Small Changes - Big Results
Did you know that maintaining a healthy body and a balanced lifestyle is within everyone's reach? We are often tempted to believe that certain things can only exist in some extreme form and that leading a healthy lifestyle is an extremely excruciating process that involves ultimate sacrifice and self-denial. This is not true. It is quite possible to enjoy life to the fullest and enjoy delicious food while maintaining one's ideal weight.
The first and one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, and body, has actually got nothing to do with what goes into your mouth, but rather with what goes on in your mind. Do you know that you are extremely valuable and perfectly beautiful? There are absolutely no external values by which to judge this. You are unique and your infinite existence within the universe is the only standard by which you can be judged. Period. Feel free to think of yourself as, and tell yourself the most beautiful things that you can think of - because you can never be wrong. We are particularly fond of this Middle Eastern proverb: “As a man (or woman) thinks in his heart, so is he.” It is an undeniable fact that your thoughts will eventually shape your reality. If you have attached any labels that describe a less than desirable situation to yourself or your life, then it is time to remove them now and to begin thinking about the things that you do want.
Next, we obviously have to consider the things that we eat. We should never categorize different aspects of our diet. I am one person and everything I consume forms part of my one diet. The key word here is “Lifestyle”. There are no “torture” days or “cheat” days. Decide what has value, what you are willing to give up and what you are not willing to give up (at least for the moment), and then live your life without guilt or judgement. It's a good idea to start by writing down everything that you eat and drink, including quantities where possible. A visual representation like this will help you make a few choices/changes more easily. We firmly believe that small sustainable changes are the best way to go. So, choose one or two items that you know are not beneficial to your health and eliminate them completely from your diet and lifestyle. Then, add one or two things to your diet that you know will have a positive effect on your health. Here, the list of choices is almost inexhaustible, so start with the easy ones. Drink more water. You should be consuming 1 liter of water / 22 kg of body weight daily. This does not include other beverages. It may sound like a challenge, but why not start with 1 liter per day? Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. The health benefits of this essential food are astounding. Try to eat fruit in the morning and don't eat too late at night. Be creative. You can do it. However, don't be radical or drastic. Consider your choices well and make changes that will be sustainable.
Finally, another highly beneficial and fun part of a healthy lifestyle is movement. Movement and exercise have numerous health benefits. Again, nothing radical is required. You don't have to join a gym. Next time you are in a shopping mall - take the stairs. Try to go for a walk regularly, or walk short distances in town instead of driving. Try to include different forms of movement or exercise in your lifestyle that will be easy to maintain and sustainable. Should you discover that you actually enjoy exercise, then experiment with different forms of exercise until you find something that resonates with you. The bottom line is that you should include more movement in your lifestyle.
If you feel that making some changes to your lifestyle may be necessary, then what we have discussed here should give you a pretty good start. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all personalities, so remember that you are unique. Some of us may want to approach change a little more aggressively and some of us may want to ease into it at a more manageable pace. It's all perfectly fine. It's important to remember that being healthy is a lifestyle. So, consider your journey well as you get better and better every step of the way.
