I have been speaking at a few public events lately and each time my audience asks me how they can improve their health and happiness, despite their busy life.First and foremost I am sorry to break it to you, but there is no magic pill. You have to do the work and commit to yourself. Nobody else can do the work for you. Take your power back and take charge of yourself. Only you know your body best, so stop giving your power away to prescription drugs that come with a slew of debilitating side-effects, to your doctor, to the media or the latest fad diet and eventually blaming them for your shortfalls. Educate yourself, empower yourself.
I also recommend that you surround yourself with a system that is supportive of your health goals. You can achieve it by reading health news, subscribing to online programs, signing-up for a form or exercise you enjoy, finding a like-minded accountability partner like a family member, friend or coach, and work your way up from there. Start somewhere, anywhere, one baby step at a time.
Now if you want lasting results, you need to approach your health from a body-mind-spirit perspective, taking into account diet, lifestyle, exercise, but also prevention and self-care, because everything is connected. You can't merely count calories when you are trying to lose weight. You want to look at your exercise regimen, stress levels, body image, emotions, toxicity and the health of your guts.
In order to succeed, always keep your eyes on the WHY you are doing this. Are you trying to lose weight, age gracefully, stay disease-free, or reduce pain? Whatever it is, it will keep you motivated. With every decision you make, ask yourself: "Is this decision supportive of my health?".
To your health and happiness!
Alexandra Le Ny, Certified Health Coach & Yoga Instructor
