Dec 27, 2022 | Health & Fitness
Looking to start a healthkick on January 1st (or 2nd due to the hangover) as your NYR? You’re not alone. Sadly, though, the majority will be destined for failure.
Very simple mistakes could instantly limit your hopes of success. Here are five of the most common issues that may potentially hold you back. Go the extra mile to avoid them all costs and you’ll be far more likely to see positive results.
#1. Focusing On Restrictive Behaviors
Many people think about weight loss or making restrictive changes like not drinking alcohol in January. Moderation is important. But the limiting behaviors will often result in temporary progress followed by future regression. For true success, you must focus on a lifestyle upgrade.
Rather than removing the things you love from your diet, you should focus on the items that can be added to your diet. This allows you to develop a healthier relationship with food. And make smarter decisions without cutting anything out. Similarly, you should focus on the positives that exercise brings to your life rather than what it might stop you from doing.
A strong mindset is the greatest tool at your disposal by far. The sooner you embrace this, the sooner your journey will become smoother.
#2. Your Training Isn’t Tailored To You
It is very easy to throw yourself into training routines that you think will deliver the biggest results. However, consistency is king when looking to transform your body or lifestyle for the better. Therefore, it’s vital that you find a strategy that is truly tailored to your needs and enjoyment.
For starters, you must take your physical limitations into account. Choosing senior exercises, for example, can help prevent injuries while also working on issues like bone density. Meanwhile, if you hate running, it makes more sense to focus on incline walks or swimming as well as strength training. If you don’t enjoy training, you’ll inevitably give up within weeks.
Conversely, training that is tailored to you will encourage sustainability. For this reason, you will also need to consider your schedule.
#3. You Are Too Focused On The Scales
Success can be defined in many ways. While most people will use the scales as a useful tool, it should not be the only factor. If you feel happier with your appearance and healthier as a result of the healthkick, it’s a winner. The scales are only truly significant if you were obese at the start of a cut.
If you could see what a pound of fat looks like, you’d see that even a small loss is an achievement. Likewise, toning up could see you gain muscle simultaneously, meaning your weight won’t fall. As such, setting performance-based goals for workouts can be vital. Especially when combined with focusing on how you look and feel rather than the scale.
Shifting your mindset in this way can feel a little strange. However, the results of mastering it are too big to ignore.
#4. There’s No Social Element
Your healthkick is a personal challenge, but you don’t have to face the journey alone. Working out with friends could manifest as taking a group exercise class or playing team sports. The social edge gives you an extra incentive to stay on track while it can also provide an outlet to pick up valuable tips.
A social element can also add a sense of healthy competition. This drives you on to take accountability for your healthy living journey while also supporting friends. Other ways to add a social element include cooking with the family or hosting dinner parties with other healthy living fans. You could even arrange fitness-based retreats or days out.
This is a simple step that will make you hold onto the new lifestyle even when your routines become difficult.
#5. You Don’t Want It
The harsh reality is that you cannot change your life unless you actually want to. There will be times when healthy living feels difficult or inconvenient. Only a genuine passion, along with belief in the process, will lead you to success. Without those features, you will inevitably fall back into old habits.
Your motivation could come from several sources. Whether it’s playing a more active role with the kids or building self-confidence doesn’t matter. Once you unlock the true source of ongoing motivation, it can be used to keep you on the right path at all times. Even when you really do not feel like hitting the gym or making the healthy meal choice.
Starting a healthkick because you feel like you should simply won’t work. But when you combine motivation with a defined strategy, success will follow.
Dec 12, 2022 | Health & Fitness
t’s no secret that healthy habits are key to a good life. When we’re taking care of our bodies and minds, we’re able to accomplish more and feel better both mentally and physically. In this guide, we’ll discuss some tips for developing healthy habits that will improve your well-being overall. We’ll cover everything from diet and exercise to stress management and sleep hygiene. So whether you’re looking to get in shape, reduce stress, or just generally feel better, keep reading for helpful advice on how to make it happen!
Start Small:
One of the most important things to remember when developing healthy habits is to start small. Instead of making drastic changes all at once, focus on taking small steps that will eventually add to big change. For example, if your goal is to exercise more, start by committing to just 10 minutes a day and gradually increase your time as you become more comfortable with the routine. Also, think about breaking down large goals into smaller tasks that can be done in increments. For instance, if your goal is to eat healthier, try to make small swaps here and there instead of completely overhauling your diet overnight. Swapping out sugary desserts for fresh fruit or trading in white bread for whole wheat would be great starting points.
Medical Checkups:
One of the best things you can do for your health is to stay up to date on regular medical check-ups. This will ensure that any underlying conditions or illnesses are identified and treated early, lessening the likelihood of long-term effects. It’s especially important to get annual physicals, which can help detect any abnormalities in your body. During your physical, your doctor will review your vital signs and medical history, as well as conduct any necessary tests or screenings. Additionally, veterans may be eligible for free annual check-ups and assistance through the mesothelioma veterans center.
Daily Activity.
A healthy lifestyle requires daily physical activity. Physical activity will help reduce stress, improve overall health and keep your body strong and fit. Exercise is also important for mesothelioma veterans as it helps regulate their mesothelioma symptoms. There are many ways to get active such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, or playing a sport. Regular exercise can be tailored to any level of fitness, and you don’t need expensive gym equipment or machines to do so. Incorporating activities such as gardening or housework into your routine can also provide important physical benefits.
Healthy Diet:
Eating a balanced diet is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Eating a variety of whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods will provide sustenance and help boost your immune system and protect against illnesses. Focus on eating lots of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to ensure optimal nutrition. Additionally, mesothelioma veterans may find it beneficial to include certain supplements in their diets, such as antioxidants or omega-3 fatty acids, which can help regulate mesothelioma symptoms.
Developing healthy habits is key to living a good life. Whether your goal is to get in shape, reduce stress or just generally feel better, following the tips above can help you improve your overall well-being. Start small and remember that the little things add up in the end. Stay up to date on medical check-ups, and don’t forget to add physical activity to your daily routine.
Dec 8, 2022 | Health & Fitness
When trying to live a healthy lifestyle, it can be hard to figure out all of the things your body needs for you to feel healthy – all the while still trying to enjoy your meals. Picking up a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy food anymore, and there are a lot of great things you can eat as an alternative that will be just as fulfilling as junk food that you might be otherwise used to.
Different fruits
If you’ve never really been one to try fruit out as an alternative, it’s time to give it a shot. Giving up sugar can be tough, and it can have you craving sweet things on a daily basis – which fruit can be more than helpful with. Head to the store, pick up some strawberries, raspberries, or even blueberries and see what you can do with them. While many enjoy eating them plain, there are plenty of great recipes you can include them in.
Even if you’re not trying to completely change your diet, adding fruit to the mix can certainly help to make your meals healthier – as they come packed with nutrition and goodness that your body needs.
Smoothies
Fruit isn’t for everyone, but if prepared properly it can be. Smoothies are a great way to try out different fruits without really trying them. Blending up some fruit with greek yoghurt and some Local Hive Honey not only provides a lot of health benefits but also tastes great! A smoothie can also be a great alternative to your morning coffee, and if packed with the right ingredients might even get you through the day. The only issue is, smoothies generally don’t keep for very long, so you’ll have to be sure only to make what you can drink at the moment.
If you can store it properly, your smoothies can last for up to 24 hours while retaining all of their goodness, but that requires glass containers. It’s not too efficient to prepare one blender full of fruit if you’re aiming for it to last you throughout the week. It takes more time, but you’ll find it much better to just prepare one each day.
Dark chocolate
If you’re trying to cut out snacks and things like confectionary, it can be quite tough to stick to it. Instead, you should look for some middle ground that doesn’t completely betray your diet. Dark chocolate can be a great replacement for other chocolatey snacks, and while it might not taste the same straight away – it’s a taste that you’ll get used to after a while of giving up sweeter snacks.
Dark chocolate is also packed with fibre and antioxidants, along with a number of other minerals that can help your body to get the nutrition it needs. So while it might feel like junk food when eating it, it’s really a healthy treat that you should try to work into your daily eating habits.
Nov 22, 2022 | Health & Fitness
You do not have to struggle with your health. That is the most important thing that you should be taking from this article as you’re reading. Your health is something that you need to be taking care of as best you can, even though sometimes it’s super hard. If you feel as though you don’t know enough about your health and how to look after it, then it’s a good thing that you have come across this article, as we have all of the information that you need. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.
Get Professional Advice
First, you should be thinking about getting some professional advice. Speak to your doctor about how you are feeling, make sure that they understand all of your symptoms and how you are feeling so that they can give you an accurate diagnosis. If you get professional advice, at the very least you know that you are on the right track with what you are doing.
Be warned, they may well say some things that you are not going to be happy to hear. For example, you might have to change your lifestyle in some ways to fit the new regime of health that you should be looking at. More specifically, if you smoke then you might have to give this up. If you’re drinking alcohol every single weekend, then this might have to stop. It’s advice like this that can save your life in some situations, so make sure that you are listening.
Don’t Be Afraid To Try New Things
Another thing that you should be thinking about is trying new things. If you do the same things your whole life, you’re going to experience the same results your whole life. So, if something isn’t working with your health, then it stands to reason that whatever you’re doing isn’t working for you. We know that it can be tough to try new things, especially if you’re not a massively adventurous person, but it’s got to be done.
For example, you might want to try a new exercise regime. If you have problems with pain and you think that you can’t complete exercise, you’re wrong. You can, and you should because it will keep your muscles healthy. If you’re struggling though, you do need to make sure that you are trying out something different like swimming, as that’s generally considered the best for people with pain. Or, you might want to try a new product such as delta 9 gummies, specific types of tea, or tinctures that some people prefer.
Go Over The Basics
It might be time to go straight back to the basics when it comes to your health. You need to ensure that you are exercising regularly to keep your body and mind in the best possible condition, and then you’ve got to make sure that you’re eating the right foods on top of that. Eating a balanced diet can be tough when you don’t want to, but it’s vital for your health that you do.
Then, you’ve also got to think about things like getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and so on. These are the basics of taking care of yourself, but sometimes people need reminding of them.
Understand That It’s All About Balance
The last thing that we’re going to mention is that it’s got to all be about balance. Looking after your health is about balance, and if you’re struggling with your health then it might be the case that you’re not balancing things very well. Sit down and work out where you could be going wrong. Are you eating too much junk alongside your exercise which is why you’re not seeing results? Are you not exercising enough and your muscles are starting to get weaker? When you find the problem, fix it asap so that it’s balanced with the rest of your life.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have a better understanding of why you don’t need to struggle with your health. This is not to say that things are never going to be hard, or that everything is going to be smooth sailing in the future, but you don’t have to suffer in silence. All you need is to open yourself up, be honest about how you’re feeling, and generally stop hiding away from the fact that we all have health problems sometimes. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you see some positive changes to your health sooner rather than later.
Nov 21, 2022 | Health & Fitness
An area of beauty that many of us neglect is our hands. Our hands are so visible so often, whether we are walking or talking animatedly, that it is important they look their best if we want to make a good impression and look great no matter what.
With that in mind, take a look at my top tips for always having amazing hands:
Moisturize regularly
Your hands, like the rest of your body, need to be moisturized regularly if they are to look as smooth, radiant, and youthful as possible. However, your hands may need a little more moisture than the rest of your body.
Why? Because we tend to wash our hands with hot or warm water multiple times a day, and hot water can dry the skin out fast. Ideally, you would apply a little hand cream each time you wash, but if you can’t do that, then applying hand cream 3- 4 times a day should help.
Oh and if you have eczema on hands or some other skin condition, then be sure to use prescribed moisturizers and emollients only as many store-bought brands can cause the condition to worsen and your hands will get sore and inflamed as a result.
Wash with lukewarm water
On the subject of hand washing and heat, you do need to wash your hands regularly for hygiene reasons, but if you do not want them to dry out and crack, then using lukewarm water or hand sanitizer gel instead of hot water is a really good idea.
Get a manicure
One thing that will really help your hands to look amazing is having a regular manicure whereby your hands are moisturized and your nails are cleaned, cut, and polished if you prefer.
Hands that are looked after, and ails that are well-kempt will always look better than those that are not given much attention. Of course, if you cannot afford regular manicures, you can learn how to do your own, which will save time and money, and give you something soothing to do as an act of self-care that will improve your hands significantly.
Exfoliate
A lot of people seem to skip exfoliating their hands because they just don’t think it is necessary for some reason, But, of course, your hands are covered in skin, and any area that is covered with skin beads to be exfoliated so that dead skin cells can be removed and fresh new ones can be revealed.
In order to exfoliate your hands, simply use a body brush to scrub them at least once a day when washing, Follow up by applying a thin layer of hand cream and your hands will instantly look more youthful.
Apply vaseline
If you are going to be heading out in cold conditions during winter winds or snowy weather, for example, then mixing some vaseline with your usual hand cream and applying a thin layer will help to protect your hands from the elements, while also moisturizing them at the same time.
You might also want to wear gloves in the cold weather. Leather gloves wore over the vaseline/. Hand cream mixture will work really well, but wearing gloves or vaseline alone will also help to keep your hands protected so it is really up to you.
Cold weather can really dry out your hands, so it is important you take extra care of your hands in the winter months.
Deal with hang nails
If you have hang nails or you break a nail, then don’t leave them until later to deal with – simply ensure you always have a nail file and clippers on hand so you can fix any issues fast. The longer you leave broken nails or hang nails, the worse they are likely to get and the longer you will have to go with less-than-perfect hands.
Use a cuticle cream
If you do not want your cuticles to look bad, and if you want to ensure your manicure always looks amazing, you need to be using a cuticle cream on a regular basis – it really is that simple.
Eat a healthy diet
Eating a diet that is high in vitamins E and C, collagen and fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats, will help you to grow strong, healthy nails, that will look great whether you simply trim and buff them or have them professionally painted.
As you can see, taking food care of your hands is actually really simple, so what are you waiting for?
Nov 17, 2022 | Health & Fitness
Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean your brain has to go to bed as well. You can do many things to keep your mind sharp and engaged. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Take Up A New Hobby
One of the best ways to keep your mind sharp is to take up a new hobby. It could be something as simple as learning to play an instrument or taking up gardening. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could learn a new language or go skydiving! Choosing something that interests you and that you’ll stick with is essential.
Do Some Mental Exercises
Just like you need to exercise your body to stay in shape, you need to exercise your brain to keep it sharp. There are many ways to do this, from doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku to playing memory games or learning how to solve Rubik’s Cubes. In addition, some apps and websites offer brain-training exercises designed to keep your mind sharp.
Socialize Regularly
Staying social is another excellent way to keep your mind sharp. Meeting up with friends for coffee or going out for lunch are all great ways to stay connected and engaged with the world around you. You could also join a book club or start volunteering—which are excellent ways to meet new people and learn new things.
Eat Healthy And Stay Active
Eating healthily and staying active are essential to keep your mind sharp in retirement. Eating a nutritious diet and regular exercise help to improve blood flow to the brain, which helps keep your mind strong and focused. So, ensure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet, and aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
Take Some Supplements
In addition to eating a healthy diet and regular exercise, consider taking some supplements to help keep your mind sharp. Several supplements are specifically designed to improve cognitive function, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and ginkgo Biloba. Kava is another supplement that’s often taken for its ability to enhance mental clarity and focus. You can buy kava online or at most health food stores.
Travel Often
Of course, one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp is to travel often. Seeing new places and experiencing different cultures is a great way to stimulate your mind and learn new things. So, if you can, take advantage of your retirement years and travel as much as possible. Your mind will thank you for it!
Surround Yourself With Youthful People
One of the best ways to stay sharp in retirement is to surround yourself with youthful people. Spending time with young people can help keep you feeling young at heart, and it’s also a great way to learn new things. So, if you have grandchildren or nephews and nieces, make sure to spend plenty of time with them. You could also volunteer at a local school or community center.
Your brain can only retire if you’re working full-time. But, by taking up a new hobby, doing some mental exercises, socializing regularly, eating healthy, and staying active, you can help keep your mind sharp well into retirement age!
