Welcome to afitnewyou! This week I would like to point out a bit of common sense that should motivate you to start and/or remain living a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes common sense isn't so common, but I am pretty sure that we all know that doing things that are considered to be healthy for us are, well, good for us. And while this is pretty much common knowledge, people in general have a knack for coming up with incredible (and many not so credible) excuses of why they aren't living a healthy lifestyle. But, if you are a reader of this blog, you know I try to motivate you as often as I can to start reaching a fitter new you. Furthermore, I often point out that getting started is sometimes the hardest hurdle to overcome. So today I want to give you a simple tip to either get you started, or to keep up with the work that you are already doing. And the tip I offer you today is a simple one; in order to be healthy, all you need to do is be healthy!
Maybe you read that last sentence with an eye roll, however it really is true. Simple and common sense, but I feel it still needs to be pointed out. This idea came to mind the other day when I got to work and I noticed a coworker who is "carrying a few extra pounds" on a set of crutches and had his ankle in a brace. Being the compassionate coworker I am, I asked him what had happened and he said that he didn't do anything remarkable, in fact just the opposite; he had hurt it while walking down a step in his home. No big deal. But then coincidentally, another coworker that week, who is also not in the best shape was complaining about how much his knee was hurting. He had explained that he was going back and forth to the doctor to figure out what was going on with it, but he knew it was bothersome for a significant amount of time. In this second case it wasn't such an acute injury that could have happened to anyone, but the optic of these two did make me think...maybe there was a connection about both of their injuries to their current level of fitness. Although it wasn't a 100% direct cause of either, you could bet that carrying around the extra weight without a doubt contributed to it. Their unhealthy weight led to their unhealthy ailments.
A more concrete illustration with this is how arthritis is felt and managed. Anyone who suffers from some form of arthritis will tell you that it is at its worst after remaining in a non-moving position for an extended amount of time. Whether it is struggling to get out of bed in the morning after laying down for several hours, or when someone has to exert a good amount of effort after sitting in a car for an extended amount of time, it is after the inactivity that causes the most pain. Conversely, it is with movement that the pain is alleviated!
So the moral of the story is get active and be active to remain active! It is easiest to maintain a high level of health if you are simply trying to remain in a high level of health. Many gym goers will tell you that its hardest to get to the gym following a layoff for whatever reason. But once going is the routine, going becomes routine. You also have to think about how remaining active creates this easier scenario. Maintaining a healthy amount of physical activity and healthy diet will directly cause you to be at a healthy weight for you. In the very least, not carrying around extra fat will decrease the stress on your joints and dramatically decrease the chance of suffering from the conditions that my coworkers are enduring. A healthy diet will also cause you to have more energy and not feel sluggish, which in turn again will make it easier to maintain that healthy lifestyle.
In sounds like common sense, but if you want to be healthy, you have to live healthy. Getting that ball rolling is key to keeping it going. Most of us want to reach a healthier state of living, and we can all get to that next level. It isn't as easy as just wanting it, you also have to act on it. But the good news is that once you start being healthy, your health will dramatically improve, and it will be that much easier to keep at it. Being healthy is the fresh way to start and maintain a fit new you!
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