Has your doctor, wife, husband, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, father, mother, brother, or sister been harping to you about getting in shape? Do they constantly tell you to spend less time stressing out about your job and to focus more on the path you're going down in regards to your unhealthy lifestyle? Do you just brush their worries and warnings aside as if they're no big deal? If so, you're not alone.

No one ever wants to be told that they're unhealthy or that they need to stop doing certain things and start becoming more active. Especially if it's means going to your favourite haunts less, having to give up certain foods such as chocolate bars and potato chips, being around fewer stress inducing activities such as watching your favorite football team lose every week, or having to exercise regularly. Who wants to spend eight hour workdays, five days a week only to have to go home and workout afterward?

The thing is though, if you currently do have some health problems, such as diabetes or high cholesterol or high blood pressure, they can be alleviated or even go away with some simple life choices. If you want a healthy heart, body, and mind, you can obtain it. You just have to put in the work to do it. This job will take more dedication than what you are currently providing. In order to obtain a healthy heart you have to start exercising regularly, watching what you eat and decreasing the amount of stress around your everyday life. Yes, those might seem like pretty hard tasks to achieve, but no one said getting healthy would be easy.

If you get too much stress from work, then it may be time to reduce your workload. Get someone to cover a shift or two of yours. Some time away from the office might do you good. Make sure you're getting a good night's sleep, and don't be afraid to upgrade your mattress if it's keeping you up. When it comes to exercising, we're not saying you have to go out and run a marathon right away. Find what it is you like to do and stick to that. Some people enjoy walking, others like playing squash, some enjoy lacing up the skates for some recreational ice hockey. You'll find that if you do something active that you thoroughly enjoy, you'll stick with it. As for dieting, don't cut everything out right away. Just try to minimize the stuff you eat that isn't good for you. Read the labels to see how much fat, salt, sugar, and carbs you're consuming. Meet with a dietitian or nutritionist to come up with a healthy eating plan.

If you truly want it, you can do it. Just believe in yourself!

If you enjoyed this article about staying healthy, you may want to learn about marathon clinics and how joining a running club may be the perfect choice to get your heart happy and healthy.