Eat Less, Walk More

When I still had my corporate job in the city, I made sure that I still get to eat healthier food and swim regularly. That was just to remove the guilt of sitting all day in the cubicle farm. I do believe that this kind of guilt is healthy and necessary. It is the same guilt I feel whenever I eat ultra-processed food products. It was hard because my colleagues liked to have food delivered to the office which was mostly fast food. Being a weirdo to them, I would always go out on my own to eat and skip the pantry pleasantries. Even though I was working and sitting all day, I was still fit. I'm not saying that I am righteous or better than them, I just appreciate that I cannot easily be influenced anymore. It's probably because I don't really need people around me to be happy so it's not a big deal not to belong. I can make my own decisions and lifestyle choices. It is all about knowing what you really want. But it takes discipline and a proper mindset to really stick to what's better for your life.

When I quit my job to travel, I could go for hours without really eating. When you're hitchhiking, you don't really know when you could get a ride or if you would be staying in a middle of nowhere without food. I would bring some bread and fruits with me but that was just it. Sometimes I had nothing and it was fine. I already know how it is to be hungry and my travel just became a strong reminder. There's no drama if I couldn't eat for a day and I know that I could still walk for miles. Training yourself not to eat too much can really be good for your physical and mental health. People in the past had survived famine and war, and it turned out that they were healthier.

The problem in this unhappiness industry is that you are trained to get this temporary satisfaction by eating highly-processed food that will make you keep coming back for more. The happiness it can give is not going to last, it will only make you feel more hungry. But there seems to be a mind control ingredient added to this food.

I'm not a vegetarian, health guru, purist or something. I still let some animal corpse digest in my body from time to time. Just surprisingly, I can now get past the donut shop, sweets, and ice cream aisles without really feeling anything. No craving or mouth-watering happening. I learn when to stop eating too much. And I know what I don't want.

It's funny that I get all these lose weight, healthy living and exercise techniques articles in my Feedly by the so-called successful and highly productive people. It is really such an effort to get fit these days. It is a ridiculous idea for me that people pay gym memberships to get fit or lose weight. I only know one thing for sure, it's really just about what you eat. Sure, you can balance it with some natural exercise like walking and not be attached to some fancy gym equipment.

In reality, the whole convenience lifestyle only deprives you of good health and happiness. The convenient way to exercise. The convenient way to eat. The convenient way to work. The convenient way to get to a place. This convenient lifestyle only made people eat more and walk less. There is less natural physical exertion these days, like walking or spending more time outdoors. Don't wonder anymore why there are many unhappy people in this world right now.

First, you need to have a proper mindset. You can start by saying that you don't want to be mind controlled and brainwashed by the materialistic society anymore. Yes, it can be scary to go out on your own. The problem is that people don't want to be alone. Everyone is needy. People just mindlessly conform. Everyone's eating it so it must be good. Everyone's working 8 hours so it must be right. But once you set your mind to what's really good for you, there's no turning back. You are your choices.

I don't claim to have a perfect life at the moment but at least I feel more comfortable and convenient in a better way. And that is for finally living up to this alternative lifestyle I'm trying to create. This gives me a sense of purpose. And of course, there are downsides to living on your own terms. Since you can now intelligently see through the BS of people and this society, you will have fewer friends. You will carefully choose the people you will let into your little circle. You will remove toxic friendship and relationship. And you will value solitude more. To make up for the less human interaction, if not lacking, you will now find more enjoyment and purpose in other things such as passion, hobbies, nature, and callings.

I'm not saying that the 'eat less, walk more' lifestyle will make me prone to getting hit by a car or lightning at any time. That is just the inevitable reality of death. But I am sure healthier and happier now compared to when I was still in a relationship. Back in the day, I was more kind of influenced by the typical workaholic and convenient lifestyle of my partner. And I was scared to be alone. But I realized that if you are brave enough to be on your own, it will really give you great benefits. That is the kind of happiness that you need to awaken first in your life. If you are content on your own, you will attract happy people in your life.