2005
Alice: “I’m having a lazy day tomorrow”
Best friend: “Me too”
2017
Alice: ‘I’m having a lazy day tomorrow”
Bae: “I’ve booked us into a 7am spin class, then we’re going to the other side of London for brunch, there’s an event at 11am i’ve got us tickets for and we’re going out tonight. Be lazy another day.”
The health industry has developed and thrived in the last decade. We’ve gone from skinny to strong, low-fat to balanced and low-cal dieting to exercising. The focus shift away from being skinny is a mark of success for the health industry; how much the industry has learnt as a collective and how successful it has been in educating others.
However, as we seem to get forever and ever busier, squeezing in a HIIT class here and some food prep there, we seem to have forgotten the importance of rest. There are of course ‘rest encouraging’ voices around. For example the recent popularity of yoga has helped spread the message of the importance of rest and respect for our bodies. I would also argue that Instagram is trending towards a more honest approach including whispering about the need to chill out.
Whispers are great but the importance of rest in our day to day lives requires a slightly louder approach. When we don’t give our body the break it needs, our stress levels rise which affects the body both mentally and physically. Aside from stress related injuries and grumpy moods, I’m talking about the effect on our gut which can lead to IBS and further issues.
Rest can mean being horizontal on the sofa but it can also mean a lie in, having a day off from the gym, having an early night, having a break abroad, not drinking alcohol.. If you listen to your body, it’ll tell you when you need rest. Hints: tiredness, injury, headaches and pain in general.
My lazy days are often on a weekend. I lie in, tell my friends i’m busy till the afternoon (or sometimes evening) *embarrassed face emoji*. I love resting. I have guilt-free me time. I whip out my yoga mat and just do what I feel like doing. I make an easy lunch of brown rice pasta and pesto. I read my book in bed or if i’m really lazy, a magazine. I eat some chocolate (as seen above). I leave my phone in another room. It’s bliss. Try it.
Busy people like ourselves need lazy time.
Anybody else got any tips for how you rest? Tell me! If you like what you see hit the big red follow button on my main page here. I don’t have anyone to sell your email address to! You’ll just get a notification when I write a new yummy/thoughtful post every few weeks.
Happy Sunday. I’ve got plans till 3pm….
Survives London 