Do you want to get healthier in 2014?
Are you tired of having low energy, a few extra pounds, or just not feeling as good as you know you should?
If so, there’s a couple ways to get healthier. The first is to do what healthy people do. Those are pretty simple though, right? Eat healthy foods. Exercise. Get enough sleep.
But another effective way to get healthier this year is to stop doing the things that healthy people don’t do. That’s right, if you want to lose a few inches off your waist, exercise more, and get more energy, cut out these behaviors and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier new you in the new year.
1. They don’t overeat.
The Japanese have a saying haru hachi bu, which loosely translated means to eat until you’re 80% full.
Well, it just so happens that the Japanese are some of the healthiest people on the planet. They eat a diet rich in vegetables & lean protein (mostly fish), and low in processed foods. But what may be more important than what they eat is how much they eat.
This flies in the face of what lots of us learned as kids. Remember your mother scolding you for leaving food on your plate, even though you didn’t want to eat anymore? Well that parental pushing may be part of the cause of our obesity crisis today.
But all is not lost. Just learn how to eat like the Japanese, and push away your plate when you’re 80% full. Try it for a week and I bet you’ll be slimmer and have more energy.
And call your mother while you’re at it…she misses you!
2. They don’t treat exercise as optional.
Healthy people view exercise as a mandatory part of their daily schedule, not a “maybe” to get to if they have time. They know that if they start missing a few workouts in a row, that can snowball into an unhealthy habit…and that’s something they won’t allow.
So how can you treat your workout as a must? First, schedule your workouts for the week and treat them like any other important appointment. Would you think about skipping a meeting with your boss, or doctor? We didn’t think so. Treat your workout as an appointment with someone even more important…your future self, and don’t ever skip out on it.
3. They don’t smoke.
Although smoking rates have been on the decline over the past decade, there are still way too many people who enjoy this nasty habit. If you walk outside of any popular restaurant or lounge at night, you’re sure to see people on the corner huddled in their coats, taking a few drags.
Healthy people know that smoking is one of the unhealthiest habits around. It ruins cardiovascular health, increases risk for cancer, and is one of the first things any doctor or other health professional would want you to stop doing.
So if you’re currently smoking, find a program to help you quit. It’s not something to save for the future. Pick a day, commit to it, and make that nasty habit a thing of your past.
4. They don’t eat fast food, processed food & candy.
Sure, grabbing a cheese burger or a Snickers every now and then isn’t the worst thing in the world. But you’ll never catch healthy people eating these fake-foods as a part of their regular diet.
Instead, healthy people focus on real foods like fruits & vegetables, lean proteins, nuts & seeds, and whole grains. If it was made in a factory or has ingredients you can’t pronounce, you won’t find healthy people eating it day in, day out.
5. They don’t make excuses.
Getting and staying healthy is no easy task, so you’ll find that healthy people have developed a certain mental toughness that carries over to other areas of their life. That means you won’t find healthy people making excuses about why they missed a workout, couldn’t hit their sales number, or forgot to call on your birthday.
Instead, healthy people know they’re accountable for their actions and have the confidence to own up to their mistakes, knowing over the long-haul they’ve got what it takes to win.
6. They don’t seek short-term rewards.
Unhealthy people look for any quick way to feel good. Playing video games, smoking cigarettes, or eating a cheeseburger can all feel good for a few minutes, but over the long-term they can cause problems in other areas of life.
Healthy people don’t look for a quick-fix to anything in life. Instead, they show restraint at the buffet, at the bar, and at the office. They know that if they put in their time and work hard, they’ll develop results in every area of their life, not just on the scale or at the gym.
7. They don’t expect to be taken care of.
Healthy people have a sense of control of their life. After achieving results physically, they develop the confidence to succeed in other areas of life. This means they don’t expect anyone to give them a handout. Instead you’ll find healthy people working for whatever it is they want – a promotion at work, a new relationship, or a new car.
The confidence of building a healthy body leads to the belief they can build a successful life.
