Achieving Long-Term Health

The modern day approach to improving health is all about quick-fixes.

I understand the desire for immediate change. I mean, what else is to be expected from a culture centered around immediate gratification of our desires?

But, if you actually want to make lasting, meaningful change in your lifestyle & circumstances, you've got to recognise that fixation on short-term outcomes will often lead to unsustainable results.

If it's long-term change you're after, improving health ought to become a priority. And good health doesn't happen overnight - it's an ongoing process requiring long-term commitment.
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Prioritise Your Health

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The first step is to outline the significance your health holds to you. For change to be happen, there needs to be a real sense of commitment & understanding as to why you want it, along with a recognition that to improve it, you'll need to begin treating it as a priority.

That’s not to say you need to be running marathons, working out 7-days a week, and tracking every last calorie that you put into your body. Nobody should do that.

But, what you ought to be doing is outlinig small lifestyle adaptations that will actually be conducive to you achieving change - and then acting on them.

For instance, increase your activity levels by going on regular walks, improve your diet by being more mindful of what & how much you eat. Changes don’t need to be drastic - if they are they probably won’t be sustained. Instead, make small adjustments to your daily life & progressively increase them over time. Build the daily practice of taking your health & well-being into consideration.

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Optimise Health

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Whilst health is comprised of a multitude of different factors, it can be helpful to break it down into some broad categories, for example: Sleep, Stress, Activity, & Diet.
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Each of these are an integral aspect to our overall health & well-being. Therefore, to achieve long-term health, it’s necessary to make a commitment to optimising each aspect. Here's some quick advice on how to do that:

Sleep
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Arguably the most important & valuable tool at our disposal when it comes to health - but, also one of the most neglected & under-appreciated. The importance of sleep is vast & wide-reaching. It has direct effects on our body weight & physical well-being, whilst also affecting our mood & behaviour, which impacts decision making.

Both the quality & amount of sleep we get is highly important. To improve it, set yourself a consistent bedtime across the week, limit your consumption of caffeine past midday, limit alcohol consumption, remain active throughout the day, get plenty of daylight exposure & reduce your exposure to artificial light in the evening. To learn more about sleep, check out this blog post.

Stress

We all experience stress throughout our daily lives, it’s a non-negotiable part of human existence. However, when exist in a state of chronic stress - as many of us do - our health is significantly threatened. Check out my previous blog on stress to learn exactly how stress impacts our health.

Managing stress levels is an active process. The vital basics include: getting enough sleep, exercising, spending time in nature & improving your nutrition. Once these are nailed, you can begin including further calming methods such as meditation, deep breathing, &  journalling. 

Activity

For us to maintain a healthy body weight & feel good movement is essential. But, not only that. By engaging in frequent movement we are able to develop a greater connection to our bodies, allowing us feel good, mobile & strong.

My advice for you is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy and can incorporate into your daily life. 

I also highly advocate including some form of resistance training. The benefits of resistance training are so broad and extensive that to neglect it is almost a sin. If you’re lacking idea or inspiration for resistance training, check out my workout videos on youtube.

​Nutrition

Of course the food you eat & how much of it is also highly relevant.

Simplicity is key. Drink plenty of water. Eat real foods - fruit & vegetables, organic meats, wild fish. Avoid processed foods - nutritionally devoid, calorie-rich, and hyper-palatable (artificially designed to be highly addictive) products.

Finally, manage your portion size & consumption levels. Be responsible and practice eating until you're only 80% full.

Recognise that what you fuel your body with has wide-reaching impacts on both your body & mind. Energy levels, depression, obesity, cognitive disease - all have deep links to the food we consume.

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Shift Your Perspective

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Shift your perspective and focus on the long-term. There are no shortcuts when it comes to improving health.

Being caught-up in what you want to achieve in the short-term will rarely lead to long-term change & improvements and will likely leave you dissatisfied.

Recognise that the only way to achieve sustainable results is by adopting a long-term approach, which, as mentioned earlier, involves making lifestyle adjustments.

Don't overly fixate on the outcomes you hope to experience. Take each day as it comes, focusing on achieving small wins and enjoying the process.