“Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumbbells? To dig a vineyard is worthier exercise for men.” Marcus Valerius Martiallis

What does a healthy lifestyle mean to you?

There are a few healthy lifestyle behaviors that we all think about when we think of living healthfully. However, do you sometimes find yourself relating to the quote above?

There are so many people who equate health behaviors with boredom.

I bet you can relate to some of these following statements:

• Exercise is boring. I hate having to run in place on a treadmill for 20,30, or even up to 60 minutes in order to get my quota for enough exercise.
• Working out is be healthy is hard work! It is too painful. There is no way I care this much about exercise to go through that four times a week or more!
• Not another diet! I hate having to eat salads when my friends are all eating food like hamburgers, steak, ice cream, or soda.
• Ah! I am so hungry! If I have to drink another one of those diet shakes instead of eating a full meal I am going to scream!

I am sure at one time of another, you would have found yourself relating to one or more of those statements.

This is why I love that quote I shared with you at the beginning of this post. Even though it was written somewhere between A.D. 38 and 103, it is still completely relevant today.

We are completely beating ourselves up today. We think in order to lose weight or get healthy; we must slave away in a gym and drink diet meal replacement shakes.

Hello! Time to wake up from that delusion!

Being healthy and losing weight is not a painful experience! A healthy lifestyle is something that you should be able to stick with and enjoy!

So, what are the 4 areas to focus on in an attempt to regain your health and be able to live healthy and thin for life?

• Get moving! This does not have to mean going to the gym. If you enjoy the gym then by all means get moving! If could be as simple as taking your dog for a nice long walk in the evening! Hey, it would be great for the health of your dog as well. Think of your poor four-legged friend stuck at home all day waiting for you to get there! Whatever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy it or combine another activity to make it feel as though you aren’t painfully working out. Gardening, house cleaning, walking the mall while shopping, taking the stairs, and playing outside with you kids are all examples of activities that are not painful but will get you up and moving!
• Eat a well-balanced diet. Did you know your food choices, if they aren’t healthy, contribute directly to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes? The key for being healthy is to increase fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains in your diet and decrease processed or packaged food as well as dairy and meat, despite what the government who get money from the dairy, agricultural, and meat industries tries to sell you on what’s healthy! Stick to fresh whole foods!
• Control your weight. Did you know dieting for weight loss is the most unsuccessful intervention that is promoted to you as a healthy lifestyle choice to lose weight and prevent disease? So, how do you control your weight? When you make the switch to more activity and a better diet, your body will naturally find its ideal and (guess what?) thin body weight! So get moving and eating right so your body can do its job of getting you to a healthy weight.
• Stress Management. Did you know that stress can lower your immune system, lead to cancer, ulcers, heart disease, and obesity? The best way to help your body manage stress is to (Yup! You guessed it!) get moving and eat a healthier diet!

So how are you going to take control of your health and make sure you give your body what it needs to reach its full potential?

Leave me a comment below and let me know! I would also love to hear any healthy living questions you may have that I can answer in a future “ask amber” video!

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To your health journey success,