8 Shocking Lifestyle Mistakes We Often Do in Our Life

by Shawn Clark

All of us are creatures of habits. We do various things the certain way just because we’re used to that. With that being said, it comes as no wonder that we make mistakes which can affect our health or overall quality of life. In this article, we’re going to focus on eight most common mistakes that people accidentally make in their lives.

  1. Skipping meals

It’s time to confess, you’ve probably skipped meals on more occasions than one. Sometimes you’re just too busy to cook or you’re at work and don’t have time to go and grab a bite. In fact, there are many reasons why people skip meals and belief that’s a good way to lose weight is one of them. Your body needs food for energy which means you have to eat regularly. Food is directly associated with your health. Why? It’s because your body requires variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to function properly. Ideally, you should eat three big meals and two smaller ones during the day. Moreover, if you’re trying to lose weight, skipping meals should be thing of the best. Various studies have confirmed that skipping meals can lead to the opposite effect, weight gain.

Kara L. Kliewer and research group of the Ohio State University conducted a study to examine effects of skipping meals. Results of the research, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, showed that skipping meals not only leads to abdominal weight gain, but it also causes insulin resistance in the liver.

Therefore, you shouldn’t skip meals because it:

• Leads to overeating

• Slows down metabolism

• Prevents you from getting nutrients you need.

  1. Mistaking pregnancy symptoms for something else

This isn’t a habit that you usually make, but the truth is – most women mistake signs of pregnancy for something else. This usually happens because some of the earliest signs of pregnancy mimic other ailments and it’s easy to see why women assume they’re sick before they find out they’re pregnant. Here are some symptoms of pregnancy that women mistake for something else:

Mood swings – women usually assume they’re irritable due to PMS

Dizziness – in most cases, it’s mistaken for anemia or exhaustion

Fatigue – also mistaken for exhaustion, flu, or for result of sleep deprivation

Bloating – mistaken for constipation

Stuffiness and headaches – usually mistaken for flu or general feeling of unease

Morning sickness– this symptom doesn’t always indicate pregnancy which is why some women mistake it from stomach bug. How to differentiate the two? Generally, morning sickness doesn’t cause cramps and diarrhea that are characteristic for stomach bug. Furthermore, morning sickness is usually accompanied by sensitivity to odors.

  1. Not sleeping enough

This is one of the most common lifestyle mistakes that people make. You stay up until late-night hours watching TV or chatting with your friends on instant messaging apps. Then, you have to wake up early to go to work or school and promise yourself you’ll go to bed earlier that night, but you never do. This is a vicious circle. Sleep deprivation is a major problem in modern society and it can have a big impact on quality of life. For example, Paula Alhola and team of researchers at the University of Turku in Finland conducted a study to examine effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance. Findings from this research were published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatmentand they showed that total sleep deprivation impairs working memory and attention as well as long-term memory and decision-making. On the other hand, partial sleep deprivation influences attention, particularly vigilance.

Sleep deprivation contributes to:

• Cardiovascular problems

• Stress

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Low sex drive

• Depression

• Puffiness in face

• Weight gain.

  1. Avoiding the scale

Most people have a scale in their home and you probably have one too. But, how many times do you actually step on it? In most homes, scales just gather the dust and people almost never use them. The reason is simple; if you don’t see you’ve gained weight, you won’t have to deal with it. However, stepping on that scale (that you paid for) is important. Monitoring your weight prevents you from excessive weight gain which means it’s a must for managing healthy weight.

You should bear in mind that it’s natural for weight to fluctuate and once you notice you gained a few pounds it will be easier for you to make some lifestyle tweaks to lose them. It’s recommended to keep a log and write down your weight each time you step on that scale. You can use notebook or phone and determine to weigh yourself on bi-weekly or monthly basis.

  1. Exercising too much

Yes, it’s possible to exercise too much. It seems logical to us that the more you exercise the better. But, it isn’t necessarily correct. In reality, too much of a good thing can be counterproductive and exercising isn’t an exception. Signs that you’re exercising too much are:

• Exercising leaves you exhausted, not energized

• You get sick easily

• You have “heavy” legs

• You have the blues

• You either sleep too much or not at all.

Since glozine lifestyle fitness is important for overall health and well being, you should aim for about 30 minutes of exercise each day. If you’re practicing high intensity training then you should do it two or three times a week only. Ideally, it’s recommended to consult a fitness trainer about perfect exercises you can do as well as how much exercise you should do on daily basis.

  1. Carrying a heavy handbag

Large handbags are fashionable and quite practical as they can carry everything you will need during the day. The problem occurs when we start carrying things we don’t need or things for “just in case” situations. These habits aren’t as innocent as they seem. The more items you store in your handbag the heavier it is. When you have to carry that bag all day every day, you have a problem. Eventually, carrying a heavy handbag all the time may lead to back, neck, and shoulder pain as well as pain in your arms. Experts claim that heavy handbags can cause disc degeneration, back spasms, arthritis, poor posture, neck problems etc.

To avoid these unwanted scenarios you should make it your habit to only carry essentials in your handbag, regardless of its size.

  1. Discontinuing your medications

Most of us do this; your doctor prescribes antibiotics or some other medications for your illness and as soon as you’re feeling better you stop taking them. But, this isn’t how things work. Depending on the medicine you’re taking, discontinuing using medications can cause various health risks including headaches, seizures, or rapid return of the illness you were treating. Therefore, take your medications until your doctor tells you when to stop.

  1. Not eating enough fiber

Western diet isn’t the world’s healthiest diet. It’s characterized by items that have low nutritional value and foods we eat usually don’t contain enough fiber. Along with adequate water intake, fiber moves quickly and easily through your digestive tract and helps it function properly. Regular digestion is essential for weight loss and overall health, which is why experts recommend eating enough fiber. Here are some ideas where to find it:

• Legumes

• Avocado

• Whole-wheat pasta

• Brown rice

• Whole-wheat bread

• Fruits and vegetables

• Dark leafy greens

• Barely etc.

You can also aid your digestion with probiotic supplements. Products such as Probioslim are formulated to encourage healthy bacteria growth in digestive tract thus improving digestion and helping you lose weight. Before you purchase these products, consult your doctor.

Conclusion

We make certain lifestyle mistakes without even realizing that. However, these seemingly harmless mistakes can be quite damaging in the long run. This article listed eight common mistakes that people make and their consequences. Remember, even some small lifestyle tweaks can do wonders for quality of life.

Related Video: How to Break Eat, Work and Sleep Cycle?