Keeping the health

Flu Shot Update: Today, I am fine. My left arm is slightly sore, but I think my anxiety over needles gave me more issue than the actual flu shot! The SO, on the other hand, not so much. He's sick today. Hopefully it's not the shot, but I also don't want him to be sick for long. I definitely hope that after a day of rest he'll be feeling better.

Yesterday in my post I made a comment, "what we do for what we think is health." Let me explain. I think a majority of people are concerned with their health. They may not think in terms of exercise or fitness, but they want to be well. Often, we go crazy. We think that a diet, being a perfect weight, be able to bench 225 lbs. etc. is what will make us 'well' and by association, happy. If only we can lose those last ten pounds. If only we can be smaller or bigger than so-and-so. Those size six jeans will make us happy. A 32-inch waist will make me sexy. If I can just lose _____ or if I can just be a size ____ all will be right with the world.

It won't.

Health is defined as: Physical and mental well-being; freedom from disease, etc.

Being a certain size or reaching a specific number does not mean you are healthy. No fad diet or quick-fix deal can guarantee health. Often when you cut one kind of food out of your diet completely you start missing out on key nutrients. Our bodies have to have carbs to function. We need protein to keep our muscles strong. We must consume vitamins and minerals to carry out the needs of our bodies. We also need balance.

When our lives are overtaken by one thing be it children, work, exercise or family, other areas suffer. If we give up our social lives for working out and so we can eat the exact same thing at the exact same time of day we are losing. If we give up exercise to spend more time with family or work, we are losing. It's hard to find the balance. I'm more likely to go all out on one thing, then burn out, and then go all out on something else, but balance is key. The more balanced my life is the healthier I feel.

When I'm eating things that benefit my body and doing activities that do the same, I feel well. I'm more likely to start balancing friends and work then, too. It's trepidatious to say the best. For me, when one thing starts to slide out of control, I start to drop the ball on other things, too.

Reaching a certain size or weight might make us feel victorious, and it's good to have goals to reach for, but when we base our happiness on something we may not be able to control (with my curves, I may never be size 6 due to hips alone!) we may be devastated. A size or weight will not determine happiness. Ultimately we determine our happiness. Will being lighter or stronger help you reach goals and make day-to-day life easier? Yes, especially if you have more than five or ten pounds to lose. Will it make you happy? Will it make life all better? Probably not.

Life is what you make of it. I want to yell that from roofs and mountains and maybe even the top of my truck. People get so caught up in quick fixes or any fixes. This one thing they do will fix their life forever. I'm sorry. It won't. Life is hard, doubly so for some . Problems come and go and it's how we choose to deal with it that starts defining our lives. If I didn't admit that I eat more when I'm bored then that habit will never stop. I eat when I'm upset. I love to have a chocolate chip cookie when I'm feeling happy. However I eat, I need to recognize why I'm doing it. I eat from emotional ups and downs. Until I get to the bottom of my emotions I will not be free from emotional binging. If I run from other things in my life, losing weight won't make my life better. It will just make me thinner with the same problems.

It's hard to face issues in your life. I understand that. But a strict diet and regular exercise could be the thing that you move onto to run away from issues. Facing them is hard, but that balance, that spiritual, emotional and physical balance is so key in life. It's hard, but definitely worth working on.