How to Feel Great and Be Healthier in 2020

I hope you all had a great break for all the  Christmas an New Year’s celebrations. I certainly have. Beginning of the year is the time when most people seem to make resolutions, especially the ones related to heath. I am actually happy to see that these days people don’t seem to overindulge over the festive period hence don’t start ridiculous and ineffective diets in January.

As for myself, I am pleased to report that now, as we are half way through (can you believe it?) the first month of 2020, I have been doing really well, it was all about the moderation.  I did not eat non-stop or very unhealthily during the holidays and enjoyed lots of walks near the seaside. In fact, as I am typing this, I am only 50k steps away from 1mln [steps], and I’ve started counting the steps again, after a break from all the apps for a few months, not such a long time ago.

Long story short, it feels like the perfect time to bring you a collaboration with  the real health experts, unlike myself.

All the photos in the feature were taken by me in England, Wales and Scotland.

It’s the dawn of a new decade, and for many of us, that means New Year’s
Resolutions have a little bit of heft behind them, especially if you’ve been trying to get fit and healthy. Yes, your roaring 20’s could get off to an incredible start if you ditch your bad habits for new ways that help you look, feel and act more positively.

Being healthier isn’t necessarily about losing weight in a few problem areas, getting tone and definition, or subbing out the chip shop for steamed vegetables. You need to associate being healthy with positivity, and there is a slew of ways to do so. In this short post, we’ll look at some ways to think positively about different aspects of getting healthier and how to use expert help to get there, and it all starts with drinking water.

Know how much water you should be drinking

2 litres. It’s the number bandied about as the standard level of water a person needs every day to be suitably hydrated but is it the right amount of water for you when you factor in what you get up.

Taking a very broad example, someone working at an office desk whose only activity will be an hour in the gym after work has a vastly different day to a nurse working a 12-hour shift. The level of activity plays a significant role in how much water to drink, especially after a workout.

A very simple (although not steadfast) formula anyone can use to get a rough number is as follows:

Take your weight in pounds and multiply by 2/3 to get the number of ounces you need. Then multiply that by 0.03 to get the figure in litres. Consider that your baseline as exercise will bump the number up.
Alternatively, you can make life easier by having reminders set to drink more.

You can even do it just by searching “water reminder” on Google and using the little table to have your computer remind you when to drink.

Know how much exercise you should be getting

At the time of writing this, a big news story making the rounds was the new problem fitness apps have mistakenly created. The main offender getting mentioned in papers like The Guardian is Strava, namely for turning exercise into a game; a very competitive one at that.

Fitness trackers and wearables are great to have if you want to track progress over time, but you always want to see progress on a personal level. Being part of groups on fitness apps with friends and family can get competitive for all the wrong reasons very quickly, so never do anything like seeing who can lose the most weight or burn the most calories in a month. It’ll only end with people getting frustrated and embarrassed.

And if you’re wondering on a baseline level that a good level of exercise is for a person, 30 minutes is king as long as you’re active throughout. Many people think that spending two hours in the gym and doddling from machine to machine equates to a good workout, when a simple half hour working up a sweat, especially if you avoid checking your phone constantly, is going to see your fitness improve drastically.

Know where to find an expert to help you feel healthier

If weight loss is a major goal for you this year, crash diets, skipping meals and endless hours on the treadmill won’t be good if you’re miserable all the time. Like anything in life, it’s best to get expert advice first, especially if you’re trying to find a plan that pairs diet and fitness.

Without resorting to surgery, something like weight loss therapy could be the way to go. As described by Snowberry Lane Clinic, weight loss therapy is “a combination treatment…through a treatment plan, which aims to boost the body’s natural metabolism…combining a food plan and body contouring treatments”.

For people who know that it’s a marathon and not a sprint to feel healthier, going to a specialist who can work with you on an individual basis and get to know you personally works much better than following YouTube videos or any article in a  magazine that doesn’t know your background.

Always remember that being healthy means entirely different things to all of us. For some people it’s making sure to have a jog in the morning. For others it’s cutting down on bad eating habits. Making sure you feel healthy will see positive physical and mental changes over a long period, so take your time.

Want more handy health tips? Read all the health posts from the blog right here.

How to Feel Great and Be Healthier in 2020 sourced from: MakeUp4All