7 Things Healthy Women Do Every Day

18th November 2022

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With the growing demands on our time and energy, women face immense pressure each day. As we strive to feel healthy, strong, fit and happy, there are some things that healthy women consistently do.

Here are 7 things healthy women do every day:

1. Move Their Bodies

Movement is linked to every function and process in the body. Regular movement has the power to improve every part of your body, from your brain to your joints.

Movement can mean a gentle stretch, a beautiful walk outside or a short bout of physical activity.

All physical activity adds up to improve our fitness, health and wellness. When you engage in exercise it increases your heart rate, which results in burning more calories.

As we age, body fat increases and lean muscle mass decreases which leads to a lower metabolism, a decrease in strength and a softer appearance (even if you are at a healthy weight).

To counter this, an exercise programme for mid-age should include cardio, strength, stretching and rest.

A well-balanced exercise programme can strengthen bones, improve balance, improve functional movement, improve muscle tone and increase insulin sensitivity.

Find out more about types of strength and how to include strength training in your exercise routine in this blog.

Decathlon has a range of home workout equipment that can make strength training at home very easy!

Benefits of movement: improves circulation, improves mood and happiness, reduces tension and stress, enhances mental clarity and memory, balances key brain neurotransmitters

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is essential in allowing our body to recover, rejuvenate and repair. It is also helpful when it comes to weight loss.

When you are lacking the proper sleep required at night, your brain sends out hunger signals which may result in overeating.

Chronic sleep deprivation impairs hormone balance, causing cortisol and insulin to rise, which promotes belly fat storage, inhibits fat metabolism, and increases appetite and cravings for sugary and fatty foods.

As with our diet, both sleep quantity and quality are important.

Although research differs on the optimal total time, some research suggests that sleep cycles matter more than total length. A typical sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. Waking at the end of a sleep cycle is the optimal time to feel most refreshed.

Aim for a minimum of 6 hours of sleep each night, with the goal 7-9 hours of quality sleep.

Read this blog for quick tips for quality sleep!

3. Drink Enough Water

Water is crucial to your health. It makes up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry on normal functions. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make you tired. Dehydration poses a particular health risk for the very young and the very old.

Every day you lose water—through sweating, exhaling, urinating and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you need to replace this water by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

Water rejuvenates us and carries vital nutrients around the body where it's needed. Water picks up all the leftovers, wastes and debris that the cells throw out into the lymph system and transport them out of the body via the channels of elimination.

When you drink more water, it has the double combination of feeding your body and clearing you of all the waste products that were built up in your system.

Your brain needs water, and plenty of it. Without water, your brain will operate worn out, tired and sluggish.

Water is the ultimate gift to give yourself to think with clarity. In addition, water acts as a kind of healthy lubricant moistening tissues and joints.

Read more about the Health Benefits of Drinking Water

I love the motivational markings on this hydrate jug!

4. Stress Less

Stress can be sneaky, creating health problems when you are not even sure it's there. To find out more about how stress affects our health, read my previous blog post, How Stress Can Affect Your Health

Although we tend to think of stress as caused by external issues, issue in themselves are not stressful. It is the way in which we interpret and react to them that makes them stressful.

People differ enormously in the type of events they interpret as stressful and the way in which they respond to such stress.

Stress is generally created when the demands made on a person start to exceed that person's ability, or perceived ability to cope. Essentially a gap is created between what a person needs/wants to do, and what they feel they are able to do.

Listening to your body when it is asking for a break is essential for both your physical and mental health. By slowing down for a short period, you may avoid long term injury or illness. Your body and mind will thank you for listening in the long term!

It's okay to take a break

5. Plan Ahead

Have you heard the saying ‘Fail to plan, plan to fail’? This can be true of many aspects in our lives, from effectively scheduling our valuable time to ensuring that there are fresh groceries and time to prep food to fuel our bodies effectively.

Many of us feel we lack the time to get through our never ending to do lists to properly prioritise our health, fitness and diet. By planning well, we are able to set our non-negotiable tasks each day – which should include the things we need to take care of our minds and bodies.

If you are looking to improve your diet, committing time to stocking your fridge and cupboards with healthy ingredients and planning your meals can be the difference between reaching for a quick, convenient bit of food and cooking a nutritious meal with raw ingredients.

Planning and preparation can be the key in creating healthy eating habits. Download Hutton Health's free Meal Planner to help you prepare for a successful week of mindful eating!

Find out more about Mindful eating and why it is important here!

If you are looking to integrate regular movement into your schedule, setting your clothes out and planning your exercise time can be the motivation and key to getting started each day.

If you need the motivation and accountability of a coach to consistently prioritise your fitness, health and wellness, check out Hutton Health’s monthly membership options! Benefit from the experience and expertise of a coach at your fingertips with the Hutton Health app.

6. Quality Connection

Daily social contact is a predictor of emotional well-being. A sense of connection and belonging are two of the most important things for humans to feel.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel great and who make you feel like you can conquer the world and achieve your dreams.

Find your tribe that you trust and who lift you up. Your inner tribe should fill your cup until you cup spills over! It is incredibly empowering to have a group of motivating and inspiration people supporting you.

7. Comfort Zone

‘The hardest thing to do is leaving your comfort zone. But you have to let go of the life you’re familiar with and take the risk to live the life you dream about.’ T. Arigo

In her 1991 work, Danger in the Comfort Zone, Judith Bardwick described the comfort zone as ‘a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.’

Maintaining our comfort zones minimizes risk and stress in our lives. Staying within our comfort zones is easy to do. If you do not step outside of your comfort zone you will inevitably stay the same and miss out on a lot of possibilities and opportunities.

For people who step out of their comfort zone and are willing to embrace the risk and stress they encounter, significant personal growth and understanding can result. Within the comfort zone, there is little incentive to strive for higher performance levels.

I love exploring new places as a way to get out of my comfort zone. Booking.com makes it easy to find places to stay - from as close or as far away from me as I have the time and energy to travel!

Commit to these 7 habits of healthy women to improve your health, vitality and happiness!