It’s the modern cliche: running so fast and furious through your workday that you don’t have time for lunch. That you get home late for dinner, so you end up getting takeout. And depending on your current age and lifestyle, you’re either up late working on your laptop, watching TV, out for drinks (to numb the effects of the day) or cleaning up after your kids. So you don’t get enough sleep, and wake up groggy the next day, rushing out the door to enjoy your morning traffic jam. Forget about breakfast. Exercise? Ha.
Surviving the day on venti lattes with a triple shot of espresso, a protein shake in a can, an energy bar and a muffin has become routine for so many of us. Heck, when I started my first business, I probably wasn’t even getting that much nutrition. I’d be up at 5 a.m., plow through my day overseeing every detail of the store’s operations, and get home completely exhausted and famished, because I hadn’t eaten all day. So I’d have a big meal, work some more and collapse into bed.
The irony? I was the proud owner of a healthy fast food store. I was selling fresh vegetable and fruit juices and smoothies, and promoting the benefits of getting your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals served in a to-go cup.
About a year into running the business, I realized I needed a major lifestyle makeover. That I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching, and it was having a detrimental effect on my energy levels at work, and my life overall. So of course, I bought a dog. Yeah, I know–that’s not exactly a “quick fix”. But Scooby (my beloved mutt from an SPCA shelter) forced me to slow down and make time for both of us. He needed daily walks, which got me outside and moving my body. He needed to be fed, reminding me of my own body’s needs for balanced nutrition. And he needed playtime and affection, which he generously gave me in return.
If you have children, pets or anyone else who is dependant on you, I urge you to let them be your guide, your health guru. Let their needs remind you of your own, that you’ve been overlooking and ignoring for far too long. If you don’t have anyone in your life who can do that for you, you’ll have to be your own guru. Do yourself a favour and incorporate as many of the following suggestions into your day:
All of the above suggestions will help you not only feel better throughout the day, but sleep better at night. However, if you really want to become as healthy as possible, it will take a little more effort than that. Depending on who you listen to, you need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. And cutting out all sugar, gluten and processed foods will do wonders for you. Adding visualization or meditation into your day can help take you to the next level. But for now, just take a few small steps, and pat yourself on the back for doing that much.
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