What is health? Many people define this word as “being free from all diseases” and “not getting ill”. Actually, the true definition of health (as said by the World Health Organisation) is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. So how do we become healthy? There are many ways to get fit, fix insecurities, clear your mind, and increase your comfort around people. Here’s some suggestions that you can follow:
Keeping A Balanced Diet
It’s literally everyone’s goal to stay in shape and not eat too much or too less but having a balanced diet doesn’t mean replacing hearty meals with a few pieces of fruit every day of your life, contrary to popular belief. To keep a balanced diet, focus more on how much you eat than what you eat. You need all of your carbs, your proteins, dairy products, starch, and minerals.
Rule 1: Don’t Skip Meals
However much weight you want to lose, however skinny you want to get, the key is to NEVER SKIP A MEAL. Many people believe you can lose weight if you do. On the contrary, skipping a meal helps you gain excess weight and fat. For example, not eating breakfast slows down the metabolism in your body. This means that during the day, your cells crave more and more food so when you do eat, your portions are much larger than usual.
Rule 2: Start Cooking More
As tempting and delicious as ordered and ready-made food is, there aren’t as many nutrients in it as fresh, homemade meals. We’re not saying you should completely stop eating ordered food, the point is to cook more. Try to cut down on ready-made meals from your local grocery store that you can microwave in a few minutes. Microwaving your food is actually another factor of not absorbing enough nutrients.
Cooking at home can seem long and tiring but only if you never try. Maybe start with a quick meal like stir-fry (with vegetables, of course) or perhaps homemade fajitas. Whatever you make, ensure you make enough for you to eat and that it has the vital ingredients that your body needs. Not only is it delicious, but it makes you feel proud that you’ve produced such a fine meal.
Rule 3: Drink More Water
Our bodies are made of up to 60% of water. It’s very important for our bodies to function properly. Drinking enough can reduce the number of headaches you get and it can also help digest food more easily. Consume 8 glasses of water a day (or 2 litres) to maintain the balance of your body fluids.
Rule 4: Eat More Carbs
According to the NHS, carbohydrates should take up a third of all of our meals. This includes rice, pasta, bread, cereals, potatoes, and couscous. Some people think that these starchy foods are fattening but actually, they provide fewer calories than those of fatty foods.
Rule 5: Eat Your 5-A-Day
Bananas, mangoes, lychees, peppers, carrots – any fruit or vegetable you enjoy or love, eat it. Fruit and vegetables provide the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to prevent digestion issues and to maintain a healthy gut. It doesn’t have to be all at once – add vegetables to your lunch or snack on slices of apples. It doesn’t matter what fruit or vegetable it is, as long as you enjoy it and eat it, you will do just fine.
Staying Fit
We’re all too lazy to hit the gym and have no time for exercise after work. I know many people that dream to have the perfect body, but do nothing to achieve that. Staying fit not only makes you physically healthy, but it boosts your mental health as well. Instead of working out for hours and hours until your energy drains out, try this 10-minute workout:
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2 minute push-ups
This increases muscular endurance and also burns calories.
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2 minute squats
This helps build up your leg muscles like your quadriceps and hamstrings.
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2 minute star jumps
This sheds belly fat and tones your muscles.
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1 minute plank
This increases flexibility by stretching all of your posterior muscle groups.
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3 minute crunches
