People Look Back On Their 45 Biggest Regrets From Their 20s

According to Dr. Avena, it is common for people in their twenties to have a 'no regrets' or 'live life to the fullest' mindset. "While it is important to fill your twenties with positive experiences and promote a stress-free lifestyle, it is also important to understand that the actions we take when we are young directly impact our future in terms of health and longevity," she told Bored Panda via email.

"In order to make the most of your twenties, don’t forget to adopt healthy habits that will allow you to engage in positive experiences throughout your entire life. The biggest piece of advice that I can give would be to establish healthy eating habits now that will produce long-term, sustainable results later in life. For example, if you indulge in a bag of cookies and chips every single evening, you won’t see these impacts instantly; however, over time, excessive intake of ultra-processed foods can result in an abundance of negative health complications and contribute to overweight/obesity status," Dr. Avena explained.

"Prevention of chronic disease really starts while we are young and shouldn’t be neglected. In general, it is recommended to avoid excessive amounts of sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and ultra-processed foods, and it is encouraged to consume fiber, lean protein sources, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and adequate water."

However, eating well isn't enough. We also need to be physically active. "Obtaining a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week is ideal for optimal health/wellness. Trust me, if you start these habits in your twenties, you will thank yourself when you are a standout in your forties."

We were also curious about which bad habits were vital to stay away from. Dr. Avena was kind enough to shed some light on them. "Although some young adults feel that drinking alcohol late at night and engaging in partying activities are part of the whole 'live your twenties with no regrets' mindset, there are healthier habits to adopt that can promote long-term happiness and success, instead of temporary feelings of happiness and satisfaction."

Anyone in their twenties should limit the intake of alcoholic beverages. They should refrain from using alcohol as a way to relax or to cope with stress or emotions. "With excessive alcohol intake, there is the risk of developing alcoholism and chronic diseases. Alcohol also provides the body with 'empty' calories and can contribute to weight gain over time; therefore, it is best to consume alcohol only in moderation. It also sets you up to use alcohol as a crutch for your problems and stressors, which only get compounded as you get older."

It's not just alcohol that can affect young people in a negative way. Excess caffeine intake is also problematic. "Oftentimes, younger adults consume high amounts of caffeinated beverages as this time period in our lives (college, first job, etc.) can be filled with late hours, high stress, and limited sleep," she told Bored Panda.

"Although caffeine can help to boost our energy levels temporarily, it is best to focus on healthy habits that will be beneficial long-term—such as consuming a nutritious diet, engaging in physical activity, getting adequate sleep at night, maintaining adequate hydration, and engaging in stress relief activities."

If you're interested in learning more about healthy living and eating, be sure to take a peek at Dr. Avena's book, Sugarless: A 7-Step Plan to Uncover Hidden Sugars, Curb Your Cravings, and Conquer Your Addiction.

CNN reports that you could live up to an additional 24 years if you incorporate eight healthy lifestyle choices at age 40. An unpublished study analyzing US veteran data found that picking up these habits at age 50 could prolong your life an additional 21 years, while starting at 60 can still net you nearly 18 additional years.

“There’s a 20-year period in which you can make these changes, whether you do it gradually or all at once. We also did an analysis to see if we eliminated people with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, stroke, cancer, and the like ... Does it change the outcome? And it really didn’t,” she said. “So, if you start off with chronic diseases, making changes does still help,” Xuan-Mai Nguyen, the lead study author, a health science specialist for the Million Veteran Program at the VA Boston Healthcare System, says.

The habits themselves are nothing groundbreaking. The odds are that you’ve heard of them before: exercise, sleep well, foster positive relationships, reduce stress, eat a healthy diet, don’t smoke, don’t drink too much, and don’t become addicted to opioids. But it’s one thing to know something theoretically, it’s something else entirely to put it into action, consistently, as you get older.

Meanwhile, the Harvard Medical School suggests that if you want to take better care of your health, you can do a handful of small things every day. Incremental change is great. All the benefits quickly add up, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the start. In terms of healthy habits, you should consider doing morning stretches, staying hydrated, flossing your teeth for good oral health, and applying sunscreen to protect your skin.

Moreover, you should consider short naps in the afternoon to give your body and mind a break, eat more nuts instead of processed food, do small workouts throughout the day, be social, and try out new hobbies to constantly stay curious.

In our experience, these things work. For instance, drinking a big glass of water first thing after waking up and delaying your first cup of coffee for a couple of hours work wonders. In the meantime, there’s nothing like chatting with the people you genuinely love to energize you after a long day at work. And don’t even get us started on hobbies … we love to try new things, and there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit all of our ambitions!

Hindsight is always 20/20. If there’s anything that we’ve learned in our lives it's that living with more bravery and taking more (smart) risks is usually much better than living scared and passively. Being proactive is a wonderful attitude to develop, whether you’re talking about health and fitness, deepening your positive relationships, learning new skills, studying, investing, applying for a new job, travel, or anything else

Of course, there’s a fine line between bravery and recklessness, so do your research. Ask people for their advice. But at the end of the day, it falls to you and you alone to step outside your comfort zone and chase after your dreams. Nor can anyone choose your goals and ambitions for you: they’re very personal decisions.