How it's done - by me.

When I tell people that I'm a runner and the distances I've done the comment I get most often is, "I could never do what you do."

To which, my most likely response is, "You don't know what you're capable of until you try."

Once upon a time I didn't think I could do this either. I didn't just suddenly wake up one day and decide to run ten kilometres, or fifteen, or seventeen and just put on my running shoes and do it. No, I worked up to it. It's taken me three years to get to this spot.

The thing is, I wanted to be able to run. That's what the motivation was and still is. I wanted to run and so I started. The people who say, "I could never do what you do," might not want to run anyway. And that's perfectly ok. It's not for everybody.

But being healthy and active is, in whatever form that takes. A healthy body is for everyone.

So, what do I do to stay healthy?

1. Food.

Once upon a time I struggled with a pretty intense eating disorder. Food was the enemy, regardless of how hungry I was and how much I wanted to eat. Thankfully, with the help of counselling, I got my eating disorder under control. I hesitated writing that sentence. I was thinking of saying that I beat that eating disorder, but I know this would be untrue. My eating disorder was like being an alcoholic...in a sense. I have a friend who, although she had been sober for ten years, still understood that she was an alcoholic. It was laying latent and under control. she could not injest anything that contained alcohol - not even cough syrup - knowing that the beast could awaken if she didn't control it.

That's what my eating disorder is like. It's under control but it whispers now and again and I have to control it with logic, sensible thinking and activity.

But I digress...I now view food as fuel for my body. I do love food and I love trying different cuisines and tastes. I am a vegetarian and this choice is primarily a moral one which follows my own personal convictions. I love healthy, wholesome foods most of all - foods that are fresh and simply bursting with goodness. A plate piled high with greens, grains and pulses make my body feel vital and alive. A bowl of grainy muesli topped with berries and chia seeds makes me feel fuelled and ready to face the day so much more than a plate of egg, bacon, sausage and toast.

I also eat because I'm hungry, not because the clock tells me it's time to.  Sometimes I wonder if people are really hungry or if they're just associating the feeling of "not full" with hunger. I have my suspicions...

Yes, I indulge my sugar/salt/fat cravings sometimes. Oh how I love me a bowl of fries of a piece of cake or some Doritos! However, these are occasional foods and I don't see them as "a treat" or a "reward". They are neutral to me and just a food choice I am making at the time. Sometimes I wonder if people set themselves up for failure by labelling their food choices as "good" or "bad". Indulging a craving should never (in my opinion) be labelled as "bad" because bad is associated with shame and guilt.

Treat your body with respect and reverence. Do you want it to function in the best way possible for as long as possible? Then fuel it with foods that will promote that! Take notice of how your body feels after eating an enormous plate of wholesome, nutritious foods brimming with goodness and then compare how it feels after eating a big meal of processed, food-like products - chips, pies, burgers. There's a difference. I guarantee it!

2. Activity.

I think one of my mantras is "An attitude of activity". I build activity into my day. If there's an opportunity to take the stairs rather than the lift or travelator, I will. Cleaning the house, gardening, walking the dogs are all activities I do with energy. Park the car a bit further away from the shops so you get some walking in. Take a walk during your lunch break. You don't have to take out a gym membership or run 10km to be active. You can build activity into your day in whatever you're doing.

3. Sleep. 

After giving your body healthy fuel and being active all day, sleep is wonderful! Honestly, if my dogs didn't bark for a toilet run at 2:30am I'd sleep a solid eight hours every night. Sleep is so important. It's your body's chance to do some repair work, reset hormone levels, rest and recover. Get into it! It's one of my favorite activities!

4. Time Out.

I've finally woken up to the fact that all work and no play makes Leisa a very dull, irritable, emotional and fractious girl indeed! Making time for myself has been instrumental in improving my mental health. Over the past five years I have discovered new passions and uncovered talents I never knew I had! I've become acquainted with myself and discovered a new best friend, which has enabled me to reach out to others with a new understanding and acceptance. I've started to know what my limits are and I stick to them. That's not to say that I don't fall into the trap of overscheduling. I do sometimes! Life just keeps offering so many opportunities these days! However I am getting better at recognising my own limits - physically, mentally and emotionally.

So, that's holistic health Leisa-style for you! I'm constantly aware that we human beings are most definitely works in progress so I no longer beat myself up so much when I fall down or miss the mark that I've set. (I possibly set benchmarks too high sometimes anyway!) Life is a learning experience and I'm so grateful to be learning every day.