.png)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Pixabay.com
Life can keep us busy. We may feel drained and not have enough energy to stay on top of health. However, invest just a little time each day in self-care and fitness. You may find yourself feeling better than ever.
Workout to Live Better
It’s easy to put off exercise by avoiding the gym due to a lack of time. However, even when we’re tired, working out can give us the boost in energy we need to feel better. There is also no need to use time as an excuse. You can do an effective workout in only 10 minutes if you put in extra effort. Give those 10 minutes everything you have. You will burn calories and build muscle. Choose routines that give you the effectiveness you need. Try variants of jumping jacks, lunges, planks and squats to work large muscle groups. Combine cardio and strength training for even greater results. If you do skip a day, don’t beat yourself up. Rather than wasting energy demotivating yourself through berating, focus on what you will do tomorrow.
Eat Well
It may be easier to grab takeout than to cook, but it won’t make you feel better. Eating well and preparing healthy meals does not need to take up lots of time. Start by removing junk food. You can have treats and enjoy yourself, but if you know you’ll eat too many chips, ditch them at the store. Instead, make healthy snacks to have on hand for the week. Use yogurt for easy parfaits and vegetables dips and slice up some veg at the beginning of the week. You can use this both in meals and snacks. You can even look up one-pot meals to save time cleaning.
Relax
We all know that stress is bad for us. While we may not be able to take hour-long soaks in the bath each day while listening to classical music, you can find ways to relax yourself throughout the day. Counting down slowly can help us refocus our breathing and help to clear our minds. Jot down your thoughts and worries daily in a journal to help purge them from your mind. Breathe deeply to the count of 10, or work on relaxing each muscle in your body, working your way from your head to your toes. These things may seem trivial, but they can help to re-center you in the moment and clear your mind from cyclical or negative thoughts.
Have Fun
We all have fun in different ways. However, you don’t need to go out each night to have an enjoyable evening. You can have a good time at home after work all by yourself. Experiment with different things. Color an adult coloring book while watching your favorite standup routine. Read a novel or your magazine of choice. Do something relaxing with your hands such as knitting or woodwork. Start learning an instrument or a new language, or even just make some popcorn and watch a movie from your list of favorites. Try to do at least a little something each day. After all, you deserve to be happy and relaxed.
Benefits in Recovery
Those in recovery may see benefits from an active lifestyle. Exercise makes the body and mind feel good, while also giving you something to do when you feel lost. It can help build up your self-esteem and re-establish a sense of community. However, it’s important to not let working out become a substitute addiction. Moderation is key, as it is in all things. It can help you find yourself again, but don’t let it dominate your life.
Most importantly, you need to put yourself first. Make time to work out, eat well and have a little fun too. Stress can affect our health and energy. Don’t let it run your life. Take back your schedule, and put in the effort to give yourself the life you deserve.
Resources:
Time -
Throughout - http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20502271,00.html#stare-up-at-the-ceiling-and-count-down-from-60-0
breathing - https://www.alustforlife.com/mental-health/therapies/4-easy-breathing-techniques-to-calm-your-body-and-mind
active lifestyle - https://www.drugrehab.org/inpatient-drug-rehab/#contribute-to-recovery
Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She believes the best way to achieve physical fitness and good health is to set and tackle small goals. She encourages her clients to stay positive and incorporates mindfulness and practices for reducing negative talk into her sessions. She created FitSheila.com to spread the word about her fitness philosophy.