Change is coming

It’s another new year and, by all accounts, I should be making a list, no not for Santa, but for me.

I know, I know — we all promise ourselves after we have stuffed ourselves silly and to overflowing over the holidays — that we will get into shape for the coming summer beach sojourns.

Luckily, I am not a beach bum and at my age, fitness is really about staying healthy so I can do what I love doing, hopefully with the bonus of a beautiful body.

“Any fitness lifestyle starts one day at a time — you start with day one and then you keep going,” is the constant reminder of my fitness trainer Paolo Villarroel. “Keep the fitness program simple and enjoyable so that it will be something that will keep you focused throughout the year.”

If there is one thing I have learned over the last 25 years of my life, it is this — fitness is my lifestyle; it’s not something that I get into only when I need to shed a few or a lot of pounds. Living healthy includes both what I do and what I put into my body. And, more importantly, it is enjoying both the workouts and the meals — that matters. Diets suck so never get into that crash diet — because more often than not, it works for a few weeks and then bam! Let go and you are back to where you started.

My friends always tell me that they want to try something out in the gym, perhaps a workout that is fit only for the twentysomethings, and then they get discouraged because they don’t see results or can’t keep up with the millennials so they tend to drop off.

My advice to them: Going to the gym is just one part of the health equation. Drinking water and eating good food make up the other half. Above all else, taking it slow and gradual is the wisest way to reach better health.  Any improvement, no matter how slow, is a step in the right direction.

And, yes, I do have a list of seven things that I hope will continue to keep me inspired to live healthy in 2017.  And, I have neither scientific breakthrough nor will I say anything new — but I hope these tried and tested ways help.

1. The simpler, the better. Complicated is a turn-off. So staying healthy is really all about keeping things simple and easy. One healthful tip is to begin each day with a healthy breakfast. Chop a few fruits and throw them in a bowl, check out the grocery for a healthy cereal, try oatmeal —  you get the drift. Just make sure to put something healthy in your body before you head out to start the day.

2. Move. Do something physical every day, no matter how small.  Take a walk, even if you do it inside your room, your house, your garden. Try it out even for 10 minutes — too long? Try five minutes. Moving is good for your mind, for your body, and for your spirit!

3. Hop on social media. I have seen a lot of people post their fitness goals on social media, I think it’s a good idea because it can help keep one motivated — like a promise made in public, I guess.  Go ahead; announce your fitness goals on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

4. Fitness everywhere and anywhere.  Touch your toes, but if you can’t do it on the first try, try to do it every day until you can. Stretching keeps our bodies flexible, relieves muscle tension, and improves posture.  Stretch while waiting in line at the supermarket. Take the stairs. Squeeze your lower abs, then release, while stuck in traffic. These might seem like small moves — but any movement, no matter how small, makes for great exercise time.

5. Share a health tip. It is always inspiring to see someone eating healthy — and people inspired by a healthy post would be happy if they could do the same — because it is really easy to do.

6.  Eat your veggies. That’s the vegetarian in me talking. I don’t need to tell you how healthy eating vegetables is — you already know that.

7. Make time for silence, prayer or meditation: Health isn’t just about the body, it is also about the spirit.

Here’s to better health, better looks and a happier life!

And, how did President Duterte say it? “Change is coming.”

Believe it!