When it comes to a healthy lifestyle, it’s pretty obvious that one of the biggest goals is about shifting your mindset- like seeing a healthy diet as nourishment or praising your body for what it can do. But this mental shift can honestly take a while- that’s the truth! But with that all said, adopting a healthy lifestyle is a common goal, yet it often feels like there are hurdles at every turn.
While yes, the mindset is only a massive barrier, is that actually the only one? Well, it’s actually a good idea to just break down some of the common challenges that might be keeping you from living as healthily as you’d like- some of these could be affecting you without you even realizing it!
There’s Just a Lack of Time
It’s the classic excuse: there’s just not enough time. Alright, it’s not always an excuse because, yes, sometimes there is just not enough time in a day, even if you cut out sleep (and you shouldn’t). With everything from work to family demands filling up our schedules, squeezing in exercise or whipping up a healthy meal often falls by the wayside.
Everyone has different circumstances, so if you can, you should try to start small. Even a quick 10-minute workout or preparing simple, healthy meals can make a difference without overwhelming your day.
Information Overload
All right, so this one probably sounds a bit odd, right? How can too much information get in the way of living a healthier lifestyle? Well, to a degree, this just might be possible. You have to keep in mind that the internet is bursting with health advice, and it can be overwhelming- besides, a lot of it can be incredibly contradictory, too.
Honestly, with so much conflicting information, it’s easy to get lost. But really, your best bet is to just focus on simple, foundational nutrition and physical activity principles that health professionals support.
There’s the Physical Limitations
Now, if you’re dealing with physical limitations, never let this make you feel guilty for not having the healthy lifestyle that’s “expected” of you; you can only work with what you can only work with, right? Just think about it for a moment: chronic pain, injuries, or conditions like varicose veins can make exercising a challenge. Sometimes, even the lightest of exercises can be a challenge; even daily tasks like bathing or eating can be too challenging when you’re faced with chronic pain.
If chronic pain is taking over your life, then, of course, you’ll need to try to take action where you can, such as vein treatments, seeing a doctor for medicine to relieve symptoms, or seeing what else could be recommended. Chronic pain and chronic health issues make it so challenging- almost impossible to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Financial Constraints
If there’s a lack of time due to constantly needing to work, then yes, it’s technically a financial constraint that gets in the way. But it’s not just that either; healthy living can sometimes seem expensive, especially when it comes to buying certain foods or joining gyms. Even if you don’t join a gym, it can still be expensive to exercise. Plus, there’s so much attention paid to the fact that junk food is usually far cheaper than healthy food when it comes to grocery shopping. Fresh produce shouldn’t be a luxury, but in some areas, it is!
