When you start getting to that certain age, you will notice that it takes you longer to feel energetic and that you get tired faster. Any sudden changes to your diet or routine seem to take longer for your body to recover from. These are the ways your body is letting you know that it is time to start upgrading your lifestyle with better habits.
You may want to look into your family history and see if there are any inherited genetic conditions that you may want to begin making changes to prevent. If there are any issues and you see early symptoms of kidney problems, you should consult a specialist or urologist to ensure that you understand the complexity of the issue. Do not assume that you and the internet will be able to tell if the situation needs medical consulting or not.
Outside of addressing existing issues, leading a healthy lifestyle can help you to prevent or delay dangerous diseases and conditions. Dementia, heart disease, and high cholesterol can cause far-reaching issues that could leave you weak or debilitated. A simple change to your diet plus some exercise can ensure that you never have to find out what they could do to you.
Change the Way You Eat
Keep eating your regular foods, but try to eat them in different quantities. Begin by serving yourself vegetables first. Fill half your plate with the vegetable options and then divide the other half between protein-rich foods and carbohydrates.
If you cannot give up rice, then choose to eat brown rice over white rice. Lightly pan fry or steam vegetables rather than boiling or frying them. These simple changes ensure that your body receives a greater supply of healthy foods rather than filler foods. As it does not require you to change out too much of the foods you are used to eating, it will be an easier change to adapt into your daily routine.
Drink More Water
This is a common refrain of doctors, nutritionists, and trainers. But it is not easy to drink as much water as your body needs. Try to drink a tall glass of water with each meal, this will help to kick start your metabolism and allow you to ingest the hydration you need.
Squeeze lemon juice into your water or add dried fruits to give it a tang and some light taste. The additional flavor will make it easier for you to drink more. Coffee is a good way to add to your hydration quotient but try to reduce the sugar content of the coffee.
Change Your Mindset People have a tendency to think of food as bad and good. But this is arbitrary. Any ‘good’ food can be bad if you ingest it in unsafe quantities. Thinking of food in these moral terms also means that we are associating guilt with eating those foods.
Changing your mindset to recognize that some foods are more healthy while others are less healthy will allow you to develop a healthier relationship with food. You will be able to indulge in a sweet dessert without feeling shame or thinking it sabotages your entire healthy routine.
It is a good thing to indulge your taste buds once in a while. A healthier relationship with food allows you to indulge in small, manageable amounts. An unhealthy relationship with food can lead to deprivation behavior such as binge eating and calorie counting.
Move Around
Beginning to exercise does not require buying new clothes or joining a gym. You can start small by taking a walk every evening. Start with a quiet 20-minute walk for a few weeks. Upgrade to a walking shoe and begin taking brisker walks when you feel your stamina has improved.
Carry small weights in your hands to add resistance and add to your upper body strength. Join a local Tai Chi club to begin improving your range of movement and balance. These are all activities you can do with your spouse, children, and a great way to gain new friends.
If you are apprehensive about a type of exercise or the amount of time an activity takes, then do a different exercise. You do not ever need to do something you do not like for your health. If walking is too boring, try joining a swimming club. If you dislike swimming, begin going to the badminton court. The enjoyment of the activity adds a great deal to your overall health as well. Thus, you must keep searching till you find what you enjoy doing.
The important thing is to take everything within your stride. If a health or fitness goal seems too daunting, find a way to break it down into smaller steps. Take each step in your own time and trust your body. If it feels strained or tired, take a break. When starting out on your healthy lifestyle journey, you may only manage a few minutes of an exercise or workout routine.
Remember that the beginning is always hard and consistency will be your friend. Stick with it for long enough and you will be surprised how much easier you find it within a fairly short time frame. Consistency is also the key to a healthier diet. Listen to your body to know when it is full, when it is bored rather than hungry, and when it needs water. Soon, your body and you will be in better harmony and you will feel much stronger and healthier.