When it comes to being healthy, most of us have an idea as to what that looks like. In fact, most of us think that it’s far more complicated than it really is or has to be. Being healthy is much simpler than many of us allow ourselves to believe. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve all seen too many Rocky movies where becoming a champion involves countless days at the gym or if it’s because some celebrities on the covers of magazines look like they haven’t eaten one bite of food in three months.
Whatever it is, I have found that what really is healthy isn’t what we all come to think of when we hear the word. Which I think is why so many of us have negative connotations when it comes to getting on a healthier path in our lives. Today, I want to share with you three misconceptions about living a healthy life and why adopting healthy habits doesn’t have to come with huge sacrifices.
Misconception 1: In order to be healthy, you must spend all your time at the gym.
This misconception has two parts: the first is that there isn’t enough time to get a good workout in. The second is not wanting to get moving at the gym or not wanting to get the gym at all. While I am a proponent of exercise in general, I’ll be the first to tell you that getting moving does not have to involve a lot of time or carting yourself to and from the gym on a daily basis. In fact, I am self-proclaimed as “not a gym person” and do most of my workouts in my home or on the stretch of road outside my house. That means even if I have 20 minutes to get moving, I can take a quick walk, watch a TV show while doing a few interval exercises, or getting on my home exercise bike.
Getting moving comes in a million forms and while it’s a nice excuse to not move your body each day, it can be easily shut down by finding a few 10-minute bursts in your day or finding a free half-hour while you’re watching TV at night. Find the time, make it happen, and don’t try to be perfect. Any movement is good movement.
Misconception 2: Healthy people only eat bird food and are hungry all the time.
This misconception makes me laugh, because if this were true, I would be a nightmare to be around at any given moment. The truth is that what’s behind this thought is that most of us don’t want to give up our vices (like dessert, chips, coffee, and alcohol) or the foods that we love more than anything in the world (like ice cream, french fries, or molten lava cake). I’m here to tell you that eating healthfully isn’t only about what you eat but also about how often you eat it. Making healthy choices most of the time will make up for those indulgences when you do decide to have them and make them all the more worth it.
Let me give you an example of how this has played out in my own life. When I was a kid, I was very attached to my teddy bear, Snuggles. I would take that bear with me everywhere. I loved it so much, it was falling apart and dingy most of the time. Many times, my mom would take Snuggles away to “have a bath” in the washing machine. During those first fifteen minutes where I couldn’t have my very best teddy bear friend, I felt like my life was over. But usually I would become distracted, find other things to do, and then once “bath time” was over – I was over the moon about getting to play with my friend again. Food isn’t much different. Often we’re so scared by what life could be like without our favorite food or indulgence that we aren’t allowing ourselves a moment to get unfamilar with it only to bring back that feeling of love and enjoyment again. Some things can be truly better enjoyed when they’re more scarce than we want them to be.
Misconception 3: Weight loss is the number one priority for living a healthier life.
This misconception is one that I hear the most often. When most people report their health, it’s often in terms of their weight. But weight isn’t any more of a good predictor of your health than getting blood work done, mentally noting your energy levels throughout the day, or how you actually feel in your body and your clothes. One thing that I like to remind my clients of is that weight loss is often a result of living a healthy life, but that doesn’t mean that losing weight makes you healthier. There are many ways to lose weight in an unhealthy manner. Changing your habits can lead to weight loss, but weight loss doesn’t lead to changing habits or a healthy lifestyle.
Consider thinking of your health like a journey or a marathon instead of a destination with goal posts. Sure you can have milestones, but those don’t define you – the entire race, your outlook on the progress, and your enjoyment of the journey does.
While there are so many misconceptions about health, these are just a few tips on the iceberg. If you’ve been feeling like being healthier is completely out of reach for a multitude of reasons, I challenge you to simplify whatever your biggest fear is. If it’s worrying you’ll never make it to the gym, simplify it by doing a few jumping jacks whenever you get a free minute. If it’s worrying about giving up your favorite foods, turn your attention on a food you haven’t tried before instead of what you’re trying to eat less of. If you are worried about your weight instead of your health, give yourself a moment to ask yourself what you’ll do when you hit your goal weight. What significance will it have for you? What will you do once that’s been completed?
Living a healthy life is an ongoing process, one that shouldn’t have to involve making major sacrifices. If you’re interested in getting healthier and shedding some misconceptions of your own, feel free to come on over and sign up for a free
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