Change, and for the better.

I’ve been more focused on my health lately. I’ve been getting increasingly annoyed at myself for my sedentary life and lack of focus on my nutrition. Lately, I’ve been reading books and blogs that prominently feature people who are working to make themselves better (physically, psychologically, socially, etc.) and it’s inspiring me to do the same.

I’ve been thinking about ways to make my life healthier physically, and honestly there’s no reason I can’t achieve those ways with only a tiny bit of willpower. I don’t lead a terribly unhealthy life to begin with, so the steps to changing are not difficult. I’ve decided I should:

1. Drink more water.
2. Try harder to stay within my daily Calorie range (about 1900 for my body type, age, and lifestyle).
3. Take a daily multivitamin and a fish oil supplement.
4. Switch to eating more whole grain/low fat foods, instead of white bread, white rice, etc.
5. Take a daily walk or visit the gym a couple of time per week.
6. Get outside in the fresh air and sunlight a little more often.

As I said, these are not terrible onerous goals. Things like drinking more water, taking a multivitamin and getting outside more often are practically effortless. Staying within my Calorie range is probably not hard – my preliminary research shows that I’m probably right around it each day anyway. Switching to slightly different foods might be slightly more challenging. I share most of my food and meals with Ben, so that step requires his approval as well. Given his perpetual stomach issues, it would probably be a good thing to switch away from more processed foods anyway and onto healthier whole grains.

The most difficult step for me to complete is exercising more often. Even just taking extended walks outside or visiting the gym once or twice per week are difficult activities for me. I always think of something else I want to/need to do. I make other excuses. I’ll do pretty much anything instead of exercise.

I think there are three things that primarily stop me from exercising: boredom, laziness and fear. Going to the gym is boring for me. Even with my headphones on. Even with something to think about. I know it’s worth the couple of hours a week in the long (and short) run, but I can’t help thinking about all the other things I could be doing with my time. I’m also lazy. If I get home, sit down and start something, I don’t just want to interrupt my evening to go to the gym or out walking. This is just purely inexcusable, and working on getting rid of my laziness will probably help in other aspects of my life, too.

The last reason is fear. Well, it’s not exactly fear, more like annoyance at the permanence of my existence. I’m worried to start getting healthier because I know that regardless of how healthy or fit I am, I’m not going to look like Megan Fox or Alessandra Ambrosio, or any pretty, trim, fit lady I see walking down the street. I’m worried that I’ll get to my body type ideal and, well, I’ll still be me. Not something spectacular. C’est la vie.

I’ve also recently thought about some mental and spiritual cleanup I can do for myself. I’ve been writing more often, which is very good, but there are things I could focus on in life to make myself happier. Mainly, finding out how to be happy by myself. Thinking of things I can do (like writing) in a solitary state, to strengthen myself. I haven’t thought as much about this aspect of my total makeover, but some things (again, not very onerous things) spring to mind: taking more alone time to think and organize my thoughts, reading books that are new to me instead of stagnating in old ones (now, I think it’s perfectly fine to re-read favorite books as long as you read new ones, too), varying my writing styles and topics, getting up earlier in the morning, connecting with friends I don’t see a lot.

Change is hard for me. Even very small and good change. So… this will be interesting.