Does Your Lifestyle Allow You to Live Well?

Plenty of bad lifestyle choices hide in plain sight. Maybe work has been stressful, so you decide to put an extra packet of sugar in your third cup of coffee. While vegging out on the couch, you treat yourself to one more episode than usual and wind up going to bed late. All these little temptations add up over time and can leave you feeling worse because of them.

Reflect on your daily routine and figure out which lifestyle choices you could do without or what you can improve on to live a healthier, happier life. Here are some of the most common ones.

Taking meals on the go

To a lot of people, giving their undivided attention to food is a waste of time. They’ll eat in the car or at their desk, and meals are often coupled with other tasks like work, checking phones or taking notes at a conference. All of a sudden, lunch breaks don’t feel like a break. However, if you don’t give your brain a chance to unplug, you’ll burn out a lot faster and become unproductive.

Dedicate meal times as a chance to really focus on the food that’s going into your body. Put the phone down, step away from your desk and choose a quiet corner to enjoy the food. Instead of slamming that breakfast burrito on your morning commute, carve out time in your daily routine to do nothing but sit and savor every bite. Not only will you get a second to breathe, but you’re also more likely to pay attention to what you’re eating and listen to the cues your body is giving you. This might be hard at first, but you’ll learn to slow down once wellness becomes a top priority.

Opting for unhealthy choices

When we’re crunched for time, wellness goes out the window. A hectic schedule causes many to hop in that drive-thru lane for a quick bite to eat. Office vending machines give us tasty treats the second we’re hungry. Break rooms are stocked with grab-and-go junk food that’s hard to resist. You don’t like to think about it in the moment, but an unhealthy diet will soon catch up to you and negatively impact your health in a multitude of ways.

A little bit of meal prep on the weekends can help you ditch fast food. Plan your dinners for the week and chop up the ingredients on a Sunday night. Pack a healthy lunch on weeknights so all you have to do in the morning is pull it from the fridge on your way to work. Do the same with nuts, apples or protein bars, so you’ve got some healthy midday snacks on hand.

Neglecting your fitness goals

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At the end of a long, tiring work day, the last thing you want to do is drain what little energy you have left. Many people prefer to recharge by binging their favorite shows all night. Sure, you have time to exercise, but it’s hard to get motivated when working out feels like such a chore. What most don’t realize is that a sedentary lifestyle is actually what’s making you feel sluggish. A lack of exercise can lead to other health consequences like excessive weight gain and poor sleep quality.

Exercise doesn’t have to leave you feeling drained. In fact, it’s supposed to do quite the opposite! A morning walk is just what you need to feel invigorated before heading off to work. This might sound too time-consuming, especially when you’re racing against the clock. However, setting aside time for a quick lap around the block is a huge investment in your wellness, energy levels and productivity. Plus, the rush of endorphins post-workout will make you want to keep morning walks in your daily routine.

Think about what’s holding you back from wellness

Making changes to your lifestyle isn’t always easy. If it was, unhealthy lifestyle choices would never be a problem in the first place! It takes a while to replace one habit with another, but the payoff for your health and mental wellbeing will make the journey well worth your time. Say goodbye to all those worn-out habits and hello to the new and improved you!


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