Justine Bate

Diary of a Modern Stoic #5 😌

Diary of a Modern Stoic #4 🧚‍♀️

Diary of a Modern Stoic #2 🔅

Diary of Modern Stoic #1 🔅

Most people don't know about this, but a healthy lifestyle starts with being conscious.

If you are always thinking and caring about your habits, you're actually more likely to improve them all the time, thus, making you healthier and better as a person.

So start being conscious and aware of what you do and choose to do, then you'll know which habits to change or improve. ☺️

Let's talk about diet today. I know carbohydrates are the crowd's favorite followed by protein, but let's look at another macronutrient that we barely talk about:

✨FATS✨

If you haven't added good fats into your diet yet, now is the time.

There are plenty of healthy fats out there, but here are some examples that are common and accessible:

▪️Almonds or walnuts
▪️Coconut
▪️Olive oil
▪️Beans/Legumes

Some healthy fats also include:
🔸Oily fish
🔸Chia seeds
🔸Other nuts such as walnuts, pecans, etc.
🔸Avocados
🔸70% Dark chocolate

Which ones are you adding to your diet?

💪💪

There's no other answer to the question "How do I become healthy?"

Your health is basically the sum of all your habits.

Good habits = Good health and vice versa, no other explanation.

Happy Wednesday! ☘

🍎

Last week, I had a webinar titled "The Key to Living Healthily in a Modern Lifestyle". And I just want to share with you a part of it that I discussed.

Today, we live in a modern world and modernization has affected our health in so many ways that we aren't aware of.

So what are the things that arise in this modern world that are making us unhealthy?
1. We are so focused on our appearance: In this modern times, the basis of being healthy is a person's body. How muscular they are or how thin they are.

2. Eating mostly processed food: We'd choose convenience over our health such as fast food, food deliveries, or canned food.

3. Getting burned out: The world is changing so fast and we want to keep up. We never stop hustling and we forget about our mental health.

4. Having a sedentary life: We'd prefer to catch up on our favorite Netflix show or watch reels for hours instead of spending that time working out, prepping for a meal, or having a quiet time.

Now, tell me, which one of these are you guilty of?

I wish you were still here! ♥️
 
Just last week at work, we created a working group, an initiative to save the environment.  
 
Since then, I became conscious about every little thing that I do and how it's harming or contributing to the environment.  
 
Earlier, I was writing on my journal and I remembered I've had three notebooks already that were full and I just throw them away after. And god it's such a waste. It takes a LOT, a LOT of trees to create paper.  
 
And then I thought maybe it's time for me to buy eco-friendly journals instead.  
 
But of course, my thoughts and questions did not stop there. I still do have them on my mind right now.  
 
And that's when I thought about my dad. My dad who was very passionate about saving the environment. And how I wish he was still here so I could just blurt out all the questions I have in my head.  
 
I was a child when he was still here. Thinking about those times, really, what do I know back then. I was a teenager and I just asked silly questions or questions related to my homework LOL.  
 
I thought, it would be so different to have him here, today, at this moment, where I'm all grown up and trying to do something meaningful for the world, just like he did.  
 
We could have conversations about healthy habits that people can do to stay healthy and at the same time, save our suffering environment. About how to keep environments clean and healthy so that the people living in those environemns will also be healthy. About how we can probably start our own foundation and change the world together in our own little way.  
 
He'd be down for it, I know.  
 
But things are different and the only way for me to do it is to continue what I've started – to help people live a healthy and meaningful life – and now, along with living healthily, to live sustainably as well.
 
I’m sure he lived a purposeful life and with that, he has been and will always be my inspiration.

So you guys, if you've watched my previous story, this is a lil hint to the project I will be working on this year, but again, I don't want to jinx it, so let's leave it here for now 🫶

Another thing I wish I knew when I started my health and wellness journey. HAVE SMALL GOALS daily, weekly, or monthly.

It could be trying a new diet, eating a fruit every day, getting 5k steps daily, writing on your journal. Whatever it is, those tiny goals are very very important to achieve big goals.

Small goals build the momentum for you to achieve the bigger ones.

It's the saying "GO BIG BY GOING SMALL".

Everything starts with the small things that lead up to the big things 😉

I've been probably giving advice and tips to people who have already started their health and wellness journey and have been in it for years.

So today, I'm posting again some reminders for people who haven't started their journey yet.

I always think, if I were that person, what should I do first that would matter? Something that isn't restrictive or intense and something that is practical.

Because when I started my journey, it was purely for vanity reasons. I only thought about diet and exercise, I didn't care about my emotional and mental health, and I keep getting disappointed in myself because I'm not "Healthy enough".

So I came up with these 4 healthy habits I wish I started with.

1. Reach 3k steps a day
2. Drink a glass of warm water after you wake up in the morning
3. Think of three things you're grateful for every day
4. Have a quiet time for 5-10 minutes daily

These habits will help you get on the right track immediately.

It's slowly but surely. Something that is light and realistic so that you won't beat yourself up as I did to myself before.

My rest season is OFFICIALLY OVER! 🥹

I had almost 2 months of rest, like LITERALLY just watching TV Shows, random videos on YouTube, I wasn’t writing, filming, and I wasn’t event journaling, and meditating 🤣

I took that time off on purpose to avoid burn out, like what happened to me in 2021. And now that I feel like I rested well enough, it’s time to grind and hustle for 2023 🥂

I really want to focus on my goals and commit to them. And with that, I’m keeping a promise to myself to take a break from Netflix for 2 months to focus on my
podcast, blogs, etc. , to bring back my routine and stay consistent with it, and work out harder in the gym 🤞

Let’s go u guys ✨

You only become truly healthy by your choices, not by your appearance.

The beauty of having healthy choices is that your appearance or your physique will also look healthy.

Prioritize making healthier choices instead of looking healthy just for the sake of it.

Happy Sunday, ya'll! Have a great one 💪

Here are some questions to ask yourself for you to reflect on your diet:

✨ Do you eat too much or too little?
Are you binge eating or are you restricting yourself? Are you eating past your required calories per day? Are you not reaching your required calories per day? These are the things that affect your weight.

✨ How processed are the food you’re consuming?
Some people avoid carbs like it’s the enemy, however, the food to avoid (but not completely) are the ones that are processed. Maybe you’re eating right on time and you don’t binge, but your breakfast, lunch and dinner are mostly processed food. Then you clearly have something to work on, still.

✨ Are you following a meal schedule?
Most people don’t know the importance of having a meal schedule. Knowing when you’ll eat and following that plan can help you maintain a healthy weight. It will also provide you with a more stable energy and keeps your metabolism engaged.

Answer these questions and make changes based on your answer, for a healthier diet 🫶

2❌! 😜
 
When I was a kid, I used to believe that Birthdays are supposed to be special. I mean, at least some of us are made to believe that. Big parties with friends, classmates, and family, with a really big cake and games, and everybody giving you their wishes and watching you blow the candle. It really makes you feel special. Like, all the attention is on you and nothing else.  
 
I feel like ever since I reached my 20s, my birthdays felt normal, birthdays where I don't feel like celebrating, and sometimes things were even falling apart days before that day.  
 
For the past few years, I was really emotional about this. Every single damn thing that happens on my birthday makes me cry cause I again, I used to think that everything should be OKAY, and FUN, and in my favor when it's my birthday 🫣
 
But one thing I learned over the past few years is that as you grow older you just realize that it's not going to be like what it was when we were kids. Not anymore. And the world doesn’t fu***ng revolve around you, even if it’s your birthday. And maybe it just took me a while to accept that.
 
When I got home from the vet last night - cause Calbee got sick, again, for the nth time - I relaxed and lied down, and took the time to read all your birthday greetings.

I was just in bed and saying THANKS to A LOT OF YOU and that made me realized that despite the fact that it was a Monday, that I was swamped with work, and that Calbee got sick with a really crazy expensive bill LOL and had to spend the rest of the night at the vet, I was beyond grateful and happy, still 🫶
 
Grateful for you guys, and grateful for getting another year to make more memories and grab opportunities🥂

We defined what HAPPINESS means in my previous post.

And if you read it again, we only get happiness when we do things that make us happy.

This means you HAVE TO DO the things that make you happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. You CREATE it. You don’t go looking for it. You don’t go copying someone else’s version of happiness.

Now, identify the things that make you happy.

is it working out?
Is it talking to a close friend every week?
Is it going on a hike?
Is it reading? Cycling? Writing? Running? Cooking? Baking? Designing?

For it be “happiness”, don’t do it once, instead do it regularly. That’s how you make sure that no matter how many times you do it, you are always left fulfilled ♥️

💕

You guys, this week's theme is HAPPINESS! 😅

Here are the top 5 reasons why we still feel unsatisfied and lost despite our efforts of "finding" happiness or "being happy" no matter what:

1. We sabotage our own happiness
2. We think we don't deserve it
3. We don't know how to get it
4. We think it's too much work
5. We are not chasing our own version of happiness

In case you missed it, you can read more about these reasons and their explanations in the recent BLOG ARTICLE I posted! Written by a very special guest author.

The link is in my bio.

Now, tell me, which one of these do you feel guilty about the most?

💕

Today, let’s talk about HAPPINESS.

An important part of a healthy lifestyle for one’s mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

From a very special guest author, find out why we seem still seem to be unhappy no matter how hard we try to be “happy”.

This blog post aims to shed light on why we still end up unfulfilled and lost - despite our best efforts - that can help you reevaluate what “happiness” means and be actually happy, for real this time ♥️

Read the full blog post below 👇

Why We Struggle to Achieve Happiness Despite Our Best Efforts Happiness is a universal goal that we all strive for. We believe that happiness is the key to a fulfilling and satisfying life, yet so many of us find ourselves feeling unfulfilled, discontent, and…

One of the biggest mistakes you'll ever make in a health and wellness journey, especially when you're just starting out, is focusing on your body image.

You guys, always remember that a person's physical appearance does not define himself/herself.

It's in a person's performance and bodily functions.

So, always choose better health over better appearance. It's what makes you live longer.

Guys, I am so addicted to getting better skin lately!

My goal for the first few months of 2023 is to really improve my skin, especially on the face.

After the holidays with lots of oily, fatty, and sugary food, I prioritized my skin at the start of the year. And now, after a month, I am seeing results and because I'm so excited, I want to share with you things I did and currently doing that are helping me achieve my goal:

🍑 Eat mostly whole foods - I really lessened consuming packaged food, but I don't avoid it. I just prioritize fruits, veggies, and fresh meat lately.

🌚 Prioritize sleep - I mean, it goes without saying. Get 8 hours of sleep a day as much as possible.

💧Hydrate - You guys, it's so important to drink 2L of water a day and to choose it over sugary drinks. This is probably one of the biggest contributors to healthy glowing skin.

☘️ Choose your skin care products wisely - Find the best ones that suit you and that give you brighter and glowing skin. Products can help in achieving the results, but it does not rely on them entirely.

PLUS, of course, physical activity and managing stress are part of it, too! ♥️

It's so crazy how fast the results are if you take it seriously and do it consistently.

Hope this helps!

👀 Start simple - Take small steps. Starting out on a journey is already a bit overwhelming let alone doing BIG things immediately.

🎲 Use what’s available to you - Don’t go looking for something you don’t have at the moment. There is always a way for you to start. Don’t have dumbbells? Do bodyweight exercises. Don’t have space at home? Try walking outside. Eventually, you will figure out how to level up.

💪 Do everything you can - Even if you are starting small and you don’t have all the equipment, space, knowledge, or ability, the most important thing is to do it and do it consistently.

A lot of us tend to focus on one type of exercise, either all we’re doing is cardio, just weight lifting, or purely yoga.

For beginners, I think it’s ideal to start with one type of exercise, get used to it first, and get stronger eventually.

But we’re not gonna be forever beginners, we gotta advance and keep improving to achieve better physical health and also physical fitness, physical ability, and physical performance.

There are four type of exercise and each of these have different benefits.
✨ Endurance - any type of cardio! Endurance exercises keep your heart rate up and definitely improve your heart health.

✨ Strength - focus on building muscles! Also known as resistance training, this can improve your muscular strength. This can be done by using your body weight or by using heavy or light weights.

✨ Balance - stand on one foot! Balance exercises improve your stability.

✨Flexibility - stretching is as important as your main workout! Think about improving the range of motion of your joints.

It’s not just “stepping outside of your comfort zone”, but it’s also improving your physical skills.

These 4 are equally important and should not be neglected.

Trust me, your body can do so much if you just let it.

Ask yourself, which area do you need to practice the most?

For me, I’m gonna have to say Balance, cause I do balance exercises frequently LOL.

My favorite lesson that I had to go through last year was that it's okay to make mistakes and fail.

And it's essential to every journey.

Failing is a sign that you are trying.

Instead of thinking of failures as a sign that says "stop, this is not for you",

think of them as a sign that says "keep going, you are a few steps closer to your goal".

Happy Hump Day!

Here are some things you can start tracking to start living a healthier life:

✨ Water intake
✨ Physical activity
✨ Menstrual Cycle
✨ Number of sleep a day
✨ Fruit & vegetable consumption
✨ Quiet time

When starting a health and wellness journey, I recommend tracking some of these.

It's a way for you to stay consistent and check your progress ♥🥰

Happy Monday everyone! 🫶

Let me give you a quick story to start the day and the week right.

Last night, when I arrived home, there was a sudden surge of ungratefulness that ran through me. I started to get sad, I started to complain, and I started to cry.

I wished things were different, I wished things were "better".

Then I wrote everything on my journal and why I felt that way. And I got up and opened the Daily Stoic Challenge Deck. I picked a card. And I got one that said

"GO A FULL DAY WITHOUT COMPLAINING”

Coincidence, right? 🤪

But it was such a good timing.

I know we all have days when it'll be very difficult to see the beauty of our own lives. There are definitely days when it's really challenging to choose the bright side and be grateful for what we have and where we are.

That's why - not sometimes, I prefer MOST TIMES - it's important for us to be reminded to be grateful.

One of the healthy habits you could start doing is practicing gratitude, EVERY SINGLE DAMN DAY.

And why is that?

And I'm not just telling you this because this is what EVERYBODY says, but it's based on a first-hand experience:

🌞 It helps you avoid toxic emotions

Inadequacy, anger, and emptiness. These are the emotions I dealt constantly before and has been a goal of mine to stay away from them, and trust me, gratitude can help with that.

🌞 Changes your perspective

Instead of just "wanting" something "better" or comparing ourselves to other people, it teaches us to actually REVAMP or IMPROVE what we already have and what we already are, which is more attainable and practical.

Start being grateful today for your mental health.

And it's not just for you, but for the people around you, too.

Gratitude is contagious. Be the first one to spread it ♥️✨✨

Always show up. This is what consistency is. You show up even on days when you have 0 motivation.

I go to the gym every single day, but it's not every single day that I feel EXCITED and HYPED. Most of the time, I feel sleepy on the way, I feel tired and exhausted, and sometimes I feel weak.

And you will probably, too. But when you get there, when you do your THING despite those obstacles, the feeling you get while and after doing it, is way BETTER than when you did it because you were motivated in the first place ♥

Are you struggling to incorporate exercise into your day? 😶

I listed four (4) things you can do that will get you moving even if you don't work out.

1. Use the stairs instead of the elevator (or escalator) - Using the stairs is a great way to keep you heart rate up and work your quads!

2. Go grocery shopping - Instead of getting your groceries delivered to you, go to the actual store. You'll get a good few steps there.

3. If you have a dog, walk your dog outside. Maybe even run with them.

4. Do house chores. I swear to God the movement you get from house chores is something else. It works your legs, arms, and probably your whole body depending on the chore!

Thinking of trying one? Hope this helps!

🍑