Are You Overcomplicating Health?

There are a thousand and one health trends, workout plans, supplements, and wellness hacks floating around. An online search will make your head spin. One minute all you hear about is probiotics; the next it’s cold plunges, then it’s gut health. Where are you even supposed to begin?

If you have ever been to one of my wellness classes or even just followed me online, you will have noticed a familiar theme that runs through every single message. No matter what’s trending, the basics of good health always matter.

Eating well, moving your body, getting good sleep, and managing your mental and emotional states…these are the things that matter. They don’t make exciting headlines, but they work, and they always will.

“I don’t know where to begin.”

Yes, you do. We all do. We know enough about the basics to start changing our health and wellness for the positive. So, if we know enough to at least get started, what’s going on?

Instead of just starting with the basics we let ourselves get bogged down in the information overload. It’s easy to do! We have the entire world at our fingertips now. A good thing in some ways. We can research any subject and learn all we need to know. The problem? There are a million rabbit holes to go down with twice that many opinions. We also have millions of people vying for our attention and money. (Keep that in mind when you hear about the next sure thing to lose weight or reduce belly fat.) Stick with the basics.

What else could be going on?

We don’t see the results or feel the consequences of our actions right away. When a child touches a hot oven, they get immediate feedback. They learn really quick not to do it again. But when we eat a pizza for dinner or sit on the couch instead of moving our bodies, the consequences are sometimes years or even decades down the road. (Unless you get heartburn, but that doesn’t seem to stop people.) And by the same token, when we eat well for a day or work out once, we don’t suddenly become super healthy athletes. The basics take time. On a personal note, it’s taken me years to start to see the results I want from lifting weights.

Let’s just face it, the basics are, well, just so basic. Just making good choices over and over again. Boring!

So, what do we do?

First, step away from the noise. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then just stop listening to, and believing every single guru, supposed health expert, and fear monger that comes up on your feed. Relax and go watch cat videos for a while.

Now, what do you know? I would venture to say that you know a real apple is healthier than a fast-food apple pie. You probably also know that sitting for the majority of the day with little to no movement is not the best option. I bet you even know that scrolling endlessly through social media with no downtime for your brain is not optimal. You probably know almost every action you take that doesn't move your health forward.

Make some choices. What area of your life do you feel needs the most attention or would benefit the most from some changes? Now, with what you know, what would those changes be? Don’t overthink it. Keep things simple. The finer details can come later. You’ll learn as you go. You will probably make a few mistakes, but you’ll find what works and what doesn’t.

Eating well, moving your body, getting good sleep, and managing your mental and emotional states…these are the things that matter. They don’t make exciting headlines, but they work, and they always will.

Stay well, my friends.

Alicia