When we say “components”s there is more than one. II know that most times when we hear about what to do to help us live healthier, it automatically connotes inconvenience, difficulty to achieve, and strenuous on the mind and body.
What if I told you that learning how to live healthily was as simple as knowing yourself? i.e what food choices are best for your body & personality, what exercises fit you the most etc. For example, my sister loves to dance (Zumba) but I love to lift weights, HIIT cardio, running, Love sports, and all these are classified as exercises. For her, dancing makes her happy and she always looks forward to it but I prefer activities that require strength, resistance, and metabolic exercises because they help me focus, reduce anxiety, maintain my youth, and prevent brain degeneration.
This helps me retain the best version of myself and helps my mindset to align with who I am. I usually tell my clients that the first step to achieving a healthy lifestyle is knowing oneself. To know who you are and what suits you best you should find activities that you enjoy doing and that don’t feel like work. Ever heard the expression; “time flies when you’re having fun”, that is what it should feel like, FUN.
Subscribing to healthy lifestyle habits and activities that feel like the fun is key to helping get from where you are to where you would like to be.
So what are the three components that will help you achieve a healthy lifestyle?
They are:
- Do what feels right, joyful, and aligns with your personality.
- Coaching and mentorship
- Community support
We’ve spoken mostly about the first component in our opening paragraphs, so I’ll skip that one and jump right straight to the second component:
Coaching and mentorship.
Having expert guidance on your journey to achieving optimal health in mind and body significantly boost the speed, accuracy, and ease with which you achieve your goals. For example, a Health Coach will help you retain the bigger picture of your health goals, even when you’re not seeing the results, and keep you on track to follow through with your daily plans and health goals so you can eventually achieve a successful health outcome.
Who is a health coach and why are they so important in the modern healthcare landscape?
I’m not sure I would have been able to answer this question several years ago when I was feeling burnt out from work, lousy, and still struggling with so many unhealthy lifestyle habits. However, over time I have been able to come up with a few descriptions of who I think a health coach is and what they ought to do.
Below is a list of these descriptions
- Coaches are meant to help people discover the “whys” behind their desired health change
- Coaches as experts should empower people to master their bodies, minds, and circumstances.
- Coaches should help people identify challenges and blind spots that prevent them from achieving their health objectives
- Coaches provide support and accountability
- Coaches should use their broad knowledge in matters of health and wellness to help people navigate through their health concerns
Benefits of working with a Health Coach
There are numerous benefits associated with working with a health coach through your wellness and fitness journey however I’ll only mention some of the few which I think are very important to help drive home the point.
- Health Coaches help to fill a void by offering more specialized, in-depth care to their clients.
- Health Coaches are masters in helping people break unhealthy habits and form new healthier ones. You’d be surprised at how much you would achieve by working with a Health Coach compared to doing it all by yourself.
- They also help you make that shift in mindset that you need to give yourself a headstart in anything you want to accomplish.
- Health Coaches also help you sustain any positive change you have recorded so that they become long-lasting.
Your Relationship with Food
Having a relationship with food refers to the way you think and feel about food. It can either be positive or negative.
A Positive/healthy relationship with food will go as thus:
- Giving yourself unrestricted permission to enjoy all foods that make you feel good both physically and mentally.
- Seeing the value of foods beyond the calories and nutrients they provide.
- Having food restrictions only because of medical, cultural, or religious reasons and having a place both for the very nutritious and the less nutritious meals in your diet.
- Being mindful of your food choices, but not too obsessive about it.
- Understanding that there is no such thing as the perfect diet. That there is only a diet that works for you and your lifestyle as long as you enjoy it and can sustain it.
- Avoiding the use of rules when it comes to what you can and can’t eat.
- Eating as a response to your hunger and fullness cues (not always though but mostly)
- Welcoming all foods without any form of judgment.
- Not feeling guilty for eating a certain type of food, e.t.c.
If you don’t yet have a healthy relationship with food, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You can start making the change now, no need to sit back and blame yourself over things you didn’t know.
Note** If for instance, you have a case like mine where I sometimes have to get myself prepared for a photoshoot or maybe you’re preparing to fit into a wedding dress, etc. You should make sure not to do it for long, at most not more than one month.
To sum it all up, I’m going to share tips/advice I learned from the book “Feel Great Losing Weight”
- Always be mindful of what you eat and in what quantity. Here you can copy what the Japanese do; eat until you’re 80% full, no more, maybe less
- Eat more whole foods
- Know why you’re eating what you’re eating. What are the benefits you stand to derive from eating that food? How does it help you achieve your health and diet objectives? etc.
- Just like stated earlier; when we eat, less is more
- Make sure to enjoy every meal you eat. Feel every bite, savor its taste and flavor, notice every color in the food, and feel every sound it makes while you’re chewing and gulping that delicious meal you’re having.
- Lastly, watch where you eat. Every meal is as good as where it was prepared and where you’re having it. Pay attention to the aesthetics, they matter too.
I usually tell my clients to start their wellness journey by telling someone about it, maybe a friend or a family member, that way you can hold yourself accountable to them.
- Write the steps for the first component then write the action plans you’ll take to achieve them. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to living healthy. I know we all want fast results but when it comes to achieving great health, there is no hard and fast rule; you have to work it with patience, be consistent and give it time. These components listed above are designed to fit almost anyone because they are broad and unrestrictive. You have to narrow it down to suit your tastes and your lifestyle.
- Be compassionate, Be conscious, Be consistent; that’s the best route to achieving a healthy lifestyle.
- Love yourself, no matter what.
- Eat mindfully, it helps you eat less and crave less
- Prepare your mind; people tend to be much more successful when they focus on only one basic component at a time. When you try to change too much too quickly, you’ll most likely burn out and give up.
- Prioritize sleep; quality, adequate sleep.
- Connect each day with another human being in a meaningful way, it goes a long way in helping you deal with stress.
- Reflect regularly on how far you’ve come and how far you still need to go. This will help you re-energize, strategize and stay focused on achieving your goals.
Fall in love with taking care of Yourself, Mind, Body, and Spirit.
With Much Love and Respect as always!
For more useful and practical tips on healthy and nutritious meals and how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, you can check out my upcoming ebook. “How to Start from Zero” and discover a proven framework for improving your health and wellness every day using your diet.
No matter your health goals, this ebook distills in very practical terms; strategies that will teach you how to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and get rid of the bad ones.
“How to Start from Zero” provides its readers with a practical guide on how to set realistic and achievable goals as well as steps to take to make sure you’re not overwhelmed with the process. There are numerous ideas and examples to draw from to help you in your process.
I guarantee it would be of great help to you
You can click the link below to sign up and be among the first to get a copy of the e-book once it is out.
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.