My Neat Health offers plenty of healthy eating options, but it can be challenging to maintain a healthy lifestyle this time of year. You may be tempted by sugary, high-calorie foods that seem to lurk around every corner. You may feel the stress of trying to do everything – decorate, shop, celebrate, etc. You may find it more challenging to find time to exercise.
Here are five tips to help you create or maintain a healthy lifestyle now that you can take with you into the new year.
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Pay attention to your alcohol intake
If you occasionally enjoy a glass of wine, we aren't suggesting you eliminate alcohol from your diet. However, with all the holiday celebrations, it's easy to overindulge unwittingly, and that's where you can run into trouble. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions."
Here's a tip: Drink a glass of water after every alcoholic beverage. It helps detoxify the alcohol from your body, fill you up, so you drink less, and keep you hydrated (which helps prevent hangovers).
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Don't Smoke
Some people are "social smokers." They only smoke when hanging out with friends, and many people spend more time with friends this time of year. According to Harvard Medical School, "Light and intermittent smoking, or social smoking, is better for you than heavy smoking. But it still increases the risks of heart disease, lung cancer, cataract, and a host of other conditions."
If you know you are a social smoker, develop a plan to avoid smoking during this very social time of year. If you are a regular smoker, find a way to quit. Regardless of your age or how long you've been smoking, quitting will improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of premature death.
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Fit Physical Activity in Whenever You Can
The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week – or a combination of the two. Unfortunately, you may not have time to get in that much exercise with everything else going on this time of year. The good news is that even a few minutes of physical activity can improve your health and wellness.
Try to squeeze exercise into your daily routine. For example, take the steps instead of the elevator, park farther away from the store, or pick up the pace when you clean your house.
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Drink Lots of Water
The Mayo Clinic reports, "Drinking water does more than just quench your thirst — it's essential to keeping your body functioning properly and feeling healthy. Nearly all of your body's major systems depend on water to function and survive." Water helps flush out waste, regulate body temperature, and much more. Not consuming enough water can lead to constipation, hypertension, and more.
The recommendation for adults ages 19-30 is about 130 ounces a day for men and about 95 ounces a day for women. Unfortunately, research has found that more than half of U.S. adults don't drink enough water. So during this busy time of year, make an effort to drink more water. Water can fill you up, so you eat less, can help lower the risk of hangovers, and give you more energy for all the shopping and parties this holiday season.
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Get Enough Sleep
This time of year, you may be looking for extra time to get stuff done – shopping, parties, baking, etc. Something's gotta give, right? For many, that something is sleep. According to the CDC, most adults need at least seven hours of sleep a night, but more than one in three U.S. adults says they don't get the recommended amount of sleep. Furthermore, "Adults who sleep less than 7 hours each night are more likely to say they have had health problems, including heart attack, asthma, and depression."
Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule, even if that means giving up baking that fifth batch of cookies. Tips to help you sleep better:
- Get natural light during the day
- Get physical activity during the day
- Avoid artificial light within a few hours of bedtime
- Don't eat or drink right before bedtime
- Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
How My Neat Health Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle During the Holidays
My Neat Health products – from meal replacement bars to healthy entrees - can make it easier to eat healthier during this hectic time of the year. Health experts created our products using the finest quality ingredients in the U.S. They are low in calories, high in protein, packed with essential vitamins and minerals...and taste great!