Some tips on physical vitality!

A few weeks ago I wrote a controversial piece on obesity and since then have been interviewed on radio and had a great deal of feedback.

The purpose of my blog then was to make us all think about the importance of our health and the responsibility we all have to protect our health as our most precious commodity!

My view about physical vitality is that it gives us the resilience to cope with life’s challenges – and I was delighted recently to hear the chief executive of the Resilience Institute say exactly that!

Equally I espoused the idea that we have no excuses in Australia for not looking after ourselves.

Some responses indicated that some people need a lot of support and encouragement around this. So here are my tips:

• Remember there is only one of you on this planet. You are valuable. Treat yourself as your most valuable possession!
• Eat fresh. Keep the thought that fresh is best. As the chart in many doctor’s surgeries informs: make fruit, vegetables, fish and meat a major component of your diet.
• Keep away from packaged food as a rule.
• Do some exercise every day. Walk the stairs, get up from your desk. Better still, start the day with a 30-minute work out: jogging, walking, gym – whatever you prefer.
• Make small shifts to change your life. It takes time to break bad habits, and it takes about 21 consecutive days to entrench new habits.
• Be patient with yourself; there is no quick fix to anything in life.
• If you need a personal trainer, get one.
• If a personal trainer is outside the budget find a friend and share a goal of becoming fit.
• Meet friends for a walk rather than a coffee or drink.
• Don’t let cost put you off. You have two legs; walking costs nothing and you may even save on petrol or transport costs. Think of your legs as your inbuilt gym equipment!
• Never think it is easy to be fit and healthy; it is a choice that requires discipline and commitment.
• Don’t envy slim, fit people. Copy them!
• Ask for help. People who value their health are always happy to share their recipes for success!

I am proud of my fitness and health. I ran in The Age Run to the G recently and was second in my age group, which frankly shows how old I am!!! But honestly, just doing it gave me such a great feeling. Next year my goal is to cut my time by five minutes. It’s my goal, not anyone else’s!

I would love to hear from anyone else who wants to train for the Run or Walk to the G in June next year. Small steps. One year to train to run or walk five kilometres.

But as the saying goes, a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step!!!

To read more Marcia Griffin blogs, click here.