We might think that since we’re out of school and no longer have a physical education class that we don’t need to exercise. After all, there’s a lot of automation out there – can’t exercise be automated?
Well, I’m sure by now you’ve found that your health doesn’t take care of itself. The body does a lot but it doesn’t do well on autopilot. There is definitely something that we have to do.
Mind Care
I think a holistic approach is the place to start. Mind care is certainly something we need to consider. Think about the information we take in . . . news headlines, work deadlines, and our normal daily tasks. Sometimes we may not even be aware of how these various things affect us. I know for me I find that sometimes my whole body is responding to meeting a deadline or solving a problem. Take a break!
So, whether it’s everyday living, a lifestyle of self-care, recuperating after giving birth, after winter, after a stay-at-home order . . . the whole of you has needs.
Periodically, taking time away from the phone, computer, and social media gives your mind and body a needed break – a bit of time to refresh. Take breaks during the day and make it a point to decompress before bed.
Rest
I had gotten really bad about going to bed at a decent time. I would be up really late – not for any particular reason . . . habit, I guess. In a doctor’s visit, I mentioned a couple of things that had happened with me – a strange occurrence with my skin and I also felt something was going on with my digestive tract. So, when we got on the subject of sleep, he outlined how the body reacts to sleep deprivation. He mentioned a litany of side effects, including the body releasing histamine. I had no idea so many things were connected to getting a good night’s rest. Rest . . . it’s important!
Physical Exercise
For me, the marina is the ideal place for a great walk — 3 to 5 miles depending on the walking path you take. The scenery is great; the people are pleasant — the grounds are kept well. The only thing I dislike is when dogs are not on a leash.
Once the time changes and it starts to get dark early, my outside exercise slacks off significantly. The winter months are when I put on the most weight. The inside exercise is not a match for the outside distance.
Recently, I found some walking inside videos that have worked well for me (from 15 minutes to an hour). Of course, I switch it up sometimes to have a mixture of workouts. Otherwise, my base inside workout is from Dr. Oz years ago and workouts from Autumn.
Nutrition
Just before winter hit, I did a full body cleanse with just raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dates for 21 days; I lost 11 pounds. After the cleanse, I maintained the weight for a while afterward. However, I really dislike being in the kitchen. I’m in the kitchen the least amount of time possible. Eventually, I got bored with my quick fix — the same raw dishes over and over — cucumber, apple, tomato, lemon, spinach . . .
After my cleanse, I purchased a juicer. And I have to admit I feel a lot better when I juice. It’s better for me if I juice enough for several days in advance.
It’s been about 6 months since my last cleanse. I plan to do it again to reset my body and get a boost with dropping the quarantine weight. This time, to have a better post-cleanse experience, I need to be intentional about diverse dishes in the maintenance portion.
So there you have it. Take care of every part of you. You’re then in a great space to go deeper with yourself and also to add value to those around you.
Right now, the easiest area for me is quiet time. I don’t mind being by myself; I don’t mind going inward. For me, it’s a must-have, so I’ve made it part of my lifestyle. That way – I can always choose peace. Peace goes a long way to putting everything else in order.