If you’re like a lot of us, 2020 took its toll on our physical and mental health. And as we all work to pull ourselves from a year of stressful lockdowns, job losses and falling stocks, healthy living is the right way to go in 2021.
As we are sure you will agree, healthy living is something that is far easier said than done, and so we have a few tips below that will make getting in a routine and keeping yourself healthy a lot easier this year – and may even help you form healthy habits that truly change the way you live, for the better.
Before we kick off our list of tips, it’s good to come into a healthy living plan with a clear mind and a positive attitude. Keep in mind that you can do this and with just a little self-discipline and endurance, you’ll be on the right track in no time at all.
The most important part of it is to be educated. If you expand your knowledge and learn different skills, you will definitely be more prepared to live a healthy life. For example, if you want to start exercising, it would be a good thing to have a first-aid certification, so you can be ready for any kind of injuries you may encounter.
With that out of the way, let’s get into our seven tips for healthy living in 2021.
1. It All Begins with Sleep
We’re sure you’re happy when we say that the biggest tip from us, for a healthy lifestyle, is getting some rest in that warm, plush and cozy bed of yours.
Whether we like it or not, a better day begins with a good night’s sleep, and so working to build a night routine that ensures at least eight hours is a good place to start. “You may also want to consider getting a new, more comfortable mattress. If you need some suggestions, Sleepify has done the work for you by compiling a list of the best mattresses around”. From here, you want to make sure that both technology and caffeine are stripped from your late afternoon and evening routines, and you’ll be on the way to falling asleep a lot faster this year.
2. Set a List of Goals
A second tip from us is to move forward with setting goals that get you motivate, are realistic and will also be easy to follow.
The goals that should land on this list include small bite-sized motivators such as taking a walk in the morning or the evening, standing each hour at work and getting plenty of water for example. With these small achievable daily goals, you’ll be setting yourself on a path to a routine that is health-focused and barely noticeable as ‘work’ but rather something you simply do in your day to day life.
3. Invest in Accountability
We could all do with some motivation and accountability when it comes to keeping fit and healthy, and the good news is that in 2021 technology has our back.
Considering investing in tools like an Apple Watch for fitness tracking is a good place to start, as these types of smart devices will let us know when we’re lacking and whether it’s time to stand up, breathe or get a walk in, for example.
Added to this, these tools also enable us to compete and share our activity with friends, which adds a little more motivation and even some competition to our daily fitness routine.
4. Undergo Your Checkups
One often overlooked step to healthy living is getting all of our routine checkups. You may be fit, eating well and making all of the right choices when it comes to your health, but without a look into your blood and other areas of the body, you can’t truly know how well you’re doing.
For example, it is always good to have bloodwork conducted annually by your GP as well as a look into your stomach and gut health, which is where a colonoscopy in Sydney may be helpful.
5. Do What You Enjoy
When it comes to workouts, in particular, a lot of us find it hard to stick to a routine and really get into our daily workouts. Though, to make this a little easier, we suggest finding the workouts you enjoy the most and go from there.
If your favourite exercise in the world is running for example, then simply make this your go-to exercise and slowly brand out into other things. The same goals for weight lifting, swimming, yoga or sit-ups. If you love it, do it! Your body will thank you and it will be far easier to build a fitness routine because of it.
6. Consider Meal Prep
As one of the biggest drawbacks of fitness and health, eating well is something you really need to get a handle on as soon as possible, and so we suggest meal prepping!
With an hour to two spare each week, you can work to bulk-cook your meals for the week ahead, even if these are just dinners or lunches, and you’ll have no excuse or reason not to eat healthily considering the food is ready to go.
Adding on to this tip, you can also use this meal prepping time to get in as many vegetables and other nutritional foods as possible given they only need to be prepare once a week.
7. The Outdoors is a Chance to Reset
Our final tip for healthy living this year is to get into the great outdoors.
As research during COVID-19 taught us, simply getting into the outdoors for a few moments a day can totally transform our mood, motivation and lust for life in a way that keeps us pushing to stay healthy. On top of this, a look outdoors will help our circadian rhythm reset and allow us to better sleep and simply live happier and healthier.
8. Travel and Learn
When it comes to healthy living, we often focus on physical aspects like exercise and nutrition. However, let’s not overlook the profound impact that travel can have on our well-being. Exploring new destinations offers more than just leisure; it provides an opportunity to broaden our horizons and engage in cultural immersion. Imagine studying French in Montreal, or Spanish in Melbourne, or any other language of your choice. These linguistic adventures offer a unique blend of mental stimulation, cultural immersion, and healthy exploration, making them an excellent choice for those seeking to embrace holistic well-being.
