Spring break is over so nothing’s holding you back from singlehandedly eating a large pizza right? Well, maybe there should be. There is so much pressure these days to “lose weight” but what about being healthy for the sake of being healthy? It’s way too easy to talk ourselves out of healthy habits. We make excuses for why we shouldn’t be healthy every day. “I’m tired,” “Summer isn’t for another few months,” “It’s college,” “My boyfriend likes me the way I am,” and my all-time favorite and personal area of expertise, “I’ll start tomorrow.” But at the end of the day, while these excuses are easy to make and even easier to justify, you still won’t be the healthiest version of yourself and you still won’t be happy. It’s not about size, it’s about feeling good. It’s about being confident and happy. It’s about being the best version of yourself in every way. Here are a few reasons why you should start being healthier TODAY:
1. You will live longer
It’s proven that healthier people live longer than unhealthy people. Exercise and a healthy diet means lower cholesterol, sodium, blood pressure, and all that other good stuff. We’re talking living 10-20 years longer people! That’s 10-20 years you can travel and enjoy your family and friends. Having a cookie or a slice of pizza won’t take five years off your life, but eating like that every day might.
2. You will feel better
Healthy habits add up to feeling better in so many ways. You’ll have more energy, you’ll be more confident and empowered and it’ll help digestion, headaches, and a lot of other medical issues you may have. As college students, we know we need energy to make it through classes, sleepless nights (not healthy by the way), jobs, job searching, partying, etc. So do yourself a favor and feel good while you’re doing all these daily tasks.
3. You will save money down the road
I had no idea how expensive medical costs were. Being healthy won’t make you immune to disease, illness and accidents, but it can certainly cut down on the visits and medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Nutritious foods and exercise are good for your heart, your skin, your bones, your muscles and basically everything else, too!
4. Your mental health will be better, too
It’s pretty obvious that if you feel better and look better then your mental health will be better, too. Not to mention endorphins from activity and feeling good will make you happier. A positive mental state means you’re less likely to get depressed and anxious. Not to mention the little guilt you feel after a day of terrible eating or inactivity will be replaced with feeling good about yourself for making healthy decisions.
Overall, there have been countless studies done on how nutrition, exercise and sleep affect our lives. Those studies all come down to the same basic principle: a healthier you is a happier you. And life’s too short to not be happy, am I right?