The four pillars to adopt a healthy lifestyle

Embarked on a detox week after binge eating over the weekend, but forgot to slot in the exercise in your daily routine?

Started your day with yoga, but ended it with an entire pizza?

Eating small meals at frequent intervals, working out regularly, but failing to get enough sleep?

Do you relate to this?

If yes, it’s time to realise that; like how Rome wasn’t built in a day, good health can’t be obtained in a short span of time. It’s a long-term commitment and the foundation needs to be built on four pillars – diet, fitness, yoga and sleep.

There’s no point chasing magical transformation with ginseng pills, colon cleanses and Pilates classes if you don’t have these four basics in place:

DIET

What you put into your mouth doesn’t just decide how you’ll feel – recharged, lethargic or acidic, but also has an impact on your overall health. Research has proven that our diet – regardless of how much we exercise – not only affects our body weight but also determines our wellbeing and lifespan.

But this doesn’t mean we have to start binge eating. Just like eating too little causes malnutrition, eating too much leads to obesity and makes one prone to diabetes and heart disease. The key lies in eating the right portions of the proper foods at appropriate times. Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Dieticians recommend starting with a wholesome breakfast and following it up with small meals every two hours. It is not advisable to skip meals or eat at irregular intervals as it lowers the metabolism and makes one prone to stress eating and midnight refrigerator raids.

FITNESS

Did you know that exercise is as good as an antidepressant pill in beating the blues? It can actually make you happy! That’s not all. Growing evidence suggests that individuals who exercise regularly lead longer and more productive lives. Recent studies have revealed that exercise reduces one’s risk for heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, breast cancer and osteoporosis among other conditions.

Experts prescribe sweating it out – you literally need to perspire to reap the true benefits – at least five times a week for thirty minutes.

YOGA

Yoga asanas go beyond melting fat and building muscle. They harmonise the mind, body, and breath to improve one’s overall health. Deep breathing and meditation improves oxygen flow to the organs and helps relieve stress. As a result, one has the sharp memory, high concentration levels, and cognitive function, even in old age.

Research has found yoga effective in lowering blood pressure, helping one overcome depression and sleep disorders, too.

SLEEP

We’ve all worked with bosses who boast about sleeping for 3-4 hours every night, especially when they hear someone whining about late hours. Don’t let such claims affect you in a way that causes you to question your body’s needs.

Sleep is the least-known pillar of a healthy life, but a critical one nonetheless. Countless studies have established that a good night’s rest is paramount to one’s well being. It keeps the immune system strong and helps prevent countless diseases including depression, heart disease, obesity and hypertension.

That’s not all. Our nightly rest has a huge impact on our day-time efficiency. Research conducted with undergraduate students showed that sleep improves memory and concentration by as much as 20 percent. So, if you see yourself staring at the desktop screen with little progress in your report in spite of working on it for hours, you know why.

It’s necessary for an adult to get 6-8 hours of sleep every night. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, we suggest having a cup of warm milk before hitting the bed.  

Scale these 4 pillars of good health to stay fit and happy! Our experienced fitness trainers and nutritionists can show you how. Connect with them here