What I’ve Learned About Health from My Cats

There are lessons about your health everywhere you look. Those lessons can come from the grocery store, watching people outside walking and running, or even, yes, your family pet. A cat, a dog, a bird, a hamster or whatever animal is your thing…I’m sure if you think about it, there are some healthy things you’ve learned from them. Here are a few things I’ve learned from our cats.

Cat - A cat has nine lives. You – Health is a Journey. One bad meal doesn’t make or break your goal. Weight loss, fitness, and any health journey require persistence. When you fall down, get back up. Eating badly in the morning doesn’t give you permission to just give up and go hog wild for the rest of the day. Get back on track as soon as you can.

Cat - Take a nap! You – Learn stress strategies. For sure, naps can be good. Just take a short nap earlier in the day so it doesn’t disrupt your sleep; it is important to get at least 7 hours of solid, restful sleep daily. Napping is how cats chill! Is there stress in your life? How do you handle it (“chill”)? A couple of quick tips – breathe or take small breaks to meditate or be calm and quiet for even as little as 3-5 minutes.

Cat – The zoomies! You – Be silly! Have you seen a cat…one moment they appear to be in a deep sleep and the next moment they have found something, in our case a mini catnip fish, to play with. They go totally bonkers with it. And then just as quickly as they started, they’re done! When was the last time you just busted out some dance moves because your favorite song came on or something on TV inspired you? Acting silly will make you laugh and laughing is good to release endorphins and make you happy!

Cat - Ask for attention. You – Ask for attention (Quality Connections). Our girl kitty, Pebbles, is very affectionate. Wall-ee, our boy kitty, wants affection on his terms. Regardless, they both want attention and affection and so do we, as humans. We all need healthy social connections. This isn’t a competition about how many friends you have on Facebook. I’m talking quality connections. Someone you talk to about what’s going on with you. Someone who can help you navigate through something or just that someone who is your partner in travel and shenanigans.

Persistence in our health, stress reduction, exercise, and quality connections are just a few things that contribute to your overall health and wellness. Want to lose weight? There are probably emotional obstacles to overcome first. I help my clients with all facets of their life! I offer FREE consultations, no obligation, to talk about your health! Just reach out.

Lida Johnson, Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Nutritionist, and Personal Trainer. www.HeadToToeCoaching.com or [email protected] 203.260.2880.