This is a great article written by Dana Brown
With an estimated 13 percent of the global total of obese individuals living in the United States, it’s no wonder so many people are taking steps to get healthier these days. From hitting the gym to cutting back on portions, there are several ways you can focus on getting fit.
But what you may not know is that it’s not all about losing the weight. It’s also important to take care of yourself mentally and emotionally. Practicing self-care can help boost your self-esteem, get active and keep up with social relationships, all of which can keep you motivated when it comes to getting healthy.
Depression and anxiety are two big factors in fighting the obesity battle. In fact, they are often linked individually as leading to the other. From ObesityAction.org:
“People affected by obesity are often self-conscious about their appearance or their physical abilities. They withdraw or are excluded from social activities. They find themselves feeling more isolated from friends, co-workers and loved ones. All the while, their feelings of self-worth continue to fall. At the same time, obesity is affecting other organ systems, causing shortness of breath, aches, sleep troubles, chest pains and digestive problems – all of which can trigger feelings of sadness and despair, hallmarks of depression.”
Here are some of the best ways to fight obesity, mood disorders and inactivity by boosting your overall wellness.
Get educated
It’s important to learn proper portion size when it comes to food. For instance, your protein should be about the size of a deck of cards, while fruits and veggies should make up most of the room on your plate. It’s also a good idea to learn how to properly read a label. Even if you think you understand the info, consider doing some research online to make sure.
Pay attention to serving size. You need to know how to determine whether something has too many carbs or too many grams of sugar. Getting educated will help you to boost your confidence when it’s time to go food shopping, and it’s something you can share with your loved ones.
Get organized
One of the biggest complaints busy individuals have when it comes to eating right is that they just don’t have time to prepare a meal with lots of ingredients. While it can cut into your schedule, getting organized will both save you some time and help boost your mental health–a win-win.
Say no to fast food and cook at home instead. How can you make this easier on yourself? Re-organize your kitchen. Change things up to make them work better for you, including buying a new knife set to slice fruits and veggies, adding shelves in the pantry and throwing out all the junk food you’ve been saving for a rainy day.
When you have a clutter-free room full of healthy stuff to eat, you’ll want to spend more time there.
Put down the screen
It’s one of the hardest things to do, and one of the most important for your well-being. Putting down the phone or tablet can help you get more active and can even affect your mental health, especially if you’re active on social media. Learn how to manage the time you spend online, especially at night, as screen-time before bed can eat into your sleep.
Learning the best ways to promote positive overall wellness can help you focus on your body and learn to listen to it, which can help you stay active and vital well into your senior years. Talk to your friends and family about what works for you and get them involved. They can help you stay accountable and motivated.
