We can’t go a day without hearing about the growing obesity problem. More people are endorsing a so called “healthier lifestyle.” Making you feel guilty for every time you place a cheeseburger in your mouth. I don’t think obesity is a good thing at all, far from it. We are all well aware of the damage to our ongoing health it can cause, what I am bothered about is the misconceptions as to what a healthier lifestyle is.
What we have to remember is a healthy lifestyle can be construed in different ways. What works for one person or family, won’t in theory work for another. It’s a lifestyle choice that you make, and you create the fundamentals surrounding it to suit you and your family. This is why I thought it would be good to work through some of the most common misconceptions of a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the day, it’s vital we all take an interest in our health and life choices. Afterall we want to be able to live a long and prosperous life. But on the flip side sometimes the factors below are enough to put anyone off considering changing their lifestyle.
You must attend the gym everyday
Some people like the gym. They get sheer enjoyment from attending each day and watching themselves make huge progress. For others, the gym can be seen as a bit of a chore. It’s not easy to take yourself off to a place each day and workout consistently. It doesn’t suit everyone’s life. However, a healthy lifestyle encourages you to exercise. We just assume that means going to the gym. This is where we are wrong. The truth is, a healthier lifestyle is about being more active. This can mean many different things. It could potentially mean walking to work instead of driving. Perhaps taking the stairs instead of an elevator. If you are at home, you could easily be more active by walking up and down the stairs a few more times. Or encouraging outdoor play with your children. This will help increase your child’s activity levels as well. It’s not a one size fits all, and a healthy lifestyle certainly doesn’t mean you lock yourself away in a gym each day.
You can only eat green vegetables
We may follow or admire people or celebrities through social media. Perhaps to feel inspired about a healthier lifestyle. This may then flood our newsfeeds with everything green. Green juices, green vegetables and a green lifestyle. It’s all there. But, having a healthier lifestyle does not mean the only thing you eat and drink is green. A healthy balanced diet is much more than that. It’s about making sure your body gets all the nutrients and vitamins it needs to function. Nourishing your body and providing it with the fuel and energy it needs to keep working. Yes, green vegetables and fruit are good for you. There is no hiding the benefits of the avocado or the power of kale. But it’s about incorporating those good foods into your everyday diet, with a good mixture of proteins and carbohydrates. Plus everyone is allowed to indulge in treats. Life is too short, so don’t deny yourself that piece of chocolate when you fancy it.
You have to drink your whole body weight in water
Water is one of the best things you can put into your body. With benefits that include helping you get better quality sleep and improving your skin condition. Along with keeping your body hydrated, increasing your energy levels and flushing out any bad toxins in your body. The main thought about water and a healthy lifestyle is that you drink nothing but water. That you can end up consuming litres of the stuff throughout the day, just to feel the benefits. The truth is, you only have to consume around two litres of water a day. Doing this consistently will give you all of the benefits. This means that if you fancy something different, then you are not restricted.
You have to try all the superfood trends
Having a healthier lifestyle is top of the agenda for many. It gets a lot of press coverage because of the rapidly growing problem of obesity. So alongside that you are going to come across articles and trends. Some superfoods have made their way on to the radar and are being pushed as hidden secrets for a healthier lifestyle. Or that they have benefits to you that may not necessarily be true. While it’s fair to say that some, if not all, of these superfoods, have benefits to incorporating them into your healthier lifestyle. They are not essential, and they certainly won’t solve every problem you have. There is evidence based health advice to suggest that some of the benefits advertised may not be 100% true. So the misconception is that you have to have these in your life, but the truth is, only incorporate those things into your diet if you feel you want to.
You feel like you are on a constant diet
A common misconception of a healthier lifestyle is that it is some form of diet. But the truth is when it comes to weight loss we all know that diets are not sustainable. Which is why it’s about your lifestyle and not the diet you have for food. Part of this is to make informed decisions on your nutrition. Making sure you get exactly what your body needs. Your lifestyle shouldn’t feel like a chore or something you adhere to.
You must never be negative
It’s true; a healthier lifestyle works well if you have a good positive attitude to life. Mindfulness can help with your mood and overcome things like anxiety and negative issues. But, that doesn’t mean to say that at any point of your life you can’t have a negative thought. It’s just about channeling that negativity in the right way. Making your thought process more productive.
That consuming carbohydrate will make you gain weight
Finally, there are huge myths surround carbohydrates. People assume that because this includes food like bread and pasta that they can cause you to gain weight. While eating those things excessively will have an impact on your weight your body needs carbohydrates for energy. Taking on diets where you deny yourself those things is going to cause you more harm than good in the future.
I hope these explanations have busted those misconceptions for you. Reaffirming that having a healthier lifestyle isn’t going to tie you down in any way. It’s more about making the right choice for you and your family.
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