How to Improve Your Mental and Physical Health
During the height of the pandemic, many people used their time to reflect on ways they can better themselves physically and mentally. The internet then and now is filled with new fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle posts and videos where people are sharing their tips, tricks, and personal growth stories. If you are like me and getting back into fitness and nutrition as things begin to open up more thanks to vaccines, it can be hard sorting through all the different posts and advice on ways to improve your health and wellness. To make things a bit easier for you, I compiled some of my favorite health and wellness resources you can incorporate into your routine to make some positive changes!
Fitness
There are so many different ways to get active. Whether you prefer to work out at the gym or in your living room, have lots of time to spend, or very little, there is something out there for you to get moving.
1. Virtual Workouts
When gyms were still closed here in the U.S., I had to switch up my normal workout routine and find new ways to stay active. I ended up finding guided workouts on Youtube and Instagram really enjoyable! The online fitness community is vast, and there are thousands of personal trainers, influencers, and more who post fitness tips and workouts on their accounts. There are millions of videos to choose from depending on what you are interested in. Some of the most popular guided workouts are HIIT workouts, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. These workouts most often involve little to no equipment (making it easy to do virtually anywhere) and include several short but fast-paced movements to get your heart rate up and body moving. These workouts are especially great if you are short on time as they are usually no longer than 30-minute workouts. If HIIT videos are not your style, many other virtual creators post lifting workouts you can do using equipment, cardio routines, yoga exercises, and more! Three of my favorite fitness content creators are listed below, each of these women promote positive body image, mental health awareness, and intuitive eating along with their fitness content.
Whitney Simmons (YouTube and Instagram): Posts gym workouts and HIIT workouts with and without equipment, great for beginners.
Sarah’s Day (YouTube and Instagram): Has a fitness ebook and posts her workouts on her social media accounts, has great recipes and food content as well!
Krissy Cela (YouTube and Instagram): Posts lifting and HIIT videos on her social media accounts along with recipe and lifestyle content, has content suited for beginners and advanced people.
2. Hit the Gym
If you live in an area where gyms are reopened, going to the gym is a great way to get out of the house and take some time for yourself. There are many different types of activities you can do at the gym, whether it's just cardio or lifting weights, and you can do something different every time you go. If you are someone into running and cardio, the gym has a variety of different machines where you can run, jog or walk while watching your favorite show or listening to music. If you are someone interested in lifting weights, the gym has a variety of machines and free weights to choose from. If you want some ideas on different workouts using weights you can do at the gym, check out some of the videos posted from the content creators above or look up other videos online!
3. Take a Class
Sometimes, going to the gym every day can be very monotonous. If you are looking for something new or don’t like traditional forms of working out, you should try taking a fitness class! There are so many different types of classes offered and so many different companies that offer their variation. Some examples include yoga, pilates, kickboxing, spin/cycling, barre, Crossfit, and more. Whether you are looking for something more intense or relaxing, there is a class out there for you. When I am feeling bored with my routine, I enjoy attending a HIIT class at OrangeTheory or a morning yoga class.
Nutrition
Nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all. Every person will have a diet and routine that works best for them, so the amount one person eats may not work best for you and your body. This is why it is difficult to define “healthy eating” as there are no foods that should be off-limits. If you are looking to make some changes to the way you eat to improve certain aspects of your health, you should consult with a nutritionist to come up with the best plan that suits your specific dietary needs. However, every now and again it is easy to get bored with food. So if you are like me and want to try something new, trying a new recipe is always a great way to switch things up! Websites such as Allrecipes, Delish, and Food.com, are great websites to browse when you are looking for something new. Pinterest is also a great nutrition tool, as you can search things like “quick recipes,” “three-ingredient cookies,” or simply “healthy meals,” to find thousands of suggestions of things to make.
Mental Health & Wellness
Health and fitness are not all about working out and eating nutritious food, being physically fit requires mental fitness that also needs regular exercise. Making lifestyle changes or even just sticking to a routine can be challenging, but it is a lot easier when you are taking care of your mental health and practicing self-care. Like nutrition, self-care is not a one-size-fits-all. Practicing self-care means doing activities that bring you joy and relaxation. For me, taking long walks, watching tv, and listening to podcasts are some of my favorite self-care activities. For others, journaling, listening to music, taking a bubble bath, or even hanging out with friends is their form of self-care. If you need help finding things to do that bring you joy or help you relax, here is a list of the most popular forms of self-care.
No matter what activities you choose to partake in, participating in things that are good for you and bring you joy is essential to becoming physically and mentally fit. Coming up with a routine that works for you is incredibly important, just because someone else is doing something doesn’t mean that it is also going to work for you. This month, I challenge you to explore new ways to get active, try some new nutritious recipes, and discover self-care activities that bring you joy!
Vocabulary list:
Compiled (v): collect information
Vast (adj): immense, large
Intuitive (adj): knowing something based on instinct
Monotonous (adj): lacking in variety or interest
Variation (n): a different version of something
Consult (v): to seek information or advice, to ask
Partake (v): to join in an activity
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hailey Womer is a third-year student at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York pursuing a dual major in Public Relations and Political Science. With interests in communications, public diplomacy, and politics & government, she hopes to use communication to grow the passions of the public and advocate for others. In her free time, you can find her editing social media content, engrossed in the fashion trends of the season, catching up on the latest political buzz, or on a philanthropic mission to make the world just a little bit brighter!