The lazy Pinoy’s guide to being healthy

Every year, some of the top New Year’s resolutions for people all around the world are health-related. Lose weight, eat healthier, quit smoking, exercise more—these are just some of the common goals that most of us set for ourselves as the brand-new year approaches.
While these resolutions sound quite simple and straightforward, they’re not at all easy to do. We get distracted, we get busy and—admit it—we get lazy. It’s not unusual to find ourselves back in the loving embrace of our old unhealthy habits come Valentine’s Day.

So instead of being uber-specific and unrealistic like promising to eat plant-based forever or signing up for a gym membership you will never ever use, how about trying out some actionable tips that even lazy people can do? Don’t worry because there’s nothing here that will suggest you take the stairs instead of the elevator or make a “five-minute” smoothie that will end up taking the entire morning. Trust me, I’m also too lazy to do those things and stay consistent.

For the lazy Pinoy, here are some ways that can help you be a healthier version of yourself in 2024 with very little effort.

Sleep more (Freepik)

What can be more appealing to a lazy person than sleep? We all know that sleep is a restorative process that gives us so many health benefits. But how many of us skip sleep to binge-watch a new Netflix series or spend hours on social media?

If you’re too lazy to do any health-related activities in 2024, at least prioritize getting eight to 10 hours of sleep every night. You’ll notice a big difference not only in your energy levels but also in your appearance and overall health.

Eat slowly and mindfully (Freepik)

You want to lose weight but you can’t stop yourself from eating your favorite lechon or giving in to your halo-halo cravings. What are you to do? There’s this technique called mindful eating and, according to science, it can promote weight loss.

Mindful eating means eating slowly without distractions and paying close attention to how your food tastes, smells, and feels as you eat it. Instead of eating while watching TV or walking, try sitting down and fully enjoying your food. This can help prevent overeating because you’ll be more mindful of when you’re already full instead of mindlessly putting food into your mouth.

Chew vitamin gummies (Freepik)

In concept, we all want to be veggie eaters and have a balanced diet but in reality, who has the time to cook pinakbet or chop fruits and salad greens? The downside is that the accessible and convenient food we usually eat is not packed with the vitamins and minerals our body needs.

One life hack is to get into the habit of taking a vitamin gummy a day to supplement your diet. There’s no excuse that this is too much effort because you don’t even need to get a glass of water like with the usual vitamin pills. It’s as easy as eating candy. Just make sure you put the bottle in a place where you can easily see it like your bedside or your office desk.

Try out bed exercises (Freepik)

If you’re too lazy to get out of bed to exercise, why not do the exercises while still in bed? Seriously, there are workouts that you can do without even leaving your bed. I’m talking about leg lifts, crunches, planks, and even yoga poses that you can do on your mattress.

If you have a partner, engaging in sexual intercourse can burn three to four calories a minute, which is somehow comparable to the calories you burn when walking on a treadmill. So next time you want to skip the gym, just stay in bed and get a workout in there.

Use fitness tech (Freepik)

We are in an era where technology can make our lives easier and this includes keeping track of our health. Getting a smartwatch and leaving it on requires very little effort. Just charge it, put it on, and forget about it. You don’t need an expensive smartwatch because many generic brands offer affordable fitness trackers that can monitor your heart rate, steps, blood oxygen, temperature, sleep, and more.

While these trackers are not substitutes for professional medical advice, they can still give you a good overview of your health and take necessary steps in case something seems off. Plus, it’s always better to know your stats and make changes if needed, rather than being completely unaware. — Jellyn Gueco