Health is a very small word, yet it contains such a broad context. Health is the food you put into your body, the exercise you do on a daily basis, the relationships you have, the lifestyle you live, and the hobbies you love doing. Health cannot be defined by one of these things; It has to be defined by all of them.

For example, if you eat healthy but you have horrible relationship and a dreadful lifestyle, you aren’t in good health. All of these aspects of life have to be more on the positive scale than the negative scale to maintain good health.

With that being said, I’m going to help you out with a series of articles on how to be healthy. Each article will go along the lines of, “Healthy (blank) to Improve Your Life,” and by the end of the four part series, you’ll be off to a healthier life.

In the starting article, I’ll talk strictly about the healthy hobbies you can incorporate into your life to improve it. Check them out below.

Dancing

Dancing is awesome for your health, especially when it comes to heart health. Dancing also strengthens bones and helps with managing weight. And, dancing is pretty fun.

But I know what you’re thinking, “I’m a guy, why would I want to go dancing?” Well, think about it this way. Take your lady to a nearby dance academy or place that offers dance lessons. Go find out what the prices and packages go for and take it from there. For example, the two of you could sign up for ballroom dance classes. You could also learn how to salsa (when I said dancing, I didn’t mean go take a ballet class fellas).

Cooking

Learn how to cook through cookbooks, the cooking channel, or cooking classes. Try out some nutritious meals that are good for your health. You’ll be tackling the two challenges at the same time: Cooking good food for your body and participating in a new hobby that gets you feeling better about yourself.

But, I know what you’re thinking, “Women cook. Men don’t cook.” That’s false, and a pretty bad stereotype if you think about it. Men can cook; It’s not a girlie hobby to have. Cooking, believe it or not, is actually a major turn on for women. So get yourselves in the kitchen and start.

Volunteering

Going out to volunteer at the local soup kitchen or at the local park is a great way to feel good about yourself. It allows you to help others out while you’re helping yourself out. How? By being able to lend a hand to those in need while improving your social and emotional wellbeing. Grab a friend or a girlfriend and head on down to help out your community.

Gardening

Gardening is a great hobby when it comes to letting go of some extra stress. Not only that, but gardening also allows you to get your hands dirty, in turn promoting self esteem.

But, once again, I know what you’re thinking, “Gardening isn’t a man’s job.” Well, that’s false. I know many men who grow their own fruits and vegetables to simply save money and to simply have fresher fruits and vegetables to cook with. Also, if you plant some flowers in the garden, you’ll be able to pick them and give them to your lady or place them around the house for a great natural scent.

Owning a Pet

I know what you’re thinking and the answer is yes; Owning a pet is a hobby. How is it a hobby? Well, it gets you up from that couch and away from that television for starters. Pets need to be physically active, which in turn makes you physically active. And, pets are extremely good for a person’s mental and emotional health. They decrease anxiety, depression, and stress. An additional bonus is that pets are proven to lower blood pressure.

But I get it. They are a huge responsibility, so only tackle this hobby if you’re really ready to.

Music

When I say music, I mean playing guitar, drums, violin, etc. But I do understand that picking up an instrument can be very difficult, especially later in life. However, it’s not impossible.

Music always makes us feel better, right? Well, if you learnt how to play an instrument, you’d have that constant feeling of happiness whenever you’re playing. Plus, the creativity of learning certain songs and rhythms is always fun.

Added bonus? Music decreases depression and anxiety.

Yoga

Yoga is extremely good for overall health, that being physical, mental, and emotional health. The best part about it is that yoga can be done by anyone and any age, due to the fact that it has a range of fitness levels to try out.

Yoga helps our bodies maintain good heart health, good circulation, good strength, and good energy levels, too. Grab your girl and head on down so that the two of you can start this healthy hobby together.

Reading

Do it, I dare you. Pick up a book! I know what you might be thinking, “I hate reading. It’s so boring. Why would I want to waste my precious time reading?” Because it’s great for your mental health, duh. Plus, it reduces stress levels, improves memory, and stimulates your brain.

Trust me on this one. Just try reading an entire book until it ends. Then see how you feel.

Well, those are some of the great hobbies that will improve your health. Stay tuned next time for “Healthy Relationships to Improve Your Life.” You’ll learn how to distinguish between what relationships are good to have and what relationships need to go. Until next time!

 

By Jenny Lyn