3 Healthy Habits to Develop when LIFE IS BUSY!
Some of the biggest reasons why we don’t prioritize our health is because we simply get distracted from all the competing commitments we have in our lives. We all want to be healthy, fit, confident and happy but our mind gets too caught up thinking about the past or the next move in your life. The reality is all the power we ever have in this life is what we do NOW.
If you feel sick and tired and you don’t want to anymore, make a choice NOW that can start a chain reaction of change. Whether it’s big or small, any action will have an outcome. Remember though, doing something a few times is usually not enough to create impact so adopt a marathon mindset and do smaller actions over time. As you perform new actions, you develop new habits that begin to stick.
So when life is busy, try to develop these THREE habits!
1) Set Alarms to Remind Yourself to EAT!
Missing meals is one of the biggest limiting factors when people get too busy. When you’re body is deprived of nutrients, it can’t function normally. Every cell in your body needs nutrients from foods to perform its tasks like create energy, transport oxygen, multiply and regenerate. We can see why feeling sick and tired is simply a result of malnourishment down to the cellular level.
The first action to take is to plan how many meals and snacks you want to eat or drink a day. They set an alarm for the times you think you’ll be able to realistically have them MINDFULLY and PEACEFULLY (not while doing something else). Then when the alarms go off, check to see if it’s ok to stop what you’re doing and eat something healthy.
Just be sure to space your meals and snacks 2-3 hours apart. One hour apart is to soon to eat again and 4 hours is too long to eat. If you’re able to, eating 4-6 times a day is actually normal. Creating a naturally appetite, eating smaller portions and feeling sustained energy are just a few benefits that will begin to appear naturally over three months of continuous effort!
2) Fill Up and Carry a Large Container of WATER!
When we get so busy, we’ll choose to run on caffeine and sugar to keep us wired but the truth is that water has all the energizing power to run your body at maximum efficiency. The habit of running on stimulants and sugar while under bouts of stressful life situations creates the perfect formula for extreme dehydration but instead of reaching for water, we’ll reach for more sugar and more caffeine.
I’m guilty 100% of this habit. I love feeling wired and having something to help me feel “in the zone” but I know it comes at the cost of the hydration of my body. The body absolutely cannot be at its optimal level when water levels are low. Our body is 70% water, we need it for hundreds of operations going on inside the body. You’ll actually feel more exhaustion, body fat gain and muscle loss when you’re dehydrated. Your body pretty much breaks down without sustained hydration.
The first action to take is to buy and carry around a large container of water and drink it whenever you see it. Water drinking is one of those habits where if “it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind”. You have to make sure the container is within your peripheral vision at all times! Not under your desk, in the other room or on the kitchen counter; this thing should be right in front of your face. Just because the container is with you all the time, you’ll begin to create the habit of choosing water over useless drinks.
3) Stretch, Foam Roll and Breathe for 10 Minutes Before Bed!
STRESS, TENSION. TIGHTNESS. You know what I’m talking about. This is the outcome of a long, crazy and exhausting day. If this is the first time someone told you about this habit, imagine how many years you’ve been carrying tension in and out of your body. Our mind whirls at 1342 miles an hour but we never give a chance to dump out, filter or allow thoughts to quiet down. When we sleep with our constant racing thoughts, we’ll never feel recharged. Everyday is constantly trying to “catch up” with the pace of life.
Stretching and foam rolling tight muscles are great ways to relieve physical tightness and pain. You may have been on your feet all day, sitting in a chair in front of a desk, driving for hours to meetings or doing chores around the house but your body tightens up from all of that! Stretching and rolling daily encourages blood flow, muscle knot breakdown and space between tight muscles. Just by starting a habit like this, you’re significantly delaying the body from natural breakdown.
Deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation is also becoming a popular method for stress (or we can say overthinking) management. For the mindfulness part, this is all about finding your breath, becoming aware that you are a breathing animal and inviting relaxation openly into your body. This awareness creates space between thoughts and allows the mind to empty. When the mind becomes empty and quiet, your body heals and regenerates at a faster rate.
When your mind is empty, “you can see clearlyyyy nowwwww, the rain is gone” LOL but THAT’S what it’s like! Performing a 10 minute stress management routine after work before bed, is such a healthy habit to develop, especially in today’s fast-paced culture. The hard truth is that over-thinking and stress makes us look and feel “OLD”.
So start developing these habits if you’re super busy. They’re simple but if done consistently over time, you’ll see significant improvements in your health and fitness!
Thank you all for reading! Feel free to comment and ask questions. Send me any topics or questions you’d like me to write about, I’m open to anything!
- Carl Anthony Grande
Creator and Owner of Empyrea Group Training (Cedar Grove, NJ)
Follow me on IG and FB: @trainempyrean
Email me: manager@trainempyrean.com
