1. Start fresh every single day.
It might sound a little corny, but every day could—and should—be considered a fresh start. Had a fight with your mom/boyfriend/landlord yesterday and didn’t resolve it? Had an awful day at work that you went to bed thinking about? Not thrilled with the way your friends treated you while you were out last night? Today’s a new day, and you should use it to approach the problem with fresh eyes and commit to either resolving the issue if it’s important, or move on completely if it’s something small or petty. You’d be surprised how insignificant problems might look once you put a few hours of distance between you.
2. Understand that exercise doesn’t have to be a big time commitment.
We don’t have to tell you that the biggest healthy habit every girl should have is exercising regularly, although so many of us claim we simply don’t have time. We hate to break it you, but that’s not really an excuse, as there’s mounting evidence that short but frequent bouts of exercise can yield some major health benefits.
For example, a study published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2006 showed that short walks after dinner were more effective than long exercise sessions in reducing the amount of fat and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream after a hearty meal, according to WebMD.
3. Check your credit card statements, bank statements, and pay stubs regularly.
This one’s definitely a mental health habit that we all should be extremely diligent about. With security breaches happening left and right, it’s key to take ownership of your own finances by always knowing exactly where your money went, when it’s coming in, and any inconsistencies that arise.
4. Adopt a “meatless Monday” mentality.
Did you know that cutting out meat—even if it’s merely once a week—can drastically decrease your risk of heart disease by up to 19%, according to a Harvard University study? Eating a diet heavy on red and other processed meats have been shown to increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and other health problems. Cutting back on meat can also impact the environment by reducing the amount of fossil fuel and water that’s used to raise livestock. Do yourself a favor and dedicate one day to fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, and nuts.
5. Drink a glass of lukewarm water with lemon (and cayenne pepper, if you dare) first thing every morning.
This morning drink gets your organs going, and fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper both have major anti-fungal, immune boosting, and detoxification properties. Plus, Lemon juice is nature’s best tool for aiding in digestion and regularity, destroying bacteria and cleansing the system.
6. Cut back on evil sugar.
If you cut anything from your diet today, make it sugar. In and of itself, sugar has no nutrients, no protein, no healthy fats, and no enzymes, making it empty calories that have disastrous effects on our health.
7. Don’t try to keep up with the Jonses.
Never try to keep up with that one friend who always has the new “It” item—it’s a dangerous game to play, one that not only can harm your wallet, but can also wreak havoc on your self-worth, if you let it.
8. Use a retinol if you’re starting to get wrinkles.
Instead of continuously wasting money on the latest anti-aging creams, ask your dermatologist to prescribe you a good retinol product—it’s the only thing that really works, anyway.
9. Check in with HR.
Ask your office Human Resources department to remind you of benefits you’re probably not using, such as flex spending accounts for prescriptions, transit cards, or classes.
10. Count to 10 when you’re pissed off.
This healthy habit is one we all should adopt: Before reacting, take a beat. You’d be surprised at how much perspective you can gain in 10 seconds, as opposed to irrationally firing off an email, or confronting someone out of sheer anger before collecting your thoughts.
11. Start biking.
Even if it’s just to do a few errands on the weekends instead of driving, cabbing, or taking the subway. Most cities have bicycle sharing programs for people who aren’t owners .
12. Put. Down. The. Cell. Phone.
Not only is it incredibly rude and predictable to always be on your phone, but obsessively stalking your cell before bed can have serious health effects. According ot the Daily Mail, staring at your mobile’s screen at bedtime causes people to take longer to reach the deeper stages of sleep and to spend less time in them. Bad news, as deep sleep is essential for your body to rejuvenate cells and repair damage suffered during the day. Seriously, Instagram can wait until morning.
13. Stop beating yourself up.
About every little thing that happens at home, at work, or socially. If you’re really regretful or unhappy about something specific (snapping at your boss, not calling your family enough, drinking too much at a friend’s party and doing something silly) address it head-on, otherwise move on. Harping on things can only add extra anxiety to your life.
14. Don’t do drugs.
It might sound funny when put so succinctly, but you’re never going to save any cash with bad habits. Plus, legal fees will be a bitch if you get caught.
15. Likewise, don’t smoke.
Between exorbitant cigarette prices and health bills down the line, it’s so not worth it.
16. Take care of your clothes.
Wash them properly, hang them up, and fold them instead of tossing them on the floor, and get things repaired if needed. (Here’s a starter guide filled with 101 tips to care for everything in your closet.)
17. Consolidate and pay off debt as soon as possible.
If you have debt, make it a point to consolidate it to a lower interest and paying it off ASAP. Money paid in interest is money thrown away, ladies.
18. Don’t overdo the booze.
Theres’s nothing wrong with a few cocktails now and again, but overdoing it on the regular can lead to a host of health problems, including (but not limited to) sleeplessness, weight gain, and—according to some reports—a heightened risk of breast cancer.
19. Don’t snack if you’re not hungry.
Mindless eating can lead to weight gain and general unfulfillment, so be sure to eat—and enjoy—when your body tells you it’s physically craving food, not when you’re bored, stressed, or upset.
20. Practice the 2/30 rule
While we love vegging out in front of the tube as much as the next girl, we understand that too much “Real Housewives” could lead to Real Problems. According to Reader’s Digest, a large-scale study of over 9000 people found that those who watched more than two hours of TV a day ate more, while downing more sugary sodas and high-fat, high-cal, processed snack foods than those who watched less. Try following the 2/30 rule: limit TV to two hours a day, and be sure to get in 30 minutes of exercise.
21. Take pains to prevent getting sunburned.
You don’t need us to tell you about the importance of wearing sunscreen, but it’s key to remember that—apart from SPF—it’s key to wear sunglasses that block 90% of both UVA and UVB rays, and to avoid exposure to the midday sun (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. standard time or 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daylight saving time).
22. Practice the 20/20/20 rule.
If you stare at a computer all day with no breaks (we’re totally guilty), try practicing the 20/20/20 rule, which doctors say reduces eye strain and redness: Take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.
23. Don’t rely on pills to sleep.
Try experimenting with other methods first, like exercise, natural sleep aids, and proven relaxation techniques.
24. Consider taking liquid chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll is the dark green pigment found in plants, but it also has amazing benefits for humans. It has a similar molecular structure to hemoglobin (the substance that’s responsible for transporting oxygen around the body), and just one tablespoon a day can boost red blood cells, improve oxygen, increase energy, help body odor, protect from cancer, help regulate bowel movements, and increase magnesium, vitamins, folic acid, iron, calcium and protein.
25. Don’t skip your yearly gynecological appointments.
We’re all busy, and it’s easy to push them aside, but it’s key for women to get yearly pap smears and talk to her doctor about what’s going on with her body.
Read this article 50 Healthy Habits Every Girl Should Have