Lifestyle Modifications: Nothing Is Permanent In This World Except Change Change Yourself For The Better
It is remarkable to know that slight alterations in our life pattern, including the selection of food, changes in the habits we adopt, the sleep pattern we follow, and choosing the right exercise, can positively impact our life over a period of time. Lifestyle modification has given positive results and may treat many diseases like diabetes, hypertension and Obesity.
The following habits are addressed for lifestyle modification.
Lifestyle Habits
Dietary Pattern: Adopt a balanced or healthy diet that provides the required amount of nutrients and micronutrients needed for your body to be healthy. A balanced diet contains water for hydration purposes, carbohydrates which provide around 50-65% of the total calorie, another 20-30% from fat, and 10-25% from proteins needed for our body. A balanced diet plays a vital role in improving the body’s functions, enhancing energy levels, strengthening the immune system, and preventing weight gain. According to guidelines, the daily calorie intake recommended for men is 2500 calories and for women is 2000 calories. However, it may vary on various factors like age, metabolism, pregnancy, genetics, hormones, exercise, and illness.
Tips:
a. Always eat healthy food and do not overeat. Stop when you are full.
b. Avoid aerated drinks and adopt the habit of having only fresh fruit juices.
c. Do not force children to overeat.
d. Avoid fried foods, fast foods, excess sugar, or sweets.
e. Reduce the amount of food per sitting.
Sleep Pattern: It is a state where the body and mind are supposed to be at rest to recover from the daily stress, but scientists have observed that based on the different periods of rest, the brain runs through a series of activities, and at times it may be more active when we are at sleep than awake. If we can understand the reason and the elements causing it, we would probably have a better insight into quality sleep. There are two sleep patterns, Rapid eye movement (REM) and Non-rapid eye movement (NREM ). The NREM sleep happens first, followed by the REM stage, which starts after one and half hours and is responsible for vivid dreams.
Although many factors govern the amount of sleep a person needs, it is generally considered that infants need 16 hours, preschoolers 12 hours, teenagers about 9 hours, and adults between 7 to 8 hours. Pregnant ladies need more sleep. If we sleepless for a couple of days, we carry a balance of sleep called the sleep debt, which leaves us mentally and physically exhausted. Remember, this debt cannot be made up by oversleeping on those weekends. It takes a long time to make up and recover from it. Avoid sleep debts.
Exercise Pattern: Exercise is a physical activity that increases the metabolic rate, burning calories, thus reducing the body fat, building up muscles, improving heart functions and lung capacity, and finally making you healthy, fit, and active. Schedule an exercise plan which is adequate for you and follow it religiously. Start with a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes per day and gradually go up to the targeted 30 minutes per day. 2.5 hours per week for five days will suffice to maintain your body and good health. A combination of moderate and vigorous exercise has proved to produce better results.
Exercise may include walking, stretching, cycling, jogging, gymnastics, Yoga, dancing, etc.Exercise in the morning is preferred as you start the day with a fresh note and never miss it if any emergencies spring up later. For clarifications, if you are a patient, consult the concerned doctor before starting.
Stress Pattern: The unmanageable mental pressure developed when a person cannot cope with a particular situation. When the output imagined does not match the desired expectation you have fixed in your mind. Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety by releasing endorphins that improve your mood, self-image, and sleep. Many supplements have been experimented with to reduce stress and anxiety, and some are green tea, omega-3 fatty acids, calming scents, caffeine, etc.
It has also been identified that certain activities help to ventilate your mind and reduce stress and anxiety, like reading, hearing music, meeting friends, watching comedy movies, chewing gum, reducing your workload, Yoga, deep breathing, and spending time with your pet.
Hydration Pattern: It is essential to hydrate one’s body to keep our energy levels up. An adequate amount of water should be taken daily as part of your diet. It has been calculated that women should try to consume 11 cups and men 15 cups. Remember that this calculation includes the water from food, liquids, and juices that we take. It is essential to drink water at intervals throughout the day. Besides water, one can consume fresh fruit juices and eat fruits and vegetables with a high water percentage to avoid any dehydration.
Note: Lifestyle modifications are the best and healthiest means to lose weight. But one needs to be regular and adopt these lifestyle changes when one is overweight or has class 1 obesity. If one is morbidly obese, then just lifestyle modifications won’t be enough. It would be best to seek medical help. Bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is also a perfect option when all other non-surgical approaches fail.
Plan Your Program: Considering all the above factors, it is time for you to plan out your lifestyle modification program according to your body’s requirements. Consult a doctor if you are suffering from any ailment and follow his/her advice sincerely. You would like to meet the new you inside yourself.
Food for thought: Modify your lifestyle and fall in love with yourself.
