Being healthy isn’t about appearance or vanity, and I’m telling you now that I don’t have the scoop on the latest fad diets. This is about health. Making smart decisions and carrying them out are the keys to living happily and healthily. The smartest thing to invest in is your life, and staying fit helps you have a longer, better one. And, if you think about it, the qualities that you need to live a healthy life are some of the most attractive.
You have to be dedicated.
This is where fad diets go out the window. Staying healthy through exercise and smart eating habits take time and perseverance. In order to really commit to a fit life, you have to keep up with your routines even when it’s hard. Your body gets worn out, you start to miss sweets and processed food, and eventually your mind will convince you to give in to temptation. Ask anyone who started a workout plan and quit two weeks later. When you take care of yourself, you not only fight temptation, but you continue to get better. Think of how that kind of commitment can translate to a relationship.
You have to be self-motivated.
Motivation has many sources. Anyone can be motivated from an external stimulus; it’s a survival tactic acquired through evolution, like being chased by a wildebeest. The real trick is finding a way to motivate yourself. When you have a long-term workout or diet plan, you can’t always depend on your friends, your scale or your mirror to make changes to your health. You have to want to take control of your own life, and, once you do, you can harness that self-motivation to help you achieve other goals.
You have to care about yourself.
Romeo and Juliet had a very unhealthy relationship, and – spoiler alert – it led to both of their demises. If Juliet took ownership over her own life before adding Romeo to the mix, then maybe she would still be here. Well, hypothetically speaking of course. They are fictional characters, but still. You must care about yourself before you can properly care for another person. This is not a measure of selfishness; rather, it means you are giving your best self to the one you love. You understand that staying fit and eating clean are vital ways to become the best you can be.
You have to think about the future.
One of the biggest deterrents to living a healthy lifestyle is the lack of immediate gratification. The first things you notice when you start your workout regimen are that you’re tired and your shower schedule is all out of whack, but you definitely won’t notice any measurable difference in your appearance. Many people stop their routine after a couple weeks because they don’t see enough results, but, if there’s anything you’ve learned so far, it’s that reaping the benefits of a healthy lifestyle takes time. When you begin your fitness journey, you need to understand that your small actions today will help transform your future. You should also appreciate that the journey itself is half of the fun. Anyone would love to spend their life with a person like that.
Healthy living doesn’t just make you attractive, but it lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases that are related to premature death. Of course, anyone who invests their time into developing such a lifestyle probably looks pretty amazing, too. That’s just an added bonus. If you want to take control over your health, I recommend these HC articles because becoming a happier, healthier person starts and ends with you, so do it for yourself.
Fitness ideas here, here, and here.
Healthy eating ideas here.
Self improvement ideas here.