I haven’t been consistent with my exercise routine and eating habits for 18 months. I not only focused on my physical health but also on my mental and emotional well-being.
Of course, it wasn’t easy when I started and every day was a struggle and I had ups and downs in my fitness journey. Instead of focusing on perfection, I start to enjoy daily progress and commit to one day at a time.
After 18 months of continuous daily effort, I can say that I am at my best in years. Having consistent training, a balanced diet, and including mindfulness got me to where I am today.
I feel happier and healthier, which has dramatically improved my mood, the quality of my work, and the way I interact with other people.
I feel physically and mentally strong, have learned the art of satisfaction and have read millions of researches on self-help and what works for me and what doesn’t.
Not that I’ve figured it all out, I’m still learning and there are 5 things I avoid to stay in my best physical and mental shape. I’m sure it can help you too.
Waking up Insanely Early
I have never considered myself an early riser and always allow myself to sleep as much as I can.
When I started my fitness journey, I started waking up 1 hour earlier and created a morning routine to motivate myself to get up. That was how I started to feel better in my day.
My morning starts with:
- 5 minutes of meditation
- Drink 1 glass of water
Workout Out 7x In a Week
I used to exercise 60-70 minutes a day and rarely took days off.
Instead, now I train 3-4 days a week and some weeks even less. I started adding a few minutes of walking outside and flexibility exercises to keep my body moving. I stopped working out at the gym in lieu of having active recovery days and allowing my body to heal and recover so I felt better.
It can hit your body and reduce the chance of any injury. It helped me get stronger and focus on my priorities.
Eating Junk And Skipping Meals
I am a huge foodie and love to eat foods like pizza, burgers, fries, and all that. When I started my fitness journey, I learned that I also need to control my eating habits in order to achieve my fitness goals.
There is a saying that goes, “If you hit the inside, the outside will fit.” There is no rocket science to eating well.
I try to avoid emotional and stress eating. This is one of the main triggers why we start eating unhealthy foods.
Obsessed with Scale and Numbers
I am a person who watches the numbers like a hawk, measuring the weight and getting disappointed if it doesn’t move after my endless training sessions.
I stopped reading the scale and began to focus on progress. You know, what I notice, the first changes you will see is that instantly your mood has improved, you feel energized and your mental health is also improving. These improvements are not measured on any scale. You need to feel it inside.
Take time for yourself. Don’t feel guilty when you take the time to take care of yourself. Reflect on your goals, and aspirations and take a little of your time.
