Changing Negative Limitations for the Better Ones
Truth be told, some of us are wired in a certain way that we choose healthy life out of fear in getting diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, obesity, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases. In the beginning, this is a good way to kickstart a way in living a healthy life. However, this mindset can become harmful for the long run, since it builds a negative respond that you only restrict yourself in consuming certain food and beverage due to the fear of getting diseases.
Many ads promote on how to lose 10 kg in just a month by just drinking herbal teas and not consuming anything else substantial. This made some people deciding to eat bland salad and drink herbal teas daily due to the obsession in cutting several pounds off their body. Unfortunately, this approach has proven result in more harm than good: you will lose the ability in controlling your appetite. In other words, you will crave to consume more food than you initially began, and this is not a healthy approach to begin with.
Instead of fearing to eat certain things due to certain diseases, the best way to indulge your favorite food without excessively depending on it is through awareness within yourself, or known as mindfulness. You have to let go of your fear in getting diseases and re-mold your mindset into: “I choose to live healthily because I want to maintain my heart condition in its best state as long as possible”.
Yes, mindful healthy lifestyle is not a sprint race, it’s a committed marathon for a lifetime. There are no concrete guidelines in finding the right motivation to live a healthy life. Let’s start with a positive outlook instead of fear and limitation.
Finding Balance in Eating and Exercising
Healthy lifestyle is incomplete without proper nutrition planning and exercise. Imagine your body as a vessel which needs a constant fuel to perform. You want your body to retrieve the best quality fuel in order to work optimally. This rule applies for everyone, not just for Olympic athletes. The foundation of healthy lifestyle starts with what you eat.

Eating and Exercising
Many people stressed out with the prospect of dieting. You either feel deprived or guilty for indulging in spontaneous treats, but it’s completely normal. Snacking is not a sin as long as you do it in a right way. The key is to control your portion. You can enjoy your pizza or potato chips sometimes, but don’t forget to incorporate it with a well-rounded healthier meal options for a more sustainable eating habit.
Aside from portion control, altering eating habit is also important. The rule of thumb is the less being processed, the better. Changing white rice into brown or black rice for an extra boost of energy without the sleepy effect which you got from eating white rice, preferring chicken breast over thigh, choosing whole wheat bread over regular plain ones, munching on dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate… the possibility is countless! Just remember to do your research and ask to a nutritionist if you’re not sure. And also, don’t be afraid of fats, because some essential fatty acid like Omega-3 is very beneficial for your health.
Whether you’re into yoga, cardio, HIIT, body building, capoeira, dancing, or everything in between, make sure you do it in a properly by doing warm ups. The training regime doesn’t need to be as long as 2 hours long per day, as you are most likely having other things to do. Being engaged in regular day-to-day activities such as doing house chores, picking up the groceries, afternoon strolling in a park, or taking an extra mile route from the bus stop to your office building also counts as physical exercise. So, don’t hesitate to roll your sleeve and getting pumped by doing extra chores for the sake of breaking a sweat.
Two (Or More) Is Better than One
The more, the merrier. Inspiring your friends and family to join the journey in living a healthier life is always a choice, especially in generating creative ways to eat and exercise. It is also a great way to create positive impact within your social circle.

creative ways to eat and exercise
Spend your time together in cooking healthy recipe that you all dying to try for, do the weekend hiking that you don’t have the courage to do on your own, plan each other meals for a week. Don’t worry about screwing during your trial and error. After all, mindful healthy lifestyle is all about exploring the most suitable approach through personal experience and simple joys in life, and everyone has different ideas in doing it.