The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy Lifestyle Benefits: What They Are, How to Get Them & More <![CDATA[ (function () {window.dataLayer.push({event: "appState Received", "appState": {"title":"Healthy Lifestyle Benefits: What They Are, How to Get Them & More","canonical":"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-nutrition/healthy-lifestyle-benefits","hrlContentId":"wp-4040858","isArticle":true,"isContentSeries":false,"canonicalPath":"/health/fitness-nutrition/healthy-lifestyle-benefits","pageTemplate":"Tabbed Article","logMoreMetrics":true,"adsSponsored":false,"isCPUV":false,"newsletter":{"tags":"","categories":"uncategorized"},"isSponsoredArticle":false,"targeting":{"k1":"othergenerichealth","k2":"generichealth","k3":"health","kmeta":"finance,hiv-aq-t1,mdd-aq-t1,uc-aq-t1,ad-aq-t1,nscls-aq-t1,alzheimer-aq-t1,mm-aq-t1,ms-aq-t1,weightmanagement-sustainablehabits,engagement","msiteactive":"false","url":"/health/fitness-nutrition/healthy-lifestyle-benefits","articleId":"wp-4040858","adLayout":"REDUCED"},"categories":[{"name":"Uncategorized","slug":"uncategorized","link":"/uncategorized","children":[]}],"subcategories":[],"widgets":{},"sponsoredNavMenu":false,"author":"Brittany Risher","editor":"Sarah Choi","contentForm":"Head Term","type":"healthfeature","vertical":"General Health","trackingTerms":[],"isPremiumVideo":false,"isStandaloneVideo":false,"isStandaloneRecipe":false,"hasDisabledPrerollJWPlayer":false,"isNewsArticle":false,"hasEmbeddedJWPlayer":false,"byline":{"authors":[{"name":{"display":"Brittany Risher"},"avatar":{}}],"medicalReviewers":[{"id":6139,"name":{"display":"Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS","first":"Jared","last":"Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS"},"userLogin":"jmeacham","links":{"website":"","facebook":"","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredmeacham/","twitter":"","instagram":"","tiktok":""},"link":"/reviewers/jared-meacham-phd-rd-pmp-cscs","type":{"value":"medical_reviewer","label":"Medical Advisor"},"nid":"","specialties":[],"guestTitle":"","bio":{"text":"

Dr. Jared Meacham is a registered dietitian, fitness professional, and educator. He manages the global fitness programming for an international development institution, teaches at the university level, and practices dietetics in a variety of settings.n

Educationn

n
• Virginia Tech, BS, MS.Edn
• University of Maryland Global Campus, BAn
• Lamar University, MSn
• University of New Orleans, PhDn
• University of Texas Permian Basin, MBA, MPAnn

  Certificationsn

  n
  • Registered Dietitian Nutritionistn
  • Licensed Dietitian Nutritionistn
  • Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)n
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)n
  • Facility Management Professional (FMP)nn

    Affiliationsn

    n
    • Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticsn
    • National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA)n
    • Hunger and Environmental Nutrition (HEN) Dietary Practice Groupn
    • Nutrition Educators & Health Professionals (NEHP) Dietary Practice Groupn
    • Public Health & Community Nutrition (PHCN) Dietary Practice Groupn
    • Sports, Cardiovascular & Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) Dietary Practice Groupnn”},”avatar”:{“title”:””,”width”:500,”height”:500,”src”:”https://post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Jared-Meacham-500×500-Bio.png”}}],”id”:”wp-4040858″,”updateReason”:[“The article was updated with current verified sources and links to relevant information.”],”editor”:”Sarah Choi”,”factCheckedBy”:””,”factCheckers”:[],”articleHistory”:{“2021-01-06”:{“updateReason”:[],”editor”:”Jody Amable”,”copyEditor”:”Jen Anderson”,”medicallyReviewedBy”:”E. Mimi Arquilla, DO”},”2023-03-09″:{“updateReason”:[“The article was updated with additional information to ensure it provides our readers with a comprehensive overview of the topic.”],”editor”:”Jody Amable”},”2025-01-02″:{“updateReason”:[“The article was updated with current verified sources and links to relevant information.”],”editor”:”Sarah Choi”,”copyEditor”:”Copy Editors”,”medicallyReviewedBy”:”Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS”}},”articleDates”:{“factChecked”:{“date”:null,”display”:””},”medicallyReviewed”:{“date”:1735829422,”display”:”January 2, 2025″},”published”:{“date”:1609913280,”display”:”January 6, 2021″},”lastUpdates”:{“date”:1735829422,”display”:”January 2, 2025″},”modified”:{“date”:1735804278,”display”:”January 2, 2025″},”postDraftCreationDate”:{“date”:1733837035,”display”:”December 10, 2024″},”versionFirstPublish”:{“date”:1735829469,”display”:”January 2, 2025″}},”type”:”healthfeature”,”language”:”en”},”cesData”:{“metaDescription”:”Healthy lifestyle benefits are easily attainable. 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Starting a healthy lifestyle can involve eating nutritious foods, engaging in regular physical activity, and prioritizing your mental health.

A healthy lifestyle simply means doing things that make you happy and feel good. You get to decide what your healthy lifestyle looks like.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, as well as things you can do to start.

1. Prevents disease

In an observational study of almost 200,000 adults, those who ate the most whole grains had a 29% lower rate of type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least.

In a 2020 study of 44,000 adults, researchers found that those who got 11 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day had a lower risk of death compared to those who only exercised at that intensity for 2 minutes.

This comparison held true even if people sat for 8.5 hours every day.

2. Saves money

You should always see your primary care physician for an annual physical exam.

Even if you think you do not need to see a doctor, some health conditions can be “silent.” This means they do not present with any symptoms.

Seeing a doctor regularly increases your chances of catching it early, which can lead to improved outcomes.

The healthier you are, the less often you will have to see a doctor. This could save money by reducing:

• co-pays
• prescriptions
• other treatments

3. Lengthens lifespan

Basic healthy habits are connected with living a longer life.

• never smoked
• maintain a healthy weight
• are regularly active (over 30 minutes per day of moderate or vigorous activities)
• follow a healthy diet
• keep alcohol to a moderate consumption (5 to 15 g per day for women and 5 to 30 g per day for men)

Making even a few of these changes may lengthen your lifespan.

4. It can be good for the environment

Ultra-processed foods are those that contain refined grains and additives to change the texture, taste, or color. More than 70 percent of foods in U.S. supermarkets are ultra-processed.

The making of ultra-processed foods contributes to:

• greenhouse gas emissions
• water scarcity
• decreased biodiversity
• plastic waste
• deforestation

Replacing short car rides with biking can also cut back on the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

Your journey toward a healthier lifestyle starts with small changes that you feel confident you can achieve. Consider making “SMART” goals. SMART stands for:

• specific
• measurable
• attainable
• relevant
• time-bound (met by a deadline and done in a certain amount of time)

By focusing on SMART goals, you may find more success. And one initial “win” will propel you to set new, bigger goals.

Consider the following tips for beginning to improve your overall health.

1. Eat more vegetables

A 2020 review of studies suggests consuming an adequate amount of fruit and vegetables is associated with lower risk of:

• heart disease
• stroke
• cancer
• premature death

You don’t have to go from eating minimal produce to having nine servings a day. You can start slow by eating one serving of vegetables at dinner. If you already do that, consider eating one vegetable or fruit at every meal.

2. Swap in whole grains

Research from 2020 links consuming more whole grains with reduced risk of:

Start small by replacing one refined grain each day with a whole grain. For example, if you normally have cereal for breakfast, you may replace it with oatmeal.

• plain oats
• whole grain bread and pasta
• brown and wild rice
• buckwheat
• bulgur wheat
• millet
• barley
• spelt
• quinoa
• farro

• white bread and pasta
• white rice
• most breakfast cereals
• chips
• pretzel
• crackers

3. Be more active

When it comes to exercise, it is important to choose an activity you enjoy. This will increase the chances that you’ll stick with it.

Some types of exercise you may enjoy can include:

You don’t have to start with a long workout. Aim for 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week. When you feel ready, you can add more time.

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, plus 2 days of muscle strengthening exercise.

4. Maintain friendships

Strong relationships and staying in communication with friends and loved ones can support mental health.

Even if you cannot get together with friends or family in person, schedule a time to catch up over a phone or video call once a week.

5. Control stress

Exercise can help reduce stress by releasing pent-up energy and boosting the release of mood-lifting hormones called endorphins.

Other mindfulness practices include:

If you would like more support relieving stress, you may consider therapy.

Working with a trained psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist can help you work through challenges life throws your way, and it can help you learn new skills to manage stress.

It is perfectly possible to balance healthy living with eating ice cream, taking a day off from your workout, or having wine with dinner.

An all-or-nothing mindset where you can only eat “good” foods and never eat “bad” ones often backfires. Having the flexibility to eat that bowl of ice cream — and savor every bite — can be part of being healthy, too.

Rest days are also important for physical and mental health. Doing too much exercise can increase the risk of injuries, and it may cause you to burn out and give up exercise altogether.

A healthy lifestyle can not only help you feel better, but it can also reduce the risk of some diseases, lengthen your lifespan, save you money, and benefit the environment.

Start small when you make changes. You’re more likely to see success this way, and small successes will snowball into bigger benefits.

If you want help with making any lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor. If they can’t directly help you, they may recommend other professionals, like registered dietitians or therapists.

Brittany Risher is a writer, editor, and digital strategist specializing in health and lifestyle content. She’s written for publications including Elemental, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and Yoga Journal.

 

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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