It can be tempting to hit that snooze button in the morning for just five more blessed minutes of sleep, especially after a long night of tossing and turning. However, creating healthy daily habits can have long-lasting, positive effects on the body’s overall health and well-being (i.e. your physical, emotional, and mental health).
For those who claim not to be morning people, this list of daily habits can help your body feel more alert and even excited to be awake during the day. While this list can seem daunting at first, remember that starting small is key to making big changes, and every little bit helps.
So, start by picking one or two from the list to incorporate into your daily routine, and watch how they transform into good habits that leave you feeling great.
You Are What You Eat: Incorporating A Healthy Diet Into Your Daily Routine
Perhaps one of the most important healthy lifestyle changes you can make is the food you eat.
One great way to guarantee you’re eating healthy food on a daily basis is to make smoothies. Dietitians and nutritionists have long touted the health benefits of a fruit or vegetable smoothie. (Sometimes even a combination of both, if you’re looking to pack in the daily recommended amount of fruits and veggies before breakfast.) In fact, studies have found that those who include more apples in their diet are more likely to lose weight than those who substitute the fruit with other healthy foods, like oats.1
Incorporating a smoothie to eat with your breakfast into your morning routine is a great place to start creating good habits. However, smoothies can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Make sure you blend up a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy fat and protein sources (like coconut, almonds, etc.).2
Can Meditation Help Reduce Stress And Support Health?
For those who are constantly craving more sleep or feeling the negative effects of stress, meditation and deep breathing exercises are a great and easy activity to do every single day to support your health. Not only can it be done from anywhere, it can also help your mind and body center itself, leaving you feeling less stressed and more likely to get a good night’s sleep.
If you find the source of your bad habits are due to things like insomnia or sleep deprivation, meditation can be a healthy daily routine to consider. When the body meditates, sleep is initiated in our brains as relaxation takes over, helping you get a good night’s rest.3
Either before bed or first thing in the morning, find a quiet place and practice being still and mindful. After forming a strong, good habit of meditating, you may find that your energy levels have increased after a night’s sleep over time.
Remember: You don’t have to commit to hours of meditating every day. Start small. Try waking up (or getting ready for bed) at least ten minutes to half an hour earlier than usual and fill that extra time with meditation. Meditators have found that it’s much easier to build a practice over time, and started seeing long-term results on their mind and body, as well as overall mood, after just a day or two.4
Can A Morning Workout Help You Lose Weight?
Tony Horton agrees that the benefits of exercise on the body cannot be overstated. However, putting these good habits into practice can be easier said than done. Let’s go back to the ‘start small to create big change’ advice, as it applies especially to exercise.
Remember the meditation practice? A great way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine can be as easy as taking a few minutes to do some yoga before or after your meditation. Physical activity is crucial to your health, and yoga is a great activity for combating stress while still getting in a good workout.
In fact, research has found that those who exercised in the morning found more success in their weight loss journey than those who completed the same workout later in the day.5 The research also found that those who exercised in the morning tended to be more active throughout the day, which could additionally contribute to more weight loss in the body as opposed to those who waited to exercise in the evening.6
Next time you go to meditate, be sure to bring the yoga mat along. You may start to see positive changes in your sleep, mood, energy levels, and overall health.
When In Doubt, Try To Exercise Every Day And Sleep More
Furthermore, including exercise into your daily routine means that you’re more likely to drink more water, sleep better, and contribute to your weight loss with the help of a healthy diet.7 Some great ways to start building healthy exercise habits include trying to walk wherever you can, standing up at your desk (if applicable), taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and even limiting screen time.8
Reserving the weekends for longer, more strenuous physical activity on the body can be the next step when creating a strong exercise routine. Because working out in the morning seems to have more benefits, try getting up earlier in the day for a run, brisk walk, or hot yoga or Pilates class.
Not only does early morning exercise have plenty of health benefits, it can also affect your mood and eating habits. This is because you’re more likely to choose healthy food—or make a healthier meal—over those with a high sugar or fat content, as well as getting more hours of sleep under your belt each night.
Good, Routine Habits Die Hard And Go A Long Way
These keystone habits can have incredibly positive and beneficial changes on your body and overall health, including your mind. Forming good habits begins with starting small and can go a long way in your daily routine. So, the next time you roll over to smack that snooze button for the second or third time, ask yourself what good habits could be formed by getting out of bed, making a smoothie, or cooking and eating a healthy meal.
Healthy people commit to a healthy lifestyle, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Every tiny step helps. Don’t let the negative self-talk keep you from starting on an exciting and transformative journey come tomorrow morning. Remember: Every single day is a new opportunity to exercise good daily habits for your body and health.
Learn More:
What Are The Health Benefits Of Outdoor Fitness Training And Some Outdoor Fitness Ideas?
Eating A Lot Of Vegetables: Health Benefits For Your Body
Exercises For Your Body And Mind: Try These Ultimate Yoga Poses
Sources
1 https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/30-simple-steps-success
2 https://time.com/5447846/are-smoothies-healthy/
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/meditation-for-sleep#how-it-helps
4 https://medium.com/better-humans/how-to-make-meditation-a-daily-habit-for-life-30ac2b11a07f
5 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/well/move/morning-exercise-may-offer-the-most-weight-loss-benefits.html
6 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-019-0409-x
7 https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-exercise-impacts-sleep-quality
8 https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/featured-topic/5-ways-slimming-screen-time-is-good-for-your-health
