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Why is it Difficult to Make a Lifestyle Change?

lifestyle
In a user story I recently wrote, the player said, “Making a lifestyle change is easy. What is difficult is the commitment to follow through with determination”. Rightly so, it’s indeed considered a tall order and hence, many give it up midway. Most consider it forced, rather than a positive change to bring about within themselves.

This very attitude and constant cribbing of people around me prompted me to write this piece on why is it so difficult to make a lifestyle change?

Many of us have tried it at some point in our lives. Some of us have succeeded, while many have found it extremely taxing. Making a lifestyle change is challenging, especially when you want to transform many things at once. Lifestyle changes are a process that takes time and requires support and lots of patience.

lifestyle1

Here are a few tips that you could follow from my personal experience:

1. Start Small

After you’ve identified realistic short-term and long-term goals, break them into small steps that are well defined, that can be managed and measured. If your long term goal (6-8 months) is to lose 20 kilos, then a good goal would be to reduce about 2 kilos a month in a healthy way.

Physiologically smaller goals give you a sense that it’s achievable and keep you motivated for the long term goal. Look at healthy eating options. Eat smaller, balanced meals at regular intervals. Replace a dessert with a healthier option, like Yoghurt. At the end of the month, you’ll feel successful knowing you met your goal.

2. Change One Behavior at a Time

It is said that old habits die hard. It is simply because behaviors develop over the course of time. Replacing then will take a while. Focus on one goal at a time. If need be, get professional help to understand what changes you need to bring within yourself to become healthy and fit. The problem arises when you try to change things really fast. Take it slow!

3. Have a Buddy, a Personal Coach or a Trainer

It can be anyone from a friend, to a  family member, a co-worker or your personal trainer. Your buddy and you can go for a walk, cycle or run together and keep each other motivated and charged. You can challenge each other to create some excitement in your training and make sure that it is not boring. Having someone with whom you can share your struggles and success makes the work easier and the mission less intimidating.

4. Make a Plan That You Will Stick To

You will have to devise a plan in such a way that it will be your guide. Think out of the box and have things in your plan which you have never done before. For instance, an adventure or sports climbing (artificial wall climbing). But, don’t go haywire and be specific. Manage time well.

Detail the time of the day when you want to exercise, how long you want to exercise or when you can take walks and how long you’ll walk. Maintain a diary in which all your tasks are jotted down and ask yourself if these activities and goals are realistic for you. If not, then start with baby steps.

5. Have Support Around You

Having people around you to support you while you are on your journey will keep you away from slacking. Don’t feel shy to ask for support wherever and whenever needed. If you feel you are unable to meet your goals on your own, get help!

6. Self-Motivation

All the above points will help you in your journey to change your lifestyle. But the biggest factor of all and one of the most important factor is being self-motivated. No matter how many buddies you have, no matter what support your dear and near ones will give you, no matter how good a plan you make, none of this will be effective till the time you are self-motivated and want to make the change.

Do it for yourself, do it on your own and feel good at the end of it all!

Making the changes that you want takes time and commitment. You can do it! Just remember that no one is perfect. You will have occasional lapses. Be kind to yourself. When you eat a brownie or skip the gym, don’t give up. Minor bumps on the road to your goals are normal and okay. Resolve to recover and get back on track.

If you find yourself in need of a little extra support and motivation on your journey to a healthier lifestyle, then subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here. And, if you’re looking for more tips and advice on improving your overall well-being, you can find a bunch of helpful articles here.

#BeTheForce

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Minimalist Living – Why Less is More!

minimalist living

“If you don’t know what you want, you end up with a lot you don’t,” – Well, if you have read Chuck Palahniuk’s masterpiece Fight Club, you’ll be familiar with this quote. It is funny how a work of fiction can hold so much relevance in the world we live in and maybe Tyler Durden, the film’s protagonist, was right when he said, “The things you own, end up owning you.”

How many times have you browsed through an online shopping portal and thought, “Oh! I might need a new phone”, “Wow! This is on discount. I should get this,” or just bought something that you don’t really need and it just sits on a shelf till you forget about it? No one would blame you. We’re living in the peak of consumerism where everything you need and don’t need is just a finger tap away.

Does happiness really exist in a big home with perfect flooring and matching drapes? Does it exist in a fancy car, smart electronic devices, furniture, fashionable clothes, jewellery, footwear et al? What if the answer was in the opposite direction?

When it comes to living a wholesome, healthy and holistic lifestyle, anything which is in excess is bad! Be it food, exercise, thoughts and even the things we surround ourselves with. One of the best ways to achieve good mental health is to declutter and take up minimalist living.

What is Minimalism?

Minimalism, in essence, is living with less. The whole idea is to live a life based on experiences rather than worldly possessions. This includes decluttering or minimum usage of things such as furniture, clothes, accessories, etc. It is a personal change one makes to add value to their life. You can choose what is important to you and throw away things which are not.

What are the Benefits of Minimalist Living?

Minimalist Living does involve sacrificing things you think you might need. Not necessarily the best life choice for hoarders and might seem a bit unnecessary but it needs to be done! Trust me, the pros most definitely outweigh the cons!

For instance, decluttering and reducing the number of things you own helps you focus only on the important things in life. With less distractions, you can pay attention to things that require it. This does not mean you throw out things important to you. Keep the things you really need and thrown away the things you don’t.

More space and less junk will definitely help you be more productive. A clean and organized house definitely reduces a lot of stress! More so, you have a lot less financial burdens and avoid unnecessary expenses.

How Do You Do It?  

Let’s get started! Observe your home and your belongings. Make a list of things which you have not used in a year or two. There are less chances you will need it again so get rid of it.

Here, I am sharing a sample list to help you out:

  • Unused and worn out clothes, shoes, socks, etc.
  • Excess clutter in wallet
  • Unwanted receipts, bills, papers, books, manuals, etc.
  • Old electronics/ wires/ chargers/ batteries
  • Unused and expired beauty products and medication
  • Unused stationery that doesn’t work
  • Unused cleaning products
  • Broken or unused furniture
  • Damaged plastic containers
  • Kitchen gadgets and appliances you don’t use
  • Extra towel/ cushions/ scarf/ gloves
  • Junk drawer
  • Extra bags
  • Anything that you don’t know the purpose of

Remove all of it from your home. You can donate the things you don’t need to somebody who might have use for it or just resell, recycle or repurpose it.

You’re all done! Does it feel good?

Furthermore, you can also make additional changes to keep this habit going by thinking before you buy. Don’t purchase it just because you might need it in the future or because it is on sale. Buy only when you need. Regularly keep a check and see if you’re cluttering again.

In the next article, we will explore the wonderful benefits that minimalism offers and how it can help your health and life!

Stay tuned and #BeTheForce!

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Your Guide to Growing Microgreens

microgreens

Growing your own plants can be a therapeutic experience but most of us don’t have that luxury due to lack of space. What do you do then? The answer lies in microgreens! With a little effort, you can not only add new aesthetics to your home with minimum space requirement but also enhance your health and wellbeing.

What Are Microgreens?

Microgreens are basically seedlings of vegetables and herbs. When they are grown up to 2-3 inches tall, they contain more nutrition than their grown up counterparts. They are harvested at a very early stage unlike mature vegetables or herbs.  Those mini nutrient dense plants are called microgreens. Microgreens, like other indoor plants, play a vital role in providing a pleasant and soothing environment one can live, work and relax within. Microgreens can be grown from any herb or vegetable.

Some commonly grown ones include:  

  • Amaranth
  • Basil
  • Broccoli
  • Coriander
  • Fenugreek
  • Fennel
  • Garlic
  • Mint
  • Mustard
  • Onion
  • Radish
  • Wheat

What Benefits Do They Provide? 

  • Microgreens contain 4 to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts.
  • They are incredibly rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, essential amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants that boost the immune system, improve cardiovascular health, and lower inflammation.
  • Expensive multivitamins, minerals and other supplements to promote health will no longer be required if we add a variety of microgreens to our regular diet. Just a few grams of microgreens can be enough to get your daily dose of essential nutrients.
  • Growing microgreens at home is inexpensive, requires less space and low attendance. More so, you reap something of high nutritional value which is free from toxic chemicals and pesticides
  • Microgreens give a distinctive flavor and can make any dish exotic.

How Do We Use Microgreens? 

There are many ways in which you can use microgreens. Some of them include: 

  1. Blending them in a smoothie 
  2. Make a soup with other veggies
  3. Use them in a salad
  4. Add to lentils in Khichdi 
  5. Use them as dressings or garnish 
  6. Add them to flour for some tasty vegetable chapati instead of a regular one 
  7. Use them in sandwiches, pizzas, burgers or tacos

How Can You Grow Them at Home?  

Growing your own microgreens isn’t a difficult ordeal. All you need is just soil, a pack of seeds, a tray or a pot or any disposable small container. 

Steps to follow: 

  1. Take a clean container or 10×20 tray and make holes in the bottom to provide proper drainage.
  2. Cover the bottom with moisturized soil or potting mix, putting 1 or 2 inches of it.
  3. Even the surface out and make sure you don’t press the soil too hard.
  4. Spread the seeds over the soil and press them gently with your fingers.
  5. Cover the seeds with another thin layer of soil. 
  6. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and keep it in the shade so it can germinate. 
  7. After a couple of days, your seeds will have germinated. Take the lid off and expose it to sunlight. 
  8. Around a week after you uncover your trays, they should be ready to harvest.

They are pretty nice on pots as well as palatable on your plate. So get free of those expensive ornamental plants and get to grow these versatile ones. Growing your own plants and consuming them provides a different kind of satisfaction. 

Which microgreen are you keen on growing? Let us know in the comments below! For more guidance on growing your own microgreens ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce  

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2 Breathing Techniques For Better Sleep

breathing techniques for better sleep

Do you have trouble getting sleep despite the fact that you are tired? Sleeping well is an art. It needs a perfect blend of healthy habits and control of mind. A clean body and mind, relaxed mood, physical exercises, and perfect dietary control are some of the basic sleep-inducing methods. However, one of the best ways to bring the body into its relaxed state is – BREATHING! How do breathing techniques for better sleep work? Let’s find out!

Breathing Techniques For Better Sleep

Breathing deeply has been proven to affect the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system and even the expression of genes. Research has shown that breathing exercises like Pranayama can have immediate effects by altering the pH of the blood, or changing blood pressure. But, more importantly, they can be used as a method to train the body’s reaction to stressful situations and dampen the production of harmful stress hormones and help induce sleep.

Here are 2 important breathing methods to calm the mind and induce sleep naturally.

1.  The 4-7-8 Technique

How To Do It?
This process is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, a practitioner and teacher of integrative medicine for the last thirty years. To do this exercise, sit up in bed with your back straight or lie down on a straight back and press the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth right behind your front teeth. Maintaining that position, close your mouth and inhale through your nose for four counts, hold that breath for seven counts, and then exhale through your mouth around your tongue for eight counts. Repeat this pattern until you have completed four full breaths.

How It Works?
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is effective because it encourages the fast removal of carbon dioxide. Doing so equates into a better preservation of the bicarbonate pool; our reservoirs for helping maintain an appropriate pH balance. Also, it allows the lungs to become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm.

2. Left Nostril Breathing 

How To Do It?
Simply take your right hand and with your fingers outstretched, block off your right nostril by putting gentle pressure on it with your right thumb.  Be sure to keep the rest of your fingers straight and pointing up. With a long, slow, deep breath, gently inhale through your left nostril.  Then, just as gently, exhale long, slowly and completely, again through the left nostril. Do this for at least 3 minutes; chances are you might doze of even before that!

How It Works?
When we’re under stress or feeling anxious, we tend to breathe mostly out of our right nostril, which is connected to our left brain. This activates our sympathetic nervous system, the channel responsible for the classic stress response – dilated pupils, increased core temperature, sweating, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. And when we start breathing through the left nostril the parasympathetic system gets activated which slows us down and helps our body automatically run its day to day jobs of digestion, elimination, sleep cycles and more.

Apart from these 2 breathing techniques for better sleep, you can also try meditation or mindfulness by just observing your breath as it goes in and as it comes out. Connecting with this rise and fall of the breath, and noticing where you feel that breath move within the body can help you begin the process of relaxing tense muscles and create a coherent heart pattern which brings an instant state of tranquil and helps you drift off to peaceful deep sleep.

We hope this article helps you sleep better! Do you meditate before you go to bed? What helps you sleep better? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on sleep, check out Healthy Reads or you can get tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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