earlier and getting in a full 8 hours sleep means we are more likely to complete the 4 stages of sleep. If we make it through these, we wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the day.
Wake up early
Having a good sleep routine also means we are able to start the day a bit earlier than usual. Being an early riser has a number of benefits that contribute to a better lifestyle.
Research has suggested that early risers are able to maintain better focus throughout the day, improving cognitive function. An earlier wake-up time also means we have more time in the morning before setting off to work or study. This time can be spent preparing for the day ahead, or fitting in a bit of exercise.
Essentially getting one up on the day ahead, you can reduce stress levels and feel ready to take on the world!
Exercise
Movement is essential and getting exercise into our daily routine will have positive long and short-term effects on our health. Exercise has a number of benefits including:
- Weight control
- Maintaining healthy bones
- Maintaining muscles and joints
- Lowers blood pressure
- Decreases chance of heart disease
We know how important an active lifestyle is in staying healthy and we love to see our community get moving. So much so that we have run disco yoga events in the past, all in the good name of charity.
Events like these are such an amazing way to dance, have fun, connect, and get the blood pumping. Keep an eye on our website and our social media for future events and opportunities to raise money for worthy causes.
How much exercise should we do a week?
The NHS recommends we do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week, spread across 5 days. Its doesn’t have to be intense weight sessions in the gym either. Simply getting out on a brisk walk or bike ride can be sufficient in improving our mental and physical health.
If you’re looking for some other ways to stay active, you should check out our blog on How to Keep Your Family Active.
Get outside
Whatever the season, getting some time outside of the house or workplace is essential to healthy living. When we spend time outside we raise our Vitamin D levels which are essential for our body to function normally.
Some research has suggested that Vitamin D levels play a big part in regulating our mental wellbeing. This means time outside can help boost our mood and productivity. Being outside also means we are far more likely to get our bodies moving, increasing the amount of exercise we are doing each week!
Managing stress
One of the most important healthy habits that often gets over looked is setting out time to manage our stress levels. Modern life is full of stressors that can have negative effects on our mental health and wellbeing. Putting some coping strategies in place so we don’t become overwhelmed is a really good idea to maintain healthy living.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation can be a great way to manage stress-levels. Mindfulness can keep us in touch with our emotions, decreasing stress and anxiety levels. Mindfulness involves focusing on exactly what you’re feeling in the moment, using breathing exercises and guided imagery to relax the body and mind.
For stress awareness month last year, we came up with some top tips for relieving stress, put together by our own team. Follow this link to find out about how we cope when under stress as well as some other advise on what to do if you’re feeling the pressure.
Get offline
In a digital age devices and social media have massive impact on our day-to-day lives. Platforms like Netflix, Instagram and Twitter are a great way to entertain ourselves, catch up with friends and keep up with the world around us.
Whilst there are many positives to come out of such platforms, there are many negative effects they have on our mental and physical health. Social media can leave us feeling inadequate and dissatisfied with our own lives, leading to feelings like anxiety and depression.
Our devices can also keep us sofa-bound if we’re not careful, eliminating the movement we need in our routines to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Try setting out some time every day where you leave your phone on silent and focus on life in front of you. Instead, go for a walk, read a book, play a game or do some cooking. As we’ve mentioned before, time away from your devices is particularly important before bed!
Remember, making changes to your routine doesn’t always come easily. Ease yourself into it, adding new healthy habits each week. Focus on the activities you enjoy most and go from there!
