Though the secret to immortality has yet to be uncovered, there are things you can do to extend the length and quality of your life. Studies have shown that those who adopt health-focused lifestyle habits live longer and better lives than those who don’t.

Things such as dieting, exercising, and reducing stress can reduce a person’s risk of many life-threatening illnesses, improve their mood, and adds years back to their life. The trick, though, is building healthy habits that you can stick to for life, instead of jumping in and out of the pool, so to speak.

Here are some daily habits to start building today to keep for life.

1) Manage Your Eating

There are a few factors when it comes to nutrition and dieting that must be considered in order to improve your health. Though some only focus on what they eat, there is also the matter of how much you’re eating. Too much of anything, even if it's considered healthy, can be detrimental.

A balanced diet is about giving your body as much nutrition as possible in moderation and with variety. Eliminating processed foods, saturated fat, and added salt and sugar, are great places to start. But you should also incorporate portion control and meal times to help regulate your metabolism.

Here's an easy guide to follow if you'e not sure where to start with portion control. Take a look at your hand. The size of your palm represents an appropriate amount of protein. Your closed fist, your vegetable portions. Your cupped hand represents your carbs, and your thumb is roughly how much fat to include in a balanced meal.

2) Get Moving

Most people spend a better part of their day behind a desk or standing, both of which can have significant consequences on your physical health. Make physical activity a major part of your life. As many people tend to steer clear of the gym or gruelling exercises like crunches and squats, you should know there are other ways to get active.

Walk, run, swim, play a sport, or dance—just make sure you’re moving and getting your heart pumping. Exercise helps to release toxins from the body, improve your mood, and maintain a healthy weight which prevents weight-related illnesses like diabetes or high blood pressure.

3) Ditch the Vices

There are millions of Americans who turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism for dealing with overwhelming emotions. Though they do provide temporary relief, it is always short-lived as abusing these substances will eventually catch up with you.

Those who abuse drugs and alcohol can experience everything from moodiness and the inability to concentrate to a weakened immune system and even death. If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol it is highly recommended that you seek help immediately.

4) Challenge Yourself Mentally

To ward off diseases like Alzheimer’s it is recommended that you find ways to keep your mind stimulated on a daily basis. You can read a book or blog, watch a documentary or news channel, complete a puzzle, play a puzzle game online, or visit a museum and look at sculptures and artwork. The idea is to keep expanding the mind to keep your mental muscles in shape.

5) Kick Stress to The Curb

Did you know that stressing too much can cause your heart to work overtime? Or were you aware that stress can lead to early aging? Though stress is a normal response to intense circumstances, too much of it is bad for your health. Kick stress to the curb by identifying your stressors and taking measures to remove yourself from them or reduce the burden. For instance, if you’re stressed about your finances, creating a budget would help to ease the frustration. If you are stressed about your relationship, perhaps taking a break and focusing on self-love would do the trick.

6) Smile More, Do More

Happiness is truly the key to longevity. Learning how to keep your inner peace despite what may be going on in your life or the world around you can increase your lifespan by years. Every day, find a way to make yourself smile. Whether it’s by watching a comedy show, playing around with your children, or reading a funny book, just learn to lighten up and enjoy life. More importantly, the world is too big to remain stagnant, so get out and explore. Travel, spend time with friends and family, and create experiences that make life an adventure.

7) Keep Track of Your Progress

Whether you use a journal to document your inner world, or our FitTrack Health app to monitor your body, keeping track of your progress is one of the most important things you can do to build a healthy habit. Monitoring your progress towards ANY goal regularly helps keep you accountable, validates the effort you've put in so far, and motivates you to keep on going.

The FitTrack Starter Pack 2.0, which features both our bestselling 🔑 Dara 🔑 smart body composition scale and rising star Atria 2.0 smartwatch, can help keep you on track. By monitoring your body composition, you can see exactly how changing your diet, or getting up and moving more often, affect your health. You can also keep an eye on your mental health, including the potential impact stress may be having on your body, by using the Atria 2.0 to monitor your sleep trends, heart-rate, and more. Atria 2.0 even has breathing exercises that can help you destress on the spot, while the complementary FitTrack Health app has guided meditation sessions that can help you cultivate more mindfulness and less stress!

Learn more about the FitTrack 2.0 Start Pack here!