I take a holistic approach to health, practising mind, body and spirit. I believe in inside and out maintenance; opening your heart to the universe and keeping an optimistic conscious. Out of the many things I take for granted, I refuse to accept my health as one of them. It’s the most dependable and achievable part of life. You can’t immediately make a person love you or instantly gain a career promotion, but you can drink a glass a water and quickly feel healthier.
Regardless of physical ability, I don’t believe health and fitness revolves around abs and definition. I’ll never forget sitting with my friend in a hospital and realising, his operation – the one we both had, went wrong. I had been complaining about the large surgical scar down my back – whinging about the ugliness of it all, not thinking how lucky I was to have received successful treatment.
That moment taught me to embrace myself and not feel afraid to show who I am, in photos and in person.
Figuring diet
Lately, I’ve toned up by following a DNA diet plan. And though I eat salads, soups, smoothies and a variety of nutrients, I also eat an alarming amount of bread and wheat – occasionally jumping from toast to pancakes. This I almost get away with; processed sugar and pasta causes major stomach bloat.
Figuring your diet to create a healthy lifestyle, is to me about learning what makes you feel good. Feeling good enough to not feel post-food guilt, or worry about low energy and hunger.
Clarifying that I’m no expert, I recommend eating as much unprocessed food as possible – says the girl with her bread. Baking a chocolate cake for instance, without chemicals, preservatives and various types of sugar. There are countless names to describe the stuff – glucose syrup, high corn syrup, maltodextrin. Often, processed food has around 4 different types of sugar, which typically outweighs the sugar you put in homemade baking.
To make my baking healthier, where possible, I switch to oat flour and maple syrup (in replacement of white sugar), and add walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sometimes oats.
Planning Exercise
Confession – I’ve never stepped foot in a gym. Well, never trained in one. My excuse has always been my spine and my right shoulder which often dislocates. I contend with running, an exercise machine at home, YouTube, workout DVD’s, resistant bands and some weights. With the amazing variety on YouTube though, I am 100% everyone has at least one type of exercise activity they’d enjoy doing. Because of my surgeries, I suck at pilates (it’s an honest excuse), but love looking like a fool practicing ballet.
Long-term exercise provides countless benefits: Keeping your heart healthy, your mind positive with endorphins being released, and helps maintain flexibility. I do about 30 minutes a day after work, and slowly my body has reaped the benefits.
Organising Finances
Last year, I became addicted to credit card spending. It’s taken me forever to finally pay it off. The price for my splurging has equalled me giving away sums of income that could have gone towards a holiday, savings, Christmas and everything else. The goal to simply spend less than you earn seems straight-forward, until a week after pay-day, when you’ve gone overboard and ended up living the next three weeks on a tight budget.
I’ve been there as well. It still amazes me how much pressure Instagram places on us to constantly showcase a new outfit. To try to keep up with the Jones’s. On the road to healthy living, it’s good to be reminded that there’s no shame in cutting back and living more minimally when needed. Because the little things really do add up. Voucher codes, coin jars, sticking to a list of clothing and not buying just because; can all vastly contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Being honest about relationships
The new world of dating is complicated and somewhat depressing. You now have to think about reacting to ghosting; how to prepare when a person suddenly ends contact. You have to debate whether a person is genuine, and worry whether their texting habits demonstrate the right amount of commitment. The simple approach: asking a stranger in person to go out, seems world’s away from society’s new online dating norm.
I feel relationships do contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
A healthy lifestyle – Excessive behaviour?
At times it feels your damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Treat yourself one too many and its bad news; become overly critical of achieving health and it can begin to dictate your every thought. When I speak to my therapist/mentor/friend – she tells me to make myself become comfortable with the uncomfortable.
To break habits – walk on the different side of the street on your way home, switch up your routine, allow yourself to get in a place that’s difficult and see how you process that. Though I’ve always said to give in to cravings when truly desired, there’s a certain feeling in the ability to say no. It reminds me that I’m in control and can eat what I want without having to react to urgent impulses.
How do you go about living a healthy lifestyle? Do you focus more on diet and fitness, well-being, or try to balance it all?
Oh, I LOVE that dress!!
Thank you! I was thinking of wearing it on Christmas day with a jumper and tights. Because the material is thick, it’s surprisingly warm to wear. 🙂
A lot of people take their health for granted these days…
Hmm… I’ve never thought about instagram as a source of pressure for buying/showing of new things, but it’s so true… Yikes…
When I first started on Instagram, I was paranoid about wearing the same skirt or top twice etc, incase people thought I didn’t have clothes. I think how ridiculous that is now!
As always, I feel like you’re so on point with this post! Also have to say that I love the new layout, it’s so simple, minimalist, and clean! (PS: Sorry for not responding to your text, I’ve been the worst with my phone recently! I’ll get back to you asap) xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Thank you! It took me FOREVER to basically decide on white and black haha. I ended up trying to copy Vogue. And don’t worry regarding the message – I’m the same. Reply whenever is good. And thank you for reading. xxx
Yeah, I really love it (tbh, I loved all of your recent layouts, they’re all so beautiful!)
Thank you girl! xx
Great tips to help jumpstart a healthy lifestyle… it’s great how pointed out that a healthy lifestyle looks different for each person. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to a happy life.
I love everything you said…your tips are so on point…keep up the good work Laura xoxo !!
Thank you so much! I really believe it is different, and there’s no point trying to emulate exactly what another person eats or how they work out. xxx
I’m okay thank you. Terrible at managing my time right now, but hopefully I can get myself back on track this weekend. Hope you’ve had a great week!
Going great so far. Thanks.
Be well.
Health is so important, im always reminded of that when i get sick. I like your holistic approach. Diet is probably the hardest for me as I love food. Got to find something that fits you and you enjoy, it really is a lifestyle choice. Agree with your advice on unprocessed foods, simple idea but hard to execute especially with bread like you said
Picking things you can do for your health that are sustainable long term and that you enjoy I think are key to any holistic choices. knowing that getting off track is fine too i think is also important. 80/20 rule just remember to get right back on after. All about balance.
Enjoyed this thanks Laura!
Thank you for reading and for your comment Paolo!! I think it’s incredibly hard to have all-round health. Whilst my diet and exercise is good right now, I’m not sleeping well and that’s affecting my entire day.
I agree with you, it’s about balance and trying your hardest I think to figure out which healthy foods you can eat happily. Like I love olives and salads with spinach, but hate raw tomatoes and not the biggest fan of kale. 🙂
you can drink a glass a water and instantly insert a healthy lifestyle layer – I loved how you said this 🙂
It is wonderful how you bring conscious awareness to every aspect of what brings health and well being. And you share honestly. I too have never set foot in a gym, have no excuse for it. Exercise is only one aspect of well being and we can choose different ways of getting it in. I like your emphasis on healthy relationships and embracing the discomforts as simple as walking on a different side of the street – makes a whole lot of difference.
Thank you for your kind words! I think people think of health as just fitness and diet, but I do think it has to do with overall happiness, stress levels and a sense of contentment.
Nice post girl! Am so happy that you’re really being organized and are serious about maintaining your health and lifestyle since it def is really important. I’m pretty strict with my diet and lifestyle but still need to work on my fitness and take it much more seriously. You’re def an inspiration for all the girls out there including me and I really hope that you keep following this healthy routine of yours ❤️ It’s always good to focus on yourself once in a awhile 🙂
I enjoyed this post Laura, and like you, have a holistic approach to health. I fail miserably at looking after myself, and although I follow an almost solely plant based diet, I have not quite mastered the eating at regular meal times, and healthier sweet treats! Id love to hear any healthier cake recipes you may know! I couldn’t agree more with you about accepting ourselves however we are, and I would say that I have finally mastered this a few years back. Only took me 40 years haha. Its liberating!
https://kerrylifeandloves.com
lol they haven’t. Some of my friends watch it but I’ve not seen the show before 🙂