A lot of people talk about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does it actually mean? Is there a finish line when we know that we’re living the ULTIMATE healthy lifestyle? Of course, not. It’s a lifelong journey (but you already knew that), and it’s extremely personal. What works for me might not work for you. But one thing is for certain, there are 5 key ingredients that constitute a holistic healthy lifestyle and provide each and everyone one of us a better quality of life.  So… what are they?

1. Healthy Eating

Let’s start with healthy eating since it’s the most talked about. Healthy diet recommendations have been around for decades. Most of us know that eating healthy promotes long-term health, decreases our chances of cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, reduces stress and anxiety, and reduces depression.

Healthy eating doesn’t just help with our health but also increases our physical abilities and mental sharpness a.k.a. you can better perform and be more productive. As stated by  Dr. Sarah Silcox, a specialist in occupational health and well-being, “a healthy diet also increases your physical capacity and mental alertness, subsequently raising your levels of productivity and performance”. Moreover, it’s not a secret that consuming a healthy diet is the basis for strong performance at the gym, at work, at home, and in everything you do.

Consuming a healthy diet is the basis for strong performance at the gym, at work, at home, and in everything you do.

Tips for a Healthy Diet:

• The general rule is to eat 3 balanced meals a day with two healthy snacks throughout the day (after breakfast and before dinner).
• Use the “80/20” rule.  Eat healthy, nutrient-dense, whole foods 80% of the time, eat what you want with the other 20% (within reason of course!).
• Always have healthy snacks around. Check out 12 Healthy Snacks To Eat At Work Throughout The Day for some ideas.
• Avoid heavily processed foods. 
• Read the labels. Try to buy products that have fewer and simple ingredients.

2. Sleep

Sleep is the most underrated healthy habit. According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function optimally the next day. The outlying range showed that 6 hours of sleep up to even 10 hours of sleep per night could be optimal for some people. Wherever you fall in this range, science has made it clear that lack of sleep can have both short-term and long-term consequences.

Sleep is the most underrated healthy habit.

As documented in Why Sleep Matters, at the Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School,  in the short term, lack of adequate sleep can affect: judgment, mood, your ability to learn and retain information, and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury. And in the long term, chronic lack of sleep can lead to more serious health problems including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. 

More facts. Dr. Dement, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine and expert on sleep and sleep deprivation, stated that “healthful sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity.”

Let me say this again—SLEEP IS MORE INFLUENTIAL than diet, exercise, or heredity factors.

What does this mean?

Even if you eat healthily and exercise regularly, but don’t get enough sleep—you will suffer from adverse health effects in the long run.

And… if you’re still not convinced how important sleep is, numerous studies have shown that that chronic sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain. Who wants to gain weight because they’re not sleeping enough?! Not me.

Of course, there are the anomalies out there that might only need 5 hours of sleep. I met a grandmother once at the supermarket that told me the most she ever slept was 5 hours a night and she was in great health. But for most of us, 5 hours is not going to cut it.

In other words, sleep deprivation is killing you slowly and you cannot be at your best without adequate sleep.

Please get your sleep on. 

3. Exercise

It’s no surprise that exercise falls into the category of a healthy lifestyle. Whether you are trying to lose weight,  gain, muscle, or simply stay in shape–regular exercise can get you there.

FACTS. According to the Center for Disease and Control, physical exercise has the following long-term health benefits:

• Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndromes such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol
• Strengthens your bones and muscles
• Improves your mental health and mood
• Improves your chances of living longer

Not only does exercise improve your general health, but it makes you feel good. The positive hormones that your brain starts releasing automatically make you feel better and boosts your confidence. You might even start taking selfies. 😉

Exercise also improves your quality of sleep, which means you’ll feel more rested the next day.

Tips to Stay Active:

• Take 5 minutes to stretch in the morning
• Take a 15-minute walk during the day
• Do active sitting exercises (if you work at a desk all day)
• Prioritize your schedule to be able to work out 3-4 times week
• Get an accountability partner
• Join a fitness Facebook group

Get Your Butt Moving. 

4. Mental Health

Your mental or emotional health affects every area of your life. It is your overall psychological well-being and impacts the way you feel, think, and behave. Your mental health dictates how well you can manage your emotions and deal with difficulties as they arise.  It is SO IMPORTANT to invest time in your mental and emotional health. Your mindset can either greatly aid or hinder your enjoyment of everyday life.

Think about when you’re already having a tough day at work and you get bad news from someone in your personal life. How is your reaction to this news? Do you feel stressed out and anxious to the point that it’s affecting your work? Do you feel like giving up and quitting?

OR.

Do you feel like this is a setback but you KNOW that you are going to get through it? You are hurt by this news, but you know that what you’re feeling is temporary and you will get through it? This is a sign of mental and emotional stability. Of course, everyone has bad days, setbacks, and struggles, but the main differentiator is how you react to them and what you do about them. Having a good state of mind builds resilience, allows you to be positive in bad circumstances, and build better relationships with the people around you.

Tips to Boost your Mental Health:

• Write a gratitude list
• Meditate
• Positive affirmations
• Sleep well
• Eat healthy
• Take time to relax
• Practice self-care
• Read self-development books
• Do Yoga
• Do a digital detox and disconnect from all social media networks
• Spend time with loved ones
• Be of service to others
• Practice forgiveness

Mental health doesn’t have to be a diagnosis, it’s a state of mind.

5. Spirituality

Spiritual living helps us disconnect from the material world and unleashed our inner zen. I believe it is THE MOST IMPORTANT ingredient of living a healthy lifestyle. It’s available to each and every one of us.

And you don’t have to be into incents or oils to be spiritual. It is simply a practice to get in touch with your innermost self.  It’s about clearing your mind of the ten of thousands of thoughts you have each day. It’s about clearing negative energy so that you attract positive things into your life.

You don’t have to be into incents or oils to be spiritual.

Tips to Improve Your Spiritual Life:

• Pray
• Meditate
• Do Yoga
• Talk to God, the Universe, or your Higher Power
• Talk with other loved ones about your struggles
• Do things in nature

Take a moment to be still and enjoy the present moment. 

Living a healthy lifestyle is not just about what you eat and how you look. The healthy habits that you create over time with healthy eating, regular exercise, good sleep, mindset, and spirituality all play a significant role in “living healthy”. Sometimes life can feel overwhelming, but just incorporating a 1% change each day can get us closer to living our best life and become our best selves.

What other healthy lifestyle habits do you currently use? Share yours in the comments, I would love to hear them!

XO Natacha