Has being healthy become synonymous with being unhappy?
Who knows.
What I do know is that there’s no reason working toward physical health should have the nasty side effect of emotional displeasure.
When I first started out on a path toward physical fitness, I made a lot of sacrifices. Some of my favorite things to eat—like fast food, fatty, sugary pastries and expensive, thousand-calorie coffee drinks—and favorite things to do—like sit on the couch all afternoon flipping channels, or sleeping until noon—became relics of my past.
I’ll admit, at first I was pretty miserable. Even after I started seeing results in my physical health and appearance, I couldn’t help but reminisce for the days when I could eat what I wanted, do what I pleased (or just do nothing, since I’m being honest) and sleep as late as I’d like.
But through it all, I somehow snapped out of it. I found ways to turn my healthy life into a happy one, and I want to share my top tips for being happy and healthy.
Before I do, though, it’s important to understand what “being happy” really means.
Happiness is a simple concept that’s difficult to achieve.
There are three facets to it:
- Emotional wellbeing
- Satisfaction with, and acceptance of, your physical self
- Comfort with your station in life, and optimism toward your future
It’s not as simple as adding equal parts sugar, water and dreams into a mixing bowl and stirring for a while. It takes hard work, which is a great segue into my first tip.
1. Balance brain and body
Realize that losing weight, being healthy, and eating well are not small tasks to check off your list. Instead, they’re smaller parts of a larger, healthier lifestyle. They give you the opportunities to not only feel good about yourself, but they open up a whole new world filled with potential adventures, friendships, and more.
A healthy lifestyle can change your life; Some people such as one in the Truth About Six Pack Abs reviews stated feeling like she started out trapped in a dark room. As she began the path toward health, that room burst open in a euphoric explosion that allowed her to see the sunlight for the first time ever.
Treating your body and emotions well doesn’t require fifteen miles of running a day, expensive meal replacements, or forsaking your sense of taste. It just requires small, consistent changes on a day-to-day basis that can open up a whole new world.
Make friends with someone fit, try a new yoga class, reach (just a little) outside your comfort zone, and watch your world change!
2. Chase your dreams at a jog, not a sprint
Think about your big plans in life. What are you working toward? Buying a house? Retiring? Publishing a book? Becoming a triathlete? Whatever your goal is, you can do it. You probably can’t do it all in one day, though, which is a detail that gets a lot of people down. However, small steps toward a big goal are larger than they may initially feel, so make sure to celebrate the little victories.
Try this: Make a list of milestones in the path to your final dream and find a special way to acknowledge your accomplishment every time you pass an important step. You’ll find yourself feeling more motivated to push forward, and more satisfied with the current state of your progress.
3. Pump the brakes instead of taking breaks
Moderation is a funny word. Most of us think it means we’re allowed to eat a carton of ice cream once a week as long as we run five miles every day. But that’s not necessarily true, and it’s definitely not conducive to leading a happy life.
If you’re on a lifestyle enhancement plan like my Truth About Six Pack Abs program, you’re working hard day and night to turn your body, inside and out, into the body you want. And that’s hard work.
In fact, it’s so hard that you might find you’re feeling burned out by your healthy lifestyle. That’s normal, but don’t veer off the path entirely. Instead, pull back the intensity a little.
Take a day off from running, but still go to yoga. Have some fruit and sugar-free whipped cream for dessert, but only after eating a clean and healthy dinner.
Easing up on the throttle burns a lot less energy than stopping yourself completely.
When it comes to health and happiness, you can have it all. More importantly, you deserve it all. So, for your own sake, take my advice and turn simply loving your body into totally loving your life.
About the Author: Dr. Mike Tremba has failed at every weight-loss plan, success plan, and productivity plan imaginable. Through his failures, and his gift of persistence, he’s learned simple secrets for success, a healthy life, and abundant relationships. His website at www.naturalweightlosstruth.com is one way he’s found to inspire others through some little-known tips that have changed his life.