How to Start and Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Healthful Vitality | 05/24/2021 | By Dr. Gunjan Chauhan | How to Start and Maintain Healthy Lifestyle Habits

The saying- ‘The best defense is a good offense,’ endures because long-term healthy living is nothing but the result of a good offense. That is preventive, proactive healthy choices made in life that positively impact health today, tomorrow, and beyond. To age healthy, one should start young. We explore how to start and maintain healthy lifestyle habits. Indeed, good health does not happen accidentally. It is the result of instilling healthy habits and maintaining them. Implementing and maintaining healthy practices will ensure longer life and a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.

How to start and maintain healthy lifestyle habits

Here are those healthy lifestyle practices that one should start to ensure a fit and healthy life:

1) Eat well 

A healthy diet constitutes macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins), sufficient amount of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) in the required amount to help fulfill the energy and physiologic needs of the body along with hydration. Notably, various clinical trials and epidemiological studies have suggested that increased intake of plant-based food, like fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, seeds, whole grains, and nuts, and lesser intake of animal-based foods, mainly processed meats, and fatty food, reduces the chance of non-communicable diseases (NCD), ranging from cardiovascular disorders to cancer. (1) 

2) Keep Moving (Exercise) 

A healthy mind stays in a healthy body. Physical fitness can be considered as the integrated measure of most of the body functions (heart, respiratory, skeletomuscular, hormonal balance, psycho-neurological) involved in the performance of a daily physical exercise. Thus, a physically fit person is automatically considered to be fit on a systemic parameter as well. Exercise including walking, running, jogging, yoga, aerobics, going to the gym, etc., helps prevent NCDs and age-related diseases, like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Physicians should also advise more on physical fitness than promoting medicines because prevention is better than cure. (2)

3) Stress Management

Calmness is the cradle of power. Short-term stress is known to improve our immune response and cognitive skills. In contrast, the long term has a long-lasting and debilitating effect on our physical, psychological health, immune system, and emotional well-being. Although stress can put an individual at risk of developing various diseases, people also hold the substantial power of putting it under control by practicing basic yoga, deep breathing, running, etc..(3)

4) Deep sleep 

Sleep is essential for the optimal functioning of our body. During sleep, the body repairs, rejuvenate all the cells and helps in the clearance of toxins. The brain can integrate new information and organize long-term memory so that one can wake up fresh and energized. (4)

5) Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter releases endorphins in the body, which creates psychological well-being and brings a state of relaxation, which helps achieve a healthy and peaceful life. It has the effect of enhancing T-cell effectiveness and the number of antibody-producing cells, resulting in a stronger immune system. (5,6)

Often, we have come across people complaining that they desire to live a healthier lifestyle, but they don’t know how to start it. So, there are a few pointers to follow to make progress on that path.

The pointers to follow to make progress toward healthy lifestyle habits

1) Start early

Certain rituals, when started early, become habits, and it becomes a routine in life such that it does not feel like a burden or chore to complete. Example: healthy eating habits, diet, and physical activities like cycling, walk, etc. This can be achieved by imparting the knowledge of a healthy lifestyle among parents and teachers who can help develop the child in that manner. They can even include certain school activities, plays, models to illustrate and implement the same. (7)

2) Cessation of bad habits

One way to start a healthy habit for healthier living is the cessation of smoking and drinking. Smoking is the leading cause of oral cancer and lung cancer. It compromises the body’s immune responses, thus putting the body at risk for various NCDs. One can attempt quitting the same by taking psychological and pharmacological help. (8)

3) Get Screened and regular follow-ups

Having an insight about ourselves and how our body functions is crucial. Getting yourself checked by a healthcare professional will help understand what our body lacks in terms of nutrients or is suffering from an underlying chronic condition. Many a time, it serves as the perfect motivation tool to start living a healthier life. (9).

4) Build community

Man is a social animal. So having a group with friends or family members will help set a schedule and create interest in doing exercises. Joining a gym or sports complex with a group brings a sense of belonging and helps us start living a healthy life. Working out in a community or along with someone will serve as motivation.

5) Screen time

Some research suggests that using a mobile or laptop just before sleep can interfere in achieving sound sleep. The radiations or glow from the screen interrupt the proper functioning of certain hormones (melatonin) in our body. (10) Also, alcohol before bedtime has been shown to disturb high-quality sleep.

6) Self-control

Self-control is the key to habit-forming. Once we start anything new, our first instinct is to return to our old routine, comfortable and familiar. Practicing self-control in achieving the goal and transforming it into a habit is the predominant factor that will help us start and maintain a new habit.

7) Small changes

A habit is formed by making small changes in routine life. For example, if a person has always led a sedentary life, he can make a healthy lifestyle change by walking for 15 minutes, which can eventually increase. Similarly, small dietary changes can bring significant differences. One should start with small and manageable goals because failure can be discouraging. Hence one shouldn’t start with unrealistic goals.

Maintaining healthy lifestyle habits

Once we have convinced ourselves and started on the path of attaining a healthy life, the main obstacle that one encounters is to maintain that goal. Maintenance also holds equal importance when a goal has to be achieved. An initiation that once begun and maintained can easily be morphed into a habit, which becomes like a second nature to follow, hence helps in achieving the aim. Few changes or modifications that one can make in order to help in maintaining the achieved healthy habits are:

1) Feedback

Receiving positive reinforcement and feedback serves as a source of encouragement, facilitating further maintenance and interest of the participant. (10)

2) Self-awareness

Once the participant starts to see the positive life changes, it automatically acts gives motivation to them. For example, a simple 10 minutes’ walk and minor diet modification with certain restrictions on smoking and alcohol for an obese and diabetic patient can bring a considerable change within a short period regarding physical, emotional stability, and social acceptance. This will act as the initiator for the patient, and he would willingly maintain the routine. (9)

3) Social media and Music

Many studies have indicated that social support boosts stimulus for training and increases adherence to exercise programs, as high as 35%. Additionally, it can be a strategy to make this program more interactive. Music can also be another factor that keeps the participant engaged and fills them with energy while exercising. Furthermore, Music provides a sense of calmness.

Conclusion 

We all are aware of our shortcomings better than anyone else. So, it is within us to use Lifestyle Intelligence to bring change so that we can live healthier and longer. When exploring how to start and maintain healthy lifestyle habits, one should be patient and focus on the future, seeing the benefits that even small changes can bring. Attempting to get small life changes daily can bring bigger and better life outcomes in the future. Changes need not necessarily be unpleasant; one can enjoy the change and live happily if the thought process is modified with a better vision and future perspective.

Related: What is Healthy Food?

Reference:

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