An Avid Gym Bunny
Meet Zoe, a 30-year-old avid gym bunny from the UK. If you could imagine yourself now being a shy and doubtful person, take Zoe for example, once she has always been the one who felt not confident enough, not good enough, was anxious and very, very shy. Now if you met her today you would see a very different person. She is growing in confidence and have a much stronger sense of self. Over the years, her passion for history has grown and she has spent a number of years working within the heritage sector. She also has developed a passion for travel and exploring as much as possible because it helps grow her mind and expand her knowledge.
But, wait, now you are probably thinking this is not about health and wellbeing and we can look at it both ways and she is here to explain why.
The Beginnings
In October 2017, she undertook a decision to join a network marketing company and began really focusing on her health and wellbeing and how she could improve it. She had been lucky enough to have many opportunities up until them to really improve but she knew something else had to change her fitness.
She had really begun to work on and she can safely say she is an avid gym bunny, but her diet wasn’t always that great. The team she joined was body smart and they used the juice plus products. You might probably think this is all about juices and that kind of lifestyle but it’s actually not. Yes, they have shakes as part of their plans, but it was about changing the relationship with food and what you put into your body.
So, she jumped at the chance to do this because she knew that she had to really work out what was more beneficial to put into her body. She never really eat a heavy breakfast, only having a banana, even though healthy, but not a very apt breakfast.
But introducing the shakes were perfect for her as she could have a much more nutritional breakfast. It’s easier for her to digest and to eat a meal. With this programme, came a full nutrition plan of what was good and what was not so good to put in the body. Then later, she learned recipes which were much healthier.
It’s good to educate how to look after your body.
The Crash Diet
Crash diets never work because you cut entire food groups out completely which is not as healthy as we need all food groups to live. Then when you introduce them into your diet again you will immediately start put back the weight on or you will feel rubbish. You need to make a lifestyle change. If you like potatoes, for example, use sweet potatoes as they are far healthier yet you still having something that you love, for example, wedges and chips are a good example of this. Another example is if you like tea or coffee swap them for decaf tea or coffee or simply use herbal teas as caffeine can overexcite the body and then later wears out the energy’s producing glands. So after a while, you crash and then you reach for the pick me up something that is going to give you the immediate boost. This is probably not the best option.
The Water Benefits
Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t always about food, it’s also about keeping hydrated. Drinking water is so vital to the day to day running of your body. You need 2-3 liters of water a day, and the benefits are endless.
Here are some of the benefits just from drinking water, amazing stuff:
- Increases brain power and provides energy
- Promotes healthy weight management and weight loss
- Flush out toxins
- Improves your complexion
- Maintains regularity
- Boosts immune system
- Prevents headaches
- Prevents cramps and sprains
Mindset
Work on developing you, find something you enjoy or what you’re passionate about. For myself, I love to meet new people, read books, embrace my spiritual side, visiting museums, traveling and meeting up with friends and family. These are so important to me because they are good for my personal development. It means that I am taking time for myself and what makes me happy. People often forget to do this or take it for granted when we should be feeling grateful that we have people around us that are amazing or we are able to go and do something that we love.
Top Tips
Don’t count calories, reduce portion, skip meals or allow yourself to get too hungry. This is counter-productive as you’ll end up eating whatever you can lay our hands on. And as much as possible try not to miss breakfast, this kick starts your metabolism and will start your fat BURNING process.
Keeping fit and active has become a passion for her and she loves to go to the gym and have a good Zumba session or to build on the muscles and the toning. This has become an important part of her life now and she couldn’t be without it. It’s great for the mind, too. And if she has had a bad day, it’s more effective to change the perception of the day in a proactive way. It’s been very common that people usually make too many excuses like it’s too expensive or I don’t have time. Well, YOUTUBE is brilliant for stuff anyone can do at home. Go for a run, it doesn’t cost anything. You can also find good stuff via Amazon, eBay, Argos to use at home. Zoe has a mini stepper and a variety of weights and finds that does the job just as well and anyone can do as little or as much as you like.
Also, you have to remember that you can’t always be strict with your lifestyle as we are human and its okay to go off track. You are allowed to have fun and have a glass of wine or a chocolate bar or a takeaway and it doesn’t mean you have failed in any way it just means you are enjoying yourself and you are healthy 80% of the time.
“Living a healthy lifestyle is about thinking about what you put into your body, moving your body and making time for you and what you enjoy.” ~Zoe Merritt
Words from The Cancer Voice Asia:
Let us always remember that self-love is the greatest medicine. Just like what Zoe said, “It’s good to educate how to look after your body.” If any of you reading this article at the moment, whether you are a healthy person or someone diagnosed with cancer, taking good care of yourself is more important than anything else. Know that physical, spiritual, and emotional health are all connected, and that supporting one support the others. Taking care of all aspects of you will increase the likelihood that you stay well as a healthy person or someone that is recovering from cancer.
Disclaimer:
Everyone is unique, and so are diet needs. This advice may not work well with you, but the important thing to remember is, your diet quality for both weight control and long-term well-being is important. You just have to find out which one works well with you.
My name is Cielo, the author of “The Cancer Voice Asia”, a blog that aims to support and inspire anyone who is facing cancer. I know how it feels to be diagnosed with a rare and aggressive type of cancer, Leiomyosarcoma, at the age of 29. I know the challenges, the fears, the hopes, and the joys of living with cancer. I want to share my story with you and connect you with others who understand what you are going through. Together, we can empower ourselves and fight against the disease. Join me on this platform and let’s make our healing journey a meaningful one.
