Get fit this summer
I love what Izaak Walton once said: “Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can’t buy.”
For most of us, summer brings for us thoughts (if not actions) of getting more fit. Getting in shape is one of those things in life that we know we should do yet we certainly don’t always do it. Speaking for myself, while there are many barriers to getting fit, I have found there to be a couple that are most challenging.
First of these is that we are victims of our own advancement. In work, technology has eliminated for many people any calorie burning activity. In play, we have an endless amount of inactivate entertainment to fill our time.
Second of these barriers in my experience is information overload. Have you ever gotten motivated to research a good fitness plan only to have your head spin by all the different diet and exercise theories? On more than one occasion I have read separate articles in the same fitness magazine that completely contradicted each other!
In my study of fitness if you were to boil it down to a five word philosophy it would be eat less and exercise more. Now that may seem a little obvious, but like many fundamentals in life if we will only take action on that which we know we will get the results that we desire.
I think all of us have some level of desire to be fit and healthy. I don’t think anybody actually says to themselves “I want to be out of shape and eat non-nutritional foods in excess.” So it seems the difference between fit and unfit people goes back to that powerful word of desire. Some people desire to be fit and healthy more than others. This is where it is important to understand that in order to build a strong enough desire you must first build a strong enough why!
According to the Mayo Clinic, the why can be found in a number of benefits. They include managing your weight, improving your mood, decreasing the chance of disease, quality sleep and even a better sex life! WebMD adds better skin, reduced stress, less illness and increased brain power! In addition to these, a major benefit I have found in regular exercise is increased creativity. While working out or running, I find dozens of ideas start flowing through my head. Ideas having to do with work projects, speeches, blog posts, conversations and solutions to problems. I find there is rarely a point when I am more motivated than in the midst of a fitness improving activity.
If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.-Eubie Blake on his 100th birthday
So far all of these benefits of being fit and healthy have to do with you. But for some people, for whatever reason, they just won’t do it for themselves. So for those people I would suggest to look outside themselves and consider how it would benefit those closest to them. For instance, how many times does somebody “let themselves go” once they set into the routine of a marriage? Yes the vows of “till death do us part” have been exchanged, but should that mean that we should take any less care of ourselves that we did in the days of courtship? And what of our children? If you are a parent, you are the foremost role model in your children’s lives. It is from you that they will primarily learn their life long health and fitness habits, or the lack of them. If we love our children, do we not owe it to them to set them up for success in this very important part of life?
If still one is not motivated, would one be motivated if being fit or not affected their income and career success?
If you’d like to get more fit this summer (or are already doing well and want to keep it up), here’s a few actions to take.
- Decide what’s in it for you and those who are important to you. Consider the benefits and ask if they outweigh the comfort of not making the effort to be fit and healthy.
- Read or learn about some inspirational role models of health and fitness. If you need some thought starters consider Lance Armstrong , Michelle Obama or Jack LaLanne who at 96 yrs old is probably more fit than most people half his age.
- If possible, find a partner who is also interested in becoming more fit and healthy. It can be more fun and easier to stay on track when someone else comes along for the ride.
- Finally, check back here in the coming week for some best bets for exercise and eating habits.
Summertime is here. There’s no better season for getting motivated to make positive changes in your health plan. The sun is out and outdoor activity is abundant. There is no shortage of ways and inspiration to take your fitness to the next level.
Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.-Goethe
