By Throughout my journey of life, the one thing I always focused on was how I looked. It governed what I ate and the lifestyle I lead.
As you swap youth for wisdom, you begin to see that the external body may soon become a reflection of what shows wear and tear due to your lifestyle choices as a younger person.
Getting older changes your outlook on life as it starts to pivot towards a more holistic way of living — taking your complete lifestyle plan into a more significant, simplified version for consideration.
After all, we are not part of just one entity. For example, dreaming of a six-pack, but what about the state of your gut health — or your blood pressure? All these little systems within our bodies govern how many health challenges we have now and future.
If only we embraced simplicity rather than making it challenging and complex. Life is a journey of uncertainty, and the best we can and should do is assume the following.
Ten realistic yet necessary ways to live a healthy life
One: Apply the 80/20 rule to your nutrition.
When I was dieting to compete as a bodybuilder, I was strict with myself — to the point where I didn’t have any treats for about three months or so.
The intention was to get as lean as possible, and I would stop at nothing.
Now, I believe that balance is key to happiness — and that may not run in line with having a shredded body.
So not allowing indulgence once in a while, what would be the point?
Therefore, throughout all of my nutritional woes, I believe that applying 80% of your nutrition towards whole natural foods is essential.
The 20% leverage is for things we enjoy sometimes. That may be a couple of ice cream scoops, maybe some chocolate, a treat.
Life is far too short and not as enjoyable when we don’t allow some small happiness indulgences. As long as we keep it part of a balanced diet, we can’t go wrong.
Two: Keep activity high on your list of daily habits.
Find something you would love to do every day, whether it’s running, walking, skipping or riding your bike.
Then, develop a habit of doing this one thing every single day for life.
Accompany this exercise with some weight lifting.
We not only need to work our heart but our muscles as well. Although you should not lift weights every day, 3–4 times a week will benefit you.
Three: Learn early to take control of your mind.
I wish someone had pointed this out a lot sooner for me.
Taking control of how you react to things externally is one of the best ways to stop negativity from brewing inside your body.
This can cause as much damage to your health as eating junk food every single day. To do this, it takes a considerable amount of disciplined work by conditioning your mind.
That could mean getting a mentor, listening to podcasts, reading motivational material and the like. Follow a group of people who help lift you and listen to their words. Start adapting their behaviours.
Four: Rest regularly.
Being on the go continuously, pushing yourself in the gym and working long hours will eventually take its toll on your nervous system.
Most people like to push themselves to the limit, but will you ever get back to your usual self again before illness struck you?
I’ve come across countless people experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome and other autoimmune diseases because their bodies shut down.
Without your health intact — we can’t achieve anything meaningful, whether personal or professional. Therefore, it is essential we all schedule time for rest — especially during those challenging times.
Take a 2-day break, or maybe a week off work. Spend time sleeping in and enjoying the art of taking your time every single day. Get a deep tissue massage, go on a retreat — or do nothing! How about doing nothing for a change?
Five: Spend time with loved ones.
Living a fast-paced lifestyle may get you everything you want sooner than later — but will you have time for those that mean the most to you? What about your family — will you be able to see them as much as you want? Will you allow others to become an essential part of your life — or will that be your work?
The things, toys or big houses we accumulate in life mean nothing when they don’t have anyone you love to share them with.
Those are the loved ones we turn to; supplying unconditional love and love is something we all crave.
Remember when you dismiss a person you love dearly for a work project or a late-night meeting next time. Those promotions won’t mean much to you if your home is empty.
Six: Eliminate as much stress as possible.
Stress is a natural part of everyone’s life, and some days will inevitably be worse than others. Life doesn’t always hand us great things — it challenges and tests us with some significant setbacks (or what we believe to be setbacks). Too much stress for too long causes a lot of mental, physical and emotional damage. We can’t bypass this, but we can find ways to manage our levels and cut them down to size.
You can combat stress through meditation, self-reflection, time in nature and even yoga. My best stress relief is going for a walk and burning calming oils. Do whatever feels most natural to you — and do this every day, especially when a stressful situation comes up for you. Then, tackle it before it becomes so big it’s consuming.
Seven: Enjoy the sunshine.
Do you appreciate beautiful, bright and warm sunny days? How about a walk in the park, taking in the fresh air? Am I betting it feels good? Why not do more of that? Being in nature does something spiritual for us; it decreases anxiety and increases relaxation. It’s no wonder, so many people crave being in the outdoors. It does something for you that words can’t describe. So sit in the park, meditate or catch up with friends amongst nature.
Eight: Be in the presence of supportive friends.
I don’t know about you, but friends mean everything to me. We love and support one another, as well as hold each other’s hands. Friends should be wonderful supporters and cheer you on. We all need some of this at one time or another. Show support to those close to your heart and be there for them when they need you to. It doesn’t take much — just a simple text message or phone call can go a long way.
Nine: Drink lots of water.
I still find it very surprising how little water people drink. Our bodies comprise about 60% water. So if you want to have higher than average energy levels and get the best out of your day, drink at least 3 litres of water per day. Your brain will thank you for it — as it’s strongly influenced by how hydrated you are. So give your brain and body the best chance every day by drinking enough water. — and then some more.
Ten: Allowances for the bad times.
Life overflows with good and bad times, and none last forever. However, it may be that something challenging in your life is lasting forever — and perhaps it seems true. What I like to do is think like Napoleon Hill. He said that with every defeat, there is a seed of an equivalent benefit. Your job is to find out what that is and hold onto it. Challenges bring out something within us that has been sleeping for a very long time. We can’t discover our true selves without adversity.Life gets a lot easier when we put an end to complicate tips and tricks.
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