We all have a “bad girl” in us, and I’m not talking about the kind that plays in a band, plays beer pong, or rides a dirt bike. I’m talking about the bad girl that likes to drink, smoke, eat junk food, and stay up late. Although she may enjoy cracking open a bottle of vodka or sipping a margarita, drinking sometimes has the opposite effect and leads to weight gain, inability to focus on daily life, and a myriad of other problems.
Eventually, this bad girl just won’t go away, and she’ll start showing up in subtle ways: starting your day off with a cup of coffee, skipping breakfast or lunch, grabbing a snack between meals, and grabbing a bottle of wine to unwind after a stressful day. But just because she’s the bad girl doesn’t mean she can’t change. Weight loss, like anything else, is about setting goals and working toward them.
Here Is the Bad Girl’s Guide to Health:
- Manage stress
Stress is unavoidable. Having high-stress levels at work, at home, and even in our personal relationships are part of life. Some stressors are unavoidable, like losing a job, while others are self-imposed, like not finishing a test or losing an important piece of paperwork. Whatever the source of your stress, it’s important to know how to manage it so it doesn’t affect your health.
- Overcome anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression are two of the most debilitating mental illnesses you can suffer from. They are associated with feelings of restlessness, hopelessness, and inadequacy, among other symptoms. And sadly—but understandably—they can leave sufferers feeling helpless and unwilling to face the world. Fortunately, however, there are things you can do to treat anxiety and depression so you can reclaim your life. Start by making small changes to your daily routine, like incorporating exercise into your day. And, if you’re suffering from moderate to severe symptoms, seek professional treatment as soon as possible.
- Build self-esteem
When building self-esteem, there are two things to keep in mind: first, that self-belief is cumulative, so focusing on small improvements is a technique through which you can build self-esteem over time. And second, that self-esteem is fundamentally about what you are capable of, not who you are. In other words, it is what you do, not who you are, that contributes to your sense of self-esteem.
- Improve your sleep
Sleeping is scientifically proven to be essential to good health. Unfortunately, more than one-third of American adults don’t get enough sleep. And not getting enough sleep can have a serious impact on your health. The stress of lack of sleep can lead to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, and impaired memory and cognitive functioning.
- Achieve your health goals
Living a healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many conflicting opinions, and fad diets. However, one rule of thumb has consistently proved to be the best way to stay healthy, and these include eating well, moving often, and being active.
- Build and maintain your own fitness program
The only way to build a healthy relationship with food is to take charge. Before you can truly enjoy being fit, it’s up to you to start. Get up from your desk and go on a walk, do your own meal prep, grab a friend, hit the gym, and start with a 30-minute walk or run. Even taking small steps can help, even if it’s getting in the habit of walking after dinner with your family or walking up the stairs instead of taking the escalator.
- Eat a healthy diet
Eating healthily is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your health, lose weight, and live a longer and more productive life.
- Stay motivated
Motivation is a tricky thing, especially for people who suffer from depression. It can be difficult for anyone to want to do anything, let alone lose weight when they feel so down and hopeless. However, with a little help and motivation, anyone can lose weight and gain some positivity in their life.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
We’ve all been there: the days we wake up, and with the thought of facing another day, we skip breakfast, grab fast food for lunch, and scarf down that bag of chips for dinner, all the while blaming our weight on having too much to do and not enough time to eat well. But, in truth, we don’t have to live the life that shames us. And we don’t have to live with the health problems that result from poor eating habits. Changing our habits and lifestyle for the better is the first step toward healthy living.
Healthy living should be accessible to everyone, but in today’s fast-paced society, it is hard to find time to take care of ourselves. The Bad Girl’s Guide to Health is an ode to putting your health first. The bad girl’s way of prioritizing your health, fitness, and well-being should be available to everyone, and at its core, it is a healthy lifestyle based on discipline and self-love.
