Interviewer: Xueying Piao
Piao：Today I`d like to talk about patterns of a healthy lifestyle.
Mende：Healthy life. That is a heavy topic. Why did you choose this topic?
Piao：Health can be divided into two parts: mental and physical. Now that I am a working member of society I feel a little insecure about my mental health and ability to control my emotions.
Mende：Really?! You are feeling insecure? How old are you?
Piao：I am 26.
Mende：When I was 26 I was married. I was still a graduate student and I had so many things I wanted to do. I don’t think I was feeling anxious about anything. Maybe you feel anxious because you left your home country and are working abroad? Were you anxious as a student?
Piao：I was just fine as a student. This all started after I started working.
Mende：So, you were wondering about healthy lifestyle habits and felt you needed to make some changes in your own life?
Piao：Yes. So, I want to know what other members of the workforce think about healthy lifestyles.
Mende：Like you said there are two parts to a healthy life; problems of the heart and mind and problems of the physical body. The heart, mind and body are not separate entities, but work in conjunction with each other. Therefore if you are like me and have a strong physical body, you can also maintain mental stamina. If you are wondering which comes first, mental or physical, that is easy: physical.
Fresh out of college is tough, everyday there are continually new experiences. Although, it is important to remember during this time to not be afraid of failure. I think it is ok to have a few failures. Repeated failures will make you stronger. You can think of it as weight training for your mind. It is not good for your mental state to always be looking over your shoulder while working. It is better to take those failures and find the plus side.
How about your physical health? Do you play any sports?
Piao：I don’t really play any sports. Recently, my lower back has been bothering me, so I went to see a doctor. He said it was a lack of exercise. What do you do for regular exercise?
Mende： I exercise very often. I am up for playing any kind of sports. You should really consider exercising more. Doctors have been saying that modern day people sit for too long during the day.
Piao：Yes, maybe so. Do you have any tricks or regular habits for maintaining your good health?
Mende：I want to be able to move my body however I want even as I get older, so I watch my weight, muscle mass, and walking speed. I take the stairs at the train station two at a time because I want to check how much my heart rate increases. This helps me understand the condition of my body better.
Piao： How much do you sleep?
Mende： I am a person who really needs to get a good night’s sleep. I feel really good after a night of seven or eight hours of sleep, but they say you shouldn’t sleep too much as you get older. So I have decided seven hours is a good amount. Everyday, I really look forward to getting a good night’s sleep!
Piao：I don’t sleep very well at night, so I am very jealous. I yawn and I am really tired, but every night I wake up at three or four in the morning.
Mende：Is this recent?
Piao：From about three years ago, I only sleep about five or six hours a night. Lately, I am afraid this might start affecting my work, so, even at midnight, I started going out for a little jog. However, I don’t feel much improvement.
Mende：Not getting enough sleep is really tough. You could try changing some routines in your lifestyle. You said you haven’t been big on exercise, but has jogging helped you at all with sleeping issues?
Piao：Not getting enough sleep is really tough. You could try changing some routines in your lifestyle. You said you haven’t been big on exercise, but has jogging helped you at all with sleeping issues?
Mende：You have to push yourself. Pushing yourself past your limit, even just a little bit, helps grow new muscle mass and this feels really good. Once you experience this feeling I think it trends to linger. In order to live a healthy life and create a healthy lifestyle, moving your body is a must. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. The body is fundamental.
Piao：Until now I thought mental health came first. I really learned a lot today. I hope I can apply this to creating healthy habits for my physical and mental health. Thank you for our talk today.
