No matter how fervently you believe in the newest health trend, the truth is it is unlikely you will get fit after a three-day cleanse. Fitness is a lifestyle, not a short-term contest, and it takes many positive changes to cultivate a feeling of well-being. Fortunately, many of the decisions you can make to promote health and fitness are small and simple enough to start today.
When performed every day, the following seven steps will lead you down a path of happiness and health.
Walk 10,000 Steps
The first step to feeling better is a step out your door, followed by a few steps around your neighborhood. Though 10,000 may seem like an arbitrary number ― indeed, it began as such in Japan as a marketing ploy to sell pedometers ― several health institutions, including the American Heart Association and the Surgeon General, have agreed that 10,000 steps (roughly five miles) is an appropriate exercise goal for most Americans.
Several studies have found that reaching 10,000 steps every day not only allowed people to drop an average of 10 pounds, but dramatically improved their energy levels and mood, as well. It doesn’t matter where you walk or how long it takes you as long as you spend enough time on your feet.
Drink 3 Liters of Water
If you are reaching for a snack every 30 minutes, you are likely reading your body all wrong. Most people confuse cravings for food and water, and as a result, more than 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. When your body lacks sufficient water, it slows down: You become tired and dizzy, suffer from headaches and sore muscles, and generally lose control of your emotions. Instead of filling up on fizzy, sugary drinks, you should keep a large bottle of water handy to slake your thirst and feel better.
Take Your Vitamins
Of course, water isn’t the only thing your body needs to function at peak performance. Foods like grains, fruits, and vegetables contain a number of nutrients that keep your cells happy and whole, and if you aren’t eating a balanced diet, you could be depriving yourself of a balanced body. Because getting all of your necessary vitamins and minerals from food is inefficient, you must be sure to take a daily multivitamin that contains (at the very least) vitamins B6, B12, C, and D, as well as folate, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and omega-3s.
Stop Smoking Cigarettes
You don’t need another lecture about tobacco products. However, instead of quitting ― or using unsatisfying nicotine alternatives like gum or patches ― you might just switch to tobacco-free, smokeless e-cigarettes. Containing as much nicotine as you need without the harsh chemicals of tobacco, e-cigs will give you a pick-me-up without ruining your naturally good mood, allowing you to keep that good feeling.
Smile 400 Times
Studies show it is the act of smiling ― rather than the cause of the smile ― that tends to improve your mood, so the more you grin, the better you will feel. Babies and children smile more than 400 times every day, but adults average only about 30 smiles, with about 14 percent grinning fewer than five times in a 24-hour period. If you consciously decide to smile more, you will notice more reasons to bring a smile to your face.
Tidy Your Bedroom
As soon as you can, you should devote an hour to removing your dirty clothes from the floor, dusting your horizontal surfaces, and changing your sheets. Then, every morning, you should make your bed, and every evening, you should place your clothes directly in the hamper. Though it may seem like a monumental chore at first, returning to a clean bedroom is a major source of relief and reassurance which will make you feel more calm and confident.
Make a Mantra
A mantra is an exceedingly powerful tool for transforming your life. Many people associate the word “mantra” with the guttural sounds emitted during yoga classes, and those mantras do have their roots in ancient meanings that can affect change. However, you can actually develop your own comprehensible mantra to guide your life and improve your attitude. In fact, the process is only three steps long:
- Step one: List three achievements of the past year, how you achieved them, why you sought them, and what positive aspects of yourself aided your success.
- Step two: List three failures of the past year, why they happened, and how you can change to avoid further disappointment.
- Step three: Combine your current positive attributes with your hopeful qualities to create one powerful, positive statement that leads to your goals.
You should repeat your mantra whenever you feel insecure or sad. With enough repetition, you will begin to believe and live your mantra every day.
About Jammie Morey
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