Seven Bad Habits That Could Make You Healthier

Read one too many health headlines and you may be under the impression that anything that tastes, feels, or even sounds good will sabotage your workout goals or take years off of your life. Fortunately, that’s not actually the case. In fact, research shows that a lot of our most common vices, like indulging a sweet tooth or grabbing post-work pints with the guys may actually have some positive side effects—not the least of which is improving your mood. Follow these expert tips to maximize the benefits of giving in to your baser instincts.
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The Benefit: Boosts Your Metabolism

We’re quick to call late sleepers lazy, but they might be on to something. A recent study showed that people who wake up to an alarm rather than letting their body’s internal clock rouse them are three times more likely to be overweight. The reason? The more you rely on a device to wake you up, the further your circadian rhythm falls out of sync with your actual sleep schedule, says Till Roenneberg, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Munich. This mismatch can cause you to eat at irregular times—often when your body isn’t primed for proper digestion—and may also cause your metabolism to slow, says Roenneberg. If you’re dependent on your alarm clock, try going to bed earlier each night until you wake up the next day feeling refreshed. Then on the weekend, don’t set an alarm, but follow your new bedtime as closely as possible and let yourself wake up when your body is good and ready, he advises.

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The Benefit: Adds Muscle Mass

If you’re more into microbrews than you are mixology, raise your pint glass—your drink of choice still does the body good. A new Japanese study found that the naturally occurring flavonoids in hops can increase muscle mass by preventing tissue breakdown during periods of inactivity. What’s more, hops’ antioxidants reduce the risk of heart disease, according to White. But don’t take the beer bong out of retirement just yet. Like with liquor, limit your intake to one or two brews daily, as drinking more can not only result in a beer belly, but can also reverse beer’s heart-helping ways, warns White.

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The Benefit: Keeps Body Weight in Check

Fit guys tend to avoid candy like the plague—after all, it’s loaded with sugar and very few healthy nutrients. But just because your favorite sweet treat isn’t as healthy as, say, steamed kale, doesn’t mean that you should delete it from your diet altogether. A study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that people who eat candy regularly have lower BMIs, smaller waist circumferences, and lower levels of inflammation than those who completely shun the sugary stuff. The reason? While candy may taste just as sweet as other desserts (like pies and cakes), a single serving is typically lower in saturated fat and calories. But the real benefit of treating yourself occasionally might be mental. “Depriving yourself of sugar altogether can actually make you crave it more—leading you to overindulge when you finally give in,” says White. Your move: Reach for your sweet treats immediately after working out. That’s when your metabolism is running like a furnace and your glycogen-hungry muscles need quick-burning sugars for fuel, explains White. Limit yourself to a twice-weekly indulgence, and look for candy that contains less than 30 grams of sugar per serving. To aid in muscle repair—and to prevent the dreaded sugar crash—pair your post-workout candy with a lean protein source such as soybeans or sunflower seeds.