We talk about health a lot on the blog, but what does it actually mean to live a healthy lifestyle? Contrary to marketing ads and magazines, and social media stereotypes, healthy living does not equate to working out every day and forgoing your favorite foods. A person doesn't need to live at the gym or only eat fruits and vegetables to practice healthy living. Instead, it's about finding balance and embracing the health and wellness practices that work for you. Most importantly, healthy living is as much about your mental and emotional well-being as the physical.
Here are just a few of our thoughts on what it means to embrace healthy living:
1. Healthy Living Is Mindful Living
First and foremost, healthy living is about living with intention. What does that mean? For us, it looks like making thoughtful health choices and lifestyle decisions. For example: prioritizing sleep. Because rest is crucial to our physical, mental, and emotional health, we take our zzz's very seriously. Hydration, meditation, and movement (not just exercise) are also important. By choosing to be mindful about the entirety of our day—not just the hours at the gym or the kitchen—we can practice sustainable healthy living.
2. Healthy Living Is Listening To Our Bodies
Moreover, healthy living is learning to listen to our bodies. Contrary to outdated fitness advice, we don't push or beat our bodies to lose weight or build muscle. Instead, we listen to what our bodies need and respond in a way that feels good and wholesome. Some days, this looks like getting in a serious sweat sesh in the gym, while other times, it means taking a rest day or going for a hike with our friends. We are practicing embodied living and wholesome wellness by listening to our body (rather than forcing it to work out when it needs recovery and rest).
3. Healthy Living Is Balance
Finally, healthy living is balanced. Sometimes we eat cake and have an adult beverage. Other times, we hit the gym and whip up our favorite organic salads. We don't punish ourselves for skipping a day of exercise or having one too many cookies at the picnic. Healthy living looks like LIVING—which includes a range of foods and physical activities. Does the scale tip towards exercise and water and plant-based goodness? Of course. But that doesn't mean we feel shame when our choices don't align with our typical habits and routines. Because here's a secret (and what the health and fitness industry fails to mention): the more we embrace balance, the more enjoyable it is to make healthy and wholesome lifestyle choices. We find ourselves working out and eating organic produce MORE when those actions don't feel like obligations.
What does healthy living mean to you? We're curious to hear! Share with us on Facebook and Instagram!
