5 Healthy Habits

Well since I am stuck at home watching day time television, I thought I would share with you an interesting segment I saw on TODAY on NBC.

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Dr. Oz was on the show today talking about the necessary attributes to living a healthy lifestyle. He said something today that really got me thinking: “The people who made a big difference here (in their own health) are the people who learned to show up in their own lives.”

Dr. Oz has conducted research studies and focus groups, and has isolated 5 habits from the “healthiest” people that allow them to maintain a balanced, healthy life.

1. Eat breakfast. 

This sets your metabolism for the whole day. If you do not eat within the first hour you are awake, your metabolism is running at half speed. Most people who are overweight will admit to skipping meals, especially breakfast. This causes their body to go into “survival mode” and it stops metabolizing food and it absorbs and retains more unhealthy fats in order to keep the body alive.

2. Exercise.

No shocker here. For years I fought the notion that you need to exercise to lose weight. I could often be heard saying things like “why would I run if no one is chasing me?” When I finally smartened up, I lost my first 15 pounds in 2 months by simply running a mile a day on a treadmill. (The last 15 lbs were slightly more difficult to lose)

3.  A hearty sex life. No comment

4. Put aside “me time” each day.

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This is something I am currently working on, and partly why I started this blog. Between 3 jobs, I am constantly worrying about other people’s lives and children and I have very little time to relax and reflect. Dr. Oz says it is important to have some alone time each day to acknowledge your self worth and make your life worth living well.

5. Stress management.

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Apparently when you are stressed out, your brain releases chemicals that encourage the body to store fat. This happens because our body attributes stress with starvation. Therefore when we are stressed our body goes into “survival mode” again and stores everything it can to keep the body alive.

Stress management is also something I am working on hahaha. I have a difficult time compartmentalizing, and “building a bridge” so to speak. I am also a terrible decision maker, which leads to more stress.

Strategies that work for me:

• Blasting music in my headphones. Yes this sounds very angry teenager of me, but hey it works.
• Running on the treadmill. This is the only form of exercise that really releases my stress
• Cooking (not baking)

Strategies That Don’t Work for Me:

• Yoga. Hate it.
• Calm breathing strategies. It’s hard enough breathing sometimes (thanks asthma!) and when I am more aware of it, it becomes more difficult.
• Eating. I love food, but it’s not something that brings me up when I’m down.
• Drinking. This has a reverse affect on me. It makes me more anxious and slightly depressed if I’m already a little down.

Those last two are probably good things! I have a very addictive personality and those can be slippery slopes!

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Question:

How many of these 5 habits do you complete on a regular basis?