Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle

Think you’re leading a healthy lifestyle? Aside from occasionally veering off the path, most of us think we do a fair job of maintaining our health with good (or at least okay) eating habits and physical activity whenever we manage to fit it in. But is that enough to be considered “healthy?”

According to a recent study, very few adults actually meet the criteria for a healthy lifestyle. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that only 3% of American adults got a perfect score on what the authors say are the four basic criteria for healthy living. Just 13.8% met three of the criteria; 34.2% met only two criteria. Women scored slightly better than men.

See how well you measure up on the researchers’ four keys to healthfulness:

Do you smoke?
Are you able to maintain a healthy weight (a BMI of 18-25), or are you successfully losing weight to attain a healthy weight?
Do you eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily?
Do you exercise 30 minutes or more, 5 times a week?

While those four habits are indisputably important for a healthy lifestyle, some may argue that more factors should be taken into consideration. What would be on your list? Here are a list of 10 that you might want to put on your list:

Contribute to Wellness and Satisfaction with One’s Lifestyle:

Brush and floss daily. Doing this to keep your teeth and gums healthy and free of disease is actually a very important factor in your overall health
Get a good night’s sleep. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress, but may also have better control of their appetites. A lack of sleep can put our “hunger hormones” out of balance — and possibly trigger overeating.
Enjoy regular family meals. This allows parents to serve as good role models, can promote more nutritious eating, and sets the stage for lively conversations. Being connected to family and/or friends is a powerful aspect of a healthy life.
Smile and laugh out loud several times a day. It keeps you grounded, and helps you cope with situations that would otherwise make you crazy. Read the comics, watch a sitcom, or tell jokes to bring out those happy feelings.
Meditate, pray, or find solace. Try and work up to at least 10-20 minutes each day. Contemplation is good for your soul, helps you cope with the demands of daily life, and has been shown to help lower your blood pressure.
Get a pedometer and let it motivate you to walk, walk, walk. Forget about how many minutes of activity you need. Do everything you can to fit more steps into your day, every day. No matter how you get it, physical activity can help defuse stress, burn calories, and boost self-esteem.
Stand up straight. You’ll look five pounds lighter if you stand tall and tighten your abdominal muscles. Whenever you walk, think “tall and tight” to get the most out of the movement.
Try yoga. The poses help increase strength and flexibility and improve balance. These are critical areas for older folks especially, and both men and women can benefit.
Power up the protein. This nutrient is an essential part of your eating plan, and can make up anywhere from 10%-35% of your total calories. Protein lasts a long time in your belly; combine it with high-fiber foods and you’ll feel full on fewer calories. Enjoy small portions of nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, lean meat, poultry, or fish.

Last but not least, have a positive attitude. Do your best to look at life as if “the glass is half full.” You must believe in yourself, have good support systems, and think positively. When you think positively, you are much more likely to succeed.