If you struggle with healthy eating, spend too much time sitting at home, and don’t have enough energy to exercise, this article might be for you. You can learn ways to brighten up your lifestyle to make healthy eating and exercise an easier part of your day! I’ll explain, in this article, how not having a smartphone, TV, or microwave has made health and fitness so much easier for me.
A few years ago, I moved to Hawaii and found myself watching countless hours of television after work. The idea of getting home and not having to think or move much was tempting. I began to feel that television was stealing my time. I wasn’t meeting new people or having as many great experiences as others seemed to be having. I decided to go a little crazy and sell it. I didn’t think much of it, I posted it on Craigslist and someone jumped right on it. I sold it for very little money to remove it quickly. You may be saying to yourself, “If I lived in Hawaii I wouldn’t have a TV either”! Well I moved from there and I still don’t have a TV to this day. I found that I had more time to do the things I had wanted to do but couldn’t always fit into my schedule. I do research on fitness, I read, I have more time to go out, walk and hike. It also opened up more time to find recipes and cook healthier meals. The countless hours that television can steal from you are overwhelming. I must mention the commercials that accompany the television, they are horrible! One minute you’re watching one of your favorite shows, and the next you’re shopping for a new vacuum and researching on your smartphone where that fancy new line of body care products is sold near you. So what if you give up your TV? Would you have more time to exercise, think about your goals, and even find the kitchen more enjoyable since you’re not in a hurry?
When I found more time to cook, I realized I wasn’t really using the microwave. I got rid of that on a whim too. I grew up with a microwave and understood that it’s a useful kitchen item, so I put it away in a cupboard for a few weeks and told myself that if I didn’t use it after a few weeks, I’d throw it away right away. . Without a microwave oven, you won’t be able to eat those microwaved meals that look like fine cuisine in the box, but fall short, far short when it comes to that or takeout. Yes, softening butter for baking can be tricky the first time you realize the microwave isn’t on, my wife can attest to that! Cooking is a traditional act, somewhat sacred to me and using a microwave takes away from that experience of serving and even enjoying a great meal. It was inconvenient at first, but as humans we can adapt to almost anything, so a microwave is no longer a part of my life. Without that, I was curious what else I could get rid of to reduce distractions.
In February 2015, I had an Android phone that was barely working and a spare iPhone 4 that was also not working properly. I decided they were the next to go and got a basic flip phone. Yes, they still sell them. $50 later I had a new phone. What I forgot was the texting curve that I would have to get used to, again pressing each number multiple times to create a word! Some may argue that their smartphone helps them with their healthy lifestyle. If that’s the case, continue with what you’re doing, because it’s working for you. For me, it was another distraction, as it is for most people. Many people keep their phones within easy reach, so the moment they get bored, it’s there to distract them. An hour later, after you’ve checked everyone’s news on social media or surfed the internet, you realize you’re short on time and you may not be able to exercise today or do something else you’ve been hoping to do. What if that didn’t happen? We all know that a basic phone cannot distract you! Unless you enjoy going back and reading all your text messages or phone call history, since that’s all they’re good for. Distraction doesn’t always happen at home, maybe you get to the gym and the distraction starts. I often see people in the gym who are on their phones almost non-stop. Some will use their phone as music since now they can do everything. But wait, when you go to change the song, you get a text message. Now you’re in a conversation when minutes have passed that could have been spent doing what you’re there to do. Not only that, many seem to be in a constant rep/move and rest sync as they check their phone and replay. People often don’t realize that there are some very educated and successful people, when it comes to fitness, in the gym that you can learn from by watching. If you wanted to be a better writer and you saw JK Rowling in a coffee shop writing, would you be on your phone scrolling or chatting? I guess not, so why waste that time in the gym if you aspire to be healthy and fit and put in several hours a week? You can learn a lot by watching people in the gym.
If these things help you and don’t bother you too much, give it a try. Put away your distracting possessions in the closet and see how it goes for a few weeks. I have been guilty of almost everything I said in this article, at some point, but I wanted to make a change for the better and not have distractions so I could better focus on my goals. If the things I mentioned are not distractions for you, then did you find out what your distractions are? If exercise and health aren’t easy, find a way to make it easier!