Better Physical & Mental Health... Without (Too Much) Effort
The benefits of tracking your health, and how just seeing it on paper can shift you into action
The ‘Little Things’ Challenge
Sometimes, we need accountability & a bit of a kick up the bum from others to do the little things that we know will make our lives healthier & happier. So, if you’re taking part in the Little Things Challenge this week, shout about it in the Facebook Group here, or tag @HyperactiveLiving on Insta & hashtag #hyperactiveliving
Download the Tracker & Use It
I’ve put together a tracker for you to download here, but if you prefer to use a different system, or app, that’s absolutely fine. I often use a Clever Fox journal, or a fitness app - just make sure you ask yourself, and answer the questions on the final page.
Set aside 20 minutes at the end of the week
Answer all the questions
That’s all
Let me know if you find any interesting patterns, or if you can see a link between your mood, actions, mental & physical health this week.
What I’ve learned this week
The benefits of tracking your physical & mental health
It was tracking my health that set me on the road to formal ADHD diagnosis.
But I was only able to do it because I had accountability from my Personal Trainer, Matt Saxon.
With the best will in the world, I wouldn’t have kept up this habit without his support.
The research and evidence is clear, though. If you track your physical health, you get better results. And, for me, tracking my moods & emotions alongside my tiredness levels, my eating habits & my levels of exercise, I started to see the connection between body and mind.
So, what are the benefits of tracking -
Our energy levels ebb & flow. If you’ve got ADHD, often even more so. Planning your work & commitments with this in mind is only possible if you can make fairly accurate predictions about how you’ll feel at different stages of the month.
Hungry, Lonely, Tired? By tracking, you’ll start to recognise when & why things become overwhelming, or more stressful. With ADHD, we’re not the best at intereoception, so we don’t pick up the signals from our body if we need to eat, sleep, or have a hug. Nine times out of ten, one of these physical needs is making the mind a whole lot more crazy, for me.
Less guilt & shame for those missed workouts/deadlines/social occasions, procrastination or ‘laziness’. When you start to understand why your body is telling you to rest, you can leave the self-criticism at the door, and schedule high energy activities at a time that would work for you.
Tracking gamifies looking after your mental & physical health. We need competition more than most to get s&%! done. Tracking is like a little competition with yourself, and makes you more likely to make the right choices when it comes to your health.
How to Thrive…
…In a neurotypical world
Listen to Matt & I discuss how to improve your mental & physical health, without all that guilt, shame & hunger you get from most diets / exercise routines.
This isn’t really about fitness, it’s about building a life of contentment. And Matt is the biggest ray of sunshine you’ll have the joy of listening to on this miserable, December day.
As always, comment, like, share and subscribe. It really does help me get my writing out there - which is always the biggest challenge when embarking on a creative career.
Angie
How to Thrive…
…In a neurotypical world
In this part of the newsletter, I’m going to share the stories of other ADHDers, along with my own, and offer resources, info & tips from those of us who choose to take a different path in our lives & careers
These stories should inspire & empower, and help you figure out the finer details of how to do it yourself.
OK, I’ve tracked everything. Now What?
You might have guessed from last week’s post, but I get very overexcited on social media, open too many accounts, and have a ‘scatter gun’ approach.
So, I’ve enlisted ADHD entrepreneur & social media expert, Evelin Kriggler, to share some simple do’s & don’ts.