Living a Healthy Lifestyle

It's March! Yay! Not only does that mean my birthday and spring break are coming, it means spring itself is coming soon. Since, among other things, that means more produce will soon be in season and that summer (aka swimsuit season) is coming soon after that, a lot of people are probably setting some goals. Many of those goals may have to do with eating healthier or getting in shape.

And along the line of goal-setting, if you set a New Year's resolution this year, let me encourage you for a moment and just say that you got this. And if you're still hanging on to that goal, congrats! Most of us would be burnt out by now.

That's the problem with some of these goals. If we do it only for the reward (for example, looking what we consider "good" in that prom dress or that swimsuit), then we will burn out.

Other people may not worry about what they look like as much, and they'll say "I just want to be healthy!" And that's great! Being healthy is, of course, a good thing. Let's just all keep in mind that being healthy is not starving ourselves, or making ourselves miserable, or obsessing over exercise. It may not even mean losing weight.

I'm not here to tell you how to live a "healthy" lifestyle. don't think there is one standard of a healthy lifestyle that is the same for every person.

Some people may need to lose weight, but other people may need to gain weight. Some people who are too busy may need to cut back, but other people may need to find something to do to give themselves purpose. Some people who have high blood sugar probably shouldn't eat that gigantic piece of chocolate cake, no matter how delicious it looks. But on the other hand, if you have low blood sugar... maybe that cake isn't so bad.

I believe you should do what makes you happy. But not only that, because you also have to consider instant or delayed gratification. For example, I know that gigantic piece of chocolate cake will probably make me happy while I'm eating it, but not later on when I have a stomachache from eating too much.

Basically, if what you eat or the way you live makes you feel bad about yourself, then it probably isn't that healthy after all.

People tend to forget about mental health and only think about their physical health. But really, mental health can be just as important. A healthy lifestyle shouldn't make you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.

I think to be healthy you need to stick to what is right for you. Which also means that you need to know what is right for you- whether it's your morals, your mental state, your temptations, your medical concerns, whatever. Going through life feeling guilty, confused, or sick isn't healthy either.

If eating certain foods and exercising a certain way is what's right for you, then great! Do that. But if it's not, then that's fine too. Do what's best for you instead. Being healthy means doing what is best for your body, your mind, and even your soul.

What's your idea of a healthy lifestyle? Let me know below! And don't forget to send in Q&A questions for some upcoming posts!