Hello, It’s nice of you to visit and read my blog article. Welcome to WELLNESS WEDNESDAY. I hope my personal story Where My Health & Wellness Journey Started – Part 1 and will be helpful to you as you begin your journey into health and wellness.
I remember when I began my health and wellness journey. It was really daunting because I asked myself, Where on earth do I start? There are so many voices about what we should or should not be doing, so knowing the best way forward can be confusing.
It’s Never too Early or too Late to Start.
I started my health and wellness journey over 55 years ago when I realised I was constantly grumpy, tired, and stressed. I was a teenager, but really, I didn’t feel that well. I felt I should have been in top form being young — but I wasn’t. I was active, a competitive member of the Port Adelaide Harriers athletic club and a gymnastics teacher, and I constantly felt totally exhausted.
So I made a decision.
That decision would change the course of my life and afford me good health and wellness with each passing day. What did I do?
Time to Act
I began by researching nutrition and realised that my diet lacked several key nutrients. I set small, achievable goals, like eating more vegetables and protein and incorporating daily walks.
Over time, I started a strength training program. Tracking my progress through a journal helped me stay motivated. I also began meditating daily, which significantly improved my mental well-being.
Today, I feel more energetic and balanced. Although I am 69 years old, I continue to set new goals, like power walking 4 miles, learning more about holistic wellness practices, and increasing my strength training.
So, if you are confused about how to start your own health and wellness journey, in this blog, I want to share with you what worked for me as I began my journey, and it may work for you as well.
I invite you to try it, see how you get on with it, and let me know if it has worked or has not worked for you. So, let’s get into it!
Starting a health and wellness journey as a woman can be a deeply personal and transformative experience. Here’s a structured guide on how I started and continue to enhance my journey:
1. Self-Assessment and Goal Setting
Identify Motivations — Understand why you want to embark on this journey. Whether it’s to improve physical health, mental well-being, or overall lifestyle, having a clear motivation can guide your efforts and keep you on track even when you don’t feel like it.
Set Realistic Goals — Be kind to yourself by not expecting far too much of yourself. It is important to define short-term and long-term goals. These could range from losing weight, gaining muscle, body reshaping, reducing stress, improving sleep, or enhancing overall fitness, getting into that little black dress- whatever motivates you, write it down and visit it every day.
2. Education and Research
Learn About Nutrition — Understanding the basics of nutrition, including macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), helps make informed dietary choices. Learning how certain foods affect you is paramount in eating for health and healing.
Understand Physical Activity — Research different types of exercises, such as cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, and how they benefit your body. Your body reacts differently to other people’s bodies, so you need to experiment to see what works and what doesn’t. Wellness4women life coaching can help you with this- contact me for an initial free consultation.
Mental Health Awareness — If you don’t feel right mentally, everything seems to just fall apart. So, putting your mental health first, is essential. Put mental health first by Educating yourself on mental health practices, including mindfulness, meditation, and stress management techniques.
3. Creating a Sustainable Plan
Balanced Diet- Develop a meal plan that includes a variety of foods to ensure you get a wide range of nutrients. Consider consulting with me on your nutritional needs t if needed.
Regular Exercise Routine — It is so important to exercise daily. Create a workout schedule that fits into your lifestyle which could be only 15- 20 minutes per day at home — like I do.
Or you could take gym sessions, yoga classes, or even outdoor activities like hiking or cycling.
Mental Wellness Practices– Incorporate activities that promote mental well-being, such as reading, journaling, meditation, or even hobbies that bring joy and relaxation.
4. Tracking Progress
Food Diary — Tracking is a great tool for ensuring success because it keeps you accountable. Keeping a food journal can help you understand your eating habits and make necessary adjustments.
Exercise Log- Record your workouts to track improvements in strength, endurance, and flexibility.
Mood Tracker: Monitor your mental state to identify patterns and triggers related to stress or happiness. This will also reveal patterns in behaviour and show if your efforts correspond with your moods.
5. Community and Support
Join Groups — You are not an island, so why not join the wellness4women community? It’s free, and you will receive a notice every time we upload. You will also be eligible for freebies, so subscribe today!
Participate in local or online fitness groups, wellness communities, or classes. Support from others can be motivating and provide a sense of accountability.
Professional Help — Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from me or other professionals, such as personal trainers, dietitians, or therapists.
6. Staying Motivated and Adapting
Celebrate Milestones — Recognise and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small which will keep you motivated.
Be Flexible- Don’t sweat the small stuff- Understand that setbacks are a part of the journey. Be patient with yourself and the process. Adapt your plan as needed to stay on track without feeling discouraged.
7. Self-Care and Rest
Prioritise Sleep — We hear this all the time, don’t we? But you need to ensure you get adequate rest as it’s crucial for recovery and overall health and healing.
Pamper Yourself– I know, I know its not easy carving our time for yourself in your busy Schule- But You Need To! Engage in self-care routines like daily skincare routines, spa days, reading, or any activities that help you relax and rejuvenate.
My Personal Story
As I shared initially, I began my health and wellness journey over 40 years ago because I was constantly tired and stressed.
Despite being active, I didn’t feel as well as I should have. I expected to be in top form due to my youth and activity level, but instead, I felt utterly exhausted. I hope the Detail I outlined here of what your initial steps, I took to get me stared on my health and wellness journey was helpful to you.
In part#2 ‘More about How I Began my Journey into Health & Wellness’ I will share some of my challenges and learnings, the obstacles I faced, and what I have learned from them. I will also share my current routine and future goals and aspirations and how I plan to achieve them. So, be sure to subscribe to get notified when it’s uploaded.
Before you go, I have added a link HERE that may help you further with this topic.
Paula Rose Parish, author, Life Coach, and psychotherapist, has over 40 years of experience in the holistic health and wellness industry. Paula Rose holds a Bachelor of Pastoral Counselling and Theology, a Master of Arts in Counselling & Professional Development, and a BACP Life Coaching Certificate.
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