In the past, I associated losing weight with being healthier. However, just losing weight isn’t enough to make you healthier overall. While losing weight can improve your health, especially if you are very overweight, it’s not everything that matters for healthy living.
Nutrition
It’s possible to appear at a healthy weight, but still not get the nutrition you need. Indeed, you might be eating fewer calories than you burn, and maintaining a “healthy” weight, but what sort of nutrition are you getting?
It’s possible to appear a good weight while eating processed foods and drinking soda. As long as you manage the calorie intake, you can eat poorly and still not put on a lot of weight. However, if you are eating poorly, focusing on empty calories that might taste good, it means that you aren’t eating foods that are good for you.
Good health also means that you get good nutrition with the vitamins and minerals you need — and it’s better if you get them from natural food sources, rather than just from multivitamins.
Make it a point to eat healthier, and improve your nutrition on top of focusing on your weight.
Exercise
Physical activity is also very important. Not only can exercise help you burn calories, but it also has other health benefits. Regular exercise can help ward off depression, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Additionally, you strengthen your bones and muscles when you exercise. Maintaining an active lifestyle can help you avoid some of the problems that come with age later on. Bone strength means fewer fractures and falls, and better muscle strength can help you as well.
Don’t just exercise frantically in an effort to lose weight; make it a regular part of your routine so that you are truly healthy.
Sleep
Many people underestimate the importance of proper sleep when it comes to health. Sleep allows you to recharge your body and your mind. Additionally, when you are well rested you are far more likely to be able to make better decisions about your health. Feeling rested often leads to a better commitment to exercise, as well as to the ability to resist the temptation to eat junk food.
Good sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and one that can influence your ability to make other decisions, whether you are driving, shopping, or engaging in other activities.
Improve Your Overall Health
Don’t just focus on weight loss as you attempt to improve your health. Instead, look at your overall wellness. Consider what you eat, as well as the type of exercise you do.
You will actually live healthier overall if you make small, gradual changes that lead to better health. Making smaller, more sustainable changes won’t lead to rapid weight loss, but they will lead to better health in the long run.
If you want to succeed with your health, make it a point to eat right, remain active, and to get enough sleep each day. Over time, the weight will come off. And it will be more likely to stay off, too.