I tried this healthy lifestyle thingy for a month..

I’m always someone who is so iffy when it comes to talking about making better changes in my own current lifestyle. I’m always afraid that these new lifestyle changes would end up being something really short term. But then again, I’ve met so many amazing people around me who had been so supportive and encouraging that I hope my story would, in some way, inspire someone to start a healthier living too :) 

Executive summary 

If I were to conclude what’s the most important outcome or learning on this, it is that everyone’s lifestyle and goals are different and as cliché as it is.. it is very individualistic. Do what works for you and always encourage and celebrate small wins.

Backstory 

After a month of adjusting and figuring my whereabouts at my new place, my landlord and I decided we should start working on a healthier lifestyle when it came to the diet we had and exercise. And we had since done it for about a month. Beforehand, we set a certain criteria of what we defined as a "healthier" lifestyle: 

Considerations 

• No yo-yo diet fad - this lifestyle shouldn’t be short term, it should be sustainable 
• It should require as little discipline as possible 
• Both food and exercise should be enjoyable - I decided running to be my primary exercise; it has always been the way I escape from stress 
• Also, the weather in the morning is perfect for runs, especially while staying near a reservoir 

Habit timeline on a weekday 

While I don't follow this regime with 100% accuracy, this is typically how my weekday would look like 

• 6.00am: wake up 
• 6.30am - 7.30/8.00 am: go for a run in the amazing weather ~4-10km (note: I ran a marathon last year so this required little effort for me) 
• 8.00am - 8.30am: stretch, change up, breakfast (baked oats with cheese is the most amazing thing on earth ok) 
• 8.30am - 12.30pm: work 
• 12.30pm - 1.30pm: cook and eat lunch/ eat porridge 
• 1.30pm - 6.00pm: work 
• 6.00pm - 7.30pm: go for a run ~4-10km + circuit/skipping 
• After 7.00pm: discretionary based on day to day priorities 

(as told by Pearl :P)

Results 

• While I didn’t lose much weight, I did see quite a stark difference in my appearance. In some way, I'm starting to feel much happier about how I looked. 
• I actually enjoy this new lifestyle as compared to the one I had in the past 
• I was able to focus better in the process 
• I definitely feel mentally better! I enjoy what I eat much more 
• Ironically, I became quite the vegetarian through the process 
• My skin got better, weirdly
• I’ve become a more encouraging person to people around me - small progress is better than no progress :)

(omg. my fav.)

(when I said I do chill runs, I'm really doing chill slow pace runs..)

(a comparison between last year and this year :P - what one month can doo)

Data

Of course not forgetting some data I collected to track my progress :P Truth be told, it was demoralising to see the figures at first. But with a steady set of numbers to look at now, it's really interesting to see how everything adds up. 

 

Lessons learned 

• A healthy lifestyle should be a habit and effortless 
• Little progress is better than zero progress 
• As cliché as it is, it is ultimately all in the mind 

It has so far been pretty sustainable, let's see how long I'm able to keep this going :)