Keeping Fit? It’s All About Compromise.
February 16, 2017 by Staff
Filed under Health, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) Are you immediately filled with a sense of dread as soon as someone mentions the word ‘health’? You’re not alone in feeling that way – in fact, many people do. Today, we are so pressured by different people’s ideas of what ‘fit and healthy’ is that it can seem almost impossible to ever get it right. Sometimes, it can get so extreme that many people go the opposite way and end up completely neglecting their health. Obviously, going in either direction is far from ideal. Being too obsessed with healthy habits and exercising can be really dangerous – there is even a term for it now: orthorexia. But equally, eating and drinking exactly what you want will eventually come back to bite you. So just how can you achieve a happy medium? Well, it’s all about compromise.
Make some diet swaps
During those first few days of a new diet, most of us start out really 
committed – eating lots of salads, lean meat and rice, and of course, fruit. Fast forward two weeks in and most of us have already fallen off the wagon – usually with a takeout pizza in hand! The issue here is that your sights are simply being set too high. Going from a diet high in fat and convenience food to stripped back salad and plain meat is a huge shock to the system – and your body and brain will both know about it. Instead, learn how to compromise with your food. If it gets to lunchtime and you are ravenous, don’t deprive your body of a good meal – just be mindful of what you fill it with. Healthy doesn’t have to mean boring and yes, you can still eat sauce and carbs!
Limit your bad habits
In an ideal world, we would all be able to quit our bad habits at the flick of a switch and our bodies would be non the wiser. However, in the real world habits can be hard to kick, especially if they are just a part of your weekly life. For example, you may drink alcohol few times a week even though you know it’s bad for you. You don’t have to go cold turkey and cut it out completely – hey, studies show that red wine can even be good for you! But limit yourself to just one night out a week with friends, and remove temptation by avoiding bringing alcohol into your home. It is a similar story for smoking – if you really can’t cut down, look for a healthier alternative, such as smoking an e-liquid instead.
Don’t pressure yourself into the gym
So many people have an unhealthy relationship with the gym and with exercise. Pressuring yourself to go when you don’t enjoy can really bring your mood down – but who said that you had to go to the gym to get fit? You can get fit without even owning a gym membership and simply by making a few minor changes to your lifestyle. Go the long way home, or take the stairs. These things may not seem like much, but you will soon start to notice the effect they have on your body and mind.
Staff Writer; Charles Poole