What is a healthy lifestyle? A healthy lifestyle goes beyond preventing illnesses and keeping the mortality rate low. It encompasses the mind, body, and soul. How a person lives depends on eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercise, good stress management, social interaction, and mental and emotional stability.
Everybody wants to lead a healthy lifestyle. Who doesn’t want to live https://kamalinews.id/ long enough to enjoy the fruits of labour with family, friends, and loved ones, right? However, the million-dollar question is, why is it easier said than done? What hinders a person from enjoying a healthy lifestyle?
6 Common barriers to a healthier lifestyle
The common barriers are roadblocks that keep us from achieving a healthy and productive life. Therefore, anything that obstructs the road to a healthy lifestyle is a red flag.
1. Personal barriers to physical activity
There are a thousand reasons not to exercise, just as there are a thousand reasons not to stay healthy. Reasons like illness or injury, childcare, and safety issues may be valid, but the all too familiar refrain like too tired, too busy, or too lazy are lame excuses health buffs do not want to buy.
Here are the top three personal barriers to physical activity and see which one resonates the most:
· Lack of time
Everybody shares the same 24 hours a day. Productive people find time to squeeze exercise into their busy schedules, while others barely get by. It all boils down to time management and purpose. What is the purpose of exercising? A person with a goal will find time to exercise instead of dishing out the no-time excuse.
· Lack of energy or motivation
Some people think of exercise as a daunting task that saps their energy. Others see exercising as unfamiliar and strenuous. A sedentary lifestyle may contribute to a lack of motivation unless somebody steps in and compels a person to move his butt. It is prudent to dig deeper into the reason behind such an issue. Motivation (or lack thereof) is a mindset. If people change their notion about exercise, even simple and less strenuous physical activity can do the trick.
· Lack of resources
Exercise may seem costly if hitting the gym is the only venue to stretch muscles. But public parks and recreational facilities provide ample space to burn calories at little to no cost. If public transportation to such places is an issue, why not ride a bicycle to warm up those calves?
2. Unhealthy habits and lifestyle
Old habits that give comfort and joy are hard to break, including those detrimental to health. Unhealthy habits become a lifestyle. It is like the air we breathe. How to break free is a constant struggle for most of us. Do not fall prey to these unhealthy habits:
· Skipping breakfast
Waking up late in the morning entices a person to skip breakfast. The perfect alibi is late for work. A long hiatus on an empty stomach makes one binge on mouth-watering dishes in large servings. It could lead to a spike in blood sugar after lunch and dinner.
· Staying late at night
Why is staying late at night to binge-watch television shows on a weekday a bad idea?
Lack of sleep is a challenge to the immune system. This is because our body produces proteins called cytokines during sleep. The protective cytokines ward off viral infection and inflammation. Inadequate sleep produces lesser cytokines, thus making a person susceptible to colds, flu, and other infectious diseases. Also, antibodies and cells that fight illnesses significantly decline during sleep deprivation.
3. Temptation
There is nothing wrong with temptation per se. The problem begins when a person lacks self-control and cave into sinful pleasures that are unhealthy. For instance, a sweet indulgence with cakes, chocolates, and ice cream can spike blood sugar levels if diabetes runs in the family. Or a hefty appetite for fatty foods and meat can trigger high blood pressure if hypertension runs in the family.
Fast-food outlets that cause cholesterol to shoot up are another temptation for people who do not have the luxury of time to prepare nutritious meals.
4. Knowledge deficit
Most people are clueless about the need to change unhealthy habits until the laboratory test results come in. Others know they need to take action but don’t know where to start.
5. Anxiety and depression
Mental well-being is just as important as physical health. Anxiety, which leads to depression, takes a toll on mental health. Depression results in illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, digestive disorder, and chronic pain.
6. Procrastination
Another barrier to a healthy lifestyle is procrastination. It is the do-it-tomorrow syndrome. Why put tomorrow if you can do it today?
How to achieve a healthy lifestyle
The slogan ‘You can do it!’ personifies the power of the individual to achieve anything – including a healthy lifestyle – as long as he sets his heart and mind to it.