Living a healthy and happy life…?
Sunday I posted an article by J.J. Virgin titled 5 Daily Practices of Healthy and Happy People. Many of you viewed this article. You can see it again here: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1834
I’ve seen the author at conferences and listen to her on podcasts. She really walks the talk. I really enjoyed the article and want to share with you how I incorporate her practices in my life.
So, without further ado. Here’s what I do!
1. They think ahead
Each Sunday for the past couple of years I have set aside time to do my batch work. I wash and cut up all my vegetables and wash and dry greens in a spinner.
I use part of the greens/veggies in my food processor for making my green smoothies that I have most mornings (which I also prepare on Sundays for my breakfast for the week).
For the remaining greens and vegetables I place in a giant container. This will be my salad for lunch and vegetables for snacks. May use some of this for dinner or whatever I need. Wash, cut, and dry once and I am ready to go for the whole week!
Having my breakfast, lunch, and snacks ready to go takes all the guess work out of what I will eat. It makes it easy and convenient to consume, therefore more likely that each day I will have something healthy to nourish my body. I feel and perform better each day with the right nutrition.
2. They travel with a healthy stash
Love. Love. Love this! The “thinking ahead” really helps to do this. I generally pack my breakfast and lunch and healthy snacks every day in a cooler with icepacks (they last the whole day). For the past month I’ve really upped my vegetable intake; these beauties now travel with me and my green smoothies and salad. It fills me up and less likely to have sugar cravings. Starving before dinner? I reach for the washed and cut veggies.
3. They measure
I don’t do this on a regular basis. Rather I go off of how I feel and how my clothes fit. It is good to check in once in awhile for a dose of reality. Measurements of calves, thighs, hips, waist, chest, neck (yes the neck), biceps and even forearms. Once a month I will hop on the scale at the gym. I use the same scale each time as different scales may be calibrated differently.
4. They journal
For the past three years I have kept a journal of each and every workout I do including what I did if I was sick or had a recovery day. I include some of the foods and beverages and the timing so I can track how I felt. For instance, when I was preparing for my 12K race, I really ramped up on water intake, especially first thing in the morning. I felt great. So my journal tells me so.
5. They surround themselves with like-minded people
Being in the fitness industry it is generally easy to be around like-minded people. That may be in-person at conferences on podcasts or in books. But that’s not always easy. We are all different and at different places in our lives so this may not always be the case. For those people in my life that are on a different page, I just try to lead by example and offer my support and knowledge if they request it.
Those were J.J. Virgin’s five strategies for healthy and happy living. Of course there are many more that could be included. I will give just one more of my own.
Keep an open mind
As readers of the GreenNote Fitness newsletter, I know that you already keep an open mind. For me it means being a good listener and steward for continual knowledge. Some things can be explained completely with science while others may be in the process of being studied. While still others may completely have no explanation. Either way, I look at different angles and am open to trying new things. That’s the only way I know what will work best for me. Life is a journey and part of that journey is to learn new things.
We are reminded from Leonardo da Vinci that, “learning never exhausts the mind”.
I am hopeful that you will continue your journey of what makes you healthy and happy and that you never stop learning.
To your journey,
Lisa Schaffer
GreenNote Fitness
P.S. Checkout my Facebook page!
To your journey,
Lisa Schaffer
GreenNote Fitness
P.S. Checkout my Facebook page!
