9 Actionable Steps to Leading a Healthier Life

Everyone knows the basics of how to live a healthier life. We’ve been taught the obvious things we should be doing since we were little, including eating more fruits and vegetables, consuming less sugar, sleeping more, and exercising. However, it’s easy to say we’re going to do these things; it’s much harder to get in the habit of doing them.

Between work and taking care of your home life, healthier choices sometimes tend to fall through the cracks. Luckily, we’ve put together this list of actionable steps you can take for leading a healthier life.

1. Eat Unprocessed Foods Often

Your diet should consist of more vegetables, fruit, lean meats, and grains instead of fast food or junk food. You can take this first step to a healthier life by visiting your local grocery store and not purchasing any junk food. You can do this, walk right by the junk food aisles and don’t even look at them.

Healthy eating, including unprocessed foods, have a higher nutritional value and will help you feel more awake throughout the day so you can be more productive. Don’t worry too much about eating unhealthy foods, though. The more you tell yourself not to eat cake, the more you’re going to want to eat cake. Balance is key to helping you eat more unprocessed foods.

2. Walk More

Instead of lying to yourself that you’re going to wake up at 6 in the morning for a vigorous workout, start slow by walking more. Not only is walking a great way to lose weight, but it can make a huge impact on your life if you’re sedentary and have a desk job.

Instead of traveling by car, walk when you can. You can incorporate more walking into your daily life by taking a walk on your lunch break or parking farther away from your destination to force yourself to get in a few extra steps each day.

If you have a dog, use your pet as an excuse to take more walks. If your pet typically goes outside on his or her own, ask them if they’d like to take a walk with you. Their tail wagging will be motivation enough to get you off the couch and outside. These walks will give you time to bond with your pet, which can improve your emotional wellbeing and your physical health.

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain, cardiovascular health problems and increase the likelihood of other preventable health issues. Simply put, sitting too much is bad for you. Take walking breaks throughout the day to get your body moving.

3. Cut Back on Alcohol

If you find yourself having a glass or two of wine or any other alcoholic beverage each night, it might be time to consider cutting back. Cutting back on alcohol is better for your liver and your wallet. Alcohol has negative effects on both your mind and body, with alcohol abuse causing high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, and a multitude of other health issues.

4. Use the Right Products

Believe it or not, not all products you purchase are just for fun. Instead, find products that can improve your wellbeing based on your needs. For example, if you’re someone who feels tired throughout the day, you can find a vitamin energy blend that will keep you alert and active while you work. Similarly, if you have any type of health issue, you may be able to find a product that makes life more comfortable for you. For example, someone suffering from acid reflux can use an acid reflux pillow to improve their sleep.

5. Take Time Off Work

While we don’t recommend taking too much time off of work for fear of never returning, it is healthy for you to take time off of work, especially if you haven’t used many of your vacation days. Taking time away from work can have health benefits, including reduced stress, depression, and the risk of heart attacks.

Stress is sometimes unavoidable, but chronic stress can lead to anxiety, mental illness, weight gain, and even reduced immunity. A little break from your job can help you relax so you get back on the right track and make healthier decisions.

6. Take a Break from Tech

Many of us spend our entire day on our phones and computers and watching TV. A break from the digital world might seem difficult, but taking a few minutes away from it every day can improve your daily life. Getting off your phone can improve sleep, increase your productivity, and improve important relationships with your family and friends.

7. Exercise

There’s almost nothing exercise can’t do when it comes to your physical and mental health. When most people think about working out, they think about going to the gym. Luckily, you don’t have to go to a gym to get a good workout. Instead, you can take a hike, play badminton with a friend, go swimming, or enjoy an online yoga class.

Exercise has not only been proven to enhance your mood, but it strengthens your muscles, bones, and cardiovascular system.

8. Find a Hobby

Many of us are so busy we rarely have time to find hobbies. However, your hobbies don’t have to be time-consuming. Instead, let them be any activity you can do for 30 minutes a day or less. These activities can help you destress and relax after a long day of work. Finding a hobby you enjoy can be simple. For example, if you’re someone who loves working with their hands, you can look online for videos of woodworking and carving to help you get started. Other common hobbies can be reading, painting, journaling, baking, or more.

9. Make New Friends

Adults can have the most difficult time making friends. However, by making an effort to start friendships, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about people and find healthier relationships that keep you motivated. If you’re not sure where you start, you can start at your job, where you spend eight hours a day with the same people. We bet you have at least one work friend you could turn into a real friend outside of the work setting.

Leading a Healthier Life

The steps to leading a healthier life will look different for everyone. The steps described in this article are places you can start to make improvements in your life. Remember, it’s just as important to have a healthy mind as it is to have a healthy body, so make sure you find a balance between the two.