Before you get begin adopting new, healthy habits to burn fat, look better, and improve your health, you need to clear your routine of those nasty, negative habits that are hurting your health and stopping you from achieving your full physical and mental potential.
These habits make it harder to be healthy and get fit. While they’re part of your routine, trying to get fit is like swimming against the current. So, start your road to health and fitness by bringing the following 9 habits to a justified end.
1. Binge Drinking
According to at least one study I read, almost half of college students engage in binge drinking and it is also common in the total population. This is one of the most dangerous habits you can adopt and one which you should stop immediately. Not only does alcohol make you fat, but it also poses some serious health issues and may even be deadly.
For instance, drinking alcohol harms your ability to concentrate, may lead to liver cirrhosis, raise risk of throat cancer, cause high blood pressure, and may even make you more aggressive than you ever thought yourself capable of (which may lead to legal issues).
Naturally, binge drinking leads to more car accidents and driving related deaths. Don’t think that you won’t ever drive while under
the influence or be driven by someone who is. If you hang out with binge drinkers you’re more likely to get in the car with a drunk driver.
2. Sleep Less Than 6 Hours
Sleep deprivation is getting to be a serious problem. Not a lot is said about it and it doesn’t get nearly enough attention as it should. Lack of sleep is a serious problem. For instance, do you know that driving when lacking sleep is life-threatening? It has a similar effect to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Tens of thousands of people fall asleep at the wheel each year. Some of them never wake up. As someone who has ridden with someone who fell asleep while driving, I can tell you that this is a scary experience and I could have easily ended up hurt or killed.
Lack of sleep also impairs your ability to think and work, it boosts your appetite, and makes it harder to lose weight. It has a serious effect on your health as a whole.
3. Being Sedentary
The “Couch Mentality” of our modern society, whether it is in front of the TV or the computer, is something that we need to address more seriously. As I previously wrote in my post on how your chair is trying to kill you, sitting down for too many hours may lead to various health conditions and weight gain.
I have no problem with TV watching, computer surfing, video games, or any other activity as long as your lifestyle is not sedentary and inactive as a whole.
Your body was not made for sitting. It was made for moving about. It needs to move in order to stay in shape, not just aesthetically, but also functionally. Sitting down for too long without being active makes you weaker, slower, heavier, and has been connected with serious health issues.
Do me a favor, when you finish reading this post (and leaving me a comment telling me what you thought about it), get up and do a 15 minute workout or other activity. Get moving. Your body will thank you for it.
4. Eating Out
If there’s one thing that makes your body fat and your wallet thin, it’s eating out.
While there is no specific health issues with eating out, it is giving away the control of what you put into your body to someone else who doesn’t know nor care about you. Let’s face it, no one who is not a friend, a family member, or yourself will ever care about your health and your weight more than they do about their own self-interest.
So, a restaurant owner may use ingredients which are cheaper in order to make a bigger profit, regardless of whether they’re healthy or not. They will put in more “taste inducing” chemicals to make everything delicious even if those chemicals are bad for your body. They will also charge you money for the privilege of eating their cuisine.
Not all restaurants serve unhealthy foods and it is also a question of how often you eat out. However, I see no reason why you shouldn’t cook much of your own food. Yes, it takes time, but the internet is filled with healthy recipes that are easy to make, so stop making excuses and cook for yourself. It will save you calories and money.
5. Procrastinating
Whatever you need to get done, do it right now. Don’t procrastinate. This is one of the worst habits in the world and it separates those who succeed from those who don’t.
However, the effects of procrastination aren’t limited to the financial or personal achievement aspects of your life. Your health is affected by it as well. For instance, not going to the doctor when you feel a sharp pain or other great discomfort can be a serious mistake. Waiting for another day to begin exercising or for improving your diet routine is also detrimental to your health and well-being.
It is quite easy to wait and leave things as they are, hoping that they’ll improve on their own. For the most part, things don’t get better unless you make them better yourself. Waiting only makes it harder to fix things, just like it gets harder to shake off a bad habit the longer you’ve had it. So, whatever needs to be taken care of in your health, it is time to do so right now.
6. Smoking
We all know about the dangers of smoking: it can lead to cancer, heart issues, damaged skin, yellow teeth, and other issues. It is a deadly habit and one which you need to stop right away.
Smoking is also a heavy financial burden. I know some people who quit smoking and suddenly found themselves with a lot of extra cash that they used to spend on cigarettes. As smoking is addictive, it does take some time to get rid of the habit. Check out these free resources for some tips on how to do so.
7. Too Much Sun Exposure
Although some sun exposure is necessary to prevent Vitamin D deficiency, too much of it is bad for your health and appearance. Too much sun is the leading cause of skin cancer and it also damages the skin aesthetically. Over exposure leads to more wrinkles, skin blotches, and freckles.
I usually get about 10 minutes of direct sun exposure every day to make my body produce Vitamin D and I wear sunscreen whenever I go out on a sunny day.
8. Having Too Much Stress
I know that you may be thinking that stress is something that happens to you and is not your fault. This is not completely true. You can control your level of exposure to stressful situations and people and also the way you handle stress and anxiety in your daily life.
Stress can damage your health in a number of ways: it can lower your libido, induce skin problems, cause teeth grinding, lead you to overeat, and may even trigger greater abdominal fat storage.
You can and should dedicate part of your day to activities which help you reduce stress like yoga, stretching, regular exercise, and meditation. You can also work on yourself to stop worrying so much and look on the positive side of life.
9. Eating a Bad Diet
A bad diet is not just one with too much calories, but also one which doesn’t provide your body with the right nutrients that it needs and fills it with unhealthy chemicals and preservatives. You need to make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet to be able to lose weight, be fit, and remain healthy.
So, make sure your diet provides your body with healthy fat, complex carbs, and plenty of protein. Include lots of fruit and vegetables for the vitamins and minerals they contain.
Don’t fill your plate with everything you see in front of you. Learn how to eat less food overall and make sure that what you do it is fresh, high quality, and full of nutrients.
There are many things you can improve in your life. The main thing is to take action today What unhealthy habits are you trying to kick? How do you plan on tackling them? Share in the comments below.
Images credit: eschipul, banalities
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Hi Maruis,
Which book are you unable to purchase?