Saturday, February 18, 2012

10 Habits of Exceptionally Healthy People


If you were to study all the healthy people in the world, you would begin to notice some character traits and lifestyle behaviors that many of them all share in common. More than likely, your own life could be greatly improved by incorporating all or just a few of these habits.



1. They Eat Whole Foods
If it's not found that way in nature, they more than likely don't eat it. Healthy people understand that food is nourishment for the body. They eat for fuel – not for pleasure. They find other ways to make themselves happy other than eating. Healthy people avoid processed foods and artificial sweeteners. They drink water and forget about the sugary drinks.
2. They Live an Active Lifestyle
Healthy people tend to live an active lifestyle. Exercise is usually a staple in their lives. They spend less time in front of a TV, and more time out and about accomplishing things and living life. The difference between being on your feet all day and sitting behind a computer can add up to hundreds of calories a day. Compound that number over a year, or a lifetime, and we are talking about tens or even hundreds of pounds of excess body weight.

3. They Manage Stress Well
Stress is a big aging factor. Some would even argue that it's the #1 factor that influences your health. So many people eat right and work out, but totally throw their mental health out the door. Healthy people don't sweat the small stuff. They ask themselves if this situation is going to matter a year from now, and if it won't, they let it go.

4. They Surround Themselves with Other Healthy People
We are highly influenced by the people closest to us. Surrounding yourself with healthy people tends to make you healthy by association. Not only are you motivated and inspired by your healthy friends, but there's also a sense of social pressure to be healthy yourself when you're around them. Who says social pressure has to be a bad thing?

5. They Work at a Job They Enjoy
Does your job make you miserable? Healthy people have a job that makes them happy. We've all heard the saying that if you work a job you enjoy, you'll never work a day in your life. Happiness and health are highly correlated. Healthy people tend to be happy. Not only do healthy people tend to like their jobs, but they tend to live for them. They look forward to getting up every day and living their life to the fullest.

6. They Work on Building Self-Confidence
People with self-confidence look healthy, and they carry themselves well. Healthy people have confidence in self. They don't worry about what other people think. They project a healthy, youthful personality. They surround themselves with positive people that pick them up instead of tear them down, and they go about their days as if they can accomplish anything.

7. They Make Fitness a Priority
Healthy people never say they don't have time to workout. Regardless of how busy they are, they find a way to make it work. Being healthy makes them happy, and being happy makes you healthy. Just 30 minutes a day of exercise can add years to your life. It makes you look and feel younger and healthier. There are thousands of reasons for why you can't work out. They put the excuses away and focus on reasons for why they should.

8. They Smile
Smiling projects happiness, which is directly correlated with your health. Try smiling at a stranger and watch the contagiousness of happiness for yourself. Not only do you get a smile back, but it makes you feel good about yourself. You just made someone's day better. Healthy people understand the link between happiness and health, and they tend to walk around with smiles on their face, or laughter in their hearts.

9. They Do Everything In Moderation
Exceptionally healthy people don't withhold anything from their lives. They leave the door open to any and all experiences – but they don't overdo it. Even healthy people aren't perfect. They might miss a workout, or they might have a bad meal every once in a while. They understand there's more to life than just trying to be healthy. So they have a piece of cake every once in a while. So what – it makes them happy, and that's part of what being healthy is all about.

10. They Practice Preventative Maintenance
Healthy people don't wait for problems to come to them – they go after problems. Regular checkups are the norm for healthy people. People that live long and healthy lives catch problems before they become so big that they destroy their lives. They discover them early and then take action to prevent them from happening again in the future. Their health is a priority, and they don't bury their heads in the sand hoping for the best. They take action.

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