There is a good chance that you made some New Year’s Resolutions in January that sounded something like this: “Eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight.” There is also a good chance that you – like the majority of the population – have already broken one (or all) of them! The good news is that it is never too late to make changes to your lifestyle for the better – with February being Healthy Lifestyle Awareness Month, now is as good a time as ever.
Dr Ali Hamdulay from Metropolitan’s Health division points out the importance of cultivating a healthy lifestyle for your all-round wellbeing. “There is definitely a link between being healthy and happy. According to the latest Profmed Stress Index, the biggest stressor for South African professionals is health, before family and even finances.” Hamdulay offers some practical tips on how to start focusing your lifestyle to incorporate healthy habits.
Your lifestyle choices matter
“Cultivating a healthy lifestyle starts by becoming aware of the impact your lifestyle choices have in the long run,” says Hamdulay. “Last year Metropolitan’s CSI division undertook a study on the impact of lifestyle diseases on society. Diabetes, hypertension and obesity were identified as the three main avoidable lifestyle diseases that were included in the research. “Your lifestyle choices do really matter – for the better or for the worse,” notes Hamdulay. “One striking finding of this research revealed how little people knew about the longer term symptoms and potential costs associated with these diseases. They not only have an impact on your physical wellness, but also your personal and financial wellness – long term, they cut into your time, child care, medication, and impact on your employment, family, personal relationships and social relationships, among others.”
If prevention is better than cure, where does one start?
You are what you eat
“If you only make one lifestyle change this year, let it be to your diet,” urges Hamdulay.
“Poor diet is the largest contributing factor to the development of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Industrialisation, urbanisation and an increasingly pressurised lifestyle have given rise to a high-salt, high-sugar, fast food, processed diet that has become the norm. The result is that people are getting diagnosed with these preventable lifestyle diseases at a faster rate and at younger ages than ever before.” Hamdulay offers the following advice:
Take ownership of your eating habits: research, read ingredient labels, ask questions about the food that you are eating. It all starts with awareness.
Work with what is affordable and accessible so that you can make a realistic, long-term change. There is no need to succumb to expensive health food trends – simply buy fresh, whole foods wherever possible.
Substitute: Find healthy alternatives to unhealthy versions of your favourite foods.
Make food an attractive part of your lifestyle. Healthy eating does not need to be bland. Be creative – learn one new recipe a week or try a new vegetable once a week. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you will discover!
Manage your stress
In a recent Bloomberg study South Africa was ranked as the second most stressed out country worldwide. “As a society we do live under an increasing amount of stress, which can exacerbate lifestyle diseases,” says Hamdulay. In this regard, it is important to:
Keep the main thing the main thing: not everything is worth being concerned about, so make a decision to not sweat the small stuff.
Set clear boundaries between your work and home life.
Start saying “no”: if you have a tendency to bite off more than you can chew, start taking stock of your time and what you can realistically achieve. Knowing your limitations will make saying “no” to every request much easier – and you’ll be able to breathe easier too.
Take time every week to unwind by doing something that you really enjoy – whether it is spending time with friends, going for a walk on the beach, or spending an evening watching movies with your partner.
Get moving
“We live largely sedentary lives,” notes Hamdulay. “Getting up off your couch – or office chair – can be instrumental in curbing the onset of some lifestyle diseases. Among others, regular exercise can improve glucose metabolism and insulin function, and help to balance and normalise weight. Of course, there is the added bonus of endorphins that helps improve your mood.” Hamdulay encourages people to make some simple changes to help get you moving:
Make small, incremental changes: exercising does not mean that tomorrow you have to sign up for a daily three hour commitment at the gym. Start where you are at and build up your stamina over time, even if it means taking a walk around the block to start off with. A small change is better than no change at all.
Find an exercise pattern that fits your lifestyle or a sport that you enjoy – consider joining a sports club to make it more fun and motivating.
Set yourself a fitness goal – whether your goal is to complete a 5km fun run or a half marathon, having a goal will help you focus and train.
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