Be Happy Be Healthy - Be the happiest and healthiest you have ever been

 

Step One - Stimulation

"Use it or lose it" really does apply when you are talking about the human body. Body bits such as muscle and the brain need to be used otherwise the body sees no point in maintaining them and they shut down or waste away. This leads to fatigue and apathy, making it even harder to get moving and thinking. Your body was designed to be used and keeping it both physically and mentally challenged and stimulated keeps you in full working order. Being active also makes you feel happier, releasing wonderful feel good endorphins that range from mildly pleasing to fantastically wow. Making time for health can be hard but you don't need to spend hours down the gym or read the entire works of Shakespeare to improve mind and body and let's face it who would want to. Just increasing your overall everyday activity levels will make a big difference long term.

Here are some suggestions -

  1. Buy a step meter and see how much you walk in a day. The healthy rate is 10,000 steps but don't despair if you are initially way below that.
  2. Set yourself an achievable weekly target to increase your steps while fitting into your lifestyle. You could – take more stairs, dance in front of the photocopier, move about while you wait for the kettle to boil, take the kids to the park, find little ways that suit you and make them as much fun as possible.
  3. Instead of watching your favourite TV programme slobbed out on the sofa, buy a fit ball and bounce around the living room.
  4. Get a group of friends, neighbours or family together and start your own fitness group. Arrange to meet after you have dropped the kids of from school, after work or at weekends and try a range of activities out.
  5. Instead of the usual big meal out with drinks to match, arrange a social event around an activity like paintballing, bowling or going to a theme park. Much more fun and you are more likely to remember it!
  6. Don't forget to exercise your brain. Why not try an activity that helps you learn a new skill or introduces you to new people such as amateur dramatics or belly dancing.