Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I feel pretty partied out, man. Sometimes I just allow myself to get totally consumed by the Internet, taco trucks, cheap wine and late nights. Sure, it's fun for a while, watching my social calendar fill up as money flies out of my bank account and into the pockets of Bay Area bartenders. I stay up too late watching Netflix, as if finishing one more episode of Bob's Burgers before bed is absolutely imperative. And then, after a few hours of crummy sleep, I arise again, stretch my weary body, pop an Advil or three and head into work. Here, I settle into a chair and spend the day scouring the Internet, caught in an endless loop of Buzzfeed lists, Facebook statuses, celebrity meltdowns and passionate political rants. It doesn't take long to get completely sucked into the vortex and, after a couple weeks of maintaining this pace, I no longer feel human. I need to shake all the ickiness out and get back in the groove of adult human life. So, after extensive personal research and some professional assistance, I've compiled this basic guide to repairing your mind, body and soul. With these elements working in conjunction, you will not be stopped.
1. Eat Well
Stop filling yourself up with garbage. Take the time to think about what you're putting into your body. This can be tough when you're shoving cheesy grits down your food hole at 2 am, but you have to try. I recently decided to visit a nutritionist and it was expensive so let me save you a trip. The USDA got wise to the fact that the Food Pyramid we grew up with was confusing, difficult to follow and not necessarily setting us up for a healthy diet. So they did the smart thing and dumbed it down a little. The new food rules are easy to remember and follow with MyPlate. Notice, half of your plate is produce, the other half is divided by grains and proteins. That's it. Just strive to make your plate look like that 3-5 x a day and you're on your way. Throw some chicken or flank steak in there, or tofu, or tempeh, or black beans, or whatever. It's not that tough. Living in the Bay Area, you're never far away from a farmers market, so take advantage! It's ok if every so often you fall off the wagon and onto a taco truck, vegetables will always be there for you to pick up the pieces and put you back together.
Now that you're refueled it's time to get moving.
2. Move It
Get your blood moving, get your heart beating, fill your lungs with delicious air; this is what it's like to feel alive! Figure out how to get yourself some cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Exercise doesn't need to be a chore. It's an escape, a time to let your brain clear out and relax. It's a time when you can trample the problems of the day to the soundtrack of your choosing. If you're nervous about going to the gym, don't be. Nobody there cares what you're doing. No one is looking at you or judging you, they're all doing the same thing, sweating just as much and probably wearing shorts. No one looks cool at the gym, no one. So don't worry, we're all in this together. The important thing is getting there. Once you're there, you're halfway done, so make it a point to get there.
