
Your body is a complicated machine that is supposed to operate your whole lifetime. And it needs maintenance from time to time. This is why you should do this review regularly. Staying in good health is key to a happy life. Some people even say that once you lose health, you lose everything.
This post is part of the series about making an annual review of the most important areas in your life. Before you read it, have a look at the introductory post I published here.
In the previous posts, I showed you how to do an annual review of Career and Personal Finances.
In 2020, health has been the center of everyone’s attention (at least something good came out of the pandemic).
And the latest months showed us the sad truth: we usually don’t think about our health until we lose it. But then it’s usually too late.
Of course, the pandemic is not over yet, but I hope you’re all safe and well.
And I hope you’re all motivated to take good care of your health from now on.
Before we move on, one short disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, a dietician, or a fitness instructor. In this post, I’m just reminding you about the fundamental points regarding health you should review regularly.
Having such a checklist proved to be helpful to me—and I’m sure it will be useful to you, too!
Find your why.
Do you want to live a healthier life? Probably yes.
But why?
In an everyday rush, we don’t even ask such questions. But now it’s a perfect time to answer it.
Find your why, and taking care of your health will become easier.
Maybe your reason is simple: you want to live healthier to look better (although looking good isn’t the same as being healthy).
But maybe you want to live healthier to improve your sleep and feel better during the day. You may want to have a better physical condition because you want to go for long trekking in the Alps and enjoy picturesque views.
If you have negative experiences in your family, like your parents’ or grandparents’ health problems, they may become your why.
Whatever reason you have, find it at think about it regularly.
Don’t try to have it all.
When it comes to health, many people have an all-or-nothing attitude. They spend all mornings at the gym, eat clean, buy tons of supplements, etc.—or they give up physical exercise completely, eat junk food, etc. Phase 1 usually happens at the beginning of every year, but it’s hard to maintain, so everything goes back to “normal” (that is, Phase 2) after a few weeks.
Of course, we usually want to have it all: change our lives entirely and become a totally new person. It’s not impossible, but it would take an enormous amount of self-discipline and mental strength. Most of us would have to sacrifice other life areas to make this happen.
Instead of trying to achieve unrealistic goals, take one step at a time. Whenever you plan to start your new, healthy lifestyle (I guess it’s now, after eating tons of food during Christmas 😉 ), prepare a list of small steps that would lead you toward your goal. Reaching these tiny goals, one by one, will give you a motivation boost, which is much needed during significant life changes.
Set specific goals.
As it is with career or productivity, nothing will probably happen if you don’t set specific goals. Without them, the line between success and failure becomes blurred, and it’s hard to keep discipline.
If you plan to lose some weight, don’t leave your goal like that. Instead, have a specific number of kilos/pounds you want to get rid of or a piece of clothing you’d love to fit in.
If you plan to run regularly, then make it clear what “regularly” means to you. Is it once a week or three times a week?
If you want to eat more vegetables, then specify how much veggies in your diet will be good enough. Make a meal plan or decide to add a veggie to every meal.
I can show you more examples, but you know the drill. Having clear goals will make it easier for you to stick to your resolutions. Besides, you’ll have less decision fatigue because whenever the doubt comes in, you’ll know what to do.
Take good care of your sleep.
Whenever you sleep poorly, you feel sh*tty throughout the next day. That’s a fact.
Having a good night’s sleep is crucial to our well-being. It gives us a powerful energy boost and makes our body and mind regenerate.
You can find great advice on this topic all over the internet, so I’ll just point out the basics.
First, stick to a sleep schedule—try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time (and limit naps during the day). Second, create a suitable environment for sleeping—buy a comfy bed/mattress, let fresh air in, make sure it’s dark, move the TV out of your bedroom, etc. Third, pay attention to your evening meals so that you don’t go to bed stuffed or hungry. Fourth, learn how to manage your emotions and not go to sleep worried (I’ll take care of the emotions and mental health in the next post).
Make regular health checks.
Many people go see their doctor only when they’re sick, but it’s high time we all change our mentality and concentrate on preventative health care.
If you want to live a healthy lifestyle, do a medical check-up regularly every year. Do a blood test, check your blood pressure, test your eyesight, do recommended cancer screenings, check hormone levels, etc. Also, make a dental examination twice a year. Your checklist may vary, and additional check-ups may apply if some diseases run in your family.
There are many benefits of doing regular check-ups. You have more control over your health; you can prevent some diseases or detect them early on when they’re easier to cure. You can increase your lifespan and stay in good health longer in life. And, last but not least, you reduce the healthcare costs, because in general, it’s cheaper to prevent than to treat diseases.
Eat better.
You are what you eat. It’s as simple as that.
I’m a foodie, and I’ve definitely had my share of culinary sins. Although I’ve never been into sodas or any type of junk food, I enjoy eating delicious meals in nice restaurants, try local food and drink when I travel (and I travel a lot!), have an occasional glass of wine, etc.
I don’t force myself to give up on delicious food because that would limit my joy of living 😉 Nevertheless, I try to eat healthy 80 percent of the time, which works well for me.
Keep in mind that eating healthier may be challenging at first, but it becomes a habit after a while. Therefore, you should think long-term instead of making drastic short-term changes.
Having a sweet tooth? Find healthier sugar alternatives. Forgetting to eat enough veggies every day? Buy them regularly and place them on the counter instead of putting them in the cabinet, out of your sight. Not drinking enough water? Have a water bottle always with you, and when you work, have it on your desk.
Whatever your weak spot is, find it and work around it.
Find a sports discipline you love.
One of my 2020 resolutions was to get back on the tennis court. I played tennis as a kid and loved it then, so I wanted to find out if I would enjoy it now. Guess what—I still love it!
Returning to regular tennis games proved to be beneficial. My physical condition and muscle strength improved. My energy levels went up and getting better with every week boosted my confidence. I still have so much to improve, but I’m glad that I rediscovered the discipline I forgot I loved.
Staying fit is easier if you have an activity you really enjoy. When training is a pleasure, you want to make it again and again. Then, you can see the positive results, and it keeps you going.
Try to find a sports discipline or an activity you’ll love. I believe anyone has something. Maybe you’re not a fan of popular activities like running or yoga, but when you search long enough, you’ll find your thing.
Move more.
Even if you’re really not a fan of regular training at the gym or different sports disciplines, then just find time to move more: go for a long walk with a dog, walk around your apartment when you’re talking on the phone, do ten sit-ups every hour when you have office work, go up and down the stairs instead of taking a lift, etc.
There’s this saying that “sitting is the new smoking”. Most people really spend too much time sitting at a desk, in a car, or in front of a screen. And this is a huge problem because a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to many health issues, like low back pain, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, migraines, some types of cancer, as well as sight problems, depression, anxiety … The list goes on.
Moral? Just move more, anytime, anywhere you can.
Boost your immune system.
Your immune system is the guardian of your body. It fights disease-causing pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites; and removes them from our body. That’s why you should make sure that it works well all the time.
The recipe is simple: maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, reduce stress.
(Simple but not easy, right? 😉 )
Include into your diet food that boosts your immune system, like garlic, citruses, fermented foods, healthy fats, etc. Limit sugars, keep your vitamin D levels up, drink enough water.
And go for a sauna session once in a while. Yes, boosting your immune system can be pleasant 😉
Keep a healthy mind.
Last but not least, keep in mind that your mind has a tremendous influence on your body. Your attitude toward food and physical activity is crucial in the process of establishing and maintaining healthy habits.
Your reactions to things that happen to you can motivate you or keep you discouraged.
This is why we’ll take care of your mental and emotional side in the next post.
Have you ever done a review of your emotions?
It’s high time!
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!