What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
To maintain one’s health is, in my mind, a critical imperative. For both our society as a whole, and for the individual, being healthy bears only benefits. And in a technological era designed to addict us and drag us clawing away from the healthy habits that strengthen mind and body, the strategies and habits we create matter all the more.
Why Health Matters
The first step in any task is to understand the “why” behind it. While health and fitness is often viewed as a cosmetic feature in the modern world, they are quite utilitarian in nature. By optimizing your health and fitness, you enable yourself to life a full, comfortable life, with reduced odds of physical illness and injury. Additionally, good physical fitness and conditioning enables your body to heal faster over time, breathe freely, and move more efficiently.
The social and societal benefits are also an important aspect of health and fitness. Good health allows you to participate in a broader range of activities with your friends, allowing you to broaden your range of experiences with them. It improves mood and changes your perspective on yourself, making you more enjoyable to be around and improving your mental health,
Being in good health also keeps you from having to see a doctor as much. This has combined effects of reducing your health care costs and reducing the load on the healthcare system, which helps society as a whole.
Strategy One: Just Do Something
The first strategy is to simply do something, preferably routine, preferably simple. Try to adopt an every day task such as going on a walk, or cutting out your favorite unhealthy beverage. The most important part of the journey is to start, as once you take the first step, they get easier as you go. I always recommend doing something that seems easy as a first task. This will keep you from being overwhelmed.
Strategy Two: Prioritizing YOU!
You have inherent value. You are worth the effort to be healthy, to live a long and happy life, free of unnecessary pain. It comes with a little sacrifice at the start, but ends with a much happier, fulfilling life. You are worth it, so prioritize your health. Good things in life are rarely easy, and this is no exception, but you are worth it. Take time to acknowledge the smallest of accomplishments, whether it’s a streak of healthy eating or your first 10,000 step day. You doing great things! Always remember that ending a streak isn’t a failure, it’s a step forward. Take time to enjoy your rest days, or the sweet treat you had with no guilt, then prepare for your next day.
Strategy Three: Track Your Progress (And Review It)
Tracking your progress is a great way to help you see the improvement in yourself. It doesn’t matter what metric you use, but I personally like to track things like how I feel on a given day. This metric you can look back on and see how much better you feel over a period of time.
I avoid metrics like weight lost, as they often don’t accurately translate to your health well. Most people will only lose a certain amount of weight before they start gaining muscle weight, giving them the false impression they aren’t improving. Instead of tracking your weight, track metrics like endurance, weight you can lift, or gym frequency.
Strategy Four: Scheduling
It’s important when you choose to adopt a healthcare regimen that you schedule it out carefully. Being healthy shouldn’t eat away at your life, steal your joy, or otherwise take away from your day. Instead, it should add to your overall happiness and well being. Setting a specific amount of time at the gym, or a specific goal for your diet gives you freedom to do the other things that you want to with your day. Always remember that streaks were made to be broken, just like records, and that taking a short break isn’t a bad thing, but an opportunity to change tactics or set a new goal.
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