How’s your new year 2020 so far? Before the end of 2019, I have had the chance to get some feedback from my friends and social media contributors on the above-mentioned topic. Thank you to those who have contributed and if you would like to share yours, please put in the comment below. I wish you all the very best in your health and wellness this year and beyond.
“Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.” – Josh Billings
By the way, the intention of this blog is for sharing and learning purposes… in my humble opinion, there is “NO RIGHT NOR WRONG…” Thank you.
Wake up early, exercise daily, eat moderately, fast alternately but most importantly is to do whatever you can do and spend time with your love ones full-hardheartedly.
Have a 4-legged pet… Walk them morning n evening.
Understanding what u want, plan, execution and mostly, consistency.
Other than that… Happiness and Peace also important.
Take very good care on one own health and wellness, by eating healthily and exercise daily. Before you can take care of anyone else you love.
Its good that u have health awareness.. most people will only start to practice healthy lifestyle when they have bad result in health check
take care of yourself well physically (do exercises), mentally (reading and other brain triggered tasks), emotionally (positive interactions, meditation etc)…
Commit the day to God before starting the day and say thank you before ending the day.
recommended exercise is 30 mins x 3 a week… I’d say 5 days 30 mins will be better. without health, no money or family can do anything. also start giving more… like all your money to some one like me 🙂
Spend time with yourself, God, family and friends. Exercise, do some charity work, eat moderately and do whatever makes you happy as long as it’s not against the law, it is not unethical and it doesn’t cause harm to others
Sure way to lose weight while able to eat anything… skip dinner
Realise what makes your soul happy & enjoy doing it.
I’ve recently shifted my new year resolutions to start on my birthday. It somehow gets better commitment and results.
Learn to bless every person you meet. The more you bless the more happiness you gain.
Have a positive mindset. You are what you think. Put God n faith in your lives daily, eating moderately, exercise healthily and live happily.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
There you go… some great sharing, ideas and learning. Found any one that you would like to start this year? If you do, please share with me. I would love to hear from you. All the very BEST!
“Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.” – Walter Reisch
There was a time when I was sleeping very early… yeah, early in the wee hours of the morning like after 2:00 A.M. That’s early, right?
Then I developed this new habit of sleeping before 10:00 P.M. Well, this new sleeping habit definitely working for me. Not all will agree with me, there are some who prefer to sleep late as they can work better late at night or they can think better?
This is not an easy topic to write as some may or may not agree with what I am writing. I am writing for my own reference and sharing to those who can resonate with me… no offence to those who cannot agree. One man’s treasure is another man’s trash…
Why sleep?
For me, when I have enough sleep, I felt that I can perform better the next day. I can think clearer and my mind works faster than when I am deprived of sleep. I am no professor who is doing any research on sleep. I just felt that sleeping is part of our lifestyle… anything to do with lifestyle is a journey in life and it is somehow linked to our habits.
== QUOTE == Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.
The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.
The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.
The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others. == UNQUOTE ==
There are a lot of articles and sharing in the web on the health benefits of sleeping and the consequences of sleep deprivation. I will not go into the details of that… Just know yourself, in terms on how many hours will be enough for you. You will need to experiment the right amount of sleep time. I believe at different age, our needs will be different…
Can you imagine… there is a body called the “National Sleep Foundation”… I wonder what do they do there? Sleep? Jokes aside… they came up with the research on sleeping time… I am referring to the majority here, not to those super man or woman who may not need to sleep. Please refer to the link as below for more information: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
About the National Sleep Foundation
The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990 by the leaders in sleep medicine, NSF is the trusted resource for sleep science, healthy sleep habits, and sleep disorders to medical professionals, patients and the public. For more information visit sleepfoundation.org or sleep.org.
Some tips on How to sleep better at night:
Spend some time outdoor to get some dose of sunlight. Make time for the exposure.
Reduce blue light exposure in the evening and your body may be tricked that it is still day time. Rest one hour before snooze time.
Heard from some experts… less or no caffeine late afternoon or evening.
Monitor your nap time. You can practice power naps… experiment the dose of naps needed.
Be consistent with sleeping and awake times. You body needs time to adjust; consistency is key.
Movement and exercise can help to relax those tight muscles, plus it will help to provide better quality sleep at night.
Alcohol sounds good to some people to help with sleep but according to some smart scientists, it does not help but disrupt sleep patterns.
Bedroom is a place for sleeping not watching movies or playing games… ensure the environment is optimized for sleeping. And not forgetting the temperature too.
Avoid from over-eating or supper at night… instead of sleeping, your body is digesting the food and disturbing your sleep.
Place all your worries on paper… or somewhere you can refer to the next day. Sleep is more important than your problems… you need a fresh and active mind to solve problems.
Take a good, relaxing and warm shower to relax those muscles of yours to get better quality sleep.
Ensure your bed is good to support you and you are comfortable with the bed… remember about those pillows and bolsters too.
“Sleep is the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is deficient, there is sickness and disease. And when sleep is abundant, there is vitality and health.” – Matthew Walker
Should you have any great tips to share on sleeping habits, or any good resources for reference. Do let me know… till then, I am getting ready to sleep as tomorrow is another great day. Good night!
“One cannot think well, love well and sleep well if one has not dined well.” –Virginia Woolf
This topic will resonate with most people. Do we eat to live or live to eat?
How can we maintain a healthy lifestyle through eating? As a person who loves to eat myself, I find it hard to resist good food and especially when there is great company to eat with… I tend to eat more. Therefore, I have been thinking about whether to write on this topic or not?
There are a lot of areas to discuss when it comes to this topic on eating… this time I will focus on eating healthy as part of our daily habits and if you have any ideas, please do share and write to me, thank you.
“The chief pleasure in eating does not consist in costly seasoning, or exquisite flavor, but in yourself.” – Horace
I believe when it comes to eating, it boils down to making choices. It is definitely not easy as our emotions will be stronger than logic. We know we have to eat healthier food options, just that at times, the craving for not so healthy options will take over and we gave it to the craving. Then regretted for that action… who have not experienced that before?
Please find some sharing on how we can be more aware and to have better plus healthier options when it comes to eating…
It starts with WHY?
What is your compelling reason for eating healthy? Why do you want to eat healthy? First things first, it starts from within us. Who are you and what identity do you want have to embark in this journey of healthy eating?
How can it be done?
Everyone is unique and requires different calorie count per day (to lose or maintain weight). That means, you will need to do some research on your own lifestyle; what will your daily activities be and how much energy do you need to get through your day? How are you keeping track on the food that you are going to eat? What is your plan when it comes to your meals? How about rituals (drinking water, eating fruits before meals, etc.) and supplements (vitamins and minerals)? If you are cooking, how do you plan your menu… weekdays, weekends… special days.
What are some of the TIPS?
Research on the types of food that is good for you
Eat lots of vegetables (leafy ones) and fruits (I believe everything in moderation… haha)
Eat more fish (brain food), of course fresh ones, oily ones (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and not so oily ones (tuna and local fishes)
Cut down on sugar and salt intake (processed and non-processed ones as well) and especially processed food – biscuits, cakes, sausages, canned food, fizzy drinks, pastries, cereals
Eat whole and fresh produce / food
Get properly hydrated… drink that H2O and not get thirsty; water is a better option than sugary drinks even fruit juices!
Have proper meals and not get hungry, snack healthily when necessary (as when we get hungry, we tend to over eat…)
Check the nutrition label, learn how to read them
Eat mindfully and be aware of what you put into your mouth (this is also a self reminder to me…)
Just be flexible with yourself… at times we need to indulge and when we do… do it responsibly and mindfully…
Anyone who has just started will feel the difficulty to sustain as it is not going to be easy in the beginning. As what Jack Ma of Alibaba said…
“Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”
“To enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise.” ~ Gene Tunney
“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.”
~ Hippocrates
What does it take for us to be healthy, my definition of being healthy is being self-reliant, being able to move (walk, jog, run, cycle, swim) and enjoy every moment of it versus being out-of-breath, lack of stamina, feeling tired and immobility (you know what I mean).
I believe there are a lot of people out there (I am one of them), who are wondering, how and what are the activities that we can do to stay healthy and especially if one is a food lover… how to maintain (or lose the extra) weight while enjoying the lifestyle of having good food plus drinks.
There is no easy way out, it takes a lot of hard work, discipline and determination (at first). Sooner or later, should we be consistent in practicing the exercise as part of our lifestyle, it gets easier and more enjoyable.
This sharing is not the ultimate guide to having the best body nor quick weight lost program… it is just some of the activities that I find useful and you may consider in practising them as good habits (daily)…
“It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” ~ Socrates
Please find the things or activities that you can experiment to make them part of your lifestyle habits:
You can invest in an exercise ball to sit while watching television or as an office chair. By balancing, sitting up straight, it will help strengthening the core muscles. Or you may opt to do planking (this can also strengthen the core muscles).
What I have discovered, more muscles, more calories burn efficiently.
Sitting and sedentary lifestyle is the new enemy. With technology, which makes our lives easier, we tend to sit more that move about. Take some breaks in between to stand or move to the pantry to grab a glass of water to drink. Be aware, practice mindfulness or set an alarm to remind you to move after 20-30 minutes of sitting down. Another idea is to walk around when taking a call; that will burn about 100 calories if you walk and talk for 5 minutes (how about that?)
When there is a need to discuss or brainstorm, walk to your colleague rather than sending an e-mail. It is better to send the message in person (if you are not geographically challenged), as that can help you put extra steps to your pedometer and get your blood flowing to get extra oxygen to freshen up your brains. Imagine if you burn just 50 calories a day… in a year, it really adds up.
Chunk the activities down; if you cannot have 30 minutes in a stretch for exercising, you can deliberately set 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch (find a place further from the office to have a meal) and 10 minutes in the evening (after dinner as a bonding time with the family?).
Find ways to take the flight of stairs; not that you cannot take the elevator, how about taking the elevator half way or three quarters of the way and the rest by stairs, will that work for you? At least you get your heart rate up to burn some calories. You know yourself better, please do not over exert yourself. Be mindful of your own health, best to go for check-up and find out your level of fitness.
Shopping therapy can be one of ways to get extra steps and burn some calories. You may use your mobile phone (install some apps to help keep track of your steps) or invest in smart watches or pedometer to monitor your daily steps. You can also set goals for yourself or have fun by getting an accountability partner or community to challenge yourself.
Perform some strength training; add some extra weight to your backpack or take the dumbbell or water bottle when you go for your walk, jog or run. Building muscles help with metabolism rate and burning the extra calories. Everything in moderation, bit-by-bit and remember we are not focusing on intensity, the key here is consistency.
Pet lovers especially if you are having dogs, you can go a walk or jog with your dog. This can be a good activity to pursue with your family as well, instead of delegating the task to other people. Have fun by going for different routes.
If you have a bicycle, you can always have this extra activity as a variety to your daily exercise activities. Just be extra careful when you cycle on the road; get the proper gear for safety (helmet, gloves, lights, etc). Or join a cycling group for more excitement. At least it is not only walk, jog or run… now you can also cycle!
Some people like to swim; if you are one of them or the property you are living has the pool facility or if you have a club membership (which has swimming pool), this is also a good exercise to burn calories and release stress. As long as you move, keep the heart pumping (at least Zone 3 and not over Zone 5; please do your own research on your Heart Beat Rate zones; for some information, you may refer to this site, please also check with your physician before doing any activities that may cause any harm to yourself, https://www.physiotherapy-treatment.com/karvonen-formula.html)
In my humble opinion, different activities for different people. You have to find the right ones for yourself. As for me, depending on where I am and what I feel like doing… apart from doing all the activities mentioned above, you may also want to look into your own passion projects (for motivation, joy and fulfilment).
“We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising.” ~ Kenneth Cooper
“Rest when you’re weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” – Ralph Marston
What do we do when we are tired? I am sure most of us have experienced this before. This has triggered me to share some good habits with you. Feel free to practice them and let me know how it goes.
“Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Here are some of the good habits:
“Solvitur ambulando” is a Latin phrase which means “it is solved by walking”. When we feel tired, it could be due to a few factors; we are bored, ran out of ideas or could be lack of oxygen. By breaking what we are doing at that moment to go for a walk, we can reboot, refresh and re-energize. One of the brilliant articles to read: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hemingway-thoreau-jeffers_b_3837002
Drink wateris a healthy and good way to increase our brain capacity feeding it with oxygen and transporting nutrients to parts of our body. At times when I was too focused in completing my tasks, I forgot to drink water then I felt lethargic, not able to focus and leading to headache. Water does not only hydrate us, it contributes to many health benefits. (all right, take a break and have some water, now…)
Aromatherapy has psychological and physiological effects on us. With the right essential oil (I believe it depends on individual, the one they use in the office… is not to my liking, I prefer lemon or something zesty), it will help to boost our mood, helps with stress reduction, calming us and assist in triggering sense of focus. There are many options that are available or the easiest is to rub the essential on your palm and enjoy the scent.
Power nap... in fact, I just woke up from my power nap and writing this blog, haha. There are a lot of “different schools” of thoughts on this topic… according to science, generally the range of duration will be from 10 to 30 minutes. As long as you do not go into “sleep inertia”, when that happened, you will wake up feeling worse. How long for you? Please experiment.
Stretching or quick exercise i.e. jumping jacks, walking around, planks… there are so many exercise we can do. Find the one that you are able to do with the space constraint and with the resources that you have (chair or table).
This site is interesting: https://draxe.com/exercise-to-do-at-your-desk/
Have short breaks in between tasks; pause, look around (focus exercise), meditate, mindfulness (awareness), puzzles, read articles, talk and socialize, breathing exercise, doodling… make coffee or tea and enjoy sipping. Take a break, have a Kit Kat (not that I am getting any sponsorship from them :-p )
Most important of all, should we want to stay energize, focus, refresh and healthy… have enough rest and sleep. How many hours? Different people will be different. You will need to experiment and take note of whether your sleep is a good light or deep sleep. For me, I will need at least 7 hours of sleep to be performing my best.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
