Written in partnership with Ascend
Photo Credit: Jonathan KungIf you’ve been holed up at home for much of 2020 and the start of 2021, you may have been slacking on staying physically active. However, you may be doing a disservice to yourself. Board-certified gastroenterologist Jonathan Kung has been motivating people, both in-person and online, to get more active, especially while stuck at home during these unusual times.
For Dr. Kung, living an active lifestyle has the ability to improve your health and then maintain it far better than anything else. Sure, you could eat healthily and take certain medications, yet, nothing will come as close to providing the numerous benefits that staying active will.
For Dr. Kung this physician, this looks something like going to the gym, playing soccer and basketball, and practicing martial arts. He’s a big proponent of resistance training, which is why you will see plenty of photos on his popular Instagram page of him working out, even during these times.
According to Dr. Kung, there is always time for yourself. The practice of self-care is vital to maintaining a healthy and happy life. He says, “My passion is fitness, an active lifestyle, and promotion of general health and wellness, which I have found is often the cornerstone treatment for many of my patients! It’s important to exercise daily, spend time with family and friends, travel, and learn new things every day. There is always time if you make time.”
Doctors like him often work long hours and basically live and breathe work. However, Dr. Kung emphasizes the importance of making time for yourself and getting a work/life balance. Otherwise, things can quickly spiral to where your prolonged and elevated stress levels will lead to you suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
Besides focusing on staying active, Dr. Kung is also constantly motivating his 77,000 Instagram followers to become the best versions of themselves. Since there are five or six people you spend the most amount of time around, he suggests that you “Surround yourself with people with the same purpose and motivation. Invest your energy in people that share the same work ethic and value the same goals. Move forward; don’t look back. It’s your life, your choices.”
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as keeping your physical health at its optimal level. That is why Dr. Kung instructs people to “Be firm with your choices. Only move forwards and don’t look back.”
As someone who believes that everyone can live a versatile lifestyle, this fitness-focused motivational doctor wants you to know that even if you’re a busy physician like him, you can pursue your dreams and have a life outside of work. He also wants to remind you to continually improve, no matter what. “Not everybody who started with you will finish with you. Times change, people change. Life is constantly changing. Be open to new ideas and surroundings. Keep learning, growing, and evolving every day,” he says. That’s advice we can all benefit from.
You can follow Jonathan Kung on Instagram @jonny_kay.
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