Health Tips to Benefit Your Body and Mind

Mental Health Brief #32
Shabir Arcot, PTS Certified Personal Trainer of Balanced Nutrition and Fitness

Health Tips to Benefit Your Body and Mind

In today’s hectic world, we need to take care of our bodies, eat well and exercise, as research suggests these habits can have a positive impact on our mental well-being. When you make an effort (small or big) to eat well and exercise -- for example, training with weights, joining a boxing club or even walking every day for 20 intense minutes -- the results show. It just takes a little patience and some motivation. 

The keys to a healthy lifestyle are in you!  Here are four tips that can help you get started.

  1. Willpower - Focus on getting at least 20 minutes of intense exercise a day. You can do so by attending a spinning class, walking with a timer or even trying out a boxing or Zumba class.
  2. Knowledge - Understand the effects of the food you eat, the water your drink, as well as the type of exercise that can challenge you and motivate you. The key here is to enjoy this process so you will want to stick with your plan.
  3. Focus – Concentrate on your goals, but tackle them in small baby steps. Getting discouraged or failing on first try should not be a deterrent. Tell yourself that this will happen a few times before it gets better.
  4. Identify roadblocks - Dig into the obstacles standing between you and a healthier lifestyle. Lack of motivation or energy, fear of failing or a lack of an effective plan could be one of your roadblocks. 

The Opening Remarks mental health briefs provide Ontario lawyers with wellness tips and resources from a variety of individuals speaking in their own capacity. The briefs are not a substitute for professional care. If you are in crisis, we encourage you to urgently contact a mental health service provider.