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14 Healthy habits

Your wellness, weight loss and fitness goals are more likely to be achieved when you develop healthier habits. We’ve created this simple list of 14 healthy habit ideas for you to try!

Remember, the key to avoiding burnout with any new routine is to start small. So, try a few ideas from this list to incorporate into your lifestyle. Once you have actually made a habit of one or two of these, and you start to see results, try a couple more!

Quit your bad habits. If you smoke, stop—seriously! Smoking is the number one most preventable health risk. It is impossible to live in today’s world and be unaware of the serious damage smoking causes to your health including cancer, heart disease, stroke and lung diseases.
Set healthy goals. Set goals for your health and wellness and keep them in mind at all times. Even when you dine out or go to a party! If you know you’re going to a particular restaurant, look up the nutrition information online or order food that is grilled, baked, broiled or steamed instead of fried.
Drink more water. Opt for water instead of sugary or highly caffeinated beverages. Try putting fruit slices, berries or cucumbers in your water to spice it up with a little flavor!
Exercise consistently. The benefits of consistent physical activity are abundant! Make sure you choose an activity that you will be consistent with. If you’ve been inactive for a while, start in small 10 minute increments and build up from there. Ideally, adults need about 2 ½ hours a week of regular exercise, so getting up to 30 minutes a day, for 5 days a week shouldn’t be that difficult. Go for a walk, take a lesson or exercise class or do a work out video.
Eat breakfast. If you’re not doing this already, start tomorrow! Beginning your day with a healthy breakfast is a simple habit that significantly impacts your overall health. Make sure your breakfast includes lean protein, whole grains, fruit and veggies. Try a fruit parfait with low-fat plain yogurt, whole grain cereal or a veggie breakfast burrito—hold the greasy sausage!
Add fruit and veggies to your plate. Many people lack sufficient intake of fruits and vegetables in their daily diets. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Keeping pre-cut fruits and vegetables handy for snacks and stocking up on frozen vegetables makes it more convenient to add fruit and veggies to breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Control your portions. If you have to, get out the measuring cups to make sure you’re not dishing out more than a serving.
Plan for healthy snacking. If you don’t plan your snacks ahead of time, most likely you will eat unhealthy snacks high in salt and carbohydrates. Fruits and veggies are the best snacks to have on hand, but plan for a little variety by keeping rice cakes, trail mix, yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese on hand.
Read food labels. Checking out the labels of your favorite foods will help you avoid unhealthy food additives, reduce your sodium intake and make more informed decisions when opting for organics.
Consult with your medical provider about weight management issues. Being overweight is linked to numerous serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, gout, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and asthma. Odds of overcoming struggles with weight management improve when consulting with a wellness healthcare provider.
Cook more often. Break the cycle of dining out and eating prepackaged foods. Your body will thank you for it, and so will your family! Try some new, healthy recipes or cooking techniques to get inspired.
Eat more fish. Eating seafood twice a week will increase your intake of healthy omega-3 fats. Salmon, trout, oysters and sardines are healthy fish options because they are higher in omega-3s and lower in mercury.
Avoid empty calories. You are what you eat! Cut back on foods and drinks that have added sugars, fat and sodium with little or no nutritional value. It’s ok to treat yourself now and then, but try to focus your daily diet on nutrient dense foods including complete proteins, complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fats.
Get your zzzs. While you sleep your body restores your immune system, your nervous system, and even your muscular and skeletal systems. Sleep deprivation is a stress on the body that has been linked to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, premature aging and anxiety disorders. Try incorporating habits for good sleep hygiene like going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, avoiding naps and steering clear of caffeine later in the day.