Instead of trying to look good, feeling good about yourself should be on top of your New Year's resolution list. Generally, those who feel good about themselves tend to be happier with how they look. But this change cannot come overnight. Or can it?
Here are little things you can start now to live healthier, and ultimately feel better about yourself.
Reduce Your Stress
Stress is indeed a part of one's life. But just as stress is inevitable, when too much, it brings with it the possibility of breakouts, hair loss, and psoriasis. Learn to relax more. Take breaks from work and read something you love. Even your commute can turn into a time of relaxation by simply listening to some tunes.
Take Care of Your Skin
Vibrant skin can help you look younger. Good news! It is usually the by-product of a healthy lifestyle. But aside from doing all the other tips on this list, here are a few things exclusively for your skin: - Avoid the sun. Or at least reduce the UV rays you encounter. Not only do UV rays increase the risk of skin cancer, they can cause skin to look more worn out. Make sure your moisturizer has the right amount of sunscreen on days when you can't avoid the sun.
- Get an air humidifier. During dry seasons, air humidifiers moisturize the skin. They also have an added bonus of making you feel cooler in the heat, or warmer in the cold.
- Quit smoking. Aside from the many illnesses linked to smoking, it decreases the blood, oxygen, and nutrient supplies to the skin causing it to look wrinkled and leathery.
Follow a Healthy Diet
Changing the way you eat can go a really long way into helping you get healthy. According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet can protect you from noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Aside from reducing your sugar and sodium intake, a complete and well-balanced diet means you get just the right amount of nutrients according to your targets. If you want to lose weight, you should aim to only shed 1-2 pounds every week.
There is a wealth of resources online you can use to set right goals and plan meals. But if you think following a strict diet may be too much for you, you may want to consider working with MD Diet Clinic.
Exercise and Rest
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 28 percent of Americans older than six are physically inactive. This is particularly alarming since physical activity can prevent chronic diseases, help lose weight, and boost circulation - giving those skin cells a healthy amount of oxygen and nutrients.
Rest is as important as exercise. The body should be allowed time to recoup and regenerate. Too much exercise can lead to exhaustion and injuries.
Sleep Well
Poor sleep, short sleep duration in particular, has been linked to unhealthy weight gain. People tend to compensate for sleep with overeating. Lack of sleep can also demotivate you to exercise.
But getting enough sleep is not the whole story. The quality of sleep is as important. Aside from making sure your sleeping position doesn't cause injuries, sleeping well means it is regular, continuous, and refreshing.
Starting these changes can be your first step to feeling better about yourself. Sustaining these healthy practices may take work but it gets easier as time passes on and you experience the benefits. Living a healthy lifestyle is a positive cycle.
