7 Habits of Highly Healthy People

It's the time of the year where everyone's gung ho about self-improvement, and because we live in a superficial world, that generally means people are trying to lose some weight. Don't lie. You're not dropping poundage to benefit society by decreasing the pressure on our health care industry.

Speaking as someone who has had an ongoing war with this "weight" character, losing the Battle of 2008 with a BMI of 23.8, then winning the Battle of 2009 having slimmed down to a healthy 19.1, I am here to offer my words of wisdom.

Disclaimer: I do not have a science degree (bio, chem), nor I am not employed in the any field relating to nutrition.

First and foremost, one will never be able to lose the weight without recognizing that a lifestyle change is needed. People are tipping the scale because they have developed bad habits due to lack of time and energy, greed or sheer laziness; therefore, in order to re-tip the scale in the right direction, bad habits need to be minimized.

In its place, here are my suggestions for good habits (what has worked for me) in order of difficulty:

1. Eliminate sodas
If you need the extra kick of energy, try green tea. In addition to being tasty and versatile (iced or hot), some have argued that it has amazing health benefits, such as the potential to fight cancer and heart disease. Luckily my mother (who did major in nutrition science) brainwashed me at an early age to avoid sugary drinks, and I never developed a soda habit.

2. Drink more water
Sigmund Freud theorized that our oral stage of development occurs during the first 21 months of life, where an infant's pleasure centers are in the mouth. Anything that goes wrong during that stage can trigger a lifetime of oral fixation that can manifest itself as overeating. To satisfy said fixation in a healthier manner, consider drinking water, which is thirst-quenching, and who knows, just might be able to trick your stomach into thinking it's full. Whatever activity I'm engaged in (working, eating, exercising), I make sure to have a handy supply readily available.

3. Purge home/work of snacks
Fitting that this is point number 3, as there are 3 basic "C" enemies: candies, cookies and chips. High in sugar and grease, low in nutritional value. If you preemptively strike these enemies by eliminating their access to your body, then you're already halfway to winning the war. Instead, keep a variety of fruits and nuts to snack on when the urge comes.

4. Check scale daily
So many people I know are trying to lose weight and don't know their actual weight out of utter fear. Don't fear it! Embrace it. Use it as motivation. The positive stimulus that you'll receive from the decreasing number on your scale will condition you to keep up your efforts. Guarantee there will be days when the number increases, but don't panic. That's instant feedback to help you evaluate what you did that caused the weight gain, and come up with solutions to avoid it in the future.

5. Eat more fiber
My unqualified (see: disclaimer above) theory is that the faster you can dispel waste, the less unnecessary "crap" your body soaks in. To aid that process, add fiber to your daily diet. For those that absolutely refuse to eat naturally fibrous food such as celery, broccoli or grains, there's always the option to take fiber supplements. Personally, I eat a serving of oatmeal with brown sugar in the morning, and then follow with regular servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

6. Stay active
I never could stay motivated to go to the gym or workout, so I had to brainstorm different ideas. I realized I spent roughly 2-4 days a week watching Laker games at home, so if I just spent part of that time doing physical activity (e.g., sit ups, push ups, jump rope, etc), I can better utilize my time, especially since most of the time, I'm jumping up and down screaming at the TV anyway. Couple that with occasional weekend social activities such as biking, badminton or hiking and I found myself a regimen that I enjoyed. Point being, everyone has different interests, so figure out something that works for you.

7. Keep dinner simple
It's end of the day, time to relax and enjoy, which for many means overindulging with dinner. Consciously control dinner portions and not only will it help with losing weight, it will keep you from feeling lethargic the rest of the night.

As an extra tip, if money is a motivator, Time.com recently highlighted a few websites that pay people to slim down without any financial obligation from you (article here). The websites make money from advertising and sponsorships from corporations looking to minimize their health care costs. You lose weight, companies save money and you make money: WIN WIN WIN. Safe to say, Michael Scott would approve.

Staying focused on a path of continued self-improvement is not easy, but a healthier you makes it easier to achieve your other goals. Of course, the compliments never hurt. Good luck!