Keeping healthy and fit is a priority all year long. But, as we head into autumn and winter 2022 during this pandemic, setting up healthy habits is imperative. With many of us wanting to live more healthily, what is the secret to a healthy lifestyle in 2022? What can we do to keep fighting fit? Let’s explore this:
Get regular exercise
As we all know, exercise has many benefits for everyone, at any age. Staying physically fit improves your muscular and cardiovascular health, reducing stress and boosting your overall mood!
According to the Australian Department of Health, you should try to get at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise every week and 1.25 hours of vigorous activity. This might mean taking two or three 30-minute lunchtime walks every week, 15 minutes with the skipping rope twice a day, 10-minute squat sessions at your desk, or strength training for 30 minutes as you watch your favourite show.
Regular exercise is essential if you’re someone who works from home. Even if you have one of the most ergonomic office setups possible – something difficult to do when you work from home – regular motion breaks can reduce those day-to-day aches and pains. Set some reminders on your computer to do wall pushups, tricep dips, or squats a few times a day. When you get up from your computer, make a point of stretching your spine out. Above all, always make sure you’re comfortable as you work, even when you’re just finishing off a task or touching something up.
Get a good night’s sleep
Easier said than done. Sometimes we go to bed and can’t sleep. It can be hard to get physical activity and the wind-down time needed to get us comfortable to sleep soundly. Since sleep boosts our immune function, we must get enough.
Establishing a regular time for going to bed and waking up can help you get better sleep, as can avoiding caffeine close to your bedtime and turning off those blue light-emitting screens. Setting strict rules about media consumption can prevent you from watching “just one more episode” until midnight, though relaxing podcasts may help you chill out in bed. Cutting out alcohol can also boost your sleep quality and limit any naps you take.
Nourish your body
We all know this, but we don’t always do it. We probably strive to eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains every day. But with breakfast the most important meal of the day, what are the nutritional priorities in the morning?
It turns out that protein is paramount at breakfast. Protein keeps your hunger hormones and blood sugar stable until the afternoon, but it’ll also help your appetite in check generally.
This means Greek yoghurt, egg-white omelettes and protein shakes are good breakfast options. Stay away from sugar to prevent crashing before the morning is over.
Getting more healthy fats from foods like seeds and nuts, though calorific, will decrease your risk of heart disease. Cook foods with olive oil, and use spices to season them. Eat more vegetables and whole grains to keep you feeling full for longer. Cut down on animal fat, red meat, and processed meats to decrease the likelihood of inflammation, heart disease and diabetes.
Get vaccinated!
One of the best ways to help your body stay healthy is to give it the antibodies to fight off diseases. Though last year’s flu season was minor, more people are meeting and going out as the weather gets cooler this year.
Of course, the things preventing many people from getting COVID-19 – wearing a mask, keeping social distance, washing hands more often and staying at home when you feel sick – also decrease flu transmission. But the threat is still there, nonetheless.
The most effective way to protect yourself from the flu and COVID-19 is to get vaccinated against them! And it’s completely safe to get both shots simultaneously without your antibody response being affected.
Get out there
As the world opens up again, it’s time for us to go out and socialise again! Now you can meet up with friends again, go shopping, and have fun! It’s still important to be safe and practice guidelines like mask-wearing, social distancing, and staying in well ventilated or outdoor areas. But it’s also equally as important to start seeing friends and family regularly again.
Make a plan and stick to it
We’ve all been there. You aim to develop a new habit, like going for a walk every day or practising the violin regularly, only for your runners or bow to gather dust in the corner. So, how can you make a plan to improve your life and stick to it?
The first step is to establish what you are going to change. Make this goal achievable. Will you get out for a run every lunch break? What will you do if the weather’s too bad? There’s no way you can run 5K every lunchtime and make it back on time, so what’s your route?
Then, map out your action plan in weekly parts. For example, you could start off doing the plank for 1 minute in the first week, adding on 10 seconds in the second, until you can eventually hold a plank for 10 minutes!
It can also help to write down why you are doing this. Do you want to run a marathon or a fun run? Would you love to have more strength? You’re more likely to stick at it if you know why you’re doing something.
Incentivising your health plan can also make you more likely to stick to it. Download a fitness app and compete with your friends to see who can get more steps, or go for a jog just before your favourite TV show comes on – relaxing on the couch afterwards will feel great!
If you like competing with your friends when you work out, why not work out together? At the very least, telling someone else about your plan will keep you motivated and allow you to share your joy when you smash your goals!
Other Articles
Kratom and Its Positive Effects on Depression and Anxiety
Best Gear Cycles You Can Buy Under Low Budget For Yourself