When we say ‘living the healthiest lifestyle,’ what do we really mean? In short, being ‘healthy’ means something different to every single person. And especially for parents, (who are often deprioritizing themselves in order to prioritize their children/families), ‘healthy’ may mean simply learning to take up space.
All too often as parents we follow hectic schedules and struggle to properly take care of ourselves. This inevitably leads to poor eating or sleeping habits, disconnect from our goals, and if we’re not careful. . . eventual burnout.
But it doesn’t have to be like this! Here are some ways to truly live the healthiest lifestyle you possibly can (regardless of how busy you are:
1. Stick to Your Health Checks
So many people cancel, put off, or simply skip their routine health checks. . . but these checks are in place to identify health issues in their early stages and ensure you get the treatment you need as soon as possible! So, in short—don’t skip them!
Visit your dentist and cosmetic dentist once every six months. Check in with your optician once every two years. Check when you’re due your next cervical screening examination, and make sure you keep up with any other health appointments you’re meant to routinely attend. (Even if it feels like an inconvenience!).
Remember: You would do this for your child(ren), so why not do it for yourself?!
2. Exercise & Consider Hiring A Personal Trainer
While you don’t necessarily need to hire a trainer to workout, it does help. If you have the budget available, seriously consider hiring a personal trainer! This puts the burden and the pushing on someone else and can potentially help you stay accountable.
A healthy adult should get roughly one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week, or – as an alternative – seventy five minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise every week. But how many of us actually achieve this? Not as many as you might expect.
When you get home from work, it’s pretty easy to avoid going to the gym in favor of kicking back and relaxing instead. Hiring a personal trainer can resolve this. A personal trainer takes the ‘guess work’ out of working out. This person can listen to your goals and come up with a fitness plan that will help you to achieve them. They can monitor your workouts. They can guide you. And perhaps most importantly, paying for sessions and knowing someone is somewhere waiting for you pushes you to actually attend.
3. Focus On Your Eating Habits
A balanced diet will give your body the fuel it needs to thrive! Not only do you need to make sure you’re body is getting the right amount of food, but you need to ensure that it’s getting the right type of food, too. Start by hitting your recommended calorie count. This can vary based on your age and activity levels.
Here are some suggestions:
- Active women ages 14 to 30 – 2400 calories
- Sedentary women ages 14 to 30 – 1800 to 2000 calories
- Active adults over 30 – 2000 to 3000 calories
- Sedentary adults over 30 – 1600 to 2400 calories
Use these recommendations as recommendations, and prioritize eating all of the food groups in moderation. Avoid takeaways and junk food where possible. Or, opt for alternatives that are a bit healthier.
Rather than feeling like you need to cut a bunch of things out, you can make switches. For example, the Pizza Hut keto menu offers some great options if you are a pizza enthusiast and want to stick to a healthier diet.
Hopefully, some of the steps above will help you lead the healthiest lifestyle you can!
Featured Image Credit: Jason Briscoe
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