Unhealthy eating habits not only expose you to chronic diseases but can also ruin the hard work put into a good workout at the gym. The unfortunate thing is that most people who engage in bad eating habits don’t know how much of a detrimental effect it’s having on their fitness. To help you make better food choices and get you on the right track to a leaner and healthier body, here are five bad eating habits that you need to avoid.

Mindless Eating

One of the biggest secrets of healthy eating is to listen to your body. Learning to listen to your body helps you to only eat what’s necessary to satisfy your hunger and stop before you overindulge. Therefore, to become in-tune with your body’s needs, you need to drop the habit of mindless eating. If you’re not aware of what you’re putting into your body, you’ll constantly overeat without even realizing it.

To start eating mindfully, feel how satiated you are after each mouthful of food and...

Many of us struggle to get an adequate amount of sleep every night. Did you know that the average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep every night? If you’re barely getting 7 hours of undisturbed sleep daily, a slight adjustment to your schedule might be necessary.

Sleep equals power

Without enough sleep, your body and brain are in overdrive. You’re not performing at your best, and this can lead to mistakes in your personal and professional life. If you are unable to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep daily, try to take a midday nap. Ideally, your best sleep is continuous and for over 7 hours.

Improve your health

Depriving your body of sleep can lead to severe health problems in the short and long term such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. When you sleep, your body is in  “healing mode." Not getting enough sleep shortens the time your body is actively working to repair the blood vessels and replenish its energy. 

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If you're like a lot of people, then you might not really have a nightly routine. However, changing your habits at bedtime can have a major positive impact on your life. These are a few changes that you may want to make for better overall health.

Try to Stick to the Same Bedtime

First of all, it's important to get into the habit of going to bed at the same time every night. Even though you might want to stay up late when you're binge-watching something on Netflix or when you don't have to go to work the next day, this can make it difficult for you to go to sleep at a normal time the rest of the week. Choosing a bedtime that will allow you to get at least seven hours of sleep each night is ideal and sticking to this bedtime every night can help you get adjusted to a good sleeping schedule.

Turn Off Your Devices

If you're like a lot of people, you might like to play with your phone or surf the Web on your computer until you go to bed. However, the light that is emitted from...

A night of peaceful, deep and quality sleep is a blessing that only the sleep deprived and insomniacs can truly appreciate.  To have not just one, but plenty of your nights filled with rest and sleep, try adding following foods to your diet, especially if you find yourself tossing and turning in your bed at night instead of sleeping. 

1. Chamomile: Chamomile tea is a popular sleep-inducing tea that helps eliminate stress and anxiety. Before you go to bed, take a moment to sip a warm cup of chamomile herbal tea to relax, unwind and de-stress. 

2. Pistachios:  Pistachios are not only tasty, but they are a jackpot for sleep. They are jampacked with magnesium, protein, and vitamin B6, which have a major role in inducing sleep. Consuming a healthy amount of pistachios before going to bed will knock you out like nothing else. You can eat them raw or add them to a glass of warm milk.  However, more than one ounce of pistachios will have a reverse effect on...

If you have trouble falling asleep each night no matter how tired you are, you could benefit from creating a relaxing bedtime routine to help get your body and mind in the right mood for sleep. Repeating these actions nightly can help signal to your body that it’s time to go to bed, which might be all you need to actually get a restful night’s sleep.

Here’s how to get into a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself.

1. Power down - Smartphones and electronic devices have made our lives easier in many ways, but at night, that blue screen stimulates our brains, keeping us awake. Try to avoid looking at your devices for about one hour before you go to bed to calm your mind. You might think you’re getting ahead for tomorrow by reading those emails, but the reality is you’re just adding more fodder for your brain to worry and mull over. Forget about it until morning.
2. Meditate and unwind - If your brain just doesn't stop it, try meditating or performing...