Building healthy routines is tough, keeping them going can prove even tougher. We all desire to achieve our optimal selves, yet the path is never simple. On the journey to habit formation, it typically spans about two months to solidify a new routine. However, this duration can widely vary, stretching from weeks to several months, depending on the specific routine you aim to embed into your life.
In the whirlwind of our rapid lifestyles and the endless lure for our focus, appetites, and preferences, persisting with a healthful regimen often feels like an unattainable feat. Perhaps you’re proud of your unwavering commitment to morning yoga sessions, yet carry a remorse for not maintaining a whole 30-day diet beyond a mere handful of days.
Instead of burdening yourself with a complex array of ambitious aspirations that seem out of reach, why not embrace straightforward, helpful practices that necessitate slight tweaks to your daily norms? Here are some manageable healthy habits you can initiate within the comfort of your home, alongside guidance to assist in keeping you aligned with your goals.
Minimize Consumption of Unhealthy Fats
Aim for fats to be a minor slice of your daily calorie pie to keep your diet on track — ideally less than 30%. This small adjustment helps you sidestep unwanted weight gain and dodge diseases. When it comes to fats, not all are equal. Your best bet? Lean heavily on unsaturated fats instead of their saturated or trans fat siblings.
Echoing the World Health Organization’s advice, dial down your daily dose of saturated fats to below 10% of your calorie intake, and keep trans fats to a scant less than 1%. The strategy here is simple: swap out the bad fats for the good ones.
For those searching for good fats, cast your net towards the ocean for fish, reach for avocado and nuts, or drizzle your dishes with oils pressed from sunflowers, soybeans, canola, or olives. Try to cut back on foods that are high-fliers in saturated fats; think certain meats and dairy delights like butter, cheese, cream, and palm and coconut oils. Let’s also not forget about trans fats, the health-hazardous ingredients often lurking in processed and packaged temptations such as:
- Bakery treats
- Fried fantasies
- An array of quick-fix snacks and meals, including everyone’s guilty pleasure, frozen pizzas and cookies
Avoiding these and opting for healthier fats can make all the difference in your diet.
Eat Fruits and Vegetables
The CDC has highlighted a concerning trend: a significant shortfall in the consumption of fruits and vegetables among Americans. Surprisingly, only 9% adhere to the recommended vegetable intake, and a slightly higher, but still low 12% achieve the fruit consumption guidelines.
The dietary model proposed by the USDA’s My Plate, which evolved from the older food pyramid, advises that fruits and vegetables should constitute half of our dietary intake. Consider this: when did your meal last adhere to this recommendation, salads aside?
The importance of a diet abundant in fruits and vegetables cannot be overstated, offering benefits such as effective weight management and a decreased likelihood of enduring chronic health issues. By not incorporating sufficient quantities of these food groups, we miss out on these advantages and are likely to consume more foods high in calories or heavily processed.
These choices can have detrimental health effects, particularly in excess. Alternatively, there are benefits of powdered greens that can provide an easy and convenient alternative to increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.
Pursue Personal Growth
Take this chance to enjoy the slow rhythm while it’s here, dedicating your time to understanding yourself better and fostering personal growth. Engage with literature on meditation or dive into books that tackle important subjects like gaining self-confidence, enhancing productivity, or becoming friendlier.
Implementing a structured daily routine is the most effective strategy. Consider setting aside 15 to 30 minutes for meditation as soon as you get up, and later, allocate some time to assess your day’s achievements and recognize areas where you could improve. Approach your self-evaluation with honesty, aiming to spot potential enhancements.
Note that such changes won’t occur overnight; this endeavor requires patience and consistency. As time goes on, nurturing self-improvement can gradually become a regular habit that positively reshapes your lifestyle, leaving you with lasting benefits well after these challenging times are over.
Tidy Up Your Home
Consider this period an opportunity to catch up on the domestic tasks you’ve been delaying. Gradually clean your living spaces, including the living room, bedrooms, dining area, and kitchen. Whether it’s a thorough clean-up for Spring or Fall or simply rearranging your furniture, dedicating time to your home can significantly reduce stress.
Methodical cleaning of your residence can further minimize the risk of contaminating your space. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap for at least 20 seconds after completing any household chore or after returning from outside as part of your contribution to halting the spread.
While it might be appealing to spend days indoors without changing out of sleepwear or neglecting healthy habits, maintaining our mental and physical well-being is crucial now more than ever. Stay safe and positive during these challenging times, and you’ll find yourself better equipped to resume your regular activities once circumstances improve.
Discover Healthy and Effective Ways to Celebrate Your Achievements
Following a strenuous week of work, an intense workout session, or achieving a particular goal or challenge, the desire to treat yourself is a natural response. Recognizing your efforts with a reward is crucial; it not only uplifts your spirits but also motivates you to persist in making positive decisions; truthfully, you’ve earned it.
However, when the reward chosen has negative health implications, can it truly be considered a reward? Indulging in an oversized bag of chips, consuming several glasses of wine more than necessary, or dedicating the entire weekend to watching TV are examples where rewards may not genuinely benefit your physical and mental health.
Instead of succumbing to unhealthy temptations, why not choose a reward that brings you joy and gratitude? This could be anything from a loved one, a pet, a hobby, or simply enjoying pleasant weather; focus on these as your form of reward.
For example, if you appreciate the company of your spouse and the tranquility of your backyard, allow yourself a carefree hour to relax outside with them, enjoying a glass of wine. At the same time, they prepare dinner on the grill. This approach ensures that your rewards are not only enjoyable but also enriching.
Endnote
The state of your health significantly influences your daily mood and lifestyle. Struggling with stress, exhaustion, or illness can hinder your ability to be at your best and fully engage with the people in your life. To flourish and minimize the risk of long-term health issues, adopting healthy choices now and maintaining them can greatly improve your odds for a lengthy, energetic and wholesome existence.
MindOwl Founder – My own struggles in life have led me to this path of understanding the human condition. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before completing a master’s degree in psychology at Regent’s University London. I then completed a postgraduate diploma in philosophical counselling before being trained in ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy).
I’ve spent the last eight years studying the encounter of meditative practices with modern psychology.