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The 69 tips — one for each year of the author's life — are thought-provoking, challenging, eye-opening, manageable and fun to read. And all provide practical guidance for intelligently designing your own life-style evolution.
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by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.
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Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

A Lazy Person's Approach To A Little Bit Of A Wellness Lifestyle

Wednesday February 8, 2006

"Elsewhere, exposure to alcohol advertising may be a contributing factor to underage drinking, according to a new study published today in 'Duh' magazine."
~Andy Borowitz, "Paris Hilton Resolves To Be Even Sluttier in '06," The Borowitz Report, January 4, 2006.

Want to look better, feel better, be healthier and experience more happiness? Who doesn't?Â Everyone wants these things.Â Unfortunately, while most WANT these and other desirable states, the vast majority are not going toÂ have their wants realized for one overriding reason: They are not willing to pay the price. Like a nice home, an expensive car, a trophy wife or bigger boobs and a smaller butt, there is a price to pay for looking and feeling better, being healthier and enjoying more happiness. The price is hard work, nearly everyday, along with a bit of good fortune, the right connections and a winning ticket in life's genetic lottery. While this reality should be obvious enough to appear in "Duh" Magazine, it is NOT obvious to most people.Â Judging from the way people behave, you would think wishing (or praying) for good things was the key to success.

There is an alternative to the extremes of either wishing for good things or doing nothing.Â The alternative is to expect less, do a little and enjoy modest advances now and then.Â This will eliminate the usual setbacks and disappoints attendant upon trying to do things you are incapable of accomplishing.Â Simply adopt an "I can't do it" mindset, as has been recommended repeatedly at this site.Â (See icantdoit for a variety of essays that describe this strategy.)

Recent studies suggest a little exercise goes a long way, at least for those who have done little of it for years and years.Â Pitiful to think about it, but even housework (at the level of five hours per week), provided it's not fully automated or done by hired help, can be beneficial for you.Â How hard can a little housework be? Other kinds of minimal exertions, reported in a recent Wall Street Journal article ("Why Your New Year's Resolution to Get Healthier May Be Pretty Easy to Keep," Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2006; Page D1), are also beneficial, such as walking for nine minutes daily.Â For goodness sakes, even "four hours of weekend golf...translates into dramatic reductions in risk for heart attacks and other health problems." The minimalist goal is to burn about 145 calories each day, or about 1,000 a week. Of course, these exercise minimums will not necessarily translate into looking better, feeling better, being healthier and experiencing more happiness, but it's a good start.Â

Be well. Always look on the bright side of life.Â

Domain: physical
Subdomain: exercise and fitness

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