Your 24-hour healthy lifestyle survival guide

Two more months before we enter a brand new year. The biggest motivation you can think of right now is your well-being, with what’s happening in the world.

Prepare your mind and body by trying healthy habits that will lead you to a healthy life. Don’t wait for January to restart your healthy lifestyle goals. You need to effectively distribute your energy throughout the day so you can still enjoy your simple rewards in the evening after a hard day’s work. Your overall daily productivity is the result of your mindset, passion, and physical energy. Staying fit and healthy (mentally, emotionally, and physically) is very important to help you conquer the day while pursuing your purpose in life.

This 24-hour healthy lifestyle guide can help you survive and face each day with enthusiasm and vibrance. You can constantly adjust the time based on your daily tasks, errands, and work schedule. 

Upon waking up (Between 5 am to 7 am)

Try your best to wake up early.  Avoid hitting the snooze button. Instead of checking your phone, sit down, open your eyes, and allow five to 10 minutes of morning prayers and meditation. Give some gratitude for embracing a brand new day that will give you another opportunity to perform better in your life as you learn from your yesterday’s mistakes. 

Set aside 30 to 60 minutes for morning rituals that can empower you to stay loving, productive, and healthy throughout the day. It can include your self-care morning routine, tidying your bedroom, organizing your home office while checking your schedule, preparing your kitchen while brewing your coffee, and setting up your exercise room. Giving enough time for your morning routine can save you from possible unnecessary daily hassles.

After your morning routine (Between 6 am to 8 am)

Devote 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity in the morning. Exercising in the morning can positively affect your mood and motivate you to eat well and stay healthy throughout the day. If you are an early bird, you can already engage in moderate to high-intensity exercises like running, circuit training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and other sports like cycling, swimming, and tennis.  If you are a night owl, it is better to do light to moderate exercises in the morning like brisk walking, mind and body exercises like yoga pilates, tai-chi, easy dancing, and lightweight training.

After your morning workout (Between 7 am to 9 am)

Eat your breakfast 15 to 45 minutes after your workout. The amount of food would depend on your exercise duration and intensity.  A quick breakfast after a light workout can be a piece of toast with one tablespoon tbsp of nut butter or egg (boiled, poached, or scrambled) or rolled oats with a handful of nuts (walnuts, almonds, or cashew nuts) and a piece of fruit. 

You can have a hearty meal like half a cup of brown rice with vegetable omelet and sardines or an egg and cheese sandwich with a piece of fruit or a fruit and vegetable shake after moderate to intense exercises. You need to have a post-workout meal to achieve muscle recovery and avoid intense hunger pangs at lunchtime.

While working (Between 8 am to 1 pm)

Go to your office or work at home while feeling alert and energetic. Try your best to stand up and move every 15 to 20 minutes by stretching, walking around, or doing 20 repetitions of chair squats or chair knee tucks. If you get hungry Two to three hours after breakfast, grab a healthy light snack like a piece of apple or a serving (30 grams) of trail mix (mixed nuts, seeds, and dried fruits) or a yogurt. The morning snack is also substantial if your workout time is at noon.

At lunchtime (Between 11 am to 1 pm)

If you stay at home, you can devote 20 to 30 minutes to food preparation: Cook simple, delicious and healthy dishes. 

Eat a packed lunch consisting of healthy grains like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta, or quinoa with cooked vegetables and your choice of healthy protein like seafood, chicken, or lean meat. You can also have a chicken or fish sandwich with salad on the side. Always avoid deep-fried foods.

Limit the food sauces and salad dressing to 1tbsp, especially if you are trying to manage your weight. Always drink enough water and avoid extra calories and sugar from drinks like sodas, milk teas, or sweet juices.

After lunch (Between 12 noon to 6 pm)

You can go back to work and continue to insert movements to keep you awake and alert with your tasks. Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon, at least six hours before bedtime, to get a night of quality sleep. 

If your situation allows, you can still work out between 3 pm to 6 pm. It can be your first half of the second workout for the day. Energy is usually high around this time.  You can also avoid cravings and unhealthy snacking during your workout time.

Have a post-workout meal, which serves as your afternoon snack like the food I mentioned for the morning snack, or a fruit and veggie smoothie with yogurt, nut milk, and fruits.  You can also have overnight oats and chia pudding if you want something sweet, such as milk, oats, chia seeds, nuts, fruits, and nut butter. 

At dinner time (Between 6 pm to 8 pm)

You can eat similar foods you had for lunch but aim for a lighter meal at night.  Make sure to achieve the proper fullness and satisfaction so you can avoid cravings after dinner.

You can have fewer grains and protein but still have more cooked vegetables (stir-fried, poached, or blanched mixed veggies and soup). Try to eat slowly, and instead of watching the television or checking your phone, make time to communicate with your family while enjoying your dinner.

After dinner (Between 7 pm to 10 pm)

Complete your household chores, do your self-care night routine, and reward yourself with your favorite non-food nighttime activities during these hours. Allot 15 to 20 minutes of reviewing your day (challenges and accomplishments with food, physical activities, moods, work, and relationships), so you can effectively plan for the next day. 

Sleeping time (Between 9 pm to 5 am,10 pm to 6 am, or 11 pm to 7 am)

Recognize your blessings for the day, say your prayers, hug your loved ones and get your well-deserved seven to eight hours of complete and quality sleep.

 

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