What Wellnes Is And How You Can Achieve It

Wellness as we know it today, the way it has been communicated to us has a lot to do with how it developed. Before the year 1948 health was defined as the absence of disease, and disease is of course in the body. This idea that health was more than just the state of your body began the unfolding of what it means to live a holistic, balanced and fulfilling life.

Wellness has 8 dimensions and these dimensions are interconnected. What this means is that one area affects the other. These areas are social, emotional, financial, environmental, spiritual, intellectual, occupational and of course physical. Your efforts towards the health and balance of your life, which can be divided into these spheres, is what I define as wellness. I say efforts because life happens and we can feel out of whack and off balance. I also say efforts because wellness is not a one-time event. It’s not just that one workout you did, that one healthy meal you had, or that one spiritual practice you engaged in - it is doing these things, and whatever else that is important to you and you enjoy, continuously. When you do these things that allow you to feel good about yourself, that bring you peace and closer to the best version of yourself. That is wellness.

As the health of each dimension is equally important and indicative to your well-being and consequently the quality of your life, the great news is that you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to get all these areas in tip-top shape all at once. You can take ahold of one area, and as wellness would have it, when you improve one part of your life it has a positive effect on all the other areas. This is the nature of interconnectedness.

How do you get to this optimal state of health, you ask?

Directing your efforts towards improving the physical aspect, I think, is a great gateway to start living a whole and balanced life. The physical aspect of wellness can be divided into three parts: physical activity, rest and nutrition.

I personally think that nutrition is the best place to start, because you have to eat every day, you do eat every day and it is much easier to take control of and transform something that is already part of your life than it is to decide to start doing something new. For instance, it is easier to decide to start having one clean, healthy meal each day than it is to get a gym membership and reshuffle your existing schedule so you can actually get your workouts in.

Make slight daily changes and consider that your mindset and attitude are the filters through which you experience everything - so be mindful of your mind chatter and mentally gear-up for the inevitable dips and feelings of frustration from not seeing immediate results.

Let the energy that you get from doing the things that are good for you be the fuel that gets you through the mundane but necessary parts of your journey

Do the things that enliven you, and do them often. Witness how your efforts stack up and in the grander scheme of things transform your entire life. And soon you’ll be living the healthy, balanced and fulfilling life that you deserve.

How To Set Health And Fitness Goals, And Achieve Them.

The freshness of a new year or any season comes with feelings of enthusiasm and a clean slate. Naturally, we become optimistic about the goals we can achieve and the ways we can improve our lives and general well-being. Health and fitness goals are usually on the top of the list. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, eat healthier, be your own #bodygoals or be more active, using this goal-setting process will give you the clarity you need to follow through with action and thus achieve your goals.

1. DEFINE THE END GOAL

In changing any kind of habit, difficulty and frustration are inevitable. You have practised the habit you are now wanting to change for so long that any deviation from this habitual behaviour will be somewhat of a shock to the system - and you will naturally want to return to your “normal” quotidian pattern. The work then becomes creating a new norm.

So, how do you create a new normal - a normal that is healthy and one you are pleased with?

Clearly define it! Be clear on what your efforts are towards. How do you look, how do you feel, what is the experience like? Is your lifestyle different from the one you currently have? Be specific. If your goal is to lose weight, what is your target weight, what are the numbers?

Being vague and making general statements will stifle your progress. On the contrary, having a clear destination in mind will make getting through the difficult moments easier because you are clear on what the reward is.

2. HAVE A TIMEFRAME

Now that you have removed the mind fog and know exactly what you want and are working towards, be time specific. When will this ideal version of yourself be your reality? Having a set timeframe creates a sense of urgency and propels you to take action.

Open statements like “next month” can drag along for years because it is always a month away from the time that you review your goal. So, have a set date, jot it in your calendar and get to work.

3. HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE

You know where you're going, you know how much time you have, now, how are you getting there? What’s your gameplan? Do you have a meal plan? Will you be following a workout program? Are you making minor adjustments, what are those adjustments?

Having a plan of action steers your efforts in the direction of your goals. In creating your new health ploy, don’t be pressured into taking on the latest diet fads - have a plan that is most suited for you and caters to your needs.

The transition will be challenging - make the commitment to yourself easier by having clear action steps.

4. DECIDE ON YOUR METRIC OF MEASURE

To stay working on your goals even when the feelings of initial excitement have dissipated requires discipline and systems that will keep you on your path. Having progress points along your journey will keep you motivated, and give you a real reflection of where you are & how you’re doing.

Do you need to up it a notch, or are you right on par? Do you need to adjust your methods and make some improvements? You can only answer these questions accurately when you have a way of keeping track of your progress.

There are numerous ways you can do this, some of which include weighing yourself, taking measurements, taking progress pictures or even using a specific clothing item as your tracker.

Giving up on your goals has happened one too many times because you weren’t seeing any progress - avoid this pitfall by consistently checking in. Remember, you can’t measure what you don’t track.

5. KNOW YOUR “BIG WHY!”

It is almost guaranteed that you will invest your time, energy and resources into something that is meaningful to you and also promises great reward. Assigning meaning and being clear about your reasons for taking the bull by its horns and making the necessary health changes will be your driving force.

Your “big why” serves as an emotional plug-in that keeps you going when the going gets tough. It is a reason so compelling that you will stay committed to your goals even as the discomfort and resistance arise. Are you doing it so you can finally feel comfortable and confident in your body? Perhaps it is to have enough energy and vitality that allows you to be a better parent - active, present and engaged in your children’s lives and rid of the constant sluggishness

Follow this guide in creating your new health and fitness goals, and finally make them your reality.

4 Ways To Transition Into A Healthy Lifestyle

Everyone should be living a healthy lifestyle. Now, what is considered to be “healthy” is different for everyone, but what we can all agree on is what an unhealthy lifestyle is. The overconsumption of ultra processed foods, dehydration, not moving the body on a regular basis, irregular sleeping patterns, high-stress levels. The list goes on, and when all these things turn into habits…they become our lives.

A healthy lifestyle is more than just eating your greens and exercising, it is the health, the wellness if you will, of all the areas of your life. While most of us might be intimidated or even frightened by the idea of turning our entire lives upside down in order to be healthier, the great news is that we don’t have to. Wellness is interconnected. That means if you change one area, it affects the rest of your life. There are many ways that we can transform our lives and start living in ways that we know we are worthy of.

Improving your eating habits is a great way to jumpstart your way into healthy living because well, you must eat every day, and what you eat has a direct effect on how you feel.

Since we are not all wired to “burn the bridges” and never look back, I am here to gift you with 5 simple ways you can integrate healthy habits into your life and make the transition to healthier living somewhat painless. Including these practices in your daily life will help improve your health, boost your mood and have you looking good because the body thrives when it’s fed well.

1. TRADE YOUR FIZZY DRINKS FOR KOMBUCHA

The fizzy drinks that we have become so accustomed to, these high fructose corn syrups that have been packaged to us as happiness in a can, are quite harmful to our bodies. We know this, yet we still consume them. Why? The truth is we have become somewhat addicted to them. It is the glorious sugar rush!

There is, however, an alternative that is not only healthier than the fizzy drinks we often have but is actually healthy. Kombucha is a fermented tea that contains probiotics. It has countless benefits such as boosting the immune system, increasing gut health and in some instances aiding weight loss. It comes in different flavours and served chilled, so no, I am not suggesting that you become an instant tea lady. It also has an effervescent effect because of the fermentation process, so you still get the slight fizz sensation.

2. PROGRESSIVE EXTREMISM

This is a psychology hack developed by Nir Eyal, a Behavioural Design expert. The idea is to make extreme changes progressively. One of the pitfalls of dieting is that it trains your brain to anticipate scarcity and when your brain perceives scarcity it heightens its awareness toward the thing that is limited. The problem is that when you are on a diet, the things you are meaning to stay away from are not limited and your brain, based on its intuit scarcity mechanism will bring these things to your attention. In other words, all the junk food you are trying to stay away from is the only thing you will see - and because diets are for a specific time period (eg. 4 weeks), when that time elapses you are most likely to binge eat due to feelings of deprivation or pride as you might feel you deserve a reward.

The solution?

Choose something you can give up easily and never have it for the rest of your life. Extreme! For instance, decide that you will no longer have marshmallows - over time you add to your list. Progressive!

Making the decision empowers you, giving you the sense that you are in control...because you are.

You want to make permanent lifestyle changes that are geared toward your health - there is no point in giving something up then later returning to it when it, in fact, wanes your well-being.

3. DON’T KEEP JUNK FOOD AT HOME

When you have had a long day and start to experience a dip in your energy, your blood sugar levels have dropped so you automatically and intuitively want to consume something that will make you feel better and give you a spike in energy. Junk food provides these things almost instantaneously and is also very convenient. Convenient but obviously not good for our bodies. When the junk food is easily at our disposal, we reach for it almost mindlessly. Not having the food in your home has two benefits. The first is that by creating the extra step of having to leave the comfort of your home, you decrease the likelihood of consuming it. And secondly, you set up your environment to support your goals.

Note this: the state of your home supports the habits you currently have; If you want real, lasting change your surroundings must begin to reflect and aid your desired outcome.

4. INCORPORATE NUTRIENT-DENSE WHOLEFOODS

Our bodies have nutritional requirements that must be met through the food that we eat in order for us to be sustained. A nutrient is defined as a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. This is the fundamental reason why we eat.

The issue we are faced with in our fast-paced society and in turn lifestyles is that the food that is readily available to us contains little to no nutrients. We munch down the processed foods and get the sensation of being full yet we have not been nutritionally fed. This is the reason you feel hungry soon after you have eaten, for instance, a burger from a fast-food joint.

Incorporating whole foods that are high in nutritional value fuels your body and keeps you satiated, which means you are less likely to overeat or have cravings. So stock up on those fruits, vegetables and nuts. This is not meant to be torture, so buy the kind that you enjoy and experiment by trying something new every once in a while. Remember this, your health and well-being will be radically improved by adding more of the good stuff than it will be by eliminating the bad stuff.

These tips will add value to your life and simultaneously evict bad habits. Be radical and take them all up at the same time or ease yourself into it by choosing one habit that is most appealing to you, and let it be the one thing that completely transforms your health and fitness journey.