9 Ways You're Damaging Your Health and Don't Realize It ...

One of the worst ways you’re damaging your health without realizing it is if you don’t eat enough. Whether it’s due to a fear of calories, a diet you’re on, or you just lack the time, not eating enough is bad for you all the way around. It stalls weight loss, lowers productivity and energy, and ruins your mood. Not eating enough can also cause your muscles to breakdown, your brain to age, and even causes digestive problems. Be sure to eat at least 300-400 calories per meal and don’t fear snacks as long as they’re healthy.

Listen, dear- burning both ends of the candle won’t make you more successful and it certainly won’t make you healthier! Staying up late and getting up early actually changes your metabolism and the way your brain works. It makes you hungrier, moodier, lowers your metabolism, creates mental fog, and causes your body to produce more stress. Getting 7-8 hours isn’t negotiable- make it a priority!

If you’re eating low-carb one week, low-fat the next, or doing some sort of cleanse in a month, you’re just asking for trouble. Constantly changing your diet confuses your body, especially when taken to extremes. Different diets work for different people so when you find one that works, give it at least a couple months and stay on it.

Pulling a few extra hours one or two days a week at the office isn’t a bad thing. It’s when you make it a habit of it that it becomes a problem. Not only does it tax your body, but it also makes you less productive. It means you don’t have the time you need to eat healthy, exercise, and get a good night’s rest because you’re working nonstop.

In case you’re not already aware, eating processed foods wreaks havoc on just about every part of your health. Weight loss aside, veggies are the best foods for your body in just about every way you can think of. Learn to love them if you want to be healthy for life!

Our bodies are made of 75% water, so that should tell you this plain liquid is pretty important to our health. While drinking a certain number of glasses a day isn’t necessary, you should try to choose water whenever you’re thirsty. Water keeps you hydrated, energized, and less likely to dig into the cookies and chips.

Not eating enough fat is also something you might be guilty of without realizing it. You need to eat plenty of healthy fats from fish (or take a supplement), raw nuts and seeds, raw coconut, olives and olive oil, avocados, and even organic eggs to give your body the fats it needs to be healthy. Why? Healthy fats actually help you think more clearly, they energize you, they help your digestion, and they even help you lose weight and eat less sugary foods. Just avoid the fats in processed foods and you’re good to go!

Even if you live a busy lifestyle, it’s important to still choose whole foods whenever you can. Not only will whole foods help you lose weight, but they also keep your heart healthy, prevent diabetes, lower your cravings, and help you sleep better. Choose veggies, leafy greens, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, plain yogurt, eggs, grass-fed meat, and wild fish as much as possible.

Body issues aside, if you live with a lot of anger, guilt from relationships or life in general, it’s very important that you address those issues and find a way to deal. Your emotional health is just as important to your long term health as dieting and exercising.

If you’re guilty of any of the items above, decide to make a change today and don’t think twice about it. It’s never too late to get back on track. Create more space in your schedule to take care of your body and mind whatever it takes. Do you know of another way you’re damaging your health and don’t realize it?