Fun and Easy Ways to Grow Healthy Habits
Fun Ways to Move More
Exercise doesn’t have to be difficult or happen in a long stretch in order to offer you many benefits. It is a good idea to move a little more each day, even if you’re short on time.
Stretch comfortably in bed when you wake up. Apps like Yoga Wakeup or Wakeout: Stretch and Move Daily can offer an easy workout in the morning.
Take advantage of stairs to get some extra movement and cardio throughout the day.
Dance to your favorite beats the next time you listen to music. Some music genres that are a good fit for mini-workouts include reggaeton, hip hop, and Bollywood.
Find more opportunities to stand. If you work at a desk, explore whether you like a standing desk. Or if you take public transit to work, it can be an opportunity to stand instead of sit.
Enjoy a pleasant walk every day. Regular walks can improve your immune system, mood, memory, and more.1 Seeing green space may also be relaxing. If you want to gamify your walks or jogs, you can try apps like Zombies, Run! or Pokemon Go!
Easy Ways to Get More Fruits and Veggies
If you eat meat, cutting back on it can lower your risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.2 There are many fruits and veggies that can fill your cravings while offering important nutritional benefits.
Explore Meatless Mondays. Try Meatless Mondays at home or support a Meatless Mondays tradition at your workplace. A number of leading hospitals are following this weekly tradition. Meatless Mondays was adopted by NewYork-Presbytarian Hospital in 2019; new meatless options were available to staff at the Cornell, Allen, Columbia, and Westchester locations.
Fill half your plate with veggies. A public health campaign in Canada encourages filling half your plate with veggies. This approach can help you proportion your meals for health benefits.
Snack on fruits that you love. Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that have a number of benefits for your body (protecting brain health, for example, and lowering your risk of Type II diabetes). Mangos are high in potassium, K, folate, B6 and other vitamins. Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and manganese.
Sneak some extra veggies into your cooking. While many people with kids learn how to do this, you can use it on yourself, too. Mix in extra veggies in unexpected places to get nutrients and antioxidants. You can also make fun popsicles in the summer made with fruits, veggies, and almond milk.
Start with a soup or salad course before your meals. This habit will help you consume fewer calories overall.
Simple Water Hacks
Daily water requirements, like anything else, are not one-size-fits-all. How much water you need can vary depending on a variety of factors.
Check a hydration calculator. You can try a water calculator to estimate how much water you need per day.
Use the right sized bottle. You can easily meet your daily water needs by buying a water bottle that reflects your daily goal.
Choose a bottle with time markers. Time markers are particularly useful, so you know if you’re on track throughout the day.
Try a fun water tracker app. If you prefer to keep track via a phone app, try Plant Nanny or Water Tracker WaterLama.
Infuse the water if you like more flavor. Leave water in the fridge overnight with cucumbers, fruits, or herbs, and enjoy the flavor the next day. Tasty combinations include cinnamon and apple, watermelon and mint, or lemon and cucumber water. Or you can make an unsweetened, herbal iced tea, using peach tea bags.
1. Mayo Clinic Staff. Walk your way to fitness. Mayo Clinic. Published May 19, 2021. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261
2. It’s time to try meatless meals. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/meatless-meals/art-20048193?p=1
3. Serrur M. Meatless Monday Arrives at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The Monday Campaigns. Published April 23, 2019. Accessed July 27, 2022. https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday/news/meatless-monday-arrives-newyork-presbyterian
4. Fill Half Your Plate with Fruits and Veggies - Home. Half Your Plate. https://www.halfyourplate.ca/
5. 20 Tasty Fruits with Health Benefits. Healthline. Published May 10, 2021. Accessed July 27, 2022. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-fruit#10.-Strawberries
6. Tips to Reduce Food Portions Without Increasing Hunger. Healthline. Published March 20, 2017. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-tips-to-reduce-portions#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5