7 Stupid Health Mistakes

Now that I'm on Weight Watchers, I've also transitioned myself and my family into a "Clean Eating" lifestyle. I've been doing it off and on for years. I've been researching the subject in depth for a few weeks, and now I feel it's imperative to make a complete change! If not just for the nutritional values of eating healthy, but because of the unbelievable chemicals they put in most of the food we have all purchased at the store. Anyhoo....that's another entry for another day!! It's coming. :) 


I ran across this article written by Emily Battaglia of Lifescript.com, and I just had to share this valuable knowledge. 


Here are 7 completely STUPID mistakes that are detrimental to your health. I had to share because I've been guilty of doing each one of these at different times in my life.


Do you constantly go to bed at 1 a.m. and wake up feeling groggy and more tired than when you finally hit the sack? Or do you insist on being tan in the dead of winter by using tanning 
beds? If so, you could be one of many intelligent people still making stupid health mistakes. If you’re guilty as charged, you should know exactly what you’re risking and how to make smarter decisions starting today. 

You’re educated, well-read and are the go-to person for solving your family’s and friend’s 
problems. You consider yourself pretty knowledgeable on many topics but somehow you still manage to make stupid health mistakes. But why? Your well-being should be one of your top priorities. 

So if the one area you’re lacking in expertise is how to maintain proper health, or if you are just ignoring what you know to be true, it’s time to wise up. 

Here are seven stupid health mistakes even the smartest of adults are making: 

1. Sabotaging Your Skin for a Little Color. 

We all know that too much sun damages our skin, so why do we continue frying ourselves in the pursuit of a golden tan? 

Sun tanning and skipping the sunscreen both increase your exposure to the sun’s harmful rays, which can cause premature aging and even worse, skin cancer. 

Tanning is simply not worth it, especially when so many good self-tanners are available. 

2. Skipping Breakfast. 

Breakfast is too easy and beneficial a meal to pass up in the mornings. 

As you sleep, your body’s metabolism slows down, so when you wake up, your body needs food to get your metabolism going again. 

When you skip breakfast, your energy levels suffer. 

Although you may try skipping breakfast in an attempt to cut calories and lose weight, you actually tend to eat more throughout the day to compensate for your hunger and may gain more weight. 

Studies have also shown that eating breakfast increases your ability to perform better mentally. 

3. Smoking. 

If you don’t know by now that smoking is bad for your health – not just bad, but deadly – you’re either in denial or have been living under a rock for the past 30 years. 

The consequences of smoking include lung and throat cancer, premature wrinkles, an increase in men’s risk of impotence, and complication of pregnancies for women. And these are just some of the consequences of smoking. 

While smoking is addictive and quitting can be challenging, it’s one of the best things you can do for your health today. 

4. Skipping the Weights. 

Contrary to popular myth, lifting weights will not necessarily make you bulk up, an effect that many people, especially women, want to avoid. In fact, women actually lack the testosterone and often the time it takes in the gym to really get beefy. 

It’s true that when you start lifting weights or using a resistance training program, you generally gain a bit of weight before you start to lose it, but that’s simply because muscle weighs more than fat. 

If you want to get in shape, “pumping iron” will make you look trimmer and more toned, and will help you burn more calories even after your workout is done. 

5. Avoiding the Dreaded Doctors. 

Nobody can attest to doctor visits as being pleasant experiences; in fact, seeing the doctor can be time-consuming, require tons of paperwork and even be somewhat embarrassing, depending on why you’re there. 

Even so, having a checkup can mean detecting a problem and treating it early enough to avoid further complications. 

Women should visit the gynecologist yearly for a pap smear and breast exam, as well as a yearly mammogram once over the age of 40. Men should have their testicles examined for irregularities and should also be checked for colon cancer. 

You should also be visiting your dentist and general practitioner yearly. These doctor visits may be uncomfortable, but they can potentially save your life. 

6. Not Getting Enough Sleep. 

Doctors have been telling us for years that most people need at least eight hours of sleep a night to function at their fullest the next day, so why are you going to bed so late? 

Sleep deprivation not only makes you feel less than your usual perky self, but has been linked to weight gain, depression, anxiety, heart disease, and insulin resistance, not to mention the accidents that can occur from limited mental alertness. 

Many people find that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get things accomplished, so they sacrifice sleep. Instead, you should sacrifice less important commitments and set a regular bedtime to get a full eight hours in to avoid the effects of sleep deprivation. 

7. Drinking your Calories. 

Starbucks lattes and Jamba Juice smoothies might be a regular fixture in your day, but you could be consuming nearly all of your calories for the day in just one cup. 

Coffee drinks, smoothies, sodas, juices, and alcohol are all notorious for being high in calories. 

If you’re drinking these regularly and not cutting back on your calories from food, you could be consuming up to an extra 1,000 calories a day, which leads to weight gain. Instead, try limiting yourself to one liquid treat once a week and drink plenty of water. 

You are now armed with great information, so no more excuses when it comes to making stupid health mistakes!