You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, enough that the phrase 'healthy lifestyle' may be one we'd like to permanently retire. The problem is, that phrase describes the life we need to live if we want to feel good and look good. So, what does it actually mean? Well, there are the obvious things that describe a healthy person: He or she doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy foods and exercises on a regular basis. It sounds so simple, it's funny just how hard it is to do all of those things in our current world.

The good news is, you don't have to change everything at the same time. In fact, the trick to healthy living is making small changes. Take more steps each day, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water or saying no to that second helping of buttery mashed potatoes. So, what else can you be doing to live healthy? Your first order of business is to start exercising.

Exercise

One of the biggest reasons we're have a weight problem these days is because we sit around too much. We know we need to exercise, but we have so many excuses not to do it. We're too busy, don't know where to start, we're not motivated or we're afraid we'll injure ourselves or we're afraid that exercise has to be vigorous for what our bodies can handle. The truth is, everything counts and the more you move, the healthier you'll be.

It's great if you can spend time exercising - Meaning you're sweating, working in your target heart rate zone and/or doing something to strengthen your body. But it doesn't always have to be that way. Moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can:

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity. In fact, you don't even have to have a goal to lose weight, especially if you have trouble stick to a program. Why not focus on being healthy to start and worry about the weight loss once you've got some healthy habits under your belt?

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of being healthy and weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

Learn about more ways to fit in exercise.

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Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle - About.com Exercise