How To Live a Healthy Life

   The first time I considered going to the gym was when I was sixteen. It was a family party night at my house and my aunt came up to me and told me I gained weight. My self esteem went down the drain and I felt so embarrassed. Even though my aunt did hurt my feelings, I can't really blame her too much because it's normal to be straight-forward and honest in the Asian culture. My uncle was always the one to point out all of the pimples I had. It's their way of saying "Go get your shit together, eat your vegetables, exercise, do well in school."

    I had to beg my mom to get me a gym membership because she didn't want to pay for it or drive me to the gym everyday. Eventually, she gave in and that's when I started my fitness journey. It wasn't easy because I learned everything by myself. Sometimes I had help from some of my friends, but I was mostly on my own. Over the course of 3 years, I learned so much about my body and the way it responds to different foods, workouts and etc. Working out has definitely increased my self-esteem and self-efficacy. It's an amazing feeling when you treat your body well and I want to everyone to know the feeling.

  --- 1. First things first, it never ends right when you go straight from eating burgers and fries one day to eating salads and tasteless chicken the next. It's okay to start small and change your diet gradually. There are a lot of alternatives for a lot of food. It may take more effort to make, but it's good for the body and your future health outcomes. It's more like a life style change than a short-term diet. For example, instead of frying your chicken, you can use breadcrumbs, seasoning and olive oil to bake your chicken. It still tastes great and you still feel great afterwards. You can find a lot of ideas online from food blogs or fitness blogs. The foods that you consume is one of the most important things when it comes to a healthy life. 

--- 2. The gym may feel intimidating, so if that's the case, home workouts can still work. There are a lot of home workout ideas on Youtube, Instagram and etc. If you want to build muscle and lose fat, weight-lifting is the way to go because it's the fastest and most effective way. When you lift weights, it's important to not overwork any muscle parts, so doing full body workouts everyday is not ideal. Your muscles will tire out and you won't see the results that you want. The best way to do this is to focus your workout on one body part every day. That way, your muscles can heal and grow when you're working out another part. I'm sure you've heard it all. Leg day, chest day, back day, cardio day and etc. I mostly learned my workouts from Youtube and Instagram.

--- 3. Moderation is Key. Too much of anything is never good. Except money. 

Don't deprive yourself when you're craving something. You'll get moody and might end up binging later. If you want a cookie, have a cookie. If you want pizza, have a slice. As long as you eat healthy a majority of the time, it's okay to indulge. Life should be enjoyed. You shouldn't have to feel like every day is a drag. Everyday is a new day and a new start. There's no need to be upset that you ate too much one night because you can start over the next day.

--- 4. Love yourself. Each individual is unique and you should never compare yourself to anyone. Although I have to admit it's hard not to compare yourself with other people because of social media and people's opinions. But, it's important to learn to love your own unique self. There were always times when I wish I could change something about my body that only surgery can change. It's not a healthy habit, but I've learned to love myself and my body. I still have doubts at times, but I try my best to stay positive. There will be bumps on the road but who ever said success was easy?

The four steps to a Healthy Life was what I learned to live a healthy and enjoyable life. There's always more to learn and I look forward to learning more over the years.