The other evening I was chatting with a good friend who’d been struggling to lose weight but with little success. She made a comment that really got me thinking. She said something that I didn’t really agree with. She told me that I was lucky to have been born with such great willpower. She surrendered to the fact that she quite simply was born with a willpower deficit. I almost resented the notion that she thought that I had more willpower than her when in fact I knew the opposite was actually true.
 
On the surface I could see how one might assume that I had great willpower. It may appear that I find it relatively easy to make healthy choices. I’ve been able to maintain my goal weight for quite some time. But dig a little deeper and you might discover that my willpower isn’t quite as strong as it appears. It’s an illusion, really. Somewhere along the way I learned that willpower is a finite resource and I don’t really have much of it. So I knew I had to find ways around relying on it.
 
All our lives we’re told that, “where there’s a will there’s a way”. Having willpower is a highly desirable form of self-control. We’re taught that those who have more of it will be successful and those with less will often fail. And then, if/when we fail, it’s only because we weren’t trying hard enough. It’s our own fault that somehow we are deficient. This feeling of failure leads to guilt. Consequently our self-efficacy, or self- confidence, takes a direct hit. If you’re anything like me, feelings of guilt and failure are not the best motivators!
 
Temptations all around
We’re constantly bombarded by temptations all around us. We’re surrounded by exaggerated versions of what we naturally desire. Our reactions to these temptations are normal. Our brains go haywire because they are designed to do so. When we stumble upon high calorie foods our brains give us a direct order to splurge. We don’t crave the taste of the food as much as we crave that amazing dopamine surge that comes with it. We’re simply submitting to a survival mechanism that has served us well during times of scarcity.
 
Problems arise when our brains order us to splurge even during times of abundance. What results are limitless opportunities for gluttony. Our brains have essentially been hijacked. Only once we understand and accept this can we begin to find ways to resume control.
 
We’re all lazy
It’s not just high calorie foods that tempt us. It’s also the temptation to be lazy. We’re all naturally quite lazy. Again, being “lazy” is a survival mechanism. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. In times of food scarcity, it makes sense to take advantage of any and every opportunity to conserve energy. Quite predictably, we’ve also found ways to embrace our natural inclination towards laziness. Cars, remote controls, comfortable couches, appliances and all our other many modern-day conveniences serve to promote our natural laziness. The added time and comfort that these technologies provide us with have been nothing short of miraculous. But when we combine our inclination towards laziness with our inclination towards gluttony we find ourselves with a multitude of health problems.
 
Willpower is a finite resource
Relying on willpower can often mean going against our very nature.  And this is not easy. There are biological mechanisms at work that are sometimes way beyond our control.  Saying “NO” to ourselves over and over again and denying our own nature is exhausting and draining. It’s also unsustainable. Sacrifice is tiring.
 
So what then, is the solution? How do we work around this in a way that we can still enjoy modern day comforts and conveniences without harming our health in the process? The best thing you can do is to stop relying on sheer willpower to resist temptations. If you put a slice of pumpkin pecan cheesecake in front of me (or if it’s anywhere in my general vicinity), I can assure you that it will be devoured in the blink of an eye. Give me the option to lounge comfortably in my recliner all day or run a 5K, I’ll give you one guess to figure out which I’d choose.
 
The solution
The trick lies in creating an optimal environment, with solid, reliable systems in place that set you up for success. There are several things that I do consistently to minimize the chances that I’ll need to rely on willpower.
 
1.) I go grocery shopping on a full stomach. We’ve probably all heard this one before but it really does work. I end up spending about $50 more (and on questionable items…) when I am shopping under the influence of hunger. I also go with a pre-made shopping list and I never purchase items that are not on this list.
 
2.) I remind myself often of WHY I set my goals. During a moment of potential “weakness”, I quickly reflect on why it is important to me to choose the healthy option. Sometimes that quick check-in with myself is enough to pass up a temptation.
 
3.) I remove temptations in my environment. I don’t keep junk food in my home (at least not in large quantities which would allow for a binge fest!). This makes it far easier to make the right choices in the moment. When the only ingredients available are healthy, it’s much easier to stay on track.
 
4.) I make it difficult to make bad choices. I keep my credit cards far away from my laptop and I never save payment methods for food sites. I am so lazy that just going to the other room to get my credit card to order delivery requires more effort than it’s worth.  The craving quickly subsides and I settle for homemade food instead.
 
5.) I allow myself indulgences and treats as rewards for meeting small goals. If I complete a hard workout, I don’t feel guilty about enjoying a nice brunch with friends. My grandmother always said that extreme deprivation would kill you before the temptation in question will. So be disciplined but don’t be too strict with yourself either.
 
6.) I use extrinsic motivation as much as I use intrinsic motivation. When I set a goal, I tell others about it, which puts more pressure on myself to really commit myself. I may set a goal with a friend so we become accountability partners. If I invest in workout gear, I feel guilty if I don’t use it. If I register for a 5K, my money invested in it makes me feel too guilty to back out. For me, extrinsic motivation is critical for times when my internal stores inevitably run low.
 
7.) I embrace intrinsic motivation. I remind myself of how amazing I feel after I have a good workout. How light I feel after a healthy meal. How accomplished I feel when I meet a goal that matters to me. Sometimes I don’t care about what the world thinks and extrinsic motivation falls to the wayside. This is when my intrinsic motivation really kicks in and I remember the power of self-motivation.
 
 
8.) I’m not overly ambitious. You’re asking for trouble when you force yourself to split your energy amongst too many goals simultaneously. Focus on making only one small change at a time, master the art of making that one a habit/routine and then move on to the next goal. It’s too much for me to trudge along through the day making all the right food choices, meeting my workout goals and denying time spent with friends at a happy hour for drinks all in one day. The next day I’d surely be craving a day of laziness and bingeing!
 
9.) I always make time for laziness. Life is all about balance. Relaxation feels that much better when you’ve earned it.
 
That evening when my friend and I were discussing willpower, I had this Eureka moment. It’s not that I have more willpower than my friend. I think I actually have less! Unlike my friend, I am so incredibly tempted by Oreo cookies that I cannot even keep them in my house! I know that I would eat an entire sleeve of them if left to my own devices. I have so little willpower that I have to constantly think ahead to ensure that I don’t put myself in situations that will require me to rely on my own pathetic willpower. And this, I’ve learned, is the greatest trick in the book.
 
How do you manage your temptations? I’m always eager to learn more about willpower and how others manage it. Please feel free to leave a comment below!

​When I came back from a week in Colorado with the mud doggo, I realized the benefits of my mortgage don’t quite stack up tall enough for a “guy with a dog.” In just a few weeks, I decided to sell my house in a rapidly worsening market with constantly rising interest rates. I committed myself to a race against time to get back on the road again.

Weeks of sleeping on the floor, living in a wet tent with a bored dog, and working to the bone on the house with every spare minute of the day and night had already taken its toll. I drove my storage unit where I had packed all of my belongings to pick up tools to remove two tree stumps in the yard when I was greeted with a low tire pressure warning. Just another problem to throw on the stack, I thought to myself as I got out to check the tires.

Sure enough, a bright silver screw with a philips head was staring right back at me from the edge of the tread where a tire can’t be patched. I knew what it was trying to tell me: “screw you.” The tire shop didn’t know when my replacement tire would come in and wouldn’t schedule an appointment for me to replace the tire until they had it. Emma was on a spare and looked like a three-legged dog going around town with just half-loads of all the mulch, rock chips, and topsoil I needed for the house.

Staying healthy is tough. Getting healthy is tougher. Trying to do that when you’re being given the middle finger by life? Quite the challenge. Or is it? In the two months I spent uncomfortable, miserable, and living on the edge, it might not have been surprising if my journey to health had somewhat declined. I broke my twice-a-week gym habit - for exercise, at least. I did not have a kitchen convenient to prepare a variety of meals that fit my health plan. I had a lower quality of rest, constantly changing air temperature and humidity, and broke almost all sense of routine.

Somehow, I got healthier. It surprised me too! This was something both unexpected and not at all what I was trying to do. It turns out that stress and adversity don’t necessarily have to negatively affect your health, even if it makes you have to drive twice as many trips to the hardware store for mulch. A bunch of things happened to me during this period of my life:

• Complete change of my day-to-day routine.
• Spent a lot more time outside being active doing physical work.
• Fell asleep earlier when it got dark and woke up earlier in the morning.
• Spent a lot less time sitting at my computer.
• Removed a lot of the “guardrails” in my life that would keep me within my routine.
• “Freaked out” about the multitude of challenges I faced a lot more often.

Research has found repeatedly that stress can improve performance and health. A lack of stress is linked to boredom and depression. Where we run into problems are with chronic or long-duration stress or high levels of stress. Intermittent or low-duration stress events can prime the mind and the body to optimize performance, increase alertness, and improve memory. Breaking my routine exposed me to a parade of problems that had to be solved, work that had to be done, and activities that I wouldn’t have otherwise needed to participate in. Facing adversity worked with some of the more stubborn parts of my personality and caused me to find inventive ways to maintain my diet despite constantly eating out of drive throughs. It was this constant stream of challenges, the screw in my proverbial tire that helped me focus and keep working without feeling the fatigue and constant drag of monotony.

Where stress can really hurt us is when it becomes chronic or long-lasting. I highly doubt my health would continue to improve if living this way became my new routine. These past few month’s break from my previous routine, plus the surprise improvement in my health have made me really think about what kind of long-lasting, chronic stress was hiding in the way I was living before. Ultimately, I was comfortable with the way I lived, but the way I lived was not without chronic stress. I hope not to mistake comfort for a lack of stress again.

David
https://themudkingdom.com

Wellness has many dimensions. Physical wellness is only one piece of the puzzle. When we talk about being healthy we tend to focus mainly on eating right and exercising. But being healthy is about so much more. It’s also about having the right mindset. It’s about having a healthy perspective to cope with life. I am a strong believer in the mind-body connection. Through my patients, I have witnessed the true power and potential of the human mind on the state of being. The following story demonstrates the power of hope and resilience in the face of considerable struggle.
 
Meet “Tina”
Some of the happiest and most optimistic people that I’ve met during my nursing career have often been those actively enduring what would be considered by most to be highly unfortunate circumstances.  I remember one such example quite vividly. We’ll call her “Tina”.  Tina was my patient on a medical floor. She was only in her 40’s and was in the midst of battling an aggressive form of cancer. She was undergoing intensive treatment and her prognosis was poor.
 
The struggle
Even the simplest of tasks were difficult for Tina. Just standing up to get to her bedside commode was agonizing for her.  She would regularly break down in tears of frustration during transfers. Helping to steady her, we’d both end up standing there together, waiting for her legs to finally cooperate; she was crying while I was desperately trying to hold back tears of my own. I had compassion but I dared not show pity. I figured in those moments what Tina needed most from me was strength. I didn’t realize it at the time but my inner strength paled in comparison to hers.
 
Not what I expected
On paper, there was a stark disparity between her diagnosis and what you saw when you walked into Tina’s room. What really struck me about Tina was her overwhelming optimism despite her remarkably grave situation. She didn’t give up hope. She exuded positivity and warmth towards all those who visited her bedside. She rarely complained, though from an outsider’s perspective, she might have plenty to complain about. Instead she pushed through her tears when her body was giving up. She was proud of herself for even the smallest of accomplishments. 
 
The simple things
Tina mastered the art of living in the present moment. She thoroughly enjoyed simple pleasures like being treated to an extra cup of applesauce on her tray; or seeing a ray of sunlight shine through her window first thing in the morning. She was grateful for whatever was going well in the moment. I would never have stopped to smell the proverbial roses during my usual nursing frenzy had she not pointed out the beauty of these seemingly small things all around us.
 
From her hospital bed, Tina sang, read and laughed wholeheartedly with her visitors. After the initial tears, Tina regularly used humor to get herself through those grueling transfers. Tina was kind, warm, funny, optimistic, thankful and filled with hope.
 
At the time, I thought Tina was the way she was despite her diagnosis. Now I wonder if maybe she was the way she was because of her diagnosis. I’ll never know what came of Tina because she was discharged and I never saw her again. But I do know that what she taught me will forever remain in my memory.
 
Nursing Lessons
I consider myself quite fortunate to be a nurse. I know that I have been exposed to things that the average person could never imagine. Don’t get me wrong. The tough moments definitely outnumber the easy ones. The long hours on your feet, having to witness suffering on a daily basis, being a human punching bag for people when they’re feeling their worst, dealing with insane workloads and grumpy, overworked doctors…the list goes on. Despite all this, the lessons I’ve learned about life during my stint as a bedside nurse have proven invaluable. I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. And I think it would be a disservice for me to not share what I have learned from my patients.

1.) Don’t sweat the little things
When you lose your health, you wonder why you used to worry so much about relatively trivial matters. Perspectives shift over time as “real” problems begin to emerge. Reflecting back, we realize how much time was wasted fretting. Knowing this, we can decide to not make the same mistake with our present moment.

2.) Don’t harbor resentment or hold regrets
Each life event is a building block and a foundation for the events to come after. It’s like the game Jenga. Each move triggers the next. If you remove one piece then none of the good (or the bad) would have come after. You just cannot remove one piece without affecting all the subsequent events. So stop regretting your past actions and focus on what you can control.

3.) “This too shall pass”
Regardless of how good or bad your current situation is it’s not permanent. Nothing lasts forever, good or bad. Learn how to ride the waves instead of letting them crash down on you. Resistance only makes the ride tougher. Experience each moment as it is. Feel the emotions but don’t let situations define you. Every moment in time and its corresponding emotions are fleeting. Life becomes smoother with this realization.
 
4.) Hope for the best but expect the worst
When we have expectations of how things “should” be, we automatically set ourselves up for disappointment. We’d probably all agree that a young person “should not” get cancer. Or that a person who tries their best to be healthy “should not” get diabetes. But life happens anyway. So take control of what you can, accept what you can’t control and drop the unrealistic expectations. Keep hope alive but understand that life will not always unravel the way we think it “should”.
 
 5.) Surround yourself with positive energy
You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Or so they say. I don’t know about you but if this is true, I want to be around positive people. Sometimes we don’t even have a desire to be around people during times we’re not feeling great. But these are actually the most important times to seek out good company. Try to surround yourself with optimistic people and you’ll soon see their effects rubbing off on you.
 
6.) Make time for spirituality and for connection with nature
Being in nature or even looking at pictures of nature can help reduce pain, fear, anger and anxiety. It can also ease tension and promote a sense of calm and inner peace. For me personally, nature is a source of spirituality. Whatever your source of spirituality is, it’s important to give it a central role in your life when times get tough.
 
7.) Make the most of your current circumstances
Like Tina, we can always find something that is going right in our lives. The present is all we’ve got. The past is gone and the future isn’t guaranteed to anyone. It’s easy to see what’s going wrong. But with mindfulness, we can still find things we can be grateful for. What’s better, practicing gratitude may even improve your psychological health and physical health.
 
8.) Stay strong and carry on…but ask for help when you need it
If you take away one thing from this post, let it be this: It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Sure, sometimes we want to be strong to spare others from seeing us suffer. But most people at their core find joy in helping others. Allow them this blessing to help you when you need it. Displaying vulnerabilities with each other helps us build stronger bonds. Don’t try to manage life by yourself. Be brave when you choose to be but know that it is always okay to ask for help when you get in over your head.
 
9.) Find humor and realize it’s okay to laugh
I was always that student that would get in trouble for laughing at the most inopportune times. I even got detention once because I couldn’t stop laughing when my friend accidentally electrocuted herself after getting her pencil stuck in an electrical outlet (FYI she didn’t get hurt, just in case you’re thinking I’m a heartless monster).

In the midst of some of her toughest moments, Tina also found small things to laugh about throughout her day. In between sob fests, my brothers and I laughed intermittently as we reminisced while at our grandmother’s deathbed. Laughing does a body good. It can decrease stress hormones, relieve tension and it may even strengthen the immune system.
 
10.) Make time for what matters most
No matter how hectic life can be, a life without passion isn’t worth living. Make time for the people and experiences that bring you pleasure, big or small. Make time to reflect on the things that have lit you up in the past. And make plans for more opportunities to discover what may strike your fancy in the future. Be an active participant in this beautiful world around us.
 
The takeaway
I learned the most while I was in direct daily contact with my patients while doing bedside nursing. Those days have long since passed after I assumed a position in management in a different setting. But I remain blessed. I still get to bear witness to the strength of humanity on a regular basis. I see how people persevere despite being dealt a bad hand. I see optimism during times of adversity. I see people helping and inspiring each other.  I am constantly being reminded of what is actually important in this life.

Let's use these lessons to enhance our mental and emotional wellness, in addition to doing those things we do to enhance our physical wellness. At the end of the day, it's all connected anyway. 
 
In honor of Tina’s struggle, let’s take a few minutes today to express gratitude for everything that is going right at this moment in our lives. You may be dealing with your own health struggles or other adversities. Can any of these patients’ lessons help you right now? What lessons have you learned along the way? I’d love to hear from you!

Nothing can bring us into the present quite like Mother Nature can. Every single moment that we are alive is precious. If working with the senior population has taught me anything over the years, it is to cherish the present moment.  Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to sit with an older adult and hear them say how sorry they are that they didn’t take more time to “smell the roses”. To hear them say they wished they could have their strength back for just one more day, so they could take a walk outside again with a loved one.
 
Shinrin-Yoku
 “Shinrin-yoku” is translated from Japanese to mean “forest bathing”. It’s the practice of reconnecting with nature. Spending time in nature has numerous health benefits. In addition to keeping us in the present moment, forest bathing is believed to ease worries, calm anxieties, boost the immune system, offer solace, and help with mental clarity. It can also rejuvenate the spirit and make us feel more alive. If there were a pill that offered all of these amazing benefits, would you not take it??
 
First, unplug
The beauty of forest bathing is in its simplicity. To reap its benefits there’s no need to do anything more than to just be in nature. However, there’s one caveat; many of us have trouble just being! Start by silencing your phone and by engaging each of your senses one at a time. These days, plugging into nature and unplugging from technology may initially seem like a colossal waste of time. But time spent outside is never wasted. It will clear your mind and will make you a more productive, more centered person once life’s obligations resume.
 
The non-forest dwellers
But what if we aren’t all fortunate enough to live near lush forests? The good news is that we don’t actually need to be totally immersed in a forest to get the benefits of forest bathing. Any outdoor space with some natural greenery will do. If you practice the following, you can transform an otherwise boring walk into an incredibly healthy and fulfilling experience. So lace up your shoes, find some greenery and let’s get going!
 
Tips on how to practice forest bathing:

1.) Put your phone on silent
This means NO distractions, including no picture taking! Admittedly, I’ve been outside a number of times with my dog while glued to my phone for the entire walk.  Before I knew it I was back at my doorstep without having once looked up to see the world around me. Time flew by and those were minutes and hours that I will never get back. On those days I didn’t come home feeling the least bit fulfilled. It was like the experience didn’t even happen. I was on autopilot. And it was all to tend to calls and messages that could’ve waited. I don’t want my life to just pass me by.

2.) Move your body
For me, the best exercise is the one that I don’t even notice I’m doing. When I’m outside, I’m distracted. The change in scenery and my sensory awareness maintains forward motion.  When I’m clearing my mind and paying attention to what’s around me, miles can go by before I realize how far I’ve gone. The benefits of exercise for my body are only secondary to the way I feel in my head when my walk is finished.

3.) Engage your senses
Be mindful of the moment. I know, easier said than done. But it’ll get easier. Start by asking yourself what pleases your eyes. Then, what sounds please your ears. Find things to touch, like a smooth pebble, a pretty leaf or a rough tree bark. When you do this, remember that no sensation is good or bad. A feeling just is what it is. Notice the feelings just as they are. Sensations are like waves that come and go.

4.) Hug a tree
 I know hugging a tree sounds cheesy but expressing gratitude is a very healthy thing to do. So thank the world for sharing itself with you and for allowing you to be a part of it. Thank the trees for providing you with oxygen. Thank the colorful flowers for sharing their beauty. Thank the boisterous birds for their music. Thank the babbling brook for the soothing auditory experience. Be grateful for the beauty that is all around, however seemingly small it may be. These are the experiences that really matter in the end. Realize that you too are contributing to the world’s beauty and you have your place in it also.

5.) Get “in the zone”
Being “in the zone” means being fully immersed in an experience. Mindfulness and active awareness of your surroundings can help achieve this state. The flow of nature is far slower than the flow of our everyday lives. A fast-paced world is not conducive to being “in the zone”. It’s not a world that our primordial selves thrived in. We’re still living in the same bodies as our ancestors, though the pace around us has shifted considerably. Slow down, open your eyes, and let nature determine the pace.

6.) Be curious
Observe the world with a fresh set of eyes, not unlike how you did when you were a child when everything was new. The natural world is a wondrous, interesting and dynamic place. Life is filled with small miracles. Be inquisitive. Foster curiosity about the world and then seek those answers.  When you do this, I promise you will never be bored. The more we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know.

7.) Leave your expectations at the door
Don’t expect anything from the experience of just being. Just feel things. Forget how things should or shouldn’t be. In fact, get rid of the word “should” entirely. Life doesn’t work like that. As with anything, the minute you have expectations you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Embrace how things are without focusing on changing them. If the weather sucks so be it. You can’t change it. Dress accordingly and go with the flow. There are others less fortunate who would envy your ability to live in this moment, as it is.

8.) Scan the landscape and find your spot
What really speaks to you? Find out what you naturally gravitate towards. Nature is filled with interesting nooks and crannies to explore. Of course it goes without say to scan your surroundings for safety first. Once deemed safe, find a place that fills you with positive energy. Stay there for as long as you can. If possible try to sit on the ground rather than on manmade surfaces. There are proven benefits to Earthing/Grounding (the act of making direct contact with the earth). Truly soak in the moment and let your body absorb the energy from the earth.

9.) Accept that your mind will wander
One of the benefits of being outside is that it clears our minds. Part of the process of clearing the mind requires allowing it to wander once in a while. Don’t fixate on the fact that your mind keeps wandering away from the present moment. It takes time to train your mind to live in the moment. Successful mindfulness will be achieved with practice and before you know it it’ll be second nature.   
 
Can you bring nature inside?
Nature calms and refreshes us. But what can we do if we’re unable to spend enough time outside? Can we still reap its benefits? Fortunately, there are also ways to bring the outdoors inside.
 
Simple ways to connect with nature inside your home:

• Bring the outdoors inside, literally

Incorporate nature into your home by decorating with items found outside: Ex. seashells, wood figures, rocks, flowers or get a pet!

• Watch YouTube videos of nature excursions

I always have YouTube videos of nature scenes playing in the background while I’m home. But YouTube can also take you on kayaking trips, bike rides, hikes and more virtual outdoor adventures!

• Display artwork

Decorate with images of nature, including paintings, canvases, desktop backgrounds, etc.

• Keep plants in your home

Real is better, but artificial works too. Floral arrangements can also be a nice touch

• Let in the light!

Allow natural light to shine in during the day

• Open windows when possible

Fresh air is always better than re-circulated, stagnant indoor air

• Start a garden

This can also be done on a small balcony using hanging pots and planters

• Hang birdfeeders

Enjoy the free show that nature has to offer

• Furnish your home with natural materials

Examples include rattan, wicker, hemp, wood & natural fibers

• Invoke natural colors

This includes yellow, green, blue, orange and warm hues like pastels

• Engage the senses

To stimulate the senses in alignment with nature, you can do things like use aromatherapy (incense, herbs), play nature sounds, apply essential oils/spa experiences and eat whole foods

• Make an eco-friendly home

This could mean: recycling, using natural products, conserving rather than consuming, installing solar panels, etc.
 
Of course, you can also practice forest bathing and bring nature inside! The benefits of time spent in nature speak for themselves. Just think about your favorite moments outside. How do you feel when you recollect?

To help inspire your own adventures, I want to leave you with a list of a few of my favorites:

1. The feeling of gravel crunching under my shoes
2. The smell of freshly fallen rain (“petrichor”)
3. The sound of birds chirping on an early spring morning
4. Watching a lavender sunrise/sunset over any body of water
5. Walking barefoot through freshly mowed grass
6. Strolling by a bed of beautiful flowers
7. Tasting a sweet plump berry plucked fresh off a bush
8. Gazing at big fluffy clouds moving fast overhead
9. The feel of a gentle breeze flowing through my hair
10. Crunching through a pile of autumn leaves
11. Feeling the kiss of the sun on a chilly winter day
12. A ladybug landing on me
13.  The soothing sound of a babbling brook
14. A full moon rising and trees basking in its glow
15. Observing (and feeling) the changing of the seasons
16. The silence of freshly fallen snow
17. Being mesmerized by the waves of an ocean while simultaneously appreciating its vastness
18. Relaxing under a canopy of a stars
19. Falling asleep to crickets chirping
20. Watching an ominous sky just before an approaching storm
21. The crackling sounds and warm orange glow of a campfire

 
What are some of your favorite nature experiences? What benefits have you discovered from time spent in nature? Please leave a comment below and share!

One morning I was writing in my daily gratitude journal and a thought hit me. Each week the same 7 questions reappear. That day I had to write about a sound or sensation I was grateful for. That day also just so happened to be Day One of my new intermittent fasting practice. I was about to hit Hour 16 of my fast and was right about to break my first fast. In that moment, I was grateful for something kind of odd. No, not for the food that was about to come my way, though I was grateful for that too of course. I was grateful to hear my stomach growling. It meant that it was time to eat and that my bodily signals were functioning just as they should.
           
But how often do we actually wait for our stomachs to growl to determine the need to eat? If you’re like me, “just in case” snacking is a real thing. It used to be a regular practice for me. I’d think to myself, “I better eat something now, just in case I get hungry”. Heaven forbid my stomach growls!
 
But why is our stomach growling such a bad thing? Surely, it’s those snack marketers that brainwashed us into thinking that it is never okay to be hungry. But isn’t stomach growling just the sign we need to determine when we are actually hungry enough to eat? Is this sign from our bodies really that much less tolerable than any other daily discomforts that plague us? And also, how often are we really “starving” when we say we are? These were all questions I asked myself as I pondered why it is so hard for us to get through even mild discomfort sometimes in order to meet a goal. 
           
Unfortunately, as with any endeavor, a bit of discomfort is necessary when we are striving to meet our goals. This is when the “so what?” principle really comes in handy for me. When I am trying to push through something but am met with some discomfort, I ask myself, “but so what”?
 
 Quick disclaimer
 You should always listen to your body and heed warning signs. There is a huge difference between mild discomfort and real warning flags. Mild discomfort is manageable though rather annoying whereas dangerous discomfort is unbearable and highly uncomfortable. Being tired and feeling fatigued/burned out are different. Muscle soreness and pain are two different things. Hunger and lightheadedness are also different. Feeling warm and experiencing early heat stroke signs are different. You must first be familiar with your body and its limits in order to proceed with the “So what?” approach.
 
Mind over matter   
So then where can you use the “so what” approach? When your mind is what is stopping you from pushing through. NOT when your body is. Here’s an example:
 
Self: “Ohhh, I don’t want to finish my walk today. It’s humid out and I’m sweating, and I feel so hot and gross”. Now ask yourself, “so what”? Will the sweating kill you? Will feeling gross kill you? Will being hot kill you? If you can safely answer “No” to all of these questions, then just keep going.
 
Self: “Ohhh, but my legs are tired, and it would feel so nice to recline with a nice cold beverage instead”.  Now you respond with: “So what”? Your legs are tired, but you want to tone them, right? You want to get stronger, right? So, keep going. You can recline after. You can enjoy a nice beverage after. You can take a cool shower after.
 
See where I’m going with this? If you want something badly enough, then you must understand the power of delaying gratification and pushing through during these moments. These are the people who meet their goals.    
 
10 things I do to build resilience when the going gets tough

1.) I remind myself why I am doing what I am doing: Why do I want to be more fit? Why do I want to be stronger? Why do I want to lose weight? Why is it important that I stay active? I find that my motivation returns when I check in with myself once in a while and ask myself these questions again. Once I’m reminded, I have newfound energy and the focus needed to get back on track.
 
2.) I imagine my future self: what I will look like and feel like: This one is a fun one for me. I’ve used vision boards in the past for inspiration but usually I just take a moment to envision what I will feel like once I’ve accomplished a particular goal. I picture how others might see me and how I would think of myself. Often times I feel a sense of pride, and sometimes this is all it takes to keep pushing through.

3.) I reflect on past goals that I’ve achieved: There is this thing called self-efficacy. Essentially it means believing in yourself based on previous evidence of goal achievement. This is when tracking progress comes in handy. You can look back and see how far you’ve already come. But you can also ask yourself “what have I been able to accomplish in the past when I’ve set my mind to something”? “. What are examples of times that I’ve pushed through something difficult because I wanted something so badly”? Use these examples to remind yourself that you GOT this!
 
4.) I reevaluate my environment: Are there things around you that are making goal achievement difficult? Are there ways that you can make this activity easier to initiate? Are there any barriers that you can remove? Sometimes it just takes simple changes in your environment to make a change that much easier to stick with.
 
5.) I ask myself whether my goals are realistic: Maybe it’s not that you are failing but you just set goals that were a bit too lofty to start with. Try breaking your goals into smaller, more manageable pieces so you can begin to feel a sense of accomplishment. Rather than saying you are going to lose 50 pounds, say that you are going to lose 1 pound per week. This way, you can see progress as you go. You can check in on yourself often to ensure you’re on track. As a bonus, you can even gain some confidence in your abilities to meet your goals as you proceed.
 
6.) I am not so hard on myself: Don’t strive for perfection. If you do, you will fail every time. Be kind to yourself. Sometimes you will fall off track. All or nothing thinking is a certain path towards throwing in the towel. Accept that there will be good days and not so good days. The bad days are an opportunity to learn from. The good days will sustain you. Be proud of yourself for just showing up on the tough days. That counts for something too.

 7.) I learn from the hard days: I try to foresee obstacles and challenges before they occur so I can have a plan. Usually, it’s the rough days that teach me the most about how to handle them again when they undoubtedly reoccur.
 
8.) I assess my mood: Mood journaling is an effective way to learn more about the impact a healthy activity has on you. Reflecting with a journal can help remind you of why you should push through on days you just aren’t feeling it. When I remember how good my last 3-mile walk made me feel afterwards, that is usually enough to get me out the door on my lazier days.
 
9.) I reward myself: My grandmother used to intentionally wear shoes that were too tight. While no one is recommending doing this, the reasoning behind why she did so was interesting. She looked forward to the relief that she would feel at the end of the day once she took her shoes off. I apply the same thinking to a tough workout. The relief of being finished is a reward in and of itself. I look forward to this feeling after a workout and sometimes that’s all I need. Other times I need a more tangible reward like a delicious espresso waiting for me. Discover what works for you.
 
10.) I have a support system: Accountability partners, workout buddies, encouraging friends, supportive family, online groups…whatever your support system looks like, make sure you can turn to them when you need that extra encouragement. It is never a sign of weakness to seek external support. Sometimes we need that extra strength to persevere.
 
And finally...I have learned to accept discomfort
When your mind doesn’t want to do something, it will find any excuse not to do it. If this is you, then it might be time to check in with yourself and ask yourself how badly you really want to achieve your goal. Expect that somewhere along your journey towards better health, there will be moments of discomfort. And this is okay. While the pursuit should not be miserable, accept that nothing worth having comes without those pesky yet necessary hurdles.

Whether you choose to overcome them or succumb to them will be up to only you. Try to find something you enjoy doing and make it as pleasurable and as easy as possible to do. And then have a plan for when the going gets tough. If you can do this, then you WILL be successful. 
 
But isn’t movement and eating healthy so natural? Isn’t something that comes natural to us, supposed to be easy? Just because our ancestors lived a certain way or because our bodies perform best under certain conditions, does not mean it is necessarily easy or always comfortable.

Our ancestors and our primordial bodies evolved under less-than-optimal conditions. So, in order to achieve optimal health, sometimes our conditions also have to be less than optimal. Adversity builds resilience and persevering through adversity builds strength. It’s as simple as that.

Every once in a while, someone says something so profound that the words just stick. Snippets of great wisdom can be exchanged during even the shortest of interactions. You never know who or what may deliver the message. I was fortunate to be on the receiving end of such a conversation that would change my perspective forever. I received this little nugget of wisdom a little over 20 years ago. But I can still hear the words in my head like it was just yesterday.
 
It was during my formative years in high school that I received this advice. I was a senior and my attendance record was subpar, to say the least. I had just lost credit in a requisite course, and I couldn’t graduate without it. My grade in that class was decent but I lost credit because I skipped one too many classes (in all fairness, it was first period and I was no early bird). So there I was in the principal’s office once more that year. I was in the midst of trying to cut a deal with her. I would do anything if only she would appeal my loss of credit in that class so I could graduate on time.  But her reaction to my proposition wasn’t nearly as life altering, as were the words that came with it.
 
Often times when someone is dispensing advice, we don’t always realize in the moment that the words will have much of an impact on us. Words sometimes have to be processed first and then incorporated somewhere into our world paradigm. They need to settle and then be applied. Only once we apply them in practice do we start to see their true significance. But that’s not how it happened in this instance. When my principal said these words, simple as they sounded at the time, I had an Aha! Moment. Our conversation went something like this:
 
Me: I really need this credit so I can graduate on time. I know I missed a lot of classes. But is there any way you can appeal it for me? I can’t go to summer school and I have to graduate on time or my parents will kill me.
 
Principal: I’ll tell you what. If you bring up your GPA to a 3.0 and have perfect attendance in all of your classes for the next semester, then I will appeal the loss of credit for you.
 
(At this point, despite it being a tall order for me, I would’ve agreed to just about anything)
 
Me: Okay. Deal. I will try to bring all my grades up and go to class more. Thank you so much!
 
(Wait a second…not so fast…life-altering advice to come…)
 
Principal: Please do not tell me that you are going to “try” to do something. Trying is for babies. Babies try to do things. Adults do things. If you decide that you are going to do something then you do it. You do not say to someone (or to yourself) that you are going to try to do it.
 
Me: (Pause. Processing life-altering advice…) Okay. I will do it.
 
After I uttered those words to her and to myself, it was decided in that moment that I had no choice but to follow through on my word. Despite my natural knee-jerk reaction to debate her, I didn’t have a response this time because I knew she was right. It was almost as if she had told me, in so many words, that despite my track record, I really could do anything that I chose to do. But I would have to fix my self-talk first.
 
Stop saying you’ll “try”
To this day I cringe internally when I hear myself or someone else say they are going to “try” to do something. If I know the person well enough, I impart my principal’s wisdom onto them. My experiences are a testament to the truth of my principal’s words.
 
Stop trying to get healthy
When we say that we are going to try to eat healthier or try to wake up earlier or try to go to the gym, what we are really saying is, “I am not really ready to make this change”. We are acknowledging to ourselves that it is highly possible that this will be a struggle. And then we think that as long as we say we “tried”, we can just be proud of the effort we put in, regardless of whether we really applied ourselves or not. It’s just a copout.

​When you want something badly enough nothing will stop you from getting it. If you want to go to the gym and you prioritize getting there, then you will get there. If you want to wake up earlier, then you can wake up earlier. It’s not a matter of trying to wake up. Stop giving yourself credit for just trying to do what you and I both know you really can do.
 
Have conviction
When making any change in life, whether it’s for your health or for something else, it all starts with using the right words. You need conviction. Conviction that this is what you want and that this is what you are able to do. My example from high school was the first time I practiced this. But I’ve since applied conviction in my words to waking up early, eating less sugar, lifting weights regularly, walking more and really anything else I’ve ever decided to change. Trust me when I say, it really helps.
 
Ways to improve your self-talk to make healthy change:

1.) Say you “can”
Discover the difference in meaning for yourself: “I’ll try to wake up earlier” vs. “I can wake up earlier”. In one instance there is much uncertainty about your abilities. In the other you are confirming that you are capable. Though seemingly small, the difference can have a huge impact on your mindset and consequently, your actions.

2.) Say you “will”
No one likes to break a promise. It’s true that it’s easier to break a promise to yourself than it is to others. This is because we can modify the consequences that we dole out to ourselves. But just because you can get away with breaking a promise to yourself doesn’t mean it won’t have a negative impact on your wellbeing and self-esteem. When you say you will do something, you are committing with confidence. You are subconsciously saying, that you will do whatever it takes to make something happen. Words are powerful. Love yourself enough to keep your own promises. You deserve this.

3.) Say you “get to”
Listen how this sounds: “I’m going to try to wake up early tomorrow” vs. “I get to wake up early tomorrow”. Which sounds more likely to happen? Again, in one instance, I’d bet good money on the snooze button. In the other, an opportunity for something promising sounds possible. Saying you “get to” do something shifts your perspective towards appreciating and seizing an opportunity rather than the negative connotation of trying (and struggling) to do something. The difference is clear.

4.) Remind yourself that you are capable of change
Recall other instances in life when you were successful. These are called mastery experiences, or examples of self-efficacy. I didn’t have an excellent track record in high school but I was a good student before that. Truthfully, I initially doubted my ability to follow through with my end of the deal. But deep down I knew from experience that I could do it. I had evidence from the past on my side. And I was right.
 
Happy ending
For those of you who are curious, I did end up graduating on time that year. The confidence I had in myself continued to improve after I was able to bring my grades up considerably (well above our agreed upon 3.0 average).  I also maintained a near-perfect attendance record for the rest of that year. This achievement demonstrated to myself that I could decide at any time that I was going to change. I went on to carry this mindset with me through college where I made mostly A’s. I continue to apply this lesson in my adult life.
 
Crossing the stage
I had little desire to actually attend my graduation ceremony because I always felt I had better things to do than to attend any school-related functions. But my plans changed when my principal learned that I hadn’t even purchased my cap and gown.  It was out of gratitude and respect for her that I decided to attend. Neither of us knew it at the time but her words that day in her office had a significant impact on my future trajectory and pursuits. Looking back, I am so very grateful that I had that opportunity to thank her while crossing the stage.
 
This post is a tribute to her memory. I hope that during their journey, all young adults are as fortunate as I was to have such a positive role model on their side. A role model who tells them that they can do whatever they put their minds to if only they believe first that they’re capable.
 
What are your thoughts about this? Are there words that you use that help empower you to make a positive change? Are there words you avoid? Please leave a comment below!

Kettle bells and dumbbells, resistance bands and exercise balls, elliptical machines and treadmills, benches and barbells, stair climbers and squats …and the list goes on…
 
Variety is the spice of life, right? Well it can be. But too many options can also cause analysis paralysis. These days when it comes to workout options, simplicity seems to have taken a backseat. While it’s great to have options, having too many options at our disposal can often make us feel like no matter which option we choose, we still could have made a better one. So we feel stuck. We’d rather just not try anything at all. So we don’t…
 
Years ago before I started dabbling with various types of exercise equipment, when I was “only” walking for exercise, I faced a similar, ongoing predicament. I never wanted to attempt a new exercise because I felt overwhelmed by all the options. And being a bit of a perfectionist, I didn’t see the point in trying anything new because if I still wasn’t doing all of the exercises I thought I could or should be doing, then why bother? All the marketing from the fitness industry had successfully gone to my head. And ironically rather than get a sale out of me, they failed to get me to spend even a single dime!
 
Fortunately somewhere along the way I realized that my approach was wrong. If you want to get in shape then you will inevitably at some point need to spice up your workouts. Our bodies are highly adaptable, which is a good thing. But it also means that we need to constantly challenge ourselves to keep growing, to keep getting better, else we stagnate. This can be applied to exercise but also to life in general.
 
We are shaped by our stressors and are strengthened by adversity. We grow from life’s toughest lessons. Think of your physical body the same way. Your body will learn and then master each new physical task that you throw at it. And you will just know when it is time to try the next thing. Obviously we don’t want all of life’s stressors coming at us all at once. So we grow slowly, one new experience at a time. And that’s exactly what I started doing with exercise. Over time I just naturally wanted to try more and more new exercises as I continued to grow (not in weight, in strength!).
 
Have you ever found yourself in this perpetually confused state, now knowing which option to begin with?

If so, here are 10 useful tips on how to keep things simple:

1. Consider which types of exercises you think you’d enjoy the most. Start with these.
2. Grow gradually and don’t put any pressure on yourself. You’ll get to your goals, in time. You don’t need to try everything at once.
3.  Choose just only one new exercise at a time.
4. Remember that a complete exercise program doesn’t even have to involve any equipment!
5. Ensure mastery before moving on to the next thing. In the beginning, focus mostly on mastering the proper form and technique. Grow from there.
6. Find others who are supportive or who may want to join you.
7. Find ways to make exercise more enjoyable by adding music, for example.
8. If you discover that you are no longer enjoying a particular exercise or even worse, are dreading it, no need to stick with it. Exercise should never be a form of punishment. Move on to the next thing, something you will enjoy more, and something you can stick with!
9. No matter the exercises you choose, aim to get at least around 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week.
10. Engage in strength training activities that involve in all major muscle groups at least 2 days per week.

 
Takeaway
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the best way to get your body moving. Don’t let all the possibilities paralyze you with inaction. Just get out there and begin to slowly discover all of the wonderful ways your body can move. Have fun with the process. Make it simple but make it worthwhile. And don’t forget to make time to reflect often on how each type of exercise is making you feel.
 
Accept that you will enjoy some types of exercise and you’ll loathe others. That’s okay. The idea is to just move, every single day. The idea is to do something each day, no matter how small, that is getting you closer to meeting your goals.
 
You might just find that you become excited to try the next thing. Multiple options suddenly feel like opportunities. What to try next? Kettle bells or dumbbells? Resistance bands or exercise balls? Elliptical machines or treadmills? Stair climbers or squats? …the possibilities are endless!

“I’m going to start running”.
“I’m going to start eating healthier”.
“I’m going to lose 20 pounds”.
“I’m going to quit sugar”.
“I’m going to stop ordering takeout”.
 
(1 month later, hanging head down in shame)…ummm…never mind….
 
Sound familiar? Why do we do this? We mean well. We really do have good intentions for ourselves. We want to do all of these things (well, sorta). We even kind of already know what to do. Then why do our healthy plans rarely come to fruition? Why do things keep playing out the same old way?
 
Let me start by asking you a couple of pretty important questions here. When you promise a friend, a co-worker, or your boss that you are going to do something, how obligated do you feel to keep your promise? When you don’t follow through with them, how does this make you feel?
 
Now ask yourself the same questions but this time about the promises you make to yourself and don’t keep. More than likely, you can handle your broken promises to yourself pretty well. By now you’re used to it, right? Why is it that it is so difficult to brush off the promises that we make to others but the same isn’t true of ourselves?
 
There’s actually a pretty good reason we are more likely to keep promises to others than to ourselves. Like it or not, we naturally care deeply about what others think of us. Seeking acceptance and approval from others is an evolutionary survival strategy. Throughout our history we’ve depended on other people liking us so they could help us survive when times were tough. It was a matter of life and death.
 
Actually we are still wired this way. It makes sense, right? For this reason, you may be great at following through with others. You’re a man/woman of your word. To yourself, not as much. You tell yourself that you are going to do X, Y, Z, only to end up doing A, B, C.  But at least there’s no one around to be disappointed in you, right? Not necessarily…
 
The problem is, you are decreasing the confidence that you have in yourself every time you make a promise to yourself that you don’t keep. To the world you may appear reliable and have a reputation for always following through. But by not keeping your own promises, you are damaging your inner reputation. You are demonstrating to yourself that you are incapable of sticking with something. You might even be demonstrating to yourself subconsciously that you are not really worthy of attaining a particular outcome for yourself. And this can affect other aspects of your life as well. So why do we do this?
 
Common Reasons

• You are unclear about WHY exactly you are trying to achieve something. If it’s only to please someone else, you may not be totally convinced about having to make the change. Hence, the lack of any real action on your part.

 

• You are unclear about WHAT exactly you need to do. Notice that all the goals listed above were pretty vague. How would achieving them look, from day to day? You don’t really know, so it’s hard to really start.

 

• You are procrastinating. Logically you know this change needs to happen. Just not today.

 

• You feel overwhelmed. Let’s face it. Life is pretty stressful even without the prospect of having to change something about our routines or ourselves. You want to change but when life happens it just all becomes too much.

 

• You’ve already lost confidence from past broken promises. You already know you won’t keep this one either. So why even try? This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

• You don’t like to ask for help. And going at it alone can be quite the struggle. So, you’d rather not ask and just maintain the status quo.

 

• You are inconsistent. Sometimes you work towards your goal, sometimes you don’t. It depends on your emotions and on your mood on a given day.

 

• You aren’t being mindful enough. Life just sort of happens when you are busy. You don’t even notice where your time goes or how you are spending it. Before you know it, another day has slipped by, and you are still not on track with your goals. 

 Keeping your Word
The good news is, you can learn how to be better at following through with promises you make to yourself.
 
1.) Start with a fresh mindset. Forget the broken promises from the past. Tell yourself this time will be different because now you have new knowledge. 

2.) Make sure you are changing for the right reason(s). Are you doing this for yourself or for someone else? Do you really want this? Are you fully convinced that this change will improve your life? How so? 

3.) Create a sense of urgency. Raise the stakes. Ask yourself, why does this change have to happen today, now? What’s the worst that can happen if you don’t make this change? Lifestyle diseases creep up on us slowly. But when they strike, they can be absolutely crippling. 

4.) Start with only ONE SMALL change at a time. Our brains don’t like to change too much too soon. One mistake many people make is trying to change too much at once, only to quickly slip back into their comfort zones. START LOW AND GO SLOW. Build and grow from there.

5.) Be consistent, no matter your mood. Even if you only make a teeny bit of progress towards your goal each day, that counts. In the beginning, when you are building a new habit, the key is to just show up each day, no matter how small the effort. 

6.) Ask for support. The truth is, most people like to help out a friend or loved one. It gives them a sense of fulfillment. It makes them feel needed and relevant in your life. So don’t be afraid to ask. Find an accountability partner to check in with. Make a promise to yourself AND to this person. Be clear and specific with them about how exactly you want them to support you. They will help you stay on track and greatly increase your chances of success. 
​
Most importantly of all, focus on just one day at a time. Ditch the lofty goals. Maybe you’ll just start by waking up a little earlier each day to walk down the block and back three days per week. Maybe you’ll focus on just eating healthier snacks for the upcoming week. Stop focusing on the end results or the outcome. Take pride in your little steps each day. This is not a competition and your only real goal is just to do a tad bit better than you did yesterday. Just by doing something.
 
Then suddenly, one day, you are going to wake up and discover that somehow, you are that runner, who is eating healthier, is 20 pounds lighter, who stopped eating sugar somewhere along the way and who now enjoys cooking at home. You became a new person because this time, you kept your promise to yourself. 

The other night as I was stumbling around in the dark trying to get to the bathroom, I had a couple of scary yet enlightening seconds. My right foot had fallen asleep, and it was completely numb. Fortunately, I managed to hobble through the darkness and make it safely to my destination, but not without having to hold on to the walls for support along the way. Each step required significant effort not to fall. It was equal parts tiring and scary. In those foggy moments, short-lived as they were, I had this disturbing realization, a brief glimpse of a different kind of reality: Is this what it feels like to not be able to walk? Is this what some of my elderly clients felt like every day, all the time?
 
This realization was followed by a sudden wave of compassion for my clients, and for all those who have difficulty walking. My leg tingled awake as the rest of my body drifted off to sleep. I awoke the next morning feeling slightly disturbed by the whole experience. As I walked to the bathroom, grateful now for having both feet fully awake, I thought to myself how we really do take this whole walking thing for granted...

We’ve been walking for as early as we can remember so it’s no wonder, we never give it a second thought. We assume that the physical state we are in today will continue on indefinitely.  We hope that somehow, miraculously, the diseases that have plagued our parents and our grandparents will never happen to us.  All too often and only after it is too late do we consider taking measures to preserve what’s left of our health.
 
For millions of Americans, aging and losing the ability to walk seem to go hand in hand. What’s worse is that this loss seems to be widely accepted as part of normal aging. Granted, there are degenerative diseases that are not necessarily the result of poor lifestyle choices. But what I am referring to in this post are specifically those diseases with proven links between living a sedentary life and diseases that affect mobility.

It would be beyond the scope of this post to share details, but it is worth noting that there are societies where 90-year-old folks regularly log more daily mileage than some average, healthy 20-year-old Westerners. So, does this mean then that there is hope? Does this mean that there is something we can do about this? Is there some part of the aging process that we do have control over?
 
The answer is yes. Something as simple as walking every day can be just the thing that you need to build momentum, which can keep your body strong throughout your golden years. Think of it as a head start. Make your muscles and your bones strong so your body will have more to work with as your body ages. You’ve worked hard your entire life, taking care of others and working the 9-5.  Your retirement years should be yours to enjoy. Whether you choose to thrive or languish is entirely up to you. There are 60-year-olds who feel better than their 40-year-old selves just because they’ve started moving.
 
But maybe you are still not entirely convinced.  Being sedentary can’t be that bad. Alas, I am here to warn you. The reality is, if certain actions aren’t taken now, there could come a time in the future when walking no longer feels like second nature; a time where fear looms with every step, where trying to make it down the hall can feel like embarking on a journey to climb Everest. Not a day goes by in my line of work when I do not see the consequences of living a sedentary life.
 
It saddens me and it pains me. But even more, it frustrates me. There are countless studies showing the benefits of walking, an activity that when you are healthy, requires minimal effort. There are studies showing that it can possibly stave off dementia, that it can decrease the chances of acquiring a whole host of ugly “lifestyle diseases”. Yet too many of us just accept our fates and do not take enough action to prevent the inevitable consequences that await us down the road. The actions that you choose to take today will determine the actions that you are able to take tomorrow.
 
So please, please, please listen to a nurse here and do yourself a favor today. Don’t wait another day, as time is of the essence. Give yourself that head start before you enter your senior years. Or if you’ve already entered your senior years, keep moving and don’t stop! I promise you that your future self will thank you for it. 
 
Now before you lace up those walking shoes and head out the door, take a minute to give yourself a little added inspiration by checking out these 10 benefits of walking every day:
 
1.) Brightens your mood: Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. Go outside (preferably on a safe path in nature) and walk for as long as you are able. Then return home and take a few minutes to reflect on your mood. The proof is in the pudding. No amount of convincing from my end will be as strong as you feeling these benefits firsthand. Walking has been proven to release some serious feel-good chemicals that will keep you coming back for more.
 
2.) Clears your mind and boosts creativity:  Imagine an old flaccid hose in the beginning of summer. Many seasons have come and gone without water rushing through. Cobwebs line the inside. Now suddenly…whoosh! Out comes a rush of water, initiating the start of summer and the good days ahead. This is exactly what happens inside your brain when you exercise. Blood vessels become nourished as increased circulation flushes out the toxins in your brain. Rich, oxygenated blood pumps faster through your system, flushing out the “cobwebs” in your body. Often, improved mental clarity and enhanced creativity results. It’s been said that some of the best ideas arise while walking. Again, test this one out for yourself and you will see.
 
3.) Makes your heart stronger: The heart is a muscle. When you perform any sort of cardio (like walking at a brisk pace), you are using your heart muscle. We already know that our muscles get stronger every time we use them. A strong heart is essential to warding off cardiac disease, making regular physical activity that much more important as we age.
 
4.) Opportunities to socialize: Maybe you prefer to walk alone. Maybe you’d rather walk with others. Either way, getting outside increases opportunities for socialization. Maybe you’re waving hello to the mailman. Or you’re checking in on your neighbors. Even brief interactions have been shown to decrease feelings of isolation and loneliness. These sorts of interactions can also increase your sense of belonging in your community. You’re killing two birds with one stone. See what’s going on in your town and get a good walk in at the same time!
 
5.) Good for your bones: Despite walking being a low impact activity, there is still some impact, which technically makes it a weight bearing activity. As early as age 30, we begin to lose bone density. But weight-bearing activities can actually slow down, halt and sometimes even reverse some of this loss. Just imagine: each step you take is triggering your bones to restructure themselves and to get stronger. If that isn’t motivation enough to get moving, I don’t know what is!
 
6.) Prevents common diseases: High blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, osteoporosis, some cancers, obesity and Type 2 diabetes…what do they all have in common? They are all caused by modifiable risk factors, and they can be prevented with regular physical activity.  
 
7.) Immune system & circulation: Remember the hose example above? Those same benefits are extended beyond your brain. Walking and regular movement pumps blood more efficiently throughout your entire body, including your lymphatic system (immune support). This means a healthier immune system and consequently, hopefully fewer colds!
 
8.) Walking may prevent falls:  I want you to count for 11 seconds…in those 11 seconds one elderly person has just fallen and had to go to the ER for treatment. Now count 11 more seconds. Another one has fallen. This is how common falls are in the senior population. This does not have to be you. Regular walking can strengthen the very muscles that you need in order to prevent falls. These muscles are not just in your legs. They are also in your core (think middle section of your body). These muscles are essential for balance and coordination. Walking gives you a sense of balance, makes you more flexible and can keep your bones strong in the event that a fall does happen.
 
9.) Maintains weight and keeps blood sugar in check: Walking, as with any exercise, burns calories. As long as you aren’t eating more to compensate for your increased activity levels, you can experience weight loss with walking. It can also keep your blood sugar levels down by allowing muscles to use the glucose circulating around in your blood.
 
10.) Live long and prosper! With all the benefits listed above, it is no wonder then that walking can lengthen your lifespan and promote longevity.
 
The good news is that you don’t have to kill yourself with high intensity workouts to stay healthy. Just walk. Put one foot in front of the other. It’s as simple as that. No need to complicate things. If you enjoy listening to music or using fitness trackers and apps to help get you motivated then that’s great! Or maybe you’d prefer walking in peace and solitude. Maybe you enjoy strolling and chatting with others. Whatever your preferences, the beauty of walking is that it is minimalistic in nature.
 
 All you really need in order to get started are willing legs, an initial push to get you out the door and a good pair of walking shoes. The health benefits of walking have been proven and it is one of the simplest, safest, most natural things that you can do to stay healthy. So as my Italian father always said to us as we ventured out for a trek in nature: Andiamo (“Let’s go”)!

What if I told you that there was a workout that uses about 90% of your muscles, burns 20-46% more calories than standard walking, is low impact and easy on the joints, can be done just about anywhere outside and (gasp) is actually enjoyable?
 
I’d like to introduce to you… (drum roll please!) .... Nordic walking!
 
Perhaps you’ve already seen Nordic walkers seemingly gliding past you when you were out on a walk. These are the people who have “walking sticks” with them but are not to be confused with the hikers you may see out on the trails during a hike. They are also not to be confused with those poles that some older folks might be using to keep their balance when walking.
 
Either way, you might be like me, and you haven’t really paid much attention to these extra walking accessories or given them too much thought. Unless you’ve heard of Nordic walking, you probably just assumed those people just need a little added support on their walks. But this is not actually so…
 
Nordic walking (aka “pole walking”, aka “urban poling”) is unique, in that, its movements closely mimic cross-country skiing. In fact, this is how the sport originated. Cross-country skiers throughout the 1900’s in Finland were seeking ways to keep their skiing muscles strong, year-round. Nordic walking started becoming a “thing” in the 1960’s and 1970’s, when word started to spread, and a standard technique was born.
 
Now, you might be saying to yourself right now…. this is great and all, but won’t people think I’m old or injured if I just start walking around with poles?  And I’m not even a cross-country skier, nor do I have any aspirations to be one, so why is do I need to know all of this??
 
Well first of all, who cares what other people think, right? If something is super good for you and you are able to enjoy it, then no point worrying about what others may think. But I get it. I too was hesitant to venture out with my poles for the first time. But once I started focusing on mastering the activity itself, other people’s opinions were no longer of any concern to me. And it's not like other people really actually care what you are doing anyway. If anything, you might just spark some curiosity and inspire more future Nordic walkers!
 
To date, millions of Europeans and Canadians consider themselves to be Nordic walkers. But in America, Nordic walking is still a growing sport, with more Americans becoming Nordic walkers every year.
 
This sport has expanded well past cross-country skiers and is beneficial to people of all shapes and sizes. With well-documented benefits, who wouldn’t want to grab a pair of poles and get going?

Some benefits of Nordic walking include:
​

• Offers a low impact activity for hips and knees
• Helps with balance
• Improves posture
• Allows you to walk faster
• Uses 90% of the muscles in your body
• Burns 20-46% more calories
• It’s a fun and new experience, which helps keep you motivated
• Engages upper body and core while walking
• Aids in weight loss
• Can be done year-round
• Increases circulation and flexibility
• Reduces stiffness and pain
• Improves mood
• It’s easy to learn with little equipment needed to get started
• Gives you an opportunity to exercise and to connect with nature at the same time (which comes with its own host of benefits!)

 
Who Nordic walking is ideal for
​
Nordic walking can be great for people of any age. This includes:

• Active older adults
• People who appreciate nature
• People who want to simplify their workouts
• Employees taking part in wellness programs
• Avid walkers looking to try something new
• People who are looking for something low impact
• People training for races (5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, etc.),
• Hikers
• People who want to get an efficient upper body and core workout while walking (which means it is great for people short on time!)
• People wanting to lose weight

How to get started

Disclaimer: Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.
 
One of the reasons I really enjoy Nordic walking is because of its simplicity. You really don’t need much in order to become a Nordic walker. 

Quick Start Tips:
​

• Be sure to start slow, perhaps walking only around 30% of your normal walking time/distance until you get more comfortable with Nordic walking.

• Take the time to learn the proper technique. Not doing so can cause you to miss out on the many benefits of this sport but worst case, could also lead to injury.

• Get the right equipment: A pair of walking shoes with adequate support, weather appropriate clothing and of course, your Nordic walking poles!*

 
*It is important to make sure that your poles are designed for Nordic walking and not for hiking. This is because there are some key differences in terms of handgrip and the angle of the rubber padding on the pole tips.
 
Before venturing out, try to make some time for a 5-minute warm up to get your blood flowing. Equally important is taking the time to do some cool down stretching at the end of your walk, to promote recovery and to help your body back to your normal pre-exercise state.
 
In addition to all of the health benefits listed, there is just something about any activity that gets you in a rhythm that I always find to be very cathartic. Once you get moving and you find your ideal pace, whether you are alone or in a group, you just get this sense of calm that is difficult to articulate.
 
Nordic walking is also an outdoor sport, so it gets added points for reconnecting you to nature.
 
If you feel a little uneasy about going out with poles on your own for the first time, then see if a friend would be willing to join you. Chances are they will probably enjoy it as much as you will! Just be sure that before you venture out, you are familiar with proper technique. For this reason, finding a certified Nordic walking instructor near you is highly recommended. 

​Imagine for a second that you are on a diet. You put yourself on this diet. You decided it was time to eliminate sugar. You decided to eat mostly whole foods from now on. You pumped yourself up and you feel confident you can do this.
 
Now imagine for a second that your very kind, thoughtful friend laid out the exact same diet plan for you. She was looking out for you and did a lot of research about this. She told you that you must eliminate sugar and start eating only whole foods. Same exact plan…
 
But for some reason, this time it feels different. You feel less confident and perhaps even a bit rebellious. Suddenly you aren’t sure you really want to quit sugar and you are already plotting ways to sneak the sugar in around your friend’s carefully devised plan.
 
If both diets are exactly the same and let’s say in both cases you were equally ready to make a change, then why is one scenario so much harder to stick with than the other?
 
"You’re not the boss of me!"
In psychology, there is a term called reactance that might just help explain what’s going on here. Essentially, nobody likes being told what to do. Tell a child not to do something and suddenly they feel an irresistible urge to do just that very thing.
 
I remember as a kid I loved sweeping the floors for some odd reason. I guess I just found it relaxing. That is, up until it became one of my required chores. Seemingly overnight, a task that I once found pleasurable suddenly became, well, a chore. Once someone told me to do it, it was no longer fun and that’s when I began trying to find ways out of doing it.
 
Well I’ve got news for you, my friend. When it comes to making a change in your life, your inner child remains strong and very much alive (and every bit as stubborn!).
 
Digging our heels in
We react negatively any time we feel that our autonomy is being threatened. Even if, in theory, we agree with the change that is being imposed on us with good intentions. We still feel the need to exercise our free will. It’s just a knee-jerk reaction, a reflex if you will. It’s the reason that no amount of nagging in the world will get your partner to quit smoking. It’s the reason that no amount of encouragement will get your loved one off the couch. And it’s the reason you don’t want to hear from anyone else that you need to lose weight. Heck, it’s the reason you don’t even want to hear from yourself that you need to lose weight!

What to do
Surely you don’t want to just cave in and make people feel like they’ve won control over you, right?
 
So how do you heed the advice of well-meaning people in your life, or even yourself, when you logically know that the advice is worth heeding? How can these reactance defenses be penetrated, while still allowing you to feel in control?
 
10 Helpful Tips to Deal with Reactance

• First off, don’t isolate yourself from your support system. If their intentions are good, keep them around. A support system is great when they are playing a supportive role. You can still bring them along for the ride, as passengers of course. But you can remain in the driver’s seat of your own life.

 

• Change your self-talk and your vocabulary. Stop saying “you should” or “you need to” or “you must”. Give yourself permission to change course any time you wish, if you wish and only when you wish. Exercise discipline, of course. But tell yourself that no one is forcing you to do anything and that you really do see the value in your actions.

 

• Challenge yourself. Play a little game. Try using reverse psychology. Tell yourself not to do what you are trying to do. Then watch reactance play out in reverse, in your favor! “Don’t eat that salad!” or “Stop working out so much, and go and watch Netflix instead!”

 

• Focus on the gains of making a change. Instead of asking yourself what you will lose if you do x, y, z, ask yourself how will this make your life better?

 

• Don’t overschedule yourself. When you plan out the day and it comes time to act, you might feel again that someone else is telling you what to do, even if that someone else was you when you made the schedule! An overly restrictive schedule feels suffocating and is the opposite of having free will. Build enough time in for your healthy change so it does not make you feel frenzied or rushed.

 

• When building time in for your healthy change, make sure to remind yourself that you are choosing to do this and then remind yourself of exactly why you want this. Your why must be clear and it cannot be someone else’s why for you.

 

• Reframe your perspective. Tell yourself that you “get to” rather than you “have to”. Having to do something feels like a chore. Getting to do something feels like freedom.

 

• Give yourself plenty of choices. If you are dieting, do not focus on removing junk foods. Instead, focus on adding healthy foods. Create a sense of abundance. With abundance comes choices and with choices comes control. The same applies to exercise. Become familiar with a number of different exercises and each day you will choose which ones to do.

 

• Stop viewing actions (or foods) as being “good” or “bad”. Instead, view them as being either healthy or unhealthy. This removes the moral attachment. It removes the guilt and the reflex to rebel. This allows you make choices based on what’s best for you.

 

• Go easy on yourself and others. We are all human. We are all trying to do the best we can. Remove some of the pressure that society puts on us to be healthy, happy, successful, productive, etc. You will see that once some of the pressure is lifted, you might just naturally do what feels right for you.

 
Final Words
In order to make change work, no one should feel the burden of your health issues more than you. This is true in the world of addiction but also when it comes to your overall health. If someone else cares about your health more than you do, then your change simply won’t last. The will and desire to make and stick with change must come from within. Make changes in a way that feels non-restrictive. Exercise your own free will along the way.
 
And thank that friend who meant well and laid out those diet plans for you. But don't worry... she will never be the boss of you!

​People wait all year for this. People claim that it’s their favorite time of year. As a kid, I would’ve wholeheartedly agreed with them. Bot now as an adult, I would beg to differ.
 
Summertime. It’s supposed to bring the onset of more carefree days. The nights are shorter, the days are longer, the sunlight is stronger and it’s time for the masses to hit the great outdoors. The campsites are full and the beaches are packed. And if you’re a late riser, forget trying to find a parking space at your favorite park. Now, I’m fully aware that I might be in the minority when I say this, but to say that I am not a fan of summertime would be a great understatement…
 
Aside from the aforementioned issues, it’s the bugs. It’s the relentless chorus of buzzing cicadas. It’s the kids constantly shrieking outside my window (I was once one of those kids, so I get it!). It’s the frequent thunderstorms (and let’s not forget fireworks) that send my dog cowering.
 
But worst of all, it’s the sweltering heat and suffocating humidity. Any other season you can simply add layers and adjust accordingly to maintain a comfortable inner temperature. But in the summertime, there are only so many articles of clothing that can be safely removed before the authorities intervene and deem you a questionable character. 

​But the problem is, I am one of those people that needs to spend time outdoors in order to maintain my sanity. Nature is where I rejuvenate my mind, body and soul and it’s also how I recharge my introvert batteries. It’s how I stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Long brisk walks are how I organize my thoughts and come up with solutions to life’s many daily problems. It’s when I daydream and it’s when I can let my creative juices flow freely. So, you might relate to what happens to me in the summertime if you too find yourself depleted of energy this time of year and are just left feeling “meh”.
 
As it turns out, prolonged excessive heat and humidity can not only leave you feeling drained and lethargic, but it can also be dangerous. Even if you’re one of those peppy fans of summertime, you can still succumb to the consequences of too much of a good thing if you aren’t careful. For all of you kindred spirits out there who feel like me during this season, the good news is there are ways to not only get through this season, but to even appreciate it for what it is.
 
​ 8 tips on how to survive the dog days of summer:

1.) Hydrate! This one may seem obvious and overstated but unless you are making a conscientious effort to drink more fluids, it’s easy to think you are drinking enough when you are not. Remember that you sweat imperceptibly throughout the day, even when you’re inside on a hot day. These fluids need to be replenished, even when you are not feeling thirsty.

Fatigue and lethargy can be signs that you are dehydrated too. There are days when I feel like my beloved wilted plants. But just like them, just a little bit of water has the ability to perk me right up again! Current recommendations say women should drink 2.7 liters of water per day and men 3.7. Of course, this can vary based on your activity levels but it’s a great place to start!

2.) Consider your electrolytes. When we sweat, we don’t just lose water. We also lose electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate and magnesium. Hydration means also being mindful of these minerals. In the summer, you can add drinks with electrolytes but be sure to read the labels so you’re not consuming too much sugar.

3.) Consider the possibility of deficiencies and supplements. You may want to check with your healthcare provider first on this one. But for me, I used to often feel short of breath and lightheaded in the summertime. This is most likely because our blood vessels dilate in the heat and blood can have a harder time circulating. Blood pressure also tends to be lower in the summertime. But when I started taking iron supplements, this annoying and sometimes worrying problem went away soon enough.

4.) Get enough sleep. I always find that the quality of my sleep deteriorates during the warmer months. Usually, it’s because my electric bill is high enough when my AC runs incessantly throughout the daytime hours so I used to be reluctant to turn up the AC any further at nighttime out of fear my monthly bill would skyrocket beyond what I deemed reasonable.

But when I realized that lack of sleep was negatively impacting my daily life, I bit the bullet and made my bedroom cooler at night. I also invested in fans and now I can view that AC bill as money well spent if it means I did it for my health and wellbeing.

​5.) Keep FOMO in check. Social media can exacerbate Fear of Missing Out during any time of year, but I find this to be particularly true in the summer when people tend to be out and about more. To combat this, just do what makes you feel content and fulfilled. If you are all “peopled out” and don’t feel like going to that barbecue then just say no. Preserve your sanity at all costs, even if that means having to say no sometimes.

​Remember that most people aren’t even having as much fun as they appear to be! But having said this, also be sure to say yes to some invites, even when you may not necessarily feel like going. Rarely in life do we regret novel experiences with those whom we cherish. 

6.) Plan to venture out in early mornings and late evenings. Unfortunately, my dog has yet to learn how to use a toilet (we are still working on “Shake” almost 6 years in!), which means we have no choice but to go outside each and every day. Like me, she also gets incredibly restless when spending too much time indoors. This summer we became even earlier birds by heading outside shortly after sunrise and it’s made a huge difference in our comfort levels. I’ve found that the cooler temps are definitely worth waking up early for if you need your daily dose of nature like I do.

7.) Embrace indoor workouts. Those early morning and late evening walks are still limited in distance and duration because of the oppressive heat. But the benefits of exercise are year-round, which means that workouts can’t just stop for a whole season. As a result, I’ve learned so many different indoor workouts this summer, my favorite being my new aerobic step workouts, which I never would’ve tried had I remained in my summertime moping, “woe is me” mindset that I started the summer off with.

8.) Remember that this too shall pass! Now would be as good a time as any to start planning your cooler weather excursions. Take advantage of your enthusiasm and yearning for nature to plan your ideal getaways for the fall. These getaways don’t have to be extravagant or expensive.

I like to maintain a list of all of my favorite outdoor local spots and one by one check them off throughout the fall. I also plan to try out Hipcamp for the first time and try my hand at camping. Life is great when you have things to look forward to and this couldn’t be truer than during the dog days of summer! 

And to all my anti-summer likeminded friends out there, perhaps most important of all is fostering a continued sense of gratitude, regardless of what the seasons of life throw our way. I’ve found that 'Hygge-ness' (coziness) and simple pleasures can still be found in the summertime, even if you aren’t summer’s biggest fan.
 
Relishing some of these simple summer pleasures can keep you mentally and spiritually healthy and happy. This means seeking out those experiences that are uniquely attributed to summer and that feed your soul.

Some examples of fun, healthy summertime activities include:

• Barbecuing with friends and loved ones

• Dancing the night away at outdoor concerts

• Biking down a beautiful path with the cool wind in your hair, letting your cares and worries slip right past you

• Reading on a hammock in the shade with a tall glass of homemade lemonade

• Beach days, if you’re lucky enough to live near an ocean. Or any other body of water will do too!

• Boating/kayaking excursions (this can double as a great upper body workout!)

• Picnicking with healthy sandwiches and juicy, refreshing fruits and veggies from your local farmer’s market

• Hitting the open road with the windows down and your favorite songs and your favorite people…road trip!

• Picking wildflowers and making your very own bouquet

• Experiencing the awe of new growth all around you and nurturing your happy houseplants

• Catching lightning bugs with your children

• Absorbing the many benefits of vitamin D and basking in the sunlight

• Finding new swimming holes and/or tubing down a lazy river with your best friends

​

• Taking advantage of the potentially increased productivity that comes with longer days

 
These are just some of the beautiful moments that we can be grateful for while we eagerly await that first fallen leaf. Let us never forget to seize each day and to not forget to enjoy the present moment. While summer is clearly not my favorite time of year, there are ways to make it (almost) as enjoyable as the other seasons.

​I was having a rough day recently. Nothing in particular was wrong but at the same time it felt like everything was wrong. It was just one of those days. It was one of those days when I just felt off. It was one of those days when everyone and everything irritates me for no apparent reason. It was a day when I didn’t see the point in checking off my to-do list, or in pursuing any of my goals. In retrospect, given all the madness that was happening in the world at that time, I ended up feeling bad about feeling bad. Which only made me feel worse…
 
When we’re feeling down we have a tendency to start comparing ourselves to others. Interestingly, it’s often those people whom we think have it better than us that we compare ourselves to the most. Now don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing inherently bad about wanting to have our act together. There is nothing wrong with striving to be better, with having a desire to be like those people who seem to always be in control of their lives. But when we only compare ourselves to those who have it better and we don’t even consider the other side, that’s when we fall into despair and fall out of balance.
 
So what happens if we flip the script? What if instead of focusing so much on those who we think have it better than us, we start focusing our attention on those who might just have it worse? What if instead, we focus on our gratitude for having it better than others? Then, what if with that gratitude, we find the strength to overcome our struggles? What if, with that newfound strength and clarity, we are then able to help lift those who have it worse than us?
 
I am not at all saying that you should not acknowledge your struggles, real or imagined. I know that people from the outside can often peer in and be dismissive; they call our problems “first world problems” when problems are deemed relatively insignificant. This does not really help the person in that situation deal with the problem on hand. But this comment is meant to shed some light; to remind you to take a new perspective, to consider how lucky you are that this is the biggest problem you are contending with at the moment.
 
In the end, it’s all about perspective. If you perceive something to be stressful then for you, it will be stressful. But the beauty is, you can change your perception of anything at any given moment. You can decide that a problem is but a mere challenge, just one more small figurative bump in the long road ahead. A problem does not need to be crippling. You can and you will persevere and push through. The human spirit is capable of enduring far beyond what we can even imagine.
 
Despairing in the “woe is me” mindset is a disservice to those who would give anything to be in your shoes right now. Acknowledge that you are facing some adversity but do so, not with a victim mentality but with the mentality of a problem solver. Don’t get stuck feeling sorry for yourself. Just the same, don’t let yourself get crippled by sympathy pain and feeling sorry for the state of affairs our world is in either.
 
Instead, find inspiration in those who have it rough; find strength in those who continue to show up each and every day and who keep trying, despite being dealt a worse hand than you. Take advantage of your state of unease and anxiety by converting that energy into action. Use adversity to discover more about yourself, to uncover your true capabilities and to realize what truly matters most. 

​Practicing Gratitude to Meet your Health Goals
A healthy body starts with a healthy mind. You need one in order to have the other. You cannot separate the mind from the body. With the right mindset you can become healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. Gratitude can help give you that mindset.
 
I recently realized that it is gratitude that consistently helps me move forward. It’s gratitude that helps me meet my goals. It’s gratitude for the simple things, no matter how seemingly small, that prompt me to keep trying to make the world a better place, in my own way, whatever that looks like.

​​A practice of gratitude means appreciating all that your body can do, right now. It means appreciating the gift of movement. It means becoming acutely aware of the many people who can no longer move their bodies like you can. I’ve seen those people firsthand as a nurse. In fact, I think of them often when I push myself to workout. In a way, I am doing it for them. I consider myself lucky that I can still move my body as I am. Yes, I am middle aged and already have a few aches and pains. A 20-year old might have more endurance and strength than I do. But then I remind myself that I probably have more strength and endurance than a 60-year old. I am lucky.
 
I am lucky that my biggest dilemma some days is just trying to find the motivation to exercise. I am lucky that I live in a safe enough place that allows me to focus on exercise every day. I am lucky that I have time. The same cannot be said for everyone. I don’t have to move my body every day; I get to move my body every day.
 
The same applies for eating healthy. There are millions of people living in the world right now who would quite literally kill for the foods that I have access to. Meanwhile, my biggest problem is trying to motivate myself to eat healthier; to force myself to eat those foods that nourish me best; the foods that so many are deprived of, yet that we continually shun in exchange for less healthy “junk” foods. I try to remember all of these things every time I feel sorry for myself for saying “no” to dessert. I remind myself of how lucky I am to have an abundance of nutrients available to me. I remind myself of how I ought to appreciate and savor every nourishing bite I can get a hold of, when so many others cannot.
 
All of this gratitude, of course, does not come without a sense of guilt. But I also know that I alone cannot fix all of the complex problems of the world. I know that I cannot ease suffering. But the very least I can do is appreciate what I have and what’s been given to me. And with that appreciation and with that attitude of gratitude, I find that I can more easily move forward. With this mindset I am able to do more in life. I can more easily take care of myself and consequently, to contribute to others too. This is what makes gratitude so powerful. And this is what I will remind myself of the next time one of those rough days arise when I feel like doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself. 

If you find yourself experiencing sticker shock lately everywhere you go, trust that you are not alone. For various reasons, all of which seem out of our control, we are facing record high prices for even our most basic commodities. Inflation is through the roof right now. While getting healthy may not be too high on your list of priorities at the moment, saving money probably is. But what if I told you that you could do both?
 
Eating healthy seemed expensive before. How in the world do you pull it off now, in times like these? Well the good news is there are quite a few highly effective ways to feel this collective pinch a bit less. Admittedly, this will require a bit of foresight and getting organized. But rest assured that you can still have a nutritious diet and save some money at the same time. No need to subsist on ramen soups and pop tarts (unless, of course, that's your thing!).
 
21 Easy Ways to Save Money and Eat Healthy

1.) Start meal prepping. Now is not the time to waste food. Plan ahead. Buy in bulk and cook in bulk. Make a detailed grocery list and stick to it. Know exactly what and how much you and your family will eat for the week. And to prevent needless impulse buys make sure you never shop on an empty stomach!

2.) Bring lunch and snacks to work with you. The last thing you want is to be in a position where you are starving, or hangry, and you need to eat out because you were unprepared. Brown bagging it will also help you control what you eat and how much you eat.

3.) Buy non-perishables. Perishables go bad. Non-perishables have a long shelf life and can also be used in times of emergencies.

4.) Buy canned, dried and frozen versions of your favorite fruits and vegetables. While not quite as fresh, the nutrient value is preserved in these foods. They can still be delicious. Just be mindful of possible added sugar and salt content.

5.) Eat less meat and dairy and eat more plant-based foods. The cost of meat and animal products has increased substantially recently. In addition to plant foods being better for the waistline and for overall health, they are cheaper at the moment and better for the planet. Experiment with ways to make plant-based proteins (tofu, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds) more to your liking. Get creative.

6.) If meat is still your thing, try to go for lean white meats. While meat and dairy prices have gone up considerably, prices of fish and chicken have increased at a slower rate. 

7.) Control your portion sizes. This will not only save you money but will also help you shed some pounds. Read food labels to get a better idea of how many calories are in a serving. You might be surprised to learn how small a serving of your favorite food truly is!

8.) Focus on eating more nutrient dense foods rather than calorie dense foods. Nutrient dense foods have more bang for their buck. They pack a powerful nutritional punch. A donut and an orange may be the same size. But a donut is loaded with empty calories, while an orange has fiber, water and nutrients. Your body, and your wallet, gets more out of the deal.

9.) To stay full longer, eat a diet that consists of more fiber, more protein, lower glycemic carbs and healthier fats. You will find yourself eating less (and saving money!) when you fill up on high quality nutrient dense foods that leave you feeling satisfied.

10.) Quit your sugar addiction. It’s the sugar ups and downs that keep us constantly craving our next high. Become more mindful of your sugar intake. Current recommendations say we should only have 24 grams of sugar per day but most of us consume way more than that. Because we’re addicted. But when you cut back on your sugar intake, your taste buds will regenerate after a couple weeks and you will start to appreciate less sweet foods. And your cravings will subside. 

11.) Consider intermittent fasting. Most people consume more calories than they need during a given day, creating a calorie surplus. Many of these calories come in the form of mindless snacking. To get a better handle on calorie consumption, you can try experimenting with meal timing. You might find that you have fewer food decisions to make during the day and consequently, will probably start eating less.

12.) Pay attention to sales. Know when certain items at your favorite grocery store typically go on sale. Read the ads. Scope out the deals. Use coupons. Have no shame in bargain hunting during these times.

13.) Consider shopping at smaller chains or international markets. Often times you can find high quality foods for lower rates at these places, when compared with their big chain counterparts. These markets also have foods that might be new to you. Have fun trying out new foods!

14.) Put a hold on dining out, or at least cut back. We are facing some possibly unprecedented times ahead. Sacrifices will need to be made. Invite friends and family over for a potluck instead. Eating in is almost always healthier than dining out.  

15.) Find other sources of entertainment besides food. If you regularly use food to cope with stress, boredom, frustration or loneliness, see if you can explore different (cheaper and healthier) ways of coping instead. Go for a walk. Read. Prioritize sleep. Talk to your friends. Learn a new hobby. Listen to music. The possibilities are endless.

16.) Take advantage of those grocery stores offering gas rewards. You can get some money back from your food purchases and use that money when you are making that painful payment at the pump.

17.) Buy store brand (generic) over more expensive brand alternatives. They are usually very similar in terms of taste and nutritional content but one is much cheaper. You probably won’t even notice the difference!

18.) Try to buy pre-packaged foods only when you really need to. Anything that has been pre-made, pre-cooked, pre-sliced, pre-cut or pre-washed for you comes with a higher price tag. It’s just the price you pay for taking a shortcut. See if you can invest a bit more time in your schedule to pass up on these convenience foods. Your homemade creation will almost always be better and healthier anyway.

19.) Slow down. Practice gratitude. Take more time to appreciate whatever meals you are fortunate enough to have in front of you. You might miss dining out, or feel like you are depriving yourself of some of your favorite foods right now. Remember that this time shall pass. You are still luckier than most. Be grateful for every bite of food that has made it to your dinner plate.

20.) Buy in-season. Foods that are not bought locally or in season cost much more because of transportation costs. Do some research and stick with the seasons.

​21.) If possible, start a garden. Even if your outdoor space is severely limited (like mine), you can still possibly grow some tomatoes and some basic herbs and spices. This can not only save you some money, it is also healthy and can turn into a nice hobby! 
 
It may feel like life is spiraling out of control right now, with rising oil prices, poor crop yields, climate change, political instability all around the world and a seemingly progressively weaker dollar every day. But by controlling whatever is in your power to control, you can ease the burden on yourself as well as the rest of the planet. We can each do our part, however small, to conserve resources. The healthier our bodies are and the better they are nourished, the stronger we become in the face of adversity; the stronger we become to help each other out and the more capable we will be to contribute to the world. Don’t do this just to save money, or just to lose weight. Let this be your calling, to help us all get through these tough times stronger, together. 

Money is tight right now for a lot of us. There are only so many ways to make more of it and there are only so many hours in the day. For many people this means cutting back on the non-essentials as our disposable income dwindles and our purchasing power declines. But does this mean that our fitness needs to take a backseat for a while? 
 
Glad you asked. It does not. Your health is an investment. Therefore any time or money spent towards improving your health will pay off later on. Having said this, there are a number of ways to stay physically fit without spending a dime. 

Here are 10 ways to stay fit on a budget:

1.) Get organized. While it would be great to have a personal trainer or a health coach, this may not fit in your budget at the moment. Instead, set SMART goals and learn how to hold yourself accountable. 

2.) Recruit the help of your friends and/or family if you need a bit more support to get moving. See if there’s someone who’d like to join you on your healthy living journey. See if someone can check in on your goals with you.

3.) Rather than spending money on exercise equipment, try bodyweight exercises instead. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, stair step-ups, jumping jacks and planks are all examples. Each has multiple variations of the exercise that can keep things interesting. Just make sure you learn proper form and technique before you get started!

4.) Join a Meet up group, a walking club or a pick-up sport in your community. You might be one of those people who feeds off the energy of others when you workout. If so, do a little local research. You might be surprised at what you uncover right in your own backyard. So when joining a gym is not in your budget, you can still find your workout tribe out there. Joining free groups and clubs is one such way.

5.) Check out the plethora of free workout videos on YouTube: from gentle aerobics to high intensity workouts to yoga to tai chi; there’s something for everyone out there.

6.) Embrace the great outdoors. It’s been said that there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Dress accordingly, get moving and let nature work its magic on your soul.

7.) Ditch the expensive protein bars and powders and opt for whole food alternatives. These may be a bit less convenient but with a little bit of prepping and planning, they can be just as easy to grab post-workout.

8.) Remember that playing with your kids counts as a workout. Doing household chores counts as a workout. Dancing to your favorite tunes counts as a workout. Gardening counts. Think outside the box and you’ll see that there are plenty of free ways to get moving.

9.) Designate a workout space in your home. Make it clear to yourself and to others that this space is yours and the space has a purpose. It doesn’t need to be big but rather, functional. Always keep the space ready-to-go for the next day, for the next workout. Make this space pleasant to walk into, make it welcoming, uncluttered and organized. And most importantly of all, design the space so working out is easy to get started with.

10.) Sprinkle movement in throughout the day whenever possible. Treat yourself to some “exercise snacking”. An extra staircase here, a walking meeting there. It all adds up at the end of the day. Who said that purposeful movement had to happen at a set time and place each day? The idea is to move as much as possible as often as possible.   
​
You don’t need to join a fancy gym with all the bells and whistles in order to get fit or to stay fit. As we can see, there are plenty of affordable options to get your body moving. The most important thing, despite all other factors, is finding something that you can really enjoy. Recall activities in the past that you had fun engaging in or that you were good at. What were those activities? How can you get started?
 
If you need a little extra help getting organized, exploring options and making an exercise plan for yourself, check out our Healthy Exercise Habits workbook! 

​They say that historically speaking, during the past couple decades, we’ve been living in unprecedented peaceful times. They say that many of us have had it too easy for too long. As if this is a bad thing, right? Yet there are still people out there who are bearing witness to unfathomable horrors every day. Most of us are fortunate enough to not have to contend with such daily horrors. But after grappling with a worldwide pandemic followed by escalating tensions both here at home and around the world, I would beg to differ that things are necessarily easy.
 
Nonetheless, the world keeps on spinning and daily life must go on. Somehow amongst all the madness, the chaos, the distractions and the uncertainties ahead, we are expected to keep trudging along; to keep chasing after our goals and to keep ticking off those checkboxes on our never-ending To-Do lists…
 
But exactly how do we proceed, and dare I say, succeed during this acutely disruptive, perpetual state of anxiety we find ourselves in? How can we even think about taking care for ourselves when so much is happening around us?
 
Take care of yourself you must. In fact, this is precisely the time when it becomes most critical to do so…
 
The Struggle is Real

One thing I’ve learned in middle age is that there is no dearth of problems in life. Life is relentless in this way. You are either just emerging from having dealt with a problem, are in the middle of dealing with a problem, or are unwittingly hurling a hundred miles an hour towards dealing with a new one. There seems to be no escaping this reality. And who really said that life on Earth must be easy anyway?  All living beings must suffer at one point or another. Nature can be cruel. It is not designed for the faint of heart. So why should we humans feel entitled to anything otherwise? 

Remain Grounded
​
While it’s true that we earthly beings are destined to some degree of adversity and suffering throughout our lives, there is still hope. The very first step is to get your feet back on the ground. You can do this by accepting adversity as it comes. Stop trying to avoid problems, stop trying to run away from uncertainty. It’s okay that nothing is okay. Trying to escape is simply a losing battle. And, it’s kinda hard to be grounded when your feet are in flight mode!
 
So let’s stop running for a moment. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Accept that the world is and always has been a dynamic and ever changing place. This is what makes it quite unpredictable. But this is also what makes life interesting. Accept this universal truth and let’s start rolling with the punches, together.
 
To be more grounded, try practicing the following:
​

• Learn to let go. Release and accept whatever is out of your control. By all means do what is within your power to make the world a better place. But beyond this, stop worrying about what you cannot control.

 

• Plan for better times. Start a project, perhaps a passion project. When conditions improve again (they always do), you can hit the ground running with all your progress.

 

• Change your perspective. Stress is all about how you perceive a situation. View a problem as the challenge that it is. And seize the opportunity to learn and to grow from it. Not if, but when you overcome it, you will come back stronger every time.

 

• Try not to seek constant reassurance from others. It simply isn’t helpful to continually ask others about a certain situation, hoping for a favorable outcome. This can actually backfire and cause you even more anxiety, as no amount of reassurance ever really seems to be enough to feed your anxious soul. Learn how to be your own source of reassurance.

 

• Be realistic. Expect the worst all while hoping for the best. Lower your expectations of what could be and tell yourself that whatever happens you will find your way. You will be okay.  

 

• Stop catastrophic thinking in its tracks. Ever find yourself thinking of a possible (yet highly unlikely) scenario, only to have it quickly avalanche into a cascade of nightmare scenarios? That’s catastrophic thinking and it is not healthy.

 

• Practice positive self-talk instead. The way you think affects the way you feel. Stress hormones trigger certain pathways in your body that serve as feedback loops. You tell yourself you are going to fail at something, your heart starts racing, your stomach starts aching and now you really know you are going to fail because your body is confirming it and you can feel imminent failure ahead. Stop the loop. Tell yourself things will work out. This too shall pass.

Stay Focused
​
Part of being grounded is being able to stay focused on the present moment. Easier said than done, I know. But it is possible to stay focused on your goals despite the world around you doing its thing. There is always something that you can do, no matter how small, to make the world a better place.
 
Get out of your head for a bit and consider how you can contribute to a solution. Maybe this just means becoming better informed. Maybe it means donating to a worthy cause. Maybe it’s volunteering once a week. Whatever it is, having this sense of control will help you realize your power when other things around you seem to be spiraling out of control.
 
5 Tips to Help you Stay Focused
​

• Limit your consumption of the news. Especially before bedtime. It’s no secret the media is always seeking good ratings. And the truth is, fear leads to ratings. But there is a fine balance between staying informed and constantly seeking reassurance externally, from a source that intentionally keeps you on the edge of your seat. This has you continually coming back for more. Realize what is happening here. Set limits and boundaries on your daily consumption of news. And then stick with these limits. 

 

• Put one foot in front of the other, literally. There is something cathartic about moving your body. When you are anxious about something, there is a surplus of pent up energy in your body. Burning some of it off helps you feel more balanced. Doing so also boosts circulation to your brain and releases feel-good chemicals. And it helps you find clarity when nothing else is making sense at the moment.

 

• Limit time spent on social media. Even during good times it can be damaging to be regularly comparing your life to others who are always intentionally trying to demonstrate that their lives are so much better than yours. Most people are only showing you one side of their lives, and not their uglier realities. Spend less time passively watching others live their lives. Get out and live yours instead.

 

• Live in the present moment as much as possible. The present is the only moment we have any semblance of control over. You can do this by practicing mindfulness often. Meditate. Whatever this looks like for you, the idea is to stop ruminating about events past. Stop worrying about what could happen in the future (things that probably won’t happen anyway). Live right now because it is all that you have and is all that is guaranteed.

 

• Make time for yourself. How can you improve yourself? How can you grow? Consider how you can focus on meeting your goals, using small and simple steps to form new habits in your life. Self-care is critical during times of crisis and chaos. It is also a healthy distraction.

 
Additional Coping Skills

• Seek solace in nature. Turn off the world for a bit (sorry, this includes your phone too!). Get moving. Connect to something larger than yourself. Absorb the rhythm of nature. Listen to the birds sing their songs. Let the refreshing breeze touch your soul. Find strength in knowing that in nature, all is still going as planned, per the natural order of the world. You don’t need to go far to experience this. Even your own backyard can suffice.

 

• Ask for help when you need it. Maintain your support system. Invest in your relationships. These are the people who will help get you through the tough times.

 

• Seek humor. Laughing is good for the soul and is therefore an excellent stress reliever. Spend time with those who make you laugh. Consume funny things regularly. Release the guilt for laughing when things are tough. This will help you persevere.

 

• Practice gratitude. There is always some light to be found, even during the darkest of times. Also be grateful for what you have. There are people who would quite literally die to be where you are right now. 

 

• Keep a journal. Process what is going on around you. Explore the meaning in your current life. Reflect. It is often during times of adversity that we realize what truly matters in our lives, as well as what is inconsequential.

 

• Engage in leisure activities. Get “in the zone”. Learn something new. Paint, read, write, take up a sport, do puzzles, bake, garden. Whatever it is, make time for creative release. This is critical.

 

• Nourish your body. You may be craving your comfort foods during tough times. In moderation, this is okay. Go easy on yourself. But also be sure to feed your body it needs to heal from all those stress hormones. Healthy food will sustain you.

 

• Sleep well. Perhaps the single most important thing to combat stress is sleep. Without it you simply cannot function optimally. In our culture we have a tendency to brag about how little sleep we get, how we are able to function on less sleep than the next person. This must stop. This path inevitably leads to burnout. Prioritize sleep and be unapologetic about it.

 
Final Words

Being fit is not just about exercising more and eating healthier. Nurturing a fit mind is just as important. Make time to check in with yourself mentally just as you would make time for your daily workout, or for meal prepping.
 
Also remember that nothing good lasts forever but nothing bad lasts forever either. Emotions come and go. There will be highs and lows. This will be the case until you take your very last breath. All you can do is the best you can do, here and now. Doing this can help you continue living an internal life of unprecedented peace, no matter what is happening around you. Stay focused. Stay grounded. Feel no shame in implementing your coping skills. Don’t apologize for making time to take care of yourself. Things are not always easy. Accept this, embrace this truth and just be.

Getting Help

It’s really wise to get help. When we were kids, we used to ask for help all the time - to pour milk from the jug without spilling, to open this jar, to get a ride after missing the bus… Even if you don’t strictly need it, a second pair of hands can hold something steady while you’re screwing it in. Help may not catch you falling off a ladder, but help might keep you from that situation to begin with.

“But, David, I can do it myself.”

Of course you can! But you can do it even better with … help.

“Ok, David, you’re just overselling it now.”


I’m Really Hungry

It’s been years since I first started a diet that was recommended to me by my doctor as a part of the frontline treatment plan for my diagnosis - the DASH diet. It’s mostly skinless chicken, salt-less vegetables, whole grains, and a lot of fat-free stuff. Needless to say after just a few weeks I was shedding an incredible amount of weight. But I had a significant and nagging problem: I was really, really hungry. I was literally starving all the time.

None of the literature my doctor gave me mentioned anything about this. I tried eating more of the food I was told to eat, but that gnawing feeling remained. I thought about eating other food constantly. It was a painful experience. Soon, I was eating so much skinless chicken and fat-free whole wheat bread that I was ingesting enough calories to stop losing weight. But I was still hungry. I even felt hungry while I was asleep.

What is a Health Coach?

Health coaches are evidence-based experts on human behavior, motivation, and health. Their practice focuses on behavior change and the transformation of their clients. So often people will leave their doctor’s office with more questions that they don’t even know they have yet, but not a lot of help. I call the journey to health “the climb” (more about that here) and you can think of a health coach as a guide that intimately knows the way, the pitfalls, whether or not you’re actually making progress, and the tricks that will really make you feel like you’re succeeding.

I have a mantra. It’s not the kind of mantra that I say during meditation or anything. It’s not that kinda thing. It’s actually something that I say to myself when the going gets tough. No one around me knows about it because it’s something I keep to myself. The words only echo within the confines of my mind. But they echo loud and clear. And they never fail to serve their purpose.
 
The backstory
It was a rainy but busy day in the historic center of Rome. The usual organized city chaos was ensuing all around and I was happily immersed in every second of it. I was enthralled and mesmerized by my favorite city on Earth. But I was also in pain…
 
Here I was stupidly wearing ballet flats, knowing full well that I’d be wandering around on ancient cobblestone streets for the better part of the day. And what beautifully glistening cobblestone streets they were! But looks can be deceiving. I can tell you one thing...those suckers sure weren’t designed for ballet flats!

So there I found myself, facing a day of hobbling around in soggy, unsupportive ballet flats on cobblestone streets for endless excruciating miles. The things we think we can get away with in our 20’s…
 
Now mind you, I’m not one to take public transportation when I travel. I prefer absorbing the sights and the sounds of a city at a slow pace, a walking pace. This is how I’m best able to feel the pulse of a city. Well suffice it to say that I paid a steep price for feeling Rome’s strong, vibrant pulse that day. Word for the wise: ballet flats and cobblestone streets do NOT go well together!
 
After a few short hours every step soon became torture. Everything hurt, from my feet up to my hips, to my lower back. And sure enough, in a city where taxis are a dime a dozen, there were absolutely NONE around when I needed one most (pre-Uber days!). And as luck would have it, there were also no benches in sight. I quickly realized that I had no choice but to keep going...

Not even hungry, but seeking temporary reprieve from each throbbing step, I started popping into various pizza joints and force fed myself some pizza just so I could use their chairs (poor me, I know). But inevitably it always came time to hit the pavement again. I couldn’t delay the inevitable forever.
 
I must've subconsciously realized that I needed something that I could focus on that would distract me from the pain. And then out of the blue it just hit me. This phrase  suddenly popped into my head. “Keep going, don’t stop”. I started to repeat this simple phrase in synch with each step. I fell into a rhythm. Left foot “keep going”…right foot “don’t stop”. And somehow it worked. It was like being in a trance. My pain was no longer the focal point and I suddenly felt oddly relaxed. It was these words that kept me going strong all the way to the ornate doors of my charming 18th century hotel, where I could finally rest my weary self on my rooftop terrace where I could treat myself to panoramic views of the Eternal City.

Now you might be thinking to yourself, that’s a cute little story and all but why in the world is she sharing this on a health and wellness blog? You probably don’t see any relevance, aside from the fact that my little story took place in Italy and the site’s name that you’re visiting is derived from Italian. But those four simple words have long since kept me going in many other domains in my life besides through tortuous walks. And I want to share with you why they’re so effective.

Since that day in Rome I’ve called upon my little mantra numerous times. During annoying workouts, during long bike rides when I went too far and couldn’t imagine having to turn back and head home. I’ve used it during subfreezing treks and also while trudging through blistering hot D.C summer days. I use it when I'm carrying heavy loads, literal or figurative. I even use it to get through dreadful, mind-numbingly dull work tasks. Without fail, my mantra has kept me going over the years.
 
Power through
Quick disclaimer here: When it comes to working out or meeting your health goals, it is never a good idea to push through physical pain. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong and it’s time to stop and reassess!
 
But there’s pain and then there’s the normal discomfort of working out. During any health journey, there will be times when you feel like quitting and you may feel too uncomfortable to continue, for various reasons. There will be times when you’d rather toss your dumbbells across the room, back into the dusty corner where they belong and just lounge on the couch for the rest of the afternoon. There will be times (many times!) when your bed is just too cozy to extract yourself from on a cold winter morning; when the outside world is just too noisy and it’s just too easy to remain inside your warm cozy cocoon instead. This is when positive self-talk becomes critical. This is when having a go-to phrase to keep you moving forward can be incredibly helpful.
 
Building and maintaining momentum is important when you want healthy change to last. Your mantra can keep your momentum strong from day to day so you don’t miss a workout or it can be used in the moment during a workout. Either way the idea is you are essentially changing your self-talk. You are eliminating overthinking from the equation. Instead, you are giving your mind a very clear directive: to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles. You will quickly see that your brain (and body) respond surprisingly well to this!

An object in motion…
We also know that it’s a heck of a lot easier to keep moving than it is to get moving from a stationary place. So naturally, any self-talk that is effective at keeping you moving toward your goals will be effective. Use this mental trick to keep the momentum going!
 
Your mantra
We all have challenging moments in our lives. More specifically, we all have those difficult, sometimes paralyzing moments when we question our goals. Many of us also engage in too much thinking, too much overanalyzing before we get moving. Analysis paralysis is real!
 
When the going gets tough, we start to question what we initially set out to do. Because doing the work is very different than setting the goals. Think of those instances when your mind starts doubting your abilities or your desires. Think of those times when you need an extra little push, when it would be nice to have a miniature cheerleader fairy jump out of the woodworks to offer some extra bit of oomph to inspire you.
 
Think about what you can tell yourself that can keep you going. What would you tell a friend if they were in a similar situation? What would you say to someone else, that you knew they needed to hear in such a moment? What short phrase, or even word, would you say? Try to keep your mantra short, easy to remember and powerful. It doesn’t have to be original either. It can be a favorite quote or a positive affirmation. Just make sure it flows well and that it works for you. Then test it out and change it if it just isn’t cutting it. Then try a new one.
 
With the right mantra you can become your own mini cheerleader fairy during difficult moments. Don’t sit around waiting for a motivational fairy to emerge because I assure you it will not! Instead, remember to become your own best friend and strongest supporter. And most importantly of all, never ever wear ballet flats on cobblestone streets!

I love snacking. I snack when I’m bored. I snack when I’m tired. I snack when I’m stressed. I snack when I’m hungry and I snack when I’m full. If there’s food in our office, you can count on me being in the general proximity of said food. If only I’d attend the team meetings with the same gusto as I do when food arrives! Well, I do…when the meeting involves food...
 
Surely eating every couple hours can’t be that bad for you, right? Well it is and it isn’t. But that’ll have to be a topic for another time because in this article, I’m going to introduce to you a whole new type of snacking. Except, this is one that I can safely say you might be far more proud to admit to!
 
Bits and Pieces
I am a self-proclaimed exercise snacker. You might be wondering what the heck this is or if this is even a thing. Until recently I didn’t know there was a name for what I’d been doing. I’ve always been relatively active. But somewhere along the way I must’ve decided it was much easier to have time for exercise when I could just sprinkle physical activity around evenly throughout the day. I do this with strength training, I do this with cardio and I do this with flexibility and stretching. And this, my friend, is what I call snacking on exercise.
 
The dreaded long workout
I may be all into this whole healthy living thing but I’m still human and therefore not too different than most. When it comes to a long workout on my schedule, I often get the same sinking feeling of complete dread that everyone else does. I know how great exercise can make you feel and I know all the benefits. I get all that. But if I can somehow delay a workout, I will.
 
I’m not much of a procrastinator by nature but when it comes to a grueling session, a whole new side of me emerges. So I am incredibly grateful that I discovered this alternative way to meet the current exercise guidelines each day. And for me at least, it’s a far less painful, less dreaded way…

What does it mean to snack on exercise?
It means working exercise into your day rather than the other way around. It means moving whenever you get a chance rather than just moving for a set amount of time at a set hour each day. For this to work, you need a certain level of mindfulness and awareness. You need to keep your eyes open for opportunities to get up and get moving!
 
Now I’m not saying that for this to work you need to become obsessive and just start moving around all the time. I imagine that would quickly become very annoying to those unfortunate people in your general proximity. Surely they’d begin to think you overdosed on caffeine or sugar or something, or that your ADD pills ran out.
 
You don’t have to be moving every chance you get and you don’t need to ever feel guilty for sitting down and relaxing when you need to. Snacking on exercise just means that rather than devoting an entire block of time to just exercise, you can choose to scatter it throughout the day, if that works better for you and your busy schedule. It’s just an option and it’s one more way to be less sedentary. Something is always better than nothing.
 
Does it work?
If you’re looking to get totally buff, then you might need more than exercise snacking. In fact you might need a whole six-course meal loaded with extras. But if you’re just looking to stay active, to meet current guidelines, to maintain a basic level of fitness and to stay toned, then this might just be enough. More and more research is beginning to show the benefits of short bursts of high intensity exercise.
 
 In my case, I’ve noticed no decline in my fitness levels when I started exercising this way. If anything, I’m a bit more toned, probably because I end up exercising a little more than I did when I just set aside limited blocks of time to exercise.
 
Benefits of Snacking on Exercise
New research is claiming that multitasking isn’t really possible after all. They say that in order to really perform one task well you must give it your full attention. But when this comes to exercise, I beg to differ. I would argue that walking meetings are not just possible but even more effective in some ways than standard sit-down meetings. I’d argue that some of my toughest yet most effective phone calls at work have been while I was simultaneously using my resistance bands or while out on a walk. I’d also say that I focus a lot better on a television show while I’m engaging in a workout (perhaps because of the increased blood flow to my brain?).
 
As long as you’re paying enough attention so you don’t go sliding off your treadmill, I’d say that multitasking with exercise can be a pretty good way to save time and hit multiple goals at once.

Some of the benefits that I’ve found with exercise snacking include:

• It saves time in a busy schedule.
  
• I procrastinate less since I don’t dread a few minutes of movement here and there.
• I move more frequently, which helps keep my energy levels stay steady throughout the day.
  
• It wakes me up when I feel my afternoon slump coming on.
  
• It keeps my metabolism revved up all day.
• It helps me manage my stress levels. There’s nothing like taking a brisk walk right after an intense conversation, to help me cool down and regain my composure and focus.

 
Exercise Snacking Tips

• Be familiar with different types of workouts that you can do with minimal equipment.
  
• Start slow: don’t do too much in a given day if you’re new at exercising.
• Try to still keep track of how much exercising you’re doing. Current guidelines say you should try to get around 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. If you’re just starting to be more active, you can gradually work up to this.
  
• Do what you find enjoyable…and do it often! I enjoy using resistance bands, I enjoy going for walks and I enjoy stretching. I even enjoy using my dumbbells on a winter day inside when I’m chilled, to help warm me up!
  
• Discover which workouts make you feel good afterwards.
  
• Seize every single opportunity to move. This requires awareness and mindfulness.
• Add music for quick spurts of activity, to make it more fun. An average song is about 3 minutes long. Listen and move to 10 songs per day and you’ve met your daily workout goal!
  

 
My favorite “snack” times

• During phone calls (this can be either work or leisure calls)
• In between periods of sitting at my desk
  
• While I’m preparing food
• While brushing my teeth (squats!)
• When I’m listening to music
• Walking meetings at work

 
Final Words
By the end of the day, you might just discover that you’ve moved far more than you realized, and far more than if you had just blocked off a single 45-minute block of time. Our ancestors didn’t necessarily allocate a special time of day just to move their bodies. Their lives required them to be active throughout the day, every time the need arose. We’re living in those same bodies today, but in a modern world. Snacking on exercise is just one more way to mimic the lives of our ancestors, to better align our bodies with our natural environments.
 
Most of us already have the food snacking thing down pat. Do you think you can become an exercise snacker? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

How many times have you seen this happen? Today’s super foods become tomorrow’s foods to avoid. And today's foods to avoid become tomorrow's super foods. It used to be eggs and cholesterol. Then it was fatty foods. Then it was red meat. Then it was gluten and carbs. And today it’s sugar. As we can see, nearly every food group has been vilified at one point or another.
 
Is this because science continually evolves, enlightening us and confusing us all along the way? Maybe. Or maybe it just depends on which industry has successfully lobbied the hardest that year to ensure their products are the “healthiest”.
 
But I digress. This is not intended to be a political post. At the end of the day, the diet that works best for you depends on many factors, politics aside. It depends on your activity levels, your age, your sex, your genes, your environment and your morals and beliefs about where your food has come from, just to name a few. If I’ve learned anything over the years it’s that there really is no one-size-fits-all diet.
 
Furthermore, if you were tuned in enough and you actually tried to follow all of the changing (and often conflicting) information over the years, the only thing left on your dinner plate would be an ice cube with a side of water. But wait, beware…before you take that first sip…there’s plastic, Prozac and pollutants in our water supply too. Gimme that plate back!
 
But back to sugar…my interest in sugar comes from witnessing firsthand accounts of its effects. I’ve seen the effects that consuming excess amounts of sugar can have on a person over the years. Specifically, what it can do to those who are genetically predisposed to getting type 2 diabetes.
 
I’ll spare you the details because honestly, they can get quite graphic. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that you want to keep all of your body parts and organs intact. I’m assuming you value your ability to see things and your life is better having two functioning kidneys at all times. If you’re reading this, chances are you would also rather not spend the rest of your life dependent on expensive medications (which come with their own host of undesirable side effects).
 
I would do anything to help the patients I’ve seen by rewinding time and reversing the devastating effects that years of consuming too much sugar has done to their bodies and consequently, to their quality of lives.
 
Is all sugar bad?
Before going any further, let’s also get rid of the word “bad”. There is nothing inherently or morally bad about sugar. Sugar is just a type of carbohydrate, found naturally in many foods. Our brains light up when they detect sugar and they are designed to do so. Therefore, there is also nothing inherently wrong with you for craving and wanting to pursue sugar.

For our ancestors, the splendid taste of sugar in nature meant an excellent food source had been found. This usually ended up being a colorful, deliciously juicy, nutritionally powerful bundle of sweet goodness for the taking. No doubt this was a true jackpot for hungry humans!
 
Sugar is essential for life. Sugar is energy. Carbohydrates equal energy. We need energy to sustain life. So no, sugar is not bad in and of itself. It’s when we start messing with natural foods and adding sugar that causes a bit of a problem.
 
Fast forward to the modern world and our brains remain wired the same as our ancestors scoping out natural sugars. Except the only difference is, our resourceful and innovative species went ahead and found ways to add sugar to all kinds of things where it didn’t exist before. And this is where the problem lies. While sugar itself isn’t bad, too much sugar is bad.

Added sugar vs. natural sugar
The truth is, not all sugar is created equal. There are several different types of sugar. But I personally prefer to keep things simple. We don’t need to complicate things too much here because it’s really a basic concept. 
 
Sugars appear naturally in many foods, like in fruits. Then there are the sugars that we’ve concocted and added to other foods. Foods that occur naturally in food are typically packed with fiber, which slows down the absorption of all that sugar. These sugars are also diluted with water from the fruits in their natural form. These foods with naturally occurring sugar tend to offer a host of nutritional benefits. Foods that we add heaps of sugar to, on the other hand, seem to fall short in the nutrition department.
 
But why does it matter how fast the sugar is absorbed? Because our bodies can only process so much sugar at a time. Just like our un-evolved gluttonous sugar-craving brains, our bodies have also not evolved enough yet to process our modern day excessively sugary diets. There is still a significant mismatch between what our bodies are capable of doing and what our modern world asks of them.
 
Low Glycemic vs. High Glycemic Foods
Think of low glycemic foods as slow burning candles while high glycemic foods are like flashes of lightning.
 
High glycemic foods cause a spike in your blood sugar, followed by a thundering crash in energy levels soon after. Lots of insulin is needed to process all this sugar and over time, this messes with your body’s ability to respond to insulin (enter type 2 diabetes!).
 
But low glycemic foods don’t cause your blood sugar to spike. They often contain fiber, water and sometimes protein and fat that help keep the breakdown of sugar at a stable level. Think of them as being your manageable, well-controlled warm-glow candles. They’re your steady energy sources.
 
Long story short, try to seek out carbs that are considered “low glycemic”.
 
Examples of low glycemic foods include:

• Oat bran and rice bran products
• Whole wheat, sourdough and pumpernickel breads
• Plain yogurt
• Beans, tofu, nuts & seeds
• Meat products
• Olives and avocadoes 
• Most fruits and vegetables (not canned or dried)
  

 
Examples of high glycemic foods include:

• White bread
• White rice
• Cereals
• Candy bars
• Fruit juices and sodas
• Certain fruits, like pineapple and watermelon
• Baked sweets, like cookies and cakes
• Crackers
• French fries and chips
  
• Canned and dried fruits
  

…basically all of our favorite things!
 
How much sugar is too much?
Current recommendations say we should have no more than 6 teaspoons, or 24 grams, of added sugar per day. Read the label of your favorite yogurt. My guess is that unless it’s plain yogurt, you’ve already reached your limit for the day with just a few spoonfuls. But realistically, most of us eat way more than this on a given day.
 
This surely helps explain why type 2 diabetes and chronic inflammation are running rampant in today’s world. It’s all too easy to surpass the recommended intake with foods that are practically shoved down our throats with 24/7 marketing. But all is not without hope.

6 simple ways to cut back on your sugar intake

1. It all starts with awareness and you’ve already taken your first step.
2. Decide why it’s important to you to start cutting back on sugar. Be very clear on your motivation because it will take some willpower to avoid your favorite omnipresent junk foods.
3. Start reading labels if you aren’t already. And look at the added sugar content. Be mindful of serving size (the labels will try to trick you with unrealistic serving sizes!). And don’t forget to check the labels on your drinks too!
4. Don’t allow temptation into your home. It’s a million times easier to resist temptation when your environment is conducive to your goals. Let’s just say…it’s a lot harder to devour an entire sleeve of Oreos when you don’t have any Oreos in your house!
5. Plan, plan, plan. Do some meal prepping for the week. If you fill yourself up with healthy foods first, you’ll be far less likely to find yourself in a position where you’ll be scavenging for sugar out of hunger and desperation.
6. Manage your stress. When you’re tired or stressed, your hormones change. This causes you to crave sugar. Prioritizing sleep is a must. Use effective coping skills for stress.

 
Now does this mean you should totally ban all of your favorite sugary delectables from your diet once and for all? Not necessarily. I know that I would not be able to do so. Or, let me rephrase. Of course I would be able to. But admittedly, it would be a nearly impossible and highly unpleasant feat for me.
 
My grandmother always said that if you deprive yourself too much of something that you love, that deprivation will kill you long before that thing will. I believe there is some truth in this. Life is too short to never indulge. Our brains constantly seek and crave indulgence. But having said this, we can indulge intelligently.
 
You can eat healthy 80% of the time and allow yourself those sweet indulgences 20% of the time. This could mean that 80% of your food intake during the day contains healthy foods and 20% contains some reasonable indulgence. Or it could mean that 80% of your week is healthy and then you allow yourself a planned cheat day in there somewhere. Again, how this looks depends entirely on what works for you.
 
The idea is to incorporate those foods that you just can’t seem to part with, but do so in moderation. This way, by decreasing exposure to these foods, you also get to actually look forward to enjoying them.
 
Keep things simple: Try to eat like your ancestors
Despite all of the conflicting advice over the years, some advice, for the most part, has remained consistent. Fruits and vegetables are good for you. Nuts, seeds and legumes are good for you. Herbs and spices are good for you. Fish is good for you, particularly when it’s prepared with a healthy fat like olive oil (Mmmmm). See the common denominator here? Essentially, it’s the minimally processed foods as they occurred in nature, which seem to remain forever in this “good for you” category. Conversely, Frankenfoods created in laboratories are not good for you.
 
Final Words
At the end of the day we’re all just trying to do the best we can do. Constantly hearing conflicting information about the foods we eat leaves us feeling confused and unmotivated. Spending too much time analyzing our foods under a microscope can be exhausting. Trying to always avoid foods that we’re bombarded with on a daily basis is draining and leaves us feeling deprived.

The idea is to keep things simple. Indulge sometimes, but not too often. Find a balance that works for you. Eat those foods that you’d recognize in nature often. And try to limit the ones with complicated labels. Plan for this in advance by way of meal planning and remove temptations in your environment as best you can.
 
Be aware of what you are putting into your body and then consciously decide if the food’s adverse effects will be worth those few minutes of pleasure. Maybe it is. Only you can decide this. But sometimes making an informed decision and accepting its consequences might just be enough.

Despite being a health coach, I still have days once in a while when I find myself dragging for no apparent reason. My motivation is low, energy levels are depleted and what’s worse, my mind just doesn’t seem to be in the right place. No doubt our minds can be our most formidable opponents sometimes. If our minds aren’t onboard with a plan then our bodies won’t be either. It’s as simple as that. But how do we get our minds back in the game?
 
Off days are actually quite common. It’s normal to sometimes try to come up with every excuse in the book in order to avoid doing a certain task (in this case, exercise). But keep in mind that having an off day isn’t the same as falling completely off the wagon. Remedying such a fall from the wagon will be a topic for a future post. Assuming your goals are well defined, your vision of success is clear and that you are truly ready and willing to sustain this change, then it might just be that you’re in need of a little boost.
 
In my experience there’s no better workout booster than a dose of excellent music. Music just brings a part of our brains to life. The benefits are not merely anecdotal. If you’ve ever listened to music while working out then I don’t need to tell you how effective it can be (though reminders are always good!). And it’s not just in your head that your workouts with music seem better. Studies show that music really does have a positive impact on us while we move our bodies. We know exercise is good for us. We know that listening to music is good for us. So what do we get when we mix both at the same time? We get a truly powerful combination…
 
Benefits of listening to music while exercising:
(Quick Disclaimer: Always be aware of your surroundings. Listening to music while outdoors is great but make sure to keep the volume low enough to still be able to hear some ambient noise)

• Helps relieve boredom

Sometimes our enthusiasm begins to wane once the novelty of an experience wears off. Sure, you can still enjoy a particular exercise. But the excitement factor can diminish over time. Additionally, as our bodies progress and get stronger, the challenge of an activity may also lessen. One way to relieve boredom is to add music. Music increases your state of arousal, which can quite literally wake you up!

• Can increase performance (and confidence!)

Music = increased confidence = better performance. There’s a reason people listen to music before an important event. Some people listen to music before an interview, which empowers them, hypes them up. Before a game, you can also catch athletes listening to music to pump themselves up.

• Increases pace

There’s just something about a catchy tune that makes us want to synchronize with it. It actually requires more effort to try to not move in synch with the beat. This happens on a subconscious level. You may not even notice that you’re pushing harder and faster when listening to an awesome tune with a fast tempo.

• It can boost “feel-good” hormones

Music makes us feel good. There are benefits to listening to music. There are added benefits when you add movement the equation. Both exercise and music can help release those feel-good chemicals in your brain, leaving you in a better mood and with an enhanced sense of calm.

• It can be a great distraction

No pain no gain, right?  Of course, you should always listen to your body. Mild discomfort can be expected from physical exertion but new onset pain or significant distress should never be ignored. But if you’re in the midst of your typical intense workout and you want to get your mind off the discomfort or fatigue, music is a really great way to do this. It’s easy to forget about discomfort when you’re too busy jamming away.

• Can help put you “in the zone”

Ahhh the elusive “zone” that we all strive to enter...Being in the zone means that you are fully immersed in the present moment. You’re energized, engaged and you’re really enjoying the moment. Getting in the zone requires a rather clear mind, which exercise definitely helps with. Combine this with engaging music and suddenly you may just find yourself in the zone!

• It motivates movement

Pay attention to how your body naturally responds when you hear a great song playing. More than likely if it’s a faster paced song, you are moving at least some part of your body with the music. It is very hard to not want to move along with a beat. This desire to move with a beat is hardwired in us. So use this natural inclination to your advantage. Use it as a way to build momentum in order to initiate movement. Then just keep going from there and you can get a whole workout in!
 
How to use music

1. Match the tempo and rhythm with your desired speed of movement
2. Use slower music for warming up and cooling down
3. Play games: Ex: see if you can finish that mile after the first 3 songs

 
Best types of music for working out
Musical enjoyment is a highly subjective experience. What’s preferred by one may not be by another. Therefore, there is no “best” kind of music to listen to during a sweat session. Having said this, there are some beats that might be better at motivating you to move than others. Obviously faster paced songs are better for this.
 
How to listen to music while exercising
Technology has improved greatly in the past couple of decades. As a kid, I had to lug one of those cumbersome cassette players around with me (I know, I know...I'm aging myself here). I’d wait all day by my boom box just so I could catch my favorite songs on the radio. Then I’d sit and record them onto one of those old cassette tapes. Those were my earliest versions of a playlist. And technology just kept on improving...

By the time I was a teenager I was lugging around a portable CD player instead of dealing with the headache of cassette tapes. I didn’t go on a single walk without that clunky old thing. Again, if I wanted any sort of variety, I’d have to go through the arduous process of burning CDs and then creating my own playlists from music I’d first have to purchase online. All this during a time when we were charged per minute to be online!

As you can see, we are so very lucky to have technology today that makes it convenient for us to bring our favorite music anywhere with us, almost effortlessly. Although I can't say I don't look back fondly on all those hours spent trying to catch my favorite tunes on the radio!
 
Where to find the right music
Today we can download a seemingly infinite number of songs in just the fraction of the time it would’ve taken us back in the day. Or you can simply stream music through one of the many amazing (and often free) digital music apps. Personally, I enjoy a wide range of music from all different genres. What I listen to really depends on my mood. If I’m feeling lazy, I may just do a quick search on YouTube for good workout music and use whatever I find. As is the case with exercise too, the key is always just finding what works for you.
 
Get the right gear
Make sure to explore all the gear options and find what works best for you. Remember that bad gear can ruin an otherwise good workout. Believe me when I say, you don’t want to spend your whole workout wrestling with a bad pair of headphones!
 

Do you have a favorite playlist to listen to when you exercise? What affect does music have on your workouts? Feel free to share below!

Yes, it seems everywhere you turn health and wellness experts are telling you to eat more fruits and vegetables. You totally get it. Yes, they’re full, and I mean FULL, of nutrition (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, etc.).
 
Yes, people who eat more fruits and vegetables live longer, healthier lives. Not to mention protecting their bodies and minds from just about every chronic disease out there. Yes, eating more vegetables can help you maintain a healthy body weight, and even lose some fat (as long as you don’t bread and fry them, or cover them with cream sauce).
 
Your question is not “Should I eat more fruits and vegetables,” but “How can I actually do it?”...

Believe me, as a health coach I’m chock full of amazing, creative and delicious ways to help you eat more fruits and veggies.
 
And before we dive in, always start from where you are. If you’re not used to any fruits or veggies, try for just two per day. Build up from there. Don’t get overwhelmed thinking you need to overhaul your entire diet I one day. Wherever you’re at now, I challenge you to increase it by two per day.
 
Now, let’s dive into my helpful ideas on exactly HOW to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet!

SNEAK THEM INTO OTHER DISHES
 
OK, this one may be, shall we say, “sneaky,” but I’m all about your health, so hear me out.
 
Some dishes are super-easy to enhance with a bit of strategically placed produce. What do you think of these ideas?

• Add ½ apple, a small handful of spinach, or extra berries into your smoothie.
• Dice or shred up an extra bit of carrot, broccoli, zucchini or pepper into your soup.
• Love sandwiches? Why not add an extra slice of tomato, lettuce or cucumber to it?
• How about chicken, tuna, or salmon salad? Dice up a stalk of celery and throw it in.
• Love to bake? How about substituting ¼ cup of the sugar for ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce?
• Used to having a small salad? Why not try a larger one?
• Making tomato sauce? Add in some extra mushrooms or peppers.

 
MAKE THEM TASTE MORE DELICIOUS WITH A MEAL

• Steam some frozen corn and add a touch of olive oil and your favorite herb or spice.
• Use veggies as your sandwich “bread” by making a lettuce wrap.
• Don’t be afraid to spice them up! Try sauteing them for 10 minutes with a drizzle of oil and flavor them with pepper, garlic, ginger or cumin.

 
OPTING FOR THEM AS SNACKS

• Why not throw a banana, apple or a couple of clementines into your lunch bag?
• Ditch the chips and dip - Instead try some carrot, celery, broccoli, cucumber or cauliflower with a dip like hummus, guacamole, or even your favorite salad dressing?
• Love sweetened yogurt? Buy plain, and immerse it with fresh or frozen berries.

 
YOUR CHALLENGE
 Take two of these suggestions and try them tomorrow. Just add two more fruits and veggies to the number you’re at today. Two more.
 
And if you’re not an instant fan, well, try again. Research shows that sometimes it takes our taste buds several tries before actually beginning to like a new flavor. Try it; you might just find some new faves.
 
You can do it.
 
Let me know your favorite ideas in the comments below!
 
REFERENCES
 
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/dont-like-vegetables
 
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-fruits-vegetables

When you reflect on your childhood, how much easier do you think it was to make friends back then versus now, as an adult? Another kid wanted to play the same game as you at the playground. Just like that a friend was made. Your classroom seating assignment was changed. Suddenly you found yourself sitting next to your new best friend.

But somewhere along the way adulthood just went and complicated everything...
 
If being a nurse has taught me anything, it’s that there are a heck of a lot of lonely people out there. With regard to my patients, I wondered, do people get lonely because they’re sick and maybe therefore more isolated? Or do people who are lonely and isolated just happen to get sick more? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Whichever it is, loneliness is quickly becoming a pubic health crisis that we simply cannot ignore any longer...

Prevalence
Researchers have found that at any given moment, about 32% of people over the age of 55 suffer from loneliness. This means that about 1 in every 3 people in this age group is lonely at times. Chances are you know someone who’s lonely right now. Actually, chances are you know multiple lonely people right now. For those over 65 years of age, the prevalence continues to increase. Approximately 40% of Americans over age 65 report experiencing loneliness.  That means that almost half of older adults feel lonely.
 
Think younger adults are better off? Think again. Over 70% of young adults report feeling lonely sometimes or always. The long-term impact that loneliness can have on our minds and bodies is significant. 
 
We know that it isn’t pleasant to feel lonely. But why exactly is it so unhealthy to be lonely?
 
But first, why are we so lonely?
Simply being in the company of others is not an antidote to loneliness. Have you ever found yourself in a room full of people that you just couldn’t relate to? How did it make you feel? Conversely, being alone does not in itself cause loneliness. Solitude is not loneliness. Loneliness happens when we feel the consequences of not being closely connected to others. We can have 100 superficial friends and can still feel lonely. Or we can have 3 ultra close friends yet never feel lonely. 
 
Loneliness also happens when we lack purpose. It can happen when we feel like we lack relevance in the world. There are people who are retired who have a strong sense of purpose. Then there are people who work 40+ hours a week and feel no sense of purpose. It just depends on how impactful and contributory you view yourself to be.
 
Many of us are also lonely when we rely on others to make us feel whole, to make us feel complete and secure. We rely on others to show us the self-love that we should first be showing ourselves. Unsurprisingly, when we go and seek that love and acceptance externally, we sometimes return empty-handed. Loneliness kicks in once again.
 
How does loneliness affect our health?
Loneliness can have a significant impact on a person’s well-being and overall health. Loneliness has been shown to have many adverse effects. Some studies estimate that loneliness can be as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day! Other negative effects of loneliness may include:

• High blood pressure and cardiac disease
  
• Obesity
• Cognitive decline
• Inflammation
  
• Weakened immune system
• Anxiety and depression
• Low motivation to engage in healthy behaviors

 
Human beings are social creatures by nature. We thrive in environments where we’re able to form deep and meaningful bonds with others. We strive to form rich social bonds. We seek a sense of belonging. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the effects of loneliness because as we age there may be fewer organic opportunities to socialize. But the good new is that we can consciously organize our lives in a way that fosters rich connections with other people.
 
These are some of the most common risk factors that lead to loneliness:

• Living alone
  
• Geographical isolation from loved ones
  
• Break up of family structure (divorce/separation/death)
• Depression
• Illness and/or cognitive impairment
• Retirement
• Loss of mobility and/or lack of transportation

 What we can do
People who have strong social bonds have built-in support systems that help get them through life’s inevitable challenges. Social interaction also serves as a source of purpose and meaning. It provides an opportunity to help and to be helped, something that has been shown to positively impact levels of happiness. When you spend time with the right company, your mood is improved and those feel-good bonding hormones are released. There's a reason that laughter is said to be the best medicine!
 
Essentially, take all of the negative effects of loneliness and flip ‘em around. Those are the health benefits of being engaged with others.
 
Given all the benefits of social connection, what can we actually do to decrease loneliness?

• Engage regularly with others

The amount of social interaction that each of us need depends highly on our individual preferences and temperaments. Introverts may require less social interaction, extroverts maybe more. We all fall somewhere on this spectrum. But all of us require at least some quality social interaction regularly. It’s important to find the right balance to meet your unique needs. We’re lucky to live in a time with so many options to connect, whether it be in-person, over the telephone, through messages or via video chat.

• Spend time with friends and family

So often we feel like we’re just running around like chickens with our heads chopped off, just spinning our wheels away in the rat race. Before we know it, life has completely passed us by. We’re all replaceable at work but none of us are replaceable at home. Family can be whatever you make it to be. Whoever you consider to be a part of your family, just make sure to spend enough time with those you love most. Don’t brush them off assuming they’ll always be there waiting. It’s those deep connections that help stave off loneliness.

• Stop spending money on things; Instead, start spending money (and time) on rich experiences
  

This one is a biggie to me. I’m fortunate to have learned the value of experience over material possessions early on in my life. My time with older adults as a nurse has only further reinforced this notion. Memories are all we have left in the end. Make rich memories because no one can ever take those away.

• Be a good friend

To have good friends you need to be a good friend. Be curious about other people’s lives. Be helpful. Be supportive. Be there for them. Don’t do it with any expectations or hidden motives. Do it because you are simply fulfilling your natural human tendency to connect.

• Read great books

I’m not saying to become an ostrich and hide from all your problems. But it’s healthy to escape to an alternate reality once in a while. To escape to a place that allows your imagination to run wild. Reading gets you out of your head for a bit and can distract you from discomfort. Find the genre that you love, curl up with a warm beverage and let the words of a good book transport you to somewhere far, far away. Let a good book alter your perspective on the world. Connect with and feel the characters.

• Practice self-care & self-compassion daily

We often feel guilty for “wasting” time spent pampering ourselves. It’s time to get rid of that mindset entirely. Time spent caring for yourself is an investment. You can’t help others until you’ve cared for yourself. Realize and truly understand that you are worthy of good things. You are whole and complete without relying on external validation. Learn to love yourself and learn how to be content with your own company.

• Help others/volunteer

How do you feel after you know you’ve helped someone? If you’re like most people, helping and giving is not a completely selfless act. Surely we have good intentions when we help others. But the truth is we also benefit greatly. It makes us feel good. It makes us feel like our actions matter and that we are capable of making a difference. Being helpful is truly a win-win for all involved parties.

• Limit time spent on social media

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is a real thing. You see others going out, having fun and doing awesome things while you’re stuck alone inside. Few people are brave enough to post about the times they feel lonely or the times they’re sitting inside alone and bored. They are highlighting their lives for you, sharing only tiny snapshots. You catch only a glimpse of their bigger picture. This can be awfully misleading and can make you feel like you’re the only one not living it up all the time. It’s a natural reaction but be aware of this illusion. Limit your exposure.

• Be mindful of self-talk

Negative self-talk can get you stuck in a downward spiral of loneliness and despair. Be mindful of it and catch yourself when you begin to notice it. You are not lonely because no one likes you or because you’re a worthless outcast.  Your circumstances made you lonely and those can almost always be changed.

• Find things to be curious about/learn new things

We can’t rely on others to entertain us all the time, during every waking hour. It’s important to occupy ourselves during those times when loneliness may rear its ugly head. It’s hard to feel lonely when you’re so busy being “in the zone”. When you are immersed and deeply engaged in something, little else is on your mind. The hours fly by and you feel alive.

• Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

Loneliness and depression are two different things but each can cause the other. Ask for help when you feel like you can’t do it on your own. There is absolutely no shame in reaching out for help.
 
Where to meet people:

• Meet-up groups (Meetup.com connects like-minded people)
• Book clubs
• Volunteer work
• Your job
• Senior centers
• Faith-based communities
• Your neighborhood

You can also reach out to old friends again. Or get a dog...they are GREAT conversation starters (of course, don't get a dog just for this reason!).

Summary
You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t experience some loneliness once in a while. But it isn’t healthy to feel lonely all the time. As is the case with all of our emotions, the sensation of feeling lonely is simply a mechanism that your brain uses to inform you that something is amiss. You’re lacking something very important in your life. In order to feel better, action must be taken. Always heed the messages that your brain is sending to you. 
 
Combat loneliness as if your life depends on it, because it actually does. We’ve learned here the effects that loneliness can have on our overall health. Health problems can lead to further isolation, causing a downward spiral. Do what you can today and your future self will thank you for it! Because you deserve it.
 
What is your experience with loneliness? What do you do that helps? I’d love to hear new ideas/suggestions so please leave a comment below!

It was already the fourth time I was being summoned to assist “Margaret”. It was after midnight and all my other patients were fast asleep. Except for Margaret of course. Margaret was folding towels. Like clockwork, her agitation would begin as soon as she finished folding her last towel.
 
Margaret would start pacing the halls and walking into random rooms, frightening other patients awake from their deep slumbers. When she’d see me approach her, she’d become more anxious. She didn’t remember that I’d already helped her numerous times that same night. Her pleas to go home would start. Sadly, she couldn’t recall exactly where home might be. I gave her more towels as I lead her back to her room. I hoped this set of towels might keep her occupied for a bit longer this time. And so the night went, until she finally surrendered to sleep some time close to dawn. It was only a matter of time that night would fall again and the cycle would resume. Night after night.
 
Margaret is one of over 5 million people suffering with Alzheimer’s dementia.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, this number is expected to grow to 14 million by 2050. The cost of human suffering (as well as to our already overburdened healthcare system) will be staggering. Rather than simply brace ourselves for what’s to come, we need to do everything we can to prevent this wave of dementia from knocking us off our feet. We simply cannot afford to not take action.
 
Brain Health
When we think about being healthy we often focus on heart health and muscular strength. But how often do we think about brain health? Just as is the case with the rest of our bodies, if we want our brains to remain intact, we need to pay them some mind (pun definitely intended!). While our genes do play a role, more studies are showing that it may be a combination of genetics and environmental factors that cause dementia. This means that you can modify at least some of the risk factors to minimize your chances of succumbing to this terrible disease.
 
Normal aging and the brain
It’s quite normal for our memories to decline somewhat with age. Over time, small groups of dead cells accumulate in our brains. These are known as white matter lesions. Our brains also shrink a bit as we age. Furthermore, our neurons (brain messengers) may not be able to fire off as quickly or as efficiently as they once did. All of these factors can make it feel harder to learn new things. Yet all of these changes are considered to be normal parts of the aging process. These are gradual changes and the rate of progression depends on each individual.  Don’t worry though.  You won’t suddenly wake up one morning with a shrunken brain!
 
But if you're anything like me (which you probably are because you're reading this right now), preserving normal functioning of the brain for as long as possible is of utmost importance. If there are things that I can do to slow down the inevitable decline then you can bet that I’ll be doing everything in my power to do what it takes!
 
Dementia and abnormal changes
Dementia refers to abnormal changes in the brain. Alzheimer’s is actually just one type of dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe decreased cognitive functioning (specifically with memory loss), that greatly impacts quality of life and ability to function in daily life. Brain cells are damaged and judgment is impaired. Thought process and emotional regulation are affected as well. It’s a devastating, debilitating disease for both the sufferer and for their loved ones.
 
Take control
The good news is that many of the things that we need to do to keep our hearts healthy are the same things that we need to do to keep our brains healthy. 
 
Start doing these 5 things now to build up your cognitive reserves:
 

• Quit your vices

I don’t need to tell you how bad smoking and drinking are for your health. It used to be thought that alcohol kills brain cells. New studies are showing that while it doesn’t necessarily totally kill the cells, it certainly does damage to them. Alcohol is a neurotoxin, which literally means it’s toxic for your brain. Alcohol damages the neurons (brain messengers) that make it possible for your brain to function effectively.  

And don’t think that smoking is any less harmful. Smoking actually can kill your brain cells and prevent new ones from forming. Long-term smoking can affect memory, ability to plan and ability to pay attention. Add the normal aging process into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Quit today and give your brain a chance to regenerate before it’s too late!
 

• Cognitive stimulation
  

This just means exercise for the brain. Our brains crave stimulation at any age. What’s better, our brains are also capable of forming new cells at any age! But just as is the case with our muscles, we lose what we don’t use. Some examples of cognitive stimulation include: Playing puzzles, learning a new language, taking a course, listening to music, playing a musical instrument, pursuing artistic endeavors, engaging in hobbies and remaining socially active, to name a few. These are all great ways to exercise our brains. When choosing activities be sure to get the full brain boosting benefits by choosing interesting activities. Also make sure they’re challenging enough (but not too much!).

• Eat a brain healthy diet

There are certain foods that are beneficial for the brain. Our brains love healthy fats. These include foods with good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids like fish, nuts, seeds and plant oils (on a side note, have you ever noticed how much a walnut resembles a brain? Just sayin…). These healthy fats can help keep the cellular membranes in our brains healthy and strong. Additionally, they may help decrease inflammation in our brains and they may have antioxidant effects. Fruits and vegetables are also excellent sources of antioxidants.
 

• Get enough exercise

When it comes to brain health, few things are as important as regular movement. Exercise improves circulation. Think of exercise as a rush of water and our vessels as the hoses. When we start moving, we’re turning that faucet on, washing all those figurative cobwebs out of our brains.

We’re also discovering that exercise can help grow new blood vessels, may help break down some of those white matter lesions mentioned earlier (the cobwebs) and may decrease the risk of stroke (another common cause of dementia). Essentially every time we exercise, we’re investing in our brains. We’re building up what’s referred to as our cognitive reserves. We’ll have more to work with as our brains age, giving us a decent head start and possibly delaying the amount of decline. One of THE worst things we can do for our brains is living a sedentary lifestyle.
 

• Get enough sleep!

To add on to the last point, exercise also helps us sleep better. Poor sleep may be a risk factor for dementia. Sleep is a restorative process for our brains. It’s when our brains shuffle, reorganize, process and store all the information that we gather during our waking hours. A sleepless brain is a disorganized brain.

Sleep is critical for maintaining brain health and for keeping our minds sharp. To get the best sleep, make sure you get exposure to natural light in the morning, get adequate exercise, minimize caffeine use late in the day and stay away from those blue screens a couple hours before bedtime!
 
Don’t accept disease
There’s considerable difference between thriving and merely surviving. It’s time we increase our expectations of our health. It’s time we understand that there are many things that we can do to take control of the trajectory of our lives. Disease is a combination of non-modifiable risk factors and lifestyle choices. In fact, disease is not a normal part of aging. While we cannot control our age, our genes or our sex, we can control the actions that we take that may impact our health.  
 
What kinds of things do you do to keep your brain sharp? Is there anything that you’d add to this list? Please leave your thoughts below!