If you are wanting to find ways for you and your family to be healthy for the rest of the year and many more to come then there are a few things you must do. Here are five things to do if you want to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Diet
It is important to ensure the whole family is enjoying a healthy balanced diet. It is too easy these days due to busy lifestyles to reach for the nearest takeaway menu. This can have huge implications on your family's health including weight-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Children especially need to get all the necessary vitamins and nutrients to help their bodies function as they should.
To achieve a healthy balanced diet come up with a weekly meal plan with something that everyone can enjoy each day. Get the children involved and ask them to suggest meals to eat as a family. You could even make meals together as a family, pizza for example. Don’t be afraid to have the occasional takeaway as a treat, you all deserve it once in a while.
Exercise
Exercise is just as important as diet when it comes to looking after your health and wellness. Between work and taking care of things at home, it can be tricky to find the time to exercise, doing it as a family could help with this. You could get the children involved and do a workout in the comfort of your own home. You could also join an exercise class specifically designed for families. A popular option for this is family boxercise, the kids will love this as they get to punch and kick you in a controlled environment.
Even just getting the children out to the park will give you enough fresh air and exercise. As long as you are moving, you are burning calories.
Water
You must be drinking at least two liters of water each day, this equates to just eight glasses. Children should be aiming to drink between 1 and 1 ½ liters per day. This is to ensure that your body and mind are kept hydrated and able to function normally. You may think you just need to drink water when you are thirsty but in fact, you shouldn’t let your body get to this point. By the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated and your body is calling out for some water.
Water has many unseen benefits including acting as a great weight loss aid. Drinking a glass of water before each meal will mean you don’t consume as much food and therefore end up eating fewer calories. One benefit water can have on everyone is improved memory skills and mood. If you don’t drink enough it has been known to lead to forgetfulness and being moody so make sure to drink the recommended amount.
If you and the family are struggling to drink enough throughout the day then you could think about purchasing the water bottles that remind you to drink. They have times on and messages of encouragement to ensure you are drinking 2 liters a day.
Sleep
Sleep is crucial to your health and wellbeing, without enough sleep you will be moody and irritable. Your brain will also fail to function normally without adequate sleep, leading to memory loss. Consistent lack of sleep has even been linked to the early onset of dementia and Alzheimer's. Depending on your age will depend on how much sleep you need each night. Adults should be aiming to get at least 7-8 hours of solid sleep each night whereas children will need in the region of around 10-12 hours.
As well as the hours of sleep you and your family are getting it is also important to remember that it needs to be undisturbed. Disturbed sleep will mean you are waking frequently and not getting quality sleep. There can be many factors that impact your quality of sleep, this includes old lumpy mattresses, kids waking you up, snoring husband, or anxieties to name a few. If you think there is a reason for your disturbed sleep then you need to get to the bottom of it rather quickly.
Socialization
Finally, a little side note if you want to focus on your mental health then you should think about your social life. It's all well and good to focus on your body but you should also focus on your mind. If you are down in the dumps then you will not be happy with yourself or anyone around you. Try and arrange lunch dates with your friends, or play dates with the children.
If you have trouble with your hearing and rely on hearing aids then you could dread social situations. You could worry about missing key information or you might panic if people think you are being rude should you not respond to them. There are many ways you can keep your hearing aids in tip top condition to prevent this from happening. You can learn more here about ways in which you can keep your hearing aids working their best.
