By Justina Triasovaite
Can people nowadays lead healthier lifestyles in a way that’s easy for them? And what does the word “healthy” really mean? Finally, how does this concept translate into the fitness world?
Let’s take a look into healthier lifestyle options that people in general, no matter their age, status or background, could lead with minimum effort.
What does “health” and “healthy” mean to you?
It seems that the answer to this question is an obvious one, but is it?
We live in a diverse society where the same word, concept or idea can mean different things to different people.
For a person who is used to exercising and does not envision a day without fitness, the word “healthy” might mean training 5 times a week and following a strict zero-carbs diet. For an office worker who is sitting all day long, a 15 minutes daily walk might seem like a reasonable effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Related: Healthy Habits In Midlife (This Diet Thing Sucks)
Social media plays a huge role in our everyday lives and it often portrays healthy as skinny, showing girls in bikinis, high heels and a dumbbell or a trendy drink in their hands. Obese people are encouraged to try gastric bands or mobility scooters to make their lives easier…
So what does “healthy” really mean?
Being healthy means feeling comfortable in your own skin, the rest is up to you.
For me, being “healthy” means getting up in the morning with a smile on my face, full of energy and getting ready to find out what the day has to offer. It is the feeling I get when my whole body feels synchronised (no stomach rolls and no trace of any aches or pains).
Simple things to do on a daily basis to improve your health – dramatically!
Over the past 5 years I have been working with people of many different backgrounds, lifestyles, occupations and habits.
The most important thing I do as a personal trainer is to make sure they’re not sweating all the time. Also, I don’t encourage them to hate their current image in the mirror until they achieve their dream physique, which is often unrealistic and puts a lot of pressure onto people.
My most important goal is to improve individuals’ health, teach new healthy habits and make the journey in terms of their body transformation as easy as possible. I have managed to find out what works best in the long term for my many clients; in fact, I have noticed that even the smallest changes can make a tremendous difference!
What if I could tell you that secret of having a wonderful healthy body, feeling happy and full of energy most of the time with no harsh diets or excessive training programs?
There are a few simple secrets to becoming healthy and staying this way. It’s a long-term commitment journey, not a miracle working 10-day diet!
Are you ready?
Find below the 3 rules I’ve found have helped lots of clients along the way to feel and looking better every day (and not just so they can get into those jeans from 5 years ago!)
Rule #1
Don’t believe in diets (unless they are for a lifetime)
Yes, this is as simple as that: in my vocabulary, diets do not exist! The only effective diet is the one you can follow every day for the rest of your life. Sounds too drastic?
Do it step by step: critically analyse your food intake on a daily basis (it really works!) and see for yourself if those two chocolates are really making you feel better and healthier in the long term. Try to eliminate some of the foods that make you feel unhappy (the ones that can cause bloating, lack of energy, stomach aches, etc) and also try adding more of the foods that are really good for you (veggies, raw foods).
Instead of feeling anxious and hungry all the time you should notice an increase in your energy levels as well as some pleasant changes in terms of weight (and more importantly, your measurements in general). I bet you will be curious about what will happen if you stay on this new “healthy diet” for longer periods of time.
If this seems too complicated, try including ONE healthier choice every day: add a few glasses of water to your daily water intake, switch your usual chocolate bar to a banana or an apple. Don’t be too strict on yourself, do everything step by step and you will see how much difference it makes in the way you look and feel!
Rule #2
Include fitness in your daily activities
I’m not saying you should buy a treadmill or invest in a year-long gym membership just yet. As with the nutrition, you can start with this “step by step” approach. There are some old tricks that will make a huge difference in the way you feel.
You could get off one stop earlier and walk to work or take the stairs instead of the lift every time. Even such small activities can make you feel fitter and healthier, if completed regularly, on a daily basis.
Rule #3
Move around (nobody has lost weight while sitting on a sofa)
Do you remember the good old times when we had to stand up every time we wanted to change the TV channel? Now we are all spoilt with TV remote controls, smartphones and other gadgets, which make our lives easier but unfortunately it also means there’s not so much need for us to move as much. Let’s do an experiment: get rid of your TV remote for 10 days and see what happens!
It’s Your Choice!
To sum up, being healthy is basically doing things in a healthier way: eating, moving and even thinking. I’ve shared my top tips which have worked for me and my clients through their body transformation journey. I am a firm believer in the fact that small changes in our lifestyles can make a huge difference in our health and appearance.
Little by little, you will feel the need to include more of the healthy activities, foods, habits and thoughts into your lives.
Believe me, being healthy is the most wonderful gift you could have!
You may also like: How To Detox In 5 Days – No Dairy, Sugar, Wheat Or Alcohol and The Wonders Of Magnesium And Why We Need It
Justina Triasovaite is a certified female personal trainer in London and runs justinatraining.com, a site with information for those who are interested in general fitness and body transformation. A committed health and fitness fanatic, Justina is passionate about helping people transform their lives.
Last Updated on February 1, 2023 by Editorial Staff
