It’s natural to become focused on the big things in your life, and worry about the outside forces and the reality of stress. But a few simple lifestyle actions can give everyone more control over attitude and energy, while reducing and managing stress and fatigue. These activities give you a strategy to enjoy key personal relationships, inject you with natural vitality hormones, while connecting you with powerful creative and intuitive powers inside.
- Set aside half an hour every day for yourself. Wake up 30 minutes early and go for a walk, run, or other exercise. While the exertion will wake up muscles, you’re away from the phone, and can let the mind be free. Most who start with a blank mental state finish their exercise session with the day planned, and a few new ways to deal with problems. Others like to walk during lunch hour, while munching on an energy bar. This can clear out morning stress and prepare mind, body and spirit for the afternoon. Many evening exercisers believe that the weight of the days stress is erased or contained with the after work workout.
- Don’t sit—walk! The addition of a few extra short walks, throughout the day, will energize the body and activate the mind. Park farther away from work, the food store, the transit station, etc. Many of the clients I’ve worked with use a step counter for motivation and calorie counting. It helps to find one that is consistent and reliable (usually @ $30.00). Shoot for 10,000 steps a day. You are rewarded for getting out of your chair (or the couch) more often. These short walks burn fat, which adds up. But the best reward is the head clearing effect, which can power you through the mid-morning or mid-afternoon energy crises. Even a 3-4 minute “recess” walk at work, can help you think better, infusing energy and confidence. The best part is that you feel better.
- Eat more frequently. Each time you eat, even a small snack, you receive an energy boost. The longer you wait to eat, the more likely your metabolism will slump into drowsiness and laziness. This also means that you’re not burning many calories. If you divide up your daily calorie budget into 6-9 snacks a day you’ll burn more fat (up to 10 pounds a year). Eat a snack every 2-3 hours, and you can feel better all day. It helps to choose foods that have (percentage of calories vs total calories) about 20% proteins, about 15% fat and the rest in complex carbohydrate. This combination will leave you satisfied longer with fewer calories consumed. To experience a fat loss, consumption can be managed through websites or journals.
- Help someone exercise. The psychological benefits are significant when you help someone improve the quality of their life. Offer to walk (run, hike) with your spouse, parent, friend, co-worker, child – or all of the above. My books WALKING & GETTING STARTED have proven programs with motivation which can lead you and your “coach-ee” through training. See http://jeff-galloway-e-shop.mybigcommerce.com/books-dvds for these and other books.