Unhealthy Habits ... Or Are They

Unhealthy Habits ... Or Are They Photo Via: http://www.healthylifegateway.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/unhealthy-habits.jpg Ah, the freshman fifteen. How we all desperately try to avoid it without sacrificing our laziness, our need for unhealthy food, our drinking habits and first and foremost without having to go to the gym. Well, you’re in luck. In a world in which you’re constantly told you have “unhealthy” habits, it turns out some of those habits aren’t actually as unhealthy as you think. So, to help you get some people off your back (*cough* parents *cough*), here are seven things that may seem unhealthy, but actually aren’t according to NBC News. 1. Drinking Wine We seem to go back and forth on this issue. Wine is good for you, no wait it actually isn’t. The only consistent part of drinking wine is that we can’t seem to stop once we start. All jokes aside, it now seems that drinking wine (in moderation, unfortunately) is actually not bad for you. A study on obesity revealed that alcohol impacts weight gain, but this study only shows significant results for those that binge drink alcohol, not those that have one or two drinks a day. So in other words, having a glass of red wine with dinner doesn’t increase your risk for obesity. That being said, drinking a bottle at dinner every day definitely will. 2. Comfort Food We all love comfort food, and we all sneak it into our diets, no matter how unhealthy. But, according to nutritionists, it’s actually healthy to occasionally indulge in our comfort foods every once in a while. Basically, if you’re craving chocolate, have a small piece you don’t have to deprive yourself, but you shouldn’t binge eat chocolate for the next week either. In fact, you’re actually more likely to binge eat your favorite foods down the road if you don’t have a little bit every once in a while. And in terms of indulging your cravings, try to stay as healthy as possible. So if you sit down to a tub of cookie dough because you’re craving it, even if you only have a little, you’re not doing your body any favors. Try to opt for a healthy, similar tasting alternative whenever possible. 3. Cheat Days (in terms of Exercise) Many people believe you have to work out every day to achieve your weight-loss goals. This is true to an extent. For some, working out needs to become a habit, so if you skip a day, all your efforts can come tumbling down. However, it’s not good to work out every day. Any personal trainer will tell you, recovery time is just as important as the time you spend exercising. Of course, if you are one of those people that needs to build a habit and work out every day, you can swap your cardio workout for some intensive stretching or yoga. That way, you’re recovering while maintaining your routine. 4. Chocolate Yes, chocolate can actually be good for you (that’s right people, time to breathe a sigh of relief). No, don’t grab a Cookies and Cream Hershey’s bar. That will, unfortunately, never be good for you (though we’ll keep trying). For chocolate to be healthy, you need 70 percent (or higher) dark chocolate, and you can only eat a few squares (not a full bar). While this isn’t the ideal chocolate munching snack, you can melt it and put it in your coffee, in your milk, onto fruit, etc. Essentially, it’s a healthy seasoning for your snacking needs. 5. Stress Yes, stress can be bad. But, it can also be good. Apparently, moderate stress levels actually improve performance (while low-stress levels can diminish it). So basically, you want to be moderately stressed. Awesome. 6. Procrastination No, you shouldn’t procrastinate. However, as discussed above, some stress is a good thing. That being said, you should still take steps towards accomplishing the task as this is the most beneficial way to procrastinate. So in other words, you can put things off so long as you are thinking about them and actively taking steps to complete the task. In other words, you don’t have to clean the whole apartment today, so long as you have the cleaning supplies and you have a plan set forth for completing it. 7. Netflix Ah, last but not least, there’s our TV go-to, Netflix. Sitting is the new cancer according to countless studies, which is unfortunate, but probably true. The more time you spend sedentary, the more likely you are to encounter health problems. Watching alone at home is a great way to de-stress, so a small amount of time watching Netflix isn’t a bad thing. It’s also a strong relationship builder, so yes, Netflix and Chill is actually good for you. Go figure (sorry single people). While Netflix is not the preferred means of de-stressing, it is a beneficial one, so now you can watch a few episodes of Shameless without feeling bad about it. Or, you probably will, but it won’t be for health reasons. So start implementing these healthy vs. unhealthy practices and feel better about yourself! It’s springtime, so the time for change is now!