4 Habits of the Healthiest People in the World

And no, they don’t exercise for hours a day

8 min readDec 12, 2020

Everyday there’s a new research study that comes out in regard to health and longevity. There’s studies on the benefits of drinking coffee, tea, etc., but in reality, sustaining a healthy lifestyle is much easier than you might think.

Growing up, my parents would take my sisters and I from time to time to get ice cream or french fries from a fast food chain. It was seen as normal, and still is today.

However, after going vegan four years ago, I delved into the research behind health and fitness and have drastically changed my habits to live a more healthy and well-balanced life.

Here are some of the habits the healthiest people in the world follow.

1. They stop eating when they’re full

The typical American diet consists of fast food, large portion sizes, and sugary beverages. However, other countries don’t emulate these same habits as people do in America.

It’s no question that the portion sizes are outrageously large in America. Our mottos is that “bigger is better,” and it seems as though the portion sizes at restaurants and fast food chains continues to increase at an exponential rate.

However, in places like Japan, the portion sizes are much smaller, and they tend to follow a more plant-based diet as opposed to a diet rich in meat and dairy.

But, the large portion sizes in the U.S. is not the only issue.

The issue lies in finishing your plate even when you’re not hungry. In comparison to people in other countries, they tend to stop eating when they’re full.

People in places like Japan typically stop eating when they’re 80% full.

2. They eat mostly fruits and vegetables

Diet is the main determinant in health, and unfortunately, in today’s society we have gone away from plant-based foods and shifted to consuming highly processed foods that often contain harmful chemicals.

While the U.S. is known for meat and dairy, and the average American diet heavily consists of meat and dairy, it’s not a common diet for people in every country.

Specifically in Okinawa, Japan, people’s diets heavily consist of fruits and vegetables. It’s also very common for people to reach 110 years old in Okinawa, whereas in the U.S., you rarely see that.

Thus, you should be focusing on incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet, like fruits and vegetables. If the food you’re putting into your body is highly processed and contains harmful chemicals, it will only be detrimental to your health.

3. They live an active lifestyle

Maintaining a healthy diet and staying active are the recipe for success in terms of living a long, happy life.

The healthiest people in the world stay active throughout their entire lives. Whether that’s running, biking, swimming, lifting weights, hiking, etc., staying active and physically fit is crucial for longevity.

But, you don’t have to spend hours a day exercising, and it doesn’t have to be strenuous. It’s important to simply stay active throughout your entire life and to not stay sedentary.

4. They have little stress

Stress can greatly impact your health, and living in a very competitive society, stress appears to be at an all-time high.

You have to worry about paying the bills, relationships, your job, work, and so much more. You’re likely to experience some sort of stressor daily, even if it’s a minor one.

Despite all the possible stressors that can plague you, it’s important to try and manage it so you aren’t facing chronic stress.

The healthiest people in the world have low stress and are able to cope with stress they do have in a healthy manner.

While stress is inevitable, there are ways you can manage it so that it doesn’t greatly impact your daily life.

Final Thoughts

Some of the healthiest people in the world have habits like eating fruits and vegetables, staying active, and having minimal stress. These are simple changes that you can start implementing into your daily lives.