The Day I Decided to Be Healthy (And Almost Gave Up)

It was any other morning when I looked in the mirror and realized: the reflection was no longer the same. Not that I expected a miracle after years of a fast food diet and nights fueled by coffee and anxiety, but let’s face it, gravity had been particularly cruel. I, who once was lighter, now saw my body reflecting fatigue, neglect, and perhaps a little bit of carelessness. It's not easy to look in the mirror and see the years of indulgence leave their mark. So, I made a decision. In that moment, with a mix of frustration and hope, I decided: I would become a new person. Healthy, disciplined, vibrant. Spoiler alert: it didn't go quite like that.

The First Monday (Because Every Change Starts on a Monday)

Every journey of change starts on a Monday, right? Or at least, that's what they say. I, however, didn't fully believe in that. I'd tried changing many times before, but I always ended up falling back into old habits. But something inside me told me that this time, it would be different. I decided to start with exercise. After all, health is all about movement, right? On paper, it seemed simple: put on my sneakers, go out for a run, and... well, be healthy.

Armed with optimism and a pair of sports shoes I bought on sale five years ago, I got ready to face the neighborhood park. The plan? Run for at least thirty minutes. The reality? I was surrounded by experienced runners who didn't seem to sweat a drop, and seniors who, even with slower steps, were breathing better than me. I was there, already sweaty and out of breath, trying to keep up with a pace that was more of a jog than a run. I ran (or rather, jogged) for exactly three minutes before realizing that my lungs were begging for backup.

That's when I learned lesson number one: exercise is not punishment, but it's also not magic. Unless your goal is to feel like a secondary character in an apocalyptic movie after a chase, exercise won’t transform you instantly. Progress is slow, and the tolerance for pain, especially in the first attempts, has to be cultivated. When I returned home, my feeling wasn't one of victory, but rather of an unequal battle with gravity and my own body. What I didn’t know was that this would be just the beginning of a series of discoveries.

The Revolution on the Plate (Or the Betrayal of Broccoli)

After the first "sweat" of the journey, I decided the next step would be to tackle my diet. The theory was simple: just cut out ultra-processed foods and replace them with healthy options, and soon I'd feel amazing! What no one told me was that the inevitable mourning over saying goodbye to French bread and melted cheese was real. The change in my diet, just like the exercise, required discipline, patience, and a great deal of persistence.

I tried to embrace the new routine with enthusiasm, replacing snacks with fruits and quick meals with colorful, balanced plates. On paper, it looked beautiful. I imagined myself savoring a healthy meal full of grains, vegetables, and lean proteins. But in reality, the brain of someone who had spent years enjoying the immediate pleasure of a fatty snack started to rebel. What happened? I fell in love with broccoli, but my craving for French fries didn’t fade in the slightest.

This was an important moment of reflection: healthy food has to be enjoyable. There's no point in following a diet based on strict restrictions if it doesn't bring satisfaction. The key is learning to make smart and balanced choices without sacrificing the pleasure of eating. It wasn’t about cutting everything out, but about learning to balance, to make healthier choices without completely depriving myself of the small pleasures life offers.

It was at this stage that I realized, like with any change, small steps are crucial. It's not a 100-meter sprint but a marathon. Along the way, I swapped fast food for healthier options, but without completely abandoning what made me happy. A piece of chocolate or a plate of pasta now and then, when consumed in moderation, shouldn’t be considered a crime. The secret is balance.

The Sleep of the Just (Or the Battle Against Screens)

Health, as I discovered, isn't just about exercise and diet. Nothing beats eating well and exercising if you sleep like a bat addicted to social media. I knew this, of course. I knew, but I ignored it. For a long time, my relationship with sleep was almost negligent. I woke up with a sense of tiredness that not even coffee seemed capable of fixing. But it wasn't until I realized that my fatigue wasn't a mystery, but rather the result of nights spent going from one short video to another in a spiral of digital procrastination, that the penny dropped.

I didn’t have insomnia. The problem was much deeper: I had a toxic relationship with my phone screen. At night, hours would pass by quickly as I scrolled endlessly, consuming content that was far from restorative. That’s when I decided I needed to create a nighttime ritual. I started slowing down. The idea of reading a paper book, drinking chamomile tea, and meditating before bed began to feel like a necessity.

Now, my journey to a good night’s sleep was no longer about just going to bed and hoping sleep would come magically. I had to create an environment conducive to rest. My phone screen was put away, the blue light was banned from my nights, and a real revolution occurred when I realized that quality sleep is, in fact, one of the greatest pillars of health. It was as if my body finally understood what it meant to truly rest. And yes, deep and restorative sleep doesn’t come overnight, but every night that I invested in creating healthy habits.

What No One Tells You About Being Healthy

The big truth that few people talk about is that being healthy has nothing to do with perfection. No routine survives intact through bad days, occasional laziness, or that irresistible invitation for a burger with friends. Life is made of highs and lows, and the journey to a healthy life will be no different. The secret is not following a magic formula of "perfect diet" or "rigorous exercise routine," but understanding that balance is key.

Being healthy is about taking care of yourself, finding pleasure in small choices each day, and making adjustments when needed. It's these small adjustments that make the difference, like drinking more water, prioritizing a good night’s sleep, listening to your body, and respecting your limits. Change isn’t about being radical; it’s about creating a lifestyle you can sustain over time. What matters is consistency, not perfection.

So, if you're on this journey and feel like you'll never be able to give up the pleasures of the modern world, relax. Change happens one step at a time. And you're not alone on this path. If you fall, get back up and keep going, because what matters is not perfection, but your commitment to being better than you were yesterday.

And you, when will you decide to transform? It doesn’t have to be a Monday. It doesn’t have to be a special date. Transformation begins when you decide it’s time to take care of yourself. And remember: it's not about being perfect, it’s about being the best version of yourself, one step at a time.

What to know more about living in balance? Follow Living in Harmony and discover new ways to take care of your body and mind.😊