Posted by It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
Mahatma Gandhi
As we grow we start settling for mediocrity in our lives. We do the minimum possible to get to the next step. If you are reading this blog, I know you are committed to do better, to be proactive, and go above and beyond whats necessary to shine brighter as aspects of life that matter the most to you. Whatever you value most in life make sure health is definitely a part of that. It is pretty much a non-negotiable.
It seems so logical, why would you settle for your mediocre health. It is your health. And yet going to the gym is the last on the list of things to do. It is the first thing that gets bumped out if it gets too busy or something else that is more urgent comes in. Eating healthy is not quite as important when you are out with friends.
It takes a mindset change to put our health as top priority. Every decision we make should reflect this. Understand the long term benefits of having good health.
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.
Jim Rohn
Here are some ways you can make health a priority.
- Create habits around health – It is hard to suddenly change your life and start training for a marathon. Taking small steps and making small changes will help them last a bit longer. May be start with making your lunch breaks more active than usual. Take a walk around the block. Do weekly free park runs. They are so uplifting and such a great way to start the weekend.
- Change your environment – Actually remove junk food from your house. Bring in only healthy things like fruits and veggies. I try not to go grocery shopping hungry and always going with a list. Eat healthy and remember that whether you are 20 or 60, the stuff that you put inside your body has long lasting effects.
- Track your progress – It is easy to say make exercise part of your lifestyle. What has really helped me over the years is to sign up for marathons and half marathons throughout the year. It keeps me motivated to train for them and achieve pace goals and keep working at them as we try to do better compared to that last race. I find that keeping myself constantly challenged to do better has really helped keep it interesting and not feel bored to do the long runs.
- Buddy up – I am really grateful to have a very very supportive partner who shares my love for running, hiking, camping, and weight training. May be make some friends at the gym, or local park runs. It really helps in accountability and definitely sticks around in the long term.
- Eat an early dinner – General rule of thumb, is to have at least three hours between your last meal and bedtime. This also allows your body to be fasted for longer which has been shown to have heaps of medical benefits.
There are so many little things you can do to have a much healthier structure to your day. such as, walking at least 10,000 steps in the day, walking your dog a little bit longer. Do you have anything specific you do to keep your health on top of the list?
Disclaimer – This is an educational blog. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional before making changes to your diet and exercise, and with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.
Planning Over Coffee 