ToastMasters P3 Speech

Stay Healthy

Health is the crown on the well man's head that only the ill person can see. Dear Toastmasters and guests, today I am going to talk about most important asset of our life – our Health. In other words, I am going to give ‘Healthy speech’ today. “Health is Wealth”, we have been hearing this cliché since our school days. As we grow, we do pay enough attention on generating wealth but in the process we take our health for granted as a result we feel sick and we have no choice left but to spend earned wealth to regain lost health. Hence, today I am going to share with you some steps for your most valuable asset i.e. your health. As they say, true happiness lies first of all in – HEALTH!!

Here it goes:

1.       Invest in yourself: We think so much when it comes to spending on our health. On looking at pamphlet of a gym for charges we feel – 10,000 bucks for the entire year, that’s way too much, no, I don’t think it’s worth it. That’s absolutely not true. 10,000 invested today can save you what you might have to spend in future for health related issues.  And believe me, Investment in yourself is the best investment you’ll ever make.

2.       Confront change: Human beings love staying within the comfort zone. But guess what? I've realized that lasting personal change does not require you to turn your life upside down. The best way to get to your greatness is through small, continuous steps-what is called the “1% Wins”. If you improve your health only 1% each day for the next 30 days, you will see a 30% increase in that dimension of your life in only 1 month. Doesn't seem so scary now, does it?

3.       Avoid cravings: What should I say about cravings. It’s all about our taste buds, isn’t it? But if our cravings are for unhealthy food, we have to learn to avoid it. Do you know stress is a huge trigger for cravings? Learning to deal with it could save you hundreds of calories. Cravings sneak up when we are tired. We can take power nap to re-energize ourselves. Best way to avoid cravings is to distract yourself. “Cravings typically last ten minutes”. Recognize that and divert your mind, you can call someone, or listen to music.

4.       Remain active through the day: Many of us suffer from “Sitting disease”. I understand we cannot avoid it, our job demands it. However it is possible to lose weight if we do more walking, more standing and moving around during the day. And the approach we can follow is NEAT approach. NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. I repeat its Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. These are the activities we can follow to burn calories without hitting the gym. So what activities can help us lose more? Simple steps like

a.       walking to lunch

b.      pacing while on the phone, reminds me of Idea’s campaign, walk and talk

c.       cleaning the house or for guys it can be cleaning your car

d.      cooking

e.      climbing stairs, and yeah that includes shopping weekends too

f.        standing while you talk to a friend

g.       Folding laundry.

5.       Do it today:  Never leave it till tomorrow what you can do today, said Benjamin franklin. We should always try not to procrastinate. If you have made up your mind to take membership of a gym or swimming class, don’t think much, just go and fill the form. Be convinced with yourself.

6.       Learn to manage stress: Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it. You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased productivity at work. But stress may actually be the culprit.

 It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. Some strategies that we can follow to manage stress are:

a.       Learn how to say ‘No’ in an assertive way

b.      Avoid people who stress you out

c.       Manage your time better

d.      Focus on the positive

e.      Learn to forgive

f.        Connect with others

g.       Get enough sleep

So, dear toastmasters, I just mentioned few measures that you can follow to take charge of your health. And I encourage one and all to follow them diligently. You wouldn’t be able to fulfill your dreams if your health doesn’t support you. Do take out some part of your daily routine dedicatedly for your health and it is definitely going to help you in the long run.

Why be the richest person in the graveyard? And what's the point of getting to the mountaintop but reaching it sick? Get serious about becoming super fit. Then watch the caliber of your work and the quality of your life fly.

Stay healthy, stay happy!!

Here comes the ending motivational quote of the speech:

“Time and health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. “