There is no doubt that the pandemic has taken a toll over our lives, but that does not mean that we stop living our lives to the fullest.  Let’s not constrain ourselves to the downfalls of 2020, let’s think big, open our mind to hope & stand stronger for 2021. Now is the perfect time to make a commitment to getting healthy, physically and mentally. Even small changes can lead to a refreshing change over time. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to start living healthier, you can begin with small steps, here are 10 tips to help you feel your best and healthiest this year!

1. Focus on self-care
Motivating yourself to be productive every day requires you to care for yourself first. It’s not limited to just how you look but also how you feel. Focus on your mental well-being as much as your physical well-being.

2. Drink at least three litres of water every day
Hydration is extremely important at all times! Make it a point to drink at least eight to 10 glasses of water daily—your body will thank you! And remember Your body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.

3. Make time for exercise
Invest in yourself and make time for exercise, we all know how important regular exercise is for our physical, mental health and well-being. But if you struggle to make exercise a part of your life, it’s okay, don’t be too hard on yourself! Building new healthy habits can take time, but the benefits are definitely worth it. Remember why you started, and use that as your motivation to keep on going, even when you feel like giving up.

4. Sleep for at least eight hours
Regardless of how busy your schedule is, make sure you catch good sleep at night. Sleep is a vital, often neglected, component of every person’s overall health and well-being. Sleep is important because it enables the body to repair and be fit and ready for another day.Getting adequate rest may also help prevent excess weight gain, heart disease, and increased illness duration.

5. Respect the environment
We owe a lot to our environment for everything it has given us and still does. Let’s do our share of conserving it by saying no to single-use plastic, planting more trees, and every little thing we can.

6. Do things you enjoy
This often gets overlooked as an essential element of healthy living—doing things each day that you enjoy! Whether that’s exercise, baking, crafting, reading a book or watching TV, or catching up with family, reserve time each day to spend doing activities you personally enjoy.

7. Eat more colour
Junk food once in a while is okay, after all it’s all about balance. But, don’t forget to add colour to your plate, the best way get all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need is to eat a variety of colourful fruits and veggies. This will boost not just your heart health but also improve other organ functions.

8. Learn something new
Explore things you never knew about!  How about learning a new language, exploring pottery, freestyle dance, gardening, reading your favourite authors again, time for video games, painting or sketching. Try to learn more and grow as an individual. Don’t stop yourself from what you know already, but put yourself in challenging situations.

9. Cultivate a positive mindset
“The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude.” It’s true—mindset is everything! Cultivate a positive mindset by recognizing negative thought patterns and countering them with positive thoughts or affirmations.

10. Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present at the moment and is seeing positive results in their daily lifestyles, like reduced stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Try incorporating this technique into your lifestyle.

 

Remember you’re more likely to do things you actually enjoy. So take note of which of these healthy living tips sound most enjoyable to you and start from there!