This post made possible by site supporter Jane Brown.
No really, this shouldn’t be a challenge considering we’re adults in control of our options. We like to blame industries for fatting our waistlines but they’re not the ones eating it.
We could also go into how entertainment makes us “couch zombies” and lazy but, again, what’s stopping you from getting up?
Getting healthy is like any other goal in which we must overcome the excuses.
I (Am/Was) Right There with You
I was one of the “chunker-dunkers” in school and his continued on throughout my early 20’s. Then something hit… doing anything is better than nothing and that thought made a huge impact on my health and wellness.
What changed during that time?
A 50-80% elimination of sodas and sweets
A love for grocery shopping and healthy, home cooking
A set of micro-routines to keep me physically active
There’s a lot more going on with that (relationships and career). But, it’s interesting seeing how simple lifestyle changes impact living healthy and feeling well.
4 Challenges to Transform Your Health and Wellness
A health challenge is a fun way to make changes because you can treat it like an experiment. Add friends to the mix and it gets competitive. Lay money down and now we’re talking!
Becoming healthy or simply opening the idea of trying it again when you’re truly ready is an added benefit of doing them.
What kind of challenges?
#1: Switch from smoking to vaping (and ultimately quitting)
Switching from smoking to vaping will eliminate the nasty side of cigarettes. Doing so will also save money and improve your breathing so you can take on harder physical activities.
Try this:
Switching to an e-cigarette
Find flavors and nicotine levels they enjoy
Decreasing nicotine levels until they’re using 0mg liquids
The Zamplebox vape & e-juice provides a great set of flavor options. Lowering from 16mg to 12mg to 6mg, and then 0mg is a typical process of analog cigarette elimination. It takes about 3 days to feel the full effects of the switch. Now you’re one step closer to a healthier you!
#2: Reduce something by 25%
What you do is cut its consumption or practice by 25% each week. By the end of the month, you’ll have reached 0%. It’s easier than going cold turkey.
You can apply this to things like:
Caffeine consumption
Spending too much time online
Sleeping too long
Find that something preventing you from feeling 100%. Set an elimination date and plan how you’ll cut into it each week. Stick with it and you’ll see it gone while finding more energy to do healthy activities!
#3: Write every day
When’s the last time you wrote a journal?
No, not your thoughts and grievances on Facebook, but actually spent some time pouring into what happened during the day and how you felt?
There are plenty of ways to do it:
Pen and paper
Daily emails to yourself
Online or offline document
You become your therapist when journaling. You’ll begin to figure out what’s really upsetting you by noticing patterns. Also, it gives you an opportunity to stay positive which has tremendous benefits of improving mental health.
Another added benefit?
You have an outlet so you’re not constantly “manning up” and bottling those negative emotions slowly decaying your stability and drive.
#4: Detox from social
We become too involved with others lives because it satisfies our voyeur tendencies. We love living vicariously through others.
A lot of times we’re subconsciously comparing ourselves to each other.
We begin to loathe our actions and let our health and wellness slide. We sort of give up, in a way.
Try this:
Tell your closest friends/family you’re taking a break from social media and they can get in touch with a phone call
Deactivate your social media accounts and uninstall the apps from your phone
Use the found time (almost 2 hours a day) to do something fun or health positive
You’ll be surprised how much your mood will improve after a week. Can you go a month? Even better! The dozens of extra hours of free time will do wonders for getting into exercising and spending more time with immediate friends/family.
Are You Up to the Challenge?
Believe me, you’ve got time.
It may not begin today. Maybe not tomorrow. But, one day, it’ll sink in to work on your health and wellness.
I think taking up a challenge is a great way to kickstart this lifestyle change.
Photo Credit: Getty Images