How to Change to a Healthy Lifestyle in Small Steps
Making positive lifestyle changes can improve how you look and feel on a daily basis and improve your long-term health. Maintaining a healthy body weight, making healthy food choices and getting adequate rest all contribute to a better quality of life and can increase your longevity. Rather than trying to change all your unhealthy habits all at once, focus on small changes that take place over time. Consult with your health-care provider before making significant changes to your lifestyle.
Instructions
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Take a daily multivitamin supplement. According to MayoClinic.com, if you have difficulty eating enough healthy foods, you might benefit from a dietary supplement. Dietary supplements, including multivitamins, can be helpful if you are eating less than 1,600 calories a day, if you are a vegan or if you have a medical condition that makes it difficult for you to absorb nutrients. According to MayoClinic.com, read the product label and choose a multivitamin that has multiple nutrients in amounts approaching 100 percent of your daily requirements. Avoid supplements that provide megadoses of any one nutrient. Check with your health-care provider regarding which multivitamin supplements would be most appropriate for your needs.
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Increase your daily amounts of physical activity gradually. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States, and according to The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Health, physically inactive people are twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease as physically active people. Increasing your daily activity burns additional calories and helps control your weight. Gradually increase physical activity in your daily schedule. For example, walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator, or increase the distance you walk to get to your car each day. If you are constantly working with a computer, get up at frequent intervals and take a brisk walk in the halls where you work or around the building. Spend more time performing work around your house or in your yard.
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Increase your daily consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These types of foods provide essential vitamins and minerals. Some fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, oranges and legumes, are also sources of fiber. Adequate dietary fiber is important for reducing cholesterol and proper elimination. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are also a source of complex carbohydrates, which provide your body with sustained energy.
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Perform low to moderate aerobic exercise on most days of the week. According to The American College of Sports Medicine, you need a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio exercise five days a week. You also receive aerobic benefits by performing 10-minute aerobic sessions three times a day. Examples of low to moderate aerobic exercises are brisk walking, stationary cycling, water aerobics and low-impact aerobic classes. Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart, burns calories, improves your moods and helps to regulate your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
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Decrease your consumption of saturated fats. Saturated fats are generally derived from animal sources and are considered unhealthy for your heart. You can decrease saturated fats from your diet by cutting all visible fat off meat, removing the skin from chicken and consuming only fat-reduced foods and beverages. Saturated fats are also high in calories, yielding 9 calories per gram.
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Tips & Warnings
Drink ample amounts of water each day. Water helps to cleanse the urinary tract and flushes toxins from the body.
Ask your health-care provider about taking a cardiovascular stress test. A stress test can uncover the potential for a heart attack.
References
- Photo Credit Vegetables image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
