Nowadays it’s very difficult not to see an advertisement trying to offer you the world on getting in shape. Whenever I watch TV, I constantly see advertisements offering me the latest tools to get a sick pack, and the latest videos to stay in shape. I even see commercials promising consumers the healthiest and greatest bodies by just drinking chemicals and intoxicating their bodies with junk.
My approach to all of this is to exercise and eat healthy, and if you commit to both of those objectives, you will stay in shape and feel great.
Working out… for free
I define exercise as non-sedentary movement. What I mean by that is, if you walk to work and your office is 2-3 miles away from your house, that’s exercise. If you help your friend move and lift a lot of heavy boxes, then that’s also exercise. Anything that goes beyond sitting on your couch playing video games/watching television is exercise. I happen to bike 9-10 miles to work 3 times a week and save money on gas while staying in shape. It’s a very rewarding feeling to stay in shape and save money!
Avoid Bad Food… for free
Eating healthy I would define as avoiding excessive doses of sugar and carbohydrates. This doesn’t eliminate consuming these foods in your diet as everyone loves the occasional 2 slices of pizza and mountain dew; however, excessive doses of these types of foods will lead to obesity. While this isn’t necessarily free, there are plenty of cheaper/healthier options to eat to stay in shape. Next time you’re debating between the ginger-ale and the cup of water, choose the water… because it’s healthy and more importantly… free!
Sleep More … for free
I find that people get very stressed out when they do not sleep enough. The reason for this is that people need sleep to stay healthy and let their bodies recover from the previous days work. I have also found that most people are unproductive after certain hours in the evening and that they are usually wasting time on the internet. Instead of wasting time/being unproductive, I just go to sleep earlier… for free! I feel better the next morning because I have slept more and I am more prepared for what lies ahead of me.
Treat Others Nicely… for free
I find also that people are stressed out from social situations that cause stress in their lives. The ideal for everyone is to avoid all stressful situations and one way of improving and attaining that outcome is by just being genuine and kind to others. As a general rule, if you treat others politely while dealing with them in any situation, they will usually reciprocate because being polite can be contagious. My recommendation is to always be polite to others. It avoids most unhealthy stressful situations and will make you happy.
