-Wellness Misconceptions Series- Part II
My sister Sharon..
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to the second episode of the wellness misconception series! I started this segment because I felt like many of us have misunderstandings about staying in shape that are not addressed enough. When I sat down with my sister to pick her mind on wellness, she had so many misconceptions that I had to address them in separate articles. I love her to the end of the world and back, but I have to expose her a bit because I believe many share these sentiments.
Click this link to see Part I of this article.
6 Things My sister Says...
6. "I don't eat salads because they don't have a taste"
I completely related with this because the first time I had a salad, I was still hungry and dissatisfied! Most people struggle with vegetables because they have a raw natural taste as opposed to fruits which are naturally sweet. I got around to eating salads while I was in uni after putting together a few salad recipes from a variety of magazines; there is a whole world of salads that is waiting to be explored! Have you heard of the 365 day salad recipe book?! You can have a different salad every day for one year. Once you learn how to play around with your vegetables and mix it up with the right salad dressing, you’ll be hooked 😊
7. "I don't eat breakfast because I am not hungry in the morning"
This is probably one of the most damaging habits you can ever pick up. The reason breakfast is the most important meal of the day is because it refuels your body, enhances your mood, and improves your concentration. Breakfast is the foundation of a healthy diet and it sets our metabolism for the day. If you start your day with a healthy breakfast, you will be mindful of what you put into your body for the rest of the day. I’ll put up an article on healthy breakfast options soon 😊
8."I don't eat lunch because I am too busy and I forget"
In most circumstances, you will forget to eat lunch because your metabolism is low as a result of not having healthy eating patterns. If you start your day with a healthy breakfast at 7am followed by a mid- morning snack at around 10am, you will be starving by 1pm. Your body has a way of remembering the pattern in which you feed it. I try to pack my lunch everyday so that I avoid unhealthy cravings and make sure my eating pattern is consistent.
9. "I don't think about health and wellness until am sick and Loise comes over and judges me"
In my defence, I don’t judge her when she is sick, but I reprimand her a little. My sister, just like most people, think that good health means the absence of disease. Just because you are not nursing a cold or battling out food poisoning, it doesn’t mean you are healthy. Being healthy means watching what you eat, drinking a lot of water, ample exercise, and getting enough rest. Have a look at my article called "Health is more than the absence of disease" for more details on this.
10. "I don't pay for gym because it's not a priority"
Revitalize Wellness Center, Nairobi
I hear this a lot from friends and family. After moving back from the UK, I realised that this misconception is shared by majority of Kenyans; which is why most gyms will be empty unless you go to the cool spots like Racing Sport Gym or Impala Club. You don’t need to go to the gym to be fit, you can work out at home or even go for a light jog as you chase the sunset.
It’s important to do any activity that will get your heart rate up and blood pumping to all parts of your body. I always advocate for gym membership because you meet talented trainers and gym buddies who will motivate you, and once you renew your membership, you won’t allow it to go to waste by not going. There is so much to learn from fitness instructors:- Check out @justnyaguthii, @leesthetics, and @gingerbreadmaan on instagram. These guys will whip you into shape!
11. "I put three spoons of sugar in my coffee because I love the taste of sugar compared to the taste of coffee"
My jaw dropped when she said this… literally…. If you are reading this and you put more than 2 spoons of sugar in your coffee, please stop. It doesn’t matter whether its brown sugar or whichever healthy sugar it is, you really don’t need all of that in one serving. If you have to add sugar to your hot drink, try to start with one spoon and take your time to stir it thoroughly until all the sugar is uniformly distributed. If you still feel like you need more, add half a tea spoon and stir again. Once you get used to the little sugar, you’ll realise that 3 spoons is too much. Alternatively, drop the sugar all together and only use honey if you need that sweet taste.
12. "I never know where my gym stuff is"
If you never know where your gym stuff is, you will probably never use them. The trick is to organise your wardrobe, create a section for your all active wear, and arrange them in a you can see them once you open your wardrobe. Don’t put them in the back with those old jeans that don’t fit 😉. Also, if you invest in stylish active wear, you will want to use it! Trust me.
There is nothing as gratifying as walking into the gym in that new addidas capris coupled with a gorgeous neon coloured vest that matches your ankle socks and a swanky gym bottle to finish the look! Have a look at my article on ‘9 Gym Must Haves’ to get ideas of how you can put your outfits together. When you look good in the gym, you will enjoy your workout a lot more and you will be motivated to keep going back.
I would love to hear your thoughts on these misconceptions and any more you might have. Tizi is a wellness community that will only grow if you engage with me on this platform because I am sure we can all learn from each other. Feel free to drop me an email or a comment here or on my social media handles.
"Eliminating the things you love is not wellness. Wellness feeds your soul and makes you feel good."- Zara Mohamed a.k.a, Iman.
Yours in Wellness,
