Hey guys. It's Natalie here and there's something I need to get off my chest. It's been on my heart for a while and I feel the need to share this revelation with you, so here goes. I've come to the realization that being healthy is the worst. (Most of the time.)
Yep, I said it and I know that some of you reading this feel exactly the same way. Don't lie. There's counting calories, cutting out bad foods, working out, etc. and it's awful. Let's face it, no one likes having to be actively healthy, unless you're one of those workout crazed individuals who loves to sweat constantly. I commend you on your commitment to such a dedicated lifestyle. Meanwhile, those of us who hate working out will applaud you as we spend our days eating cake on our couches and getting acquainted with our pizza delivery guy.
However, as much it may suck, being somewhat healthy is still something we must do in order to keep living. But before you start crying hysterically and heading towards the freezer for your favorite ice-cream, here are some healthy hacks to make your active endeavors more bearable. So whether you need to be healthy to lose weight, gain weight or just feel better over all, these will keep you from going crazy to some degree.
Make healthy food that YOU LIKE.
I cannot stress this enough. There's always someone I know that goes on a health kick and only eats salad. Then they complain about the fact that they hate salads. There are plenty of options out there that are good for you as well as delicious. You could probably even find a substitute for your favorite snacks or meals that are better for you. I don't know about you guys, but I love sweets, any and all kinds that I can get my hands on. They do not, however, comply with attempting to be fit and full of life. So a good substitute for candy is eating frozen fruit. This helps me stray away from the brightly packaged chocolates and grab something better instead. I especially recommend frozen grapes. I've recently started doing this and they are great snack to grab at any and all points during the day. There's no prep time and it makes it good for people who are on the go.
Make your workout into something you enjoy.
There is nothing worse than running continuously on a treadmill while having to stare at a blank wall for the duration of your workout. Working out doesn't have to be that monotonous. Grab some friends and play a pick-up game of your favorite sport. Have a dance party. Use a workout app and complete the sets while watching your favorite movie. Highly recommend Harry Potter for this one. Nothing gets me hyped up and ready to workout like watching Harry, Ron, and Hermione run around kicking Voldemort's butt. Rating: 10/10.
But I digress.
Find a buddy to keep you accountable.
Having sufficient will-power is a real life achievement. An achievement that I am not ashamed to say that I am lacking. If I even have an inkling of quitting enter my mind, I will. I'll stop my workout in the middle of a set and come up with some excuse to justify my decision. It's horrible and it took me a long time to admit that I needed someone else around to keep me straight on my health track. So my friend and I became each other's accountability partner and working out and eating right has become significantly less daunting. There's always going to be someone you know who's willing to struggle alongside you. You just need to find them and suffer together.
Take a break.
You can't keep going on and on forever without the occasional treat. People who try to do this are often the first people to quit. So take a day out of your week to do something nice for yourself. It could be a meal at a favorite restaurant, a nap after a busy week, or just a long phone call with a friend. Who knows? But do something that makes your heart smile and lets your body rest. You'll thank yourself for it in the long run.
