The Road to Your Healthy Self
Being healthy has many dimensions. It’s a process and doesn’t happen overnight. First and foremost, you have to be in the right mind-set in order to achieve and maintain a healthy body and mind. It’s not just about losing weight and looking fit, but it’s about feeling healthy as well. There are many “get-slim fast” diets, like the lemonade diet, which has absolutely no nutritional value nor does it keep your weight off for longer than a week. So, if you want to loose the weight and keep it off, read on for a few tips to get you started The three main components consist of:
Stay Active
This may seem so obvious, yet a lot of people avoid hitting the gym, because
a) they are too tired b) they are too busy c) they have better things to do.
But what these people don’t realize is that exercising is like taking the medicine your doctor prescribed – it’s essential to your overall health. Your body needs to be in constant motion throughout the day in order to fuel the body. So if you feel like you don’t have the energy to hit the gym, do a few quick exercises at home, but do something. The key is find something you actually ENJOY: love dancing? take a zumba class or go to a salsa social. Love the peace a yoga class can bring, carve out the time to go or do a few poses at home. Chances are you’ll be refreshed and energized afterwards. Your body will be refueled, your muscles will roar and you’ll feel great about yourself. Try doing a few quick exercises at work to regain your energy. Exercise gets your heart pumping and can help give you more energy to make it through your day.
Eat Right
When it comes to food, moderation is key. It’s better to eat throughout the day than overindulge with large meal three times a day. If you keep healthy snacks near you between breakfast and lunch, you are more likely to eat less for lunch and dinner. And of course by snacking I don’t mean chips, cookies or donuts, but what I mean is nuts, carrots with hummus, apples etc. Also, can’t stress this one enough: drink plenty of H20. By drinking an ample amount of water you will avoid dehydration which can cause feelings of fatigue. The key is having the best water filtration system.
Another important component of eating right is personalization. “There’s no one-size-fits-all diet plan,” says Tara Gidus, RD, an Orlando-based nutritionist. “It’s important to try different approaches and see what works for you,” says Rena Wing, PhD, cofounder of the National Weight Control Registry.
Maintain a Happy Spirit
Consider the “mind/body connection”, which means your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. Your stress level, anxiety or sadness affects your mood, hence affects your overall health of your body. If you feel good and happy, then you usually also look great. So, besides the two very important components of staying fit and eating right, you have to:
Think positively
Smile more often
Don’t let the little things get to you, because the only person you’ll be hurting in the process of these emotions is yourself.
Poor emotional health can also weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections.
Part of being healthy is to start improving your mental health. The following are some helpful tips from the Family Doctor
Physical and mental health go hand in hand. If you’re mentally unfit, it’s bound to take a toll on your physical well being too. It’s OK to let your loved ones know when something is bothering you. However, keep in mind that your family and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately. At these times, ask someone outside the situation--such as your family doctor or a therapist for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health.
Find Better Coping Mechanisms. If you’re overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, or sadness, you must find an outlet to prevent bottling up these emotions. You can do this by meditating for 10–20 minutes during the day to center yourself. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy.
Work-Life Balance. We often undermine it, but a healthy work-life balance is crucial for our well being. Whether you’re at school, college, or your job, you need to give yourself a break to decompress every day. Being in a constant state of stress affects your physical health, making you prone to illness.
Work on coping mechanisms that help you deal with the stress of everyday life. Have a network of supportive people around you, engage in social activities, be open to change, and don’t let negative feelings overpower your mind. Decompress with relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, stretching, and yoga.
