You just turned 20, and it’s time to break out of those teenage bad habits. After graduating from college and moving out of your parent’s house, you gotta stop behaving like an excitable coed. I’m gonna cut us all some slack: it’s okay to be a little clueless about what to do and how to eat. We all need some help on figuring out some better health habits.
Start with these easy tips and ditch these bad health habits to get started on becoming a full-fledged adult. Or just fake it till you make it.
1. Cut Down on Junk Food
It’s pretty obvious that shoveling those greasy chips into your mouth every night isn’t the best thing that you could be doing for your body. I’m not saying that you should completely give up junk food forever, but you gotta take it in moderation. Hidden benefit: You’ll enjoy each chip more when you eat them less often.
2. Eat Less Frozen Dinners
Frozen dinners seem great: they’re easy, cheap, low-maintenance, and disposable. But, honestly, frozen meals are full of sodium and not that great for you. Use your 20s as a time to learn how to cook, it’s really not that hard. You can take classes, watch videos, or ask your parents for some help. It’s a skill you’re gonna need for the rest of your life, so why not start now?
3. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake
According to the Mayo Clinic, you should not drink more than 4 cups of coffee a day (that 4 cups is considered to be 32 fl oz, which converts to 3 grandes from Starbucks), so maybe lay off those midnight red-eyes at the library.
You also have to be careful about what you’re putting in your coffee. If you considered experimenting with coffee as a teenage accomplishment, maybe try black coffee in your 20s. That syrup and extra sugar really adds up.
4. Use Reusable Mugs
You know those paper coffee cups that you get when you take your drink to go? They’re actually not always recyclable depending on your local government’s waste management system. Save your money (10 cents per purchase at Starbucks) and the environment with a fashionably functional reusable mug.
5. Wash Your Dishes
You don’t want to be that roommate. Be respectful and wash your dishes after you use them. It’s just basic manners, and it’s also way cleaner.
6. Drink More Water
Do yourself a favor and keep hydrated. Your skin, liver, and basically entire body will thank you later. There are so many benefits to drinking more water that it’s a silly not to.
Along with all the health benefits, water is cost efficient. Next time you go out for drinks, alternate between cocktails and water in order to save some money (and help prevent that hangover).
7. Don’t Diet Shame
Has your friend/significant other/acquaintance recently taken up a plant-based diet? Good for them. Unless their diet is unsafe, there should never be a reason for you to ridicule them for trying to become a better person whether it’s for their health, the environment, for animal rights, or a combination of any.
This also goes for shaming in general. Body shaming, slut shaming, you name it — don’t do it. Let ’em live their best lives, then go and live yours.
8. Don’t Ignore Where Your Food Comes From
There’s way more to know about your food than the calories. Take a trip to your local farmers market to talk to some local farmers, or do some Googling about how your favorite foods are made. It may sway you to make healthier eating choices or to support the local community and environment more often.
9. Don’t Skip Meals
We’ve all been told not to skip breakfast, but this principle applies to lunch and dinner, too. You’re going to be hungry and unfocused for the next few hours, and probably overeat at your next meal. In general, it’s really not worth it. Pack a snack if you don’t have time for a full meal, but ya gotta eat every few hours.
10. Don’t Forget to Invest in a Reusable Grocery Bag
Keep a few reusable bags in hand when you take your weekly trip to the grocery store instead of constantly using new paper bags. Plenty of stores will often hand out promotional reusable bags or provide discounts if you BYOB (bag, not beverage) so there’s no excuse not to be environmentally conscious.
11. Don’t Always Buy Your Lunch
Those daily trips to the office cafeteria add up. Take the extra time to make yourself a healthy lunch in the morning or prepare last night’s dinner leftovers to-go. Your wallet will thank you.
These health habits are totally manageable ways for you to adult. You don’t have to do them all at once, but once you start, they really add up. Kudos to you for being an adult and getting healthier one step at a time.