Welcome to the TMS Health and Fitness with Nkosinathi Dladla.
The current Pandemic and lockdowns may result in serious health issues including the mental health. Tag My School Magazine has reached out to the health and fitness specialist Nkosinathi Dladla to walk us through staying healthy during these times.
When it comes to health and fitness, it’s easy to focus on goal-setting and short-term vision. Although goal-setting can be good, my question is – what comes after that goal? What’s next? For example, if you were to complete a 30-day diet or exercise challenge, what do you do on Day 31? You revert back to your previous lifestyle, creating a yo-yo pattern which can do lasting damage to your metabolism.
I propose a different way to approach diet and exercise. Think FIRST about sustainability – how to stay constant. Instead of focusing on short-term goals, begin to think of healthy as part of your identity. You are a healthy person – and your diet and exercise flow out of that truth.
In fact, I believe that being healthy is an expression of your truest self. This is what I mean:
- Humans are made to move. Even though much of modern life promotes being sedentary, the human body was built – with all of its muscles and tendons and joints – not for sitting but for ongoing movement throughout the day. Find movement that you ENJOY doing and prioritize it.
- The human body also has a daily calorie requirement. You need fuel through food – and by FOOD I mean a minimally-processed whole food diet – vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds. The world around you makes the fast and processed foods the easiest, but your body needs the nutrients in whole foods – and not all that extra sugar, salt, and difficult-to-pronounce ingredients.
- The human body needs water. This one is simple. Just basic water. Lots of it.
Follow me at @embas_ on Instagram and keep the move going!
Our editor Dumi Mbona has written a ground-breaking and highly recommended book on unemployment. It is currently on promotion in amazing, check it out: