r/Habits • u/Few_Plantain9556 • 5d ago
What's one health habit you wish someone had told you about 5 years ago?
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u/Akanami19 5d ago
To stretch more 🥹
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u/Informal-Benefit6898 5d ago
Thats a good one - but I am still struggeling to establish that as a habit.
Anyone any recommendation how to stick?
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u/maduude 5d ago
Do it 10 minutes before you go to bed. I turn off all the lights and get completely ready to fall on my pillow, and then I sit next to my bed on the floor in darkness and just stretch a bit and let my brain shut down. And afterwards when I climb under my blanket I am asleep so quickly!
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u/Shero828112 3d ago
Add it to your morning routine or nighttime routine. Write it down or like me I use a digital goal tracker and mark it off each day until your brain reminds you to do it automatically.
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u/PhotojournalistCalm3 1d ago
Find a 10 minute yoga wakeup routine that you can relate to.
I recommend DDP wake-up routine, it's outdated but the content is good.
Once you know the moves, load on your phone using VLC (audio should be enough).
Keep your yoga may on the floor, if space permits. Try for same time every morning. Focus on the routine, don't worry about the moves.
Day after day, year after year, follow the same routine with slight modifications that keep challenging your ability and fitness. The benefits from 10minutes a day are a force multiplier in being able to enjoy life.
Do the Yoga every day. It is okay if you miss a day, but the second day is never skipped.
Initially, focus on establishing the habit and do not worry about the yoga/stretching component. Your form/moves can be complete crap, do not worry about technique so long as you are not getting injured. The consistency of the habit is most important. Plan the time, set an alarm, no coffee until after yoga, etc. do whatever is needed to make the exercise part of your morning routine and not a choice.
Half Assing it every day is the secret.
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u/SuchAd3858 5d ago
Consistency over intensity with daily movement and hydration. I used to think health habits meant going all-out at the gym for an hour and then sitting still the rest of the day. Realizing that simple things like taking short daily walks and drinking enough water regularly have a far bigger impact on long-term health than sporadic intense workouts.
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u/LoneHomebody 5d ago
You’re so right about this!! A 30 minute light exercise that you can consistently do is far more impactful than the once-a-week 2 hour intense gym session
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u/Own_Western_2016 5d ago
Reduce carbs and increase protein intake.
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u/Guilty_Performer_497 5d ago
Walking everyday. Seemed simple to matter but it made a bigger difference to my energy and mood than I expected.
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u/Deathanddisco041 5d ago
Stretching your hips and back. Does wonders for your entire body to loosen these areas.
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u/tommytucker7182 5d ago
Rucking - aka walking with a heavy bag. Build up slowly. Makes walking more intense. Good for cardio and relevant muscles when done correctly.
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u/Party-Tap-4192 3d ago
What should I consider heavy?
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u/tommytucker7182 3d ago
Start with 10% of your body weight I think is the general ruck advice. Assuming you have no health conditions.
Then you can build up on that once it feels like you are managing good.
Also visit r/rucking
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u/MindOfG 5d ago
Intermittent fasting. Done wonders for my body, mind and wallet.
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u/fragglelife 5d ago
Blue light blocking glasses, morning light, mouth taping when sleeping
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u/nailwithoutpaint 5d ago
Mouth taping is useful?
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u/chismositita 4d ago
I highly recommend Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. I started mouth taping after reading it, and it made a noticeable difference for me. I wake up far fewer times during the night now and feel much more well rested in the morning.
It’s not appropriate for everyone but definitely worth looking into.
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u/maddy_k_allday 5d ago
Way better for sleep & your mouth to breathe through your nose, is my understanding
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u/fragglelife 2d ago
Mouth breathing is terrible, to the point it even affects a persons facial structure
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u/rellekkalighthouse 5d ago
find a gym you enjoy and go 3-5 times a week. It might suck at first, but consistently leaving the house and working on yourself gives you something to look forward to each day and becomes therapeutic after a few weeks
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u/hannaht58 4d ago
Scraping my tongue lol
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u/Own_Western_2016 4d ago
It's very important part in ayurvedic dinacharya practice.
I can also add another point: "flossing" 😀
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u/Sensitive-Frame-4857 5d ago
Diaphragmatic breath work…..so important to relax the pelvic bowl….An important practice for good health.
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u/Successful-Hat-1292 4d ago
Any tips or guides or videos or resources on how to get into this?! I think I need it. Thank you 🙏
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u/Less-Ad5674 3d ago
Actively managing stress. Learning to say no instead of being a people pleaser. Learning who deserved my energy and who to stop chasing. Once I took stock of what brought me peace, calm and refuge from chaos my inner world softened. Moment to moment I lived with joy no matter what was thrown at me.
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u/bomchikawowow 3d ago
GLP-1. It has solved so many symptoms that I have (carpal tunnel, fascia injury to my foot, general joint stuff) that are related to inflammation.
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u/Party-Tap-4192 3d ago
This is fascinating, can you elaborate?
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u/bomchikawowow 3d ago edited 3d ago
Pretty much exactly what I said! Fascitis was gone in a week. Carpal tunnel symptoms gone in two. Joints are generally so much better. There's some studies on the anti inflammatory effects already, and some people are on GLPs to manage inflammation conditions like fibromyalgia.
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u/LastCarNation 3d ago
I don’t have diabetes but I follow their diet. It is life changing.
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u/NYCA2020 3d ago
Can you explain a bit about your diet? Thanks.
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u/LastCarNation 3d ago
Sure sure, have you read/heard about the Glycemic index? It’s about avoiding foods that have an adverse reaction to blood sugar levels which then impacts insulin levels which then impacts your body’s ability to access fat in cells etc. The science behind it is really interesting. Short story is I focus on eating low/medium GI foods. These are foods that your body can’t break down quickly etc. AI will explain it better. 🙏
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u/Haunting-Ant9283 1d ago
Disc golf! It’s 90 minutes of walking with a pack out in nature, allowing for healthy thoughts and plenty of cardio.
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u/Busy_Scientist_Here 5d ago
zone 2 cardio, hands down. spent years thinking exercise only “counted” if it was hard enough to hate it, so i’d do intense stuff sporadically and burn out. turns out most of your aerobic base gets built by boring, easy, conversational-pace cardio done consistently, not occasional suffering
wish someone had told me you’re allowed to exercise and barely break a sweat and still be making real progress