We often associate rock hard abs or slimness with health. The fitness industry over the years has done a great job at facilitating the development of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, and have over time, moved further and further away from what true health and fitness is really about.

Current trends like If It Fits Your Macros #iifym, high protein low carb, incessant calorie counting, keto diet and damaging supplements play a big role in this too. As are the marketing companies and the rise of fitness accounts and workouts with #fakeawayrecipes #bikinibodydiets #bikinibodyworkouts.

I want to make it very clear that just because someone LOOKS healthy, it does NOT mean that they are healthy internally or as a whole. They could be eating the right amount of calories and macros that their body needs, but they could be feeding it with foods that the body does not even recognise as food and burdens the detoxification systems. They could be throwing back countless protein shakes, protein bars, high fat foods that perfectly fit into their calories, but are slowly taxing their liver (hello non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and kidneys (come on over, kidney stones), and blocking their insulin by plugging the holes with the high fat, ketogenic diet (oh hey, diabetes). You can do the research for yourself on this. I recommend looking up Nutritionfacts.org, Dr Garth Davis’ work and that of Dr Kahn. Those are good places to start.

Looks aside, this person could be EXTREMELY emotionally and mentally unstable; both from their diet (insufficient vitamins and minerals from real foods, such as a diverse range of fruits and vegetables), AND from adverse childhood experiences, body image obsession and undiagnosed eating disorders.

On an organ or systemic level, I’ve already touched on the kidneys and liver, but this person could be suffering from hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, adrenal fatigue, and more. All while looking super fit and “healthy”.

The formula for real health and fitness is simple. But don’t mistake simplicity with ease. It DOES take effort.

Busy lifestyles, overstimulation, wanting results yesterday, and every second person giving their opinion about what you should and shouldn’t be doing get in the way of that. The other issue is that people try to implement too many new things into their lives at once, which becomes overwhelming and can hinder success.

My current routine took me some time to build, and there are still more things I want to build into it. A big mental hurdle that I had to get real with was “UGH, THIS TAKES TOO MUCH TIME, THERE’S TOO MANY STEPS” – even when I had plenty of time, but I was in a rush to do something else, like reply to my messages, or watch Netflix…

So I was just honest with myself; “Does it REALLY take that much time? It actually only takes 5 minutes… and it’s FOR you. Also, what is this action taking time away from? 5 minutes less of Netflix? What is more important than you and your health, that you feel so burdened by this 5-minute routine?”. Something to think about if your ego, like mine, uses that excuse.

I want to leave you with 5 tips for those of you who want to achieve TRUE HEALTH: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

1. Layer on your new habits slowly.

You might have 10 new things that you want to implement into your daily or weekly routines. I suggest starting with one or two at a time. Do those consistently for at least two weeks before you add in the next two. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment and change things around. Make it fit with your current routine (unless you feel like your current routine needs a shake-up).

I would also suggest that you plan ahead of time. Make things EASY for yourself. Set yourself up for success. An example:

If you have small children, take turns with your partner. Let one tackle the morning routine with your munchkins, and you take the evening, or vice versa. When your partner is doing the hands on stuff, this is your time to action what you need to action. Also make the most of when your children are asleep. I can understand and empathise that you might be feeling tired and want to nap with them too. Some days, you might really need to so that you can be your best self, but other days, you can get things done. Remember that it’s FOR you.

2. Choose things that actually suit your lifestyle.

Similar to the tip above but deserved its own point. By this tip, I mean: if you aren’t a morning workout person, and one of your goals is to exercise more, then do it in the afternoon. Who says you need to be an early bird?

3. Nutrition.

Ok, I am going to keep this simple. I am also not trying to push ANYTHING onto anyone, but these are facts; facts that you can learn for yourself through the 3 professionals and their resources that I mentioned earlier.

Eat a diet high in plant-based, whole-foods.
Eat high carb (65-70%), low protein (10-15%) and low fat (10-15%). Developing children need different macronutrient splits to the one above, and potentially people with certain health conditions.
Stop obsessing over protein. This is an article for another day – there is one that Dr Garth Davis has actually written, look him up. But ultimately, unless you are an elite, Olympic-level athlete. You do NOT need to be eating more than 1.2g of protein, per kg body weight. 0.8-1g/kg of body weight is plenty. As my teacher and mentor, Liana Shanti (Clinical Nutritionist and founder of HMI Nutrition School) says… no one in the western world is dying of a protein deficiency.
Incorporate fresh, homemade juices into your daily routine. Juicing is a great way to get fruit and vegetables in if you don’t love eating them. You are also getting those vitamins and minerals directly to your cells a lot faster than if you eat them. (But still eat them).

4. Exercise.

There’s no need to punish yourself with exercises and to “burn off” what you ate on the weekend. Choose physical activity that you ENJOY. If you’re not a gym person and hate the thought of it… don’t waste your time or money. Do something else.

I will tell you though, that weight training at least 3x a week, for around 45mins is GREAT for your health for so many reasons. I have a free workout for you available from here. In addition to weight training 3x a week, walking in nature and doing yoga is recommended. These are all things I do myself.

5. Don’t neglect your mental and emotional health.

Stress is a killer. It causes inflammation within your body, and overtime, chronic inflammation leads to SERIOUS illness and diseases – cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and more.

There are many things you can do. It’s all about finding what works for you and what fits your lifestyle. I personally like to journal (well, I don’t always like it, but I feel amazing afterwards), yoga, exercise, my new thing – lymphatic self-massage, clearings and meditations by Liana Shanti, using essential oils, and deep breathing, to name a few.

I have also been working on my core wounds , and Mother and Father Wound healing— something that we all have to varying degrees. These affect our adult lives more than we realise, and are often why we get triggered, binge-eat, experience depression, anxiety, and more.

Repressed emotional stress is also linked to the development of physical dis-ease. I recommended reading the Mind Body Prescription, by Dr Sarno, and also The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk. This will make it clearer to you as to why looking after your mental and emotional health is vital if you want all round health and longevity.

There are many layers to our physical, emotional and mental health, and spirituality. Take one step at a time, and do what you can.

I have other free resources that are worth exploring that can help you put all of this into action.

The next time you see someone who looks to tick all the boxes of “health”, don’t be so quick with that assumption. We truly don’t know what is going on in the lives of others.

Also, don’t assume that the fitness industry has your true health as the focus. There are some amazing gems (trainers and coaches) who truly do have your best interest at heart. Some are ignorant, and some truly do not know what they don’t yet know, but are eager to know more.

Inform yourself, empower yourself, and seek help from someone you resonate with and trust.

And remember, that TRUE fitness is about PERFORMANCE, not aesthetics.

Love,
Amya

Don’t Mistake A “Hot Body” For True Health and Fitness.