25 Healthy Habits to Create for A Lifetime Part 4
#16 Choose Good People To Surround Yourself With
One of my favorite quotes from Jim Rohn, “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.” This relates to the law of averages, which is the theory that the result of any given situation will be the average of all outcomes.
When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced, by those closest to us, in a good way and not so good way. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Everyone has to make their own decision however research has shown that we are more affected by our environment than we think. If you don’t think it’s true, what this video by Derren Brown. Your friend's decisions are influenced by what THEY consume and in turn YOU are influenced by THEIR habits and beliefs whether you think you are or not.
#17 Spend More Time Outdoors
I love spending time outdoors. Growing up in southern California in the 80’s and near the beaches, trails and my love for running made it easy to spend time outdoors. I was a happy camper.
According to the Harvard health letter spending time outdoors is good for your health.
You increase your vitamin D levels. Some benefits of vitamin D include prevention or decreasing the risks of certain health conditions that include heart disease, depression, cancer and even osteoporosis. Just don’t over do it and it's best to limit your sun exposure to 20 minutes and before 10 am. If you are outdoors for an extended period of time, apply a layer of sunscreen with zinc oxide for protection. My favorite is Badger’s.
You move more. You get more exercise when you spend more time outdoors, whether it’s walking, biking, swimming, paddle boarding or hiking.
You are a happier person. The sunshine and light tends to elevate a person’s mood and we get more when we are outdoors than indoors.
Improved concentration. There is also improvement in concentration and children with ADHD tend to focus better after spending time outdoors. If you work from home it’s a great idea to take a 15 minute break and walk outdoors.
Healing time is improved. You can heal faster when you spend time outdoors. In one study people recovering from spinal surgery experienced less pain, stress and took less pain medication when they were exposed to natural sunlight
#18 Eat Your Calories vs Drinking Your Calories
We often don’t count the macros of the beverages we drink. We either forget that we consumed them or don’t realize how much sugar or calories are in them. These drinks include alcohol, sugary mixed drinks, coffee drinks, sodas and even natural fruit juices are often loaded with more sugar than a candy bar. The average American consumes about 400 calories a day!!!
#19 Have A Strong Why
Some days you will wake up and not want to workout, take your vitamins, meditate or even eat your broccoli. Let’s face it, we are not always inspired to do the right thing.
That’s why you need to have something that will motivate you do stay on track. Some people use negative motivation, “I don’t want to end up like my grandmother, she had her leg amputated due to diabetes”, “I don’t want to be like my best friend who died from a heart attack because he worked so much, he didn’t make time to exercise.”
We can also be driven with positive motivation. I like this method better. “I want to be there for my kids”, “I want to be able to serve more at my church”, or “I want to help other people live their best life.”. These are all driven by love and a desire for something greater, which I find may be easier to follow than being driven by fear or negative motivation.
#20 Choose Healthy Snacks
Instead of opting for crackers, chips or cookies, choose veggies, fruits, seeds or nuts. “A moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips.” I don’t know who said that but it’s a reminder to choose the healthier option when at all possible. You can even choose to follow the 80/20 or 90/10 rule. Choose healthy snacks 80% or 90% of the time and you won’t feel deprived and 10-20% of the time allow for some flexibility. Maybe this can be applied 1 day a week or maybe 2 after you have reached your goal weight.
The key is to keep healthy snacks in your home, office, gym back, brief case, purse or when you travel. Always be prepared for the unexpected.