How to Be Healthier Without Diet or Exercise

Sometimes we can get so caught up in “health” that it becomes damaging. It’s not healthy to obsess over anything, and one of my favourite quotes to illustrate this is from tumblr. I don’t remember the exact wording but it was something like: No food is health food if you’re not healthy about the way you’re eating it. So if you eat kale because you had a piece of cake last night, and you actually hate kale; this is not a healthy behaviour. You should eat “healthy” foods because you want to, not because you feel like you should. Don’t attribute morality to foods by defining them as “good” or “bad.” This leads us to feel guilty (a topic I may have to write another post about.) Eating processed foods once in a while will not kill you. Devouring half a cheesecake could fuel your next workout. A 10 minute stretching session might make you happier than an hour of lifting weights. Being healthy is different for everyone; and I strive to find a balance in all things.

So if you’re sick of reading about exercises to grow your glutes, or recipes without gluten, here’s a list of non-traditional ways to be “healthier”:

• Drink more water (down a glass as soon as you wake up, and sip on warm tea before bed)
• Resist the urge to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror (of course you should admire the goddess that you are, but don’t feel the need to check on those micro-zits or flyaways every five minutes)
• If you don’t know much about a random topic, take the time to research it and educate yourself
• Take a break from your phone for the day (or choose one app to ignore for a full 24 hours)
• If you ever feel anxious or guilty about missing a workout, it means its time to skip a workout!
• Resist the urge to turn up the heat on your shower (cold showers help wake you up in the morning, improve circulation, help the environment and remind you to be grateful since hot showers are a luxury)
• Go for a walk by yourself with or without a destination in mind
• Enjoy a restful sleep (you may be surprised at how sleep-deprived you are, and how beautiful it feels to be well-rested)
• Give back (volunteer at an animal shelter, make a meal for your family, donate to an organization, visit your grandparents, plant a tree?)
• Meditate 🙂