There is no End to Good Health

“Eating healthy and moving your body are life-long acts of love and appreciation” – Liz Simmons

For a good six months prior to my wedding I put exercise and nutrition as top priority.  At the time I was in the Environmental Lab field working in the Quality Assurance department, and during these six months I managed to stay on top of my work and home responsibilities (except washing dishes, I was trying to grow nails and dishpan hands are horrible for that) but somehow I also succeeded in exercising a minimum of an hour a day, and getting a better handle on my nutrition.  The big day came and yes, I did in my opinion look very bridely and I was happy with the outcome of the work I had put forth, then the honeymoon and soon enough back to work.  I did switch departments when I returned, so in my mind that meant more time spent at work, more stress and well now that the wedding was over I didn’t really have a good reason to justify spending and hour a day working out or getting fussy about what I was eating.  I also had the idea that since I had gotten into such good shape, I didn’t really need to maintain the workouts and nutrition that got me there.

 I was wrong….I mean I was so so wrong, and this mentality of “it’s only temporary, that I’m suffering now but it won’t be forever” will never get you exactly where you want to be and it will never allow you to make the mental shift to acceptance that will make the whole process easier.  Being healthy is not a destination, it is a continuous journey and you must wrap your head around the idea that consistent quality nutrition and physical movement are not the means to an end. There is no end, the means are the end and you’re only suffering if that’s what you tell yourself. If the idea of moving your body and eating healthy for the rest of your life creates feelings of anxiety and anguish, then it’s time to employ a little leverage, by visualizing two different futures.  

The Path of Temporary Suffering

“Every negative belief weakens the partnership between mind and body.” – Deepak Chopra

One potential future is where you still view exercise and nutrition as temporary punishments in order to achieve some goal like weight reduction.  You start ‘suffering’ for a couple of weeks, tracking your nutrition and exercising, the scale begins to show the results you’re looking for, so you cheat a little bit, splurge on the weekend, and then the scale on Monday displays that splurge.  Now imagine this is your pattern for the next year, maybe you’ve shed 10lbs or so but the experience was (according to your perception) horrendous. Now go a little further into the future, five years from now, what do you look like then, did you get frustrated for several months give up and you’re actually 5lbs heavier, what about ten years down the road, twenty years??? Stop for a second and really let this set in, if you associate eating healthy and exercising as suffering this means your adherence will be spotty at best, and spotty commitments lead to spotty results. What’s worse is that you’ve been STRUGGLING FOR TWENTY YEARS with nothing to show for it.

The Path of a Lifetime Commitment

“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos- the trees, the clouds, everything.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Now let’s see the other path you could choose, if you start cultivating healthy habits right now and maintain them how do you see yourself in the future? Take a snap shot one year out, are you still slightly struggling with the process but you’ve been seeing results, you’re getting stronger and your belt is now needed for most of your pants?  What does five years in the future look like, are you in a completely new wardrobe, maybe you’ve been taken off some medications, the whole struggle is over it’s just a way of life, you’re more active and feeling more confident in yourself?  In ten years, you’re NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT WHO YOU USE TO BE, that person was so long ago, you are no longer her/him. What’s even more amazing is that the skills and confidence you’ve built up have enabled you to take more chances in other areas of your life, you’re starting to bet on yourself because you’ve proven to yourself that you’re a sure win.

When you eat well and move your body there is a positive response, your body, brain and spirit honestly benefit and flourish because they are being taken care of.  How can it be considered suffering when the results are so positive? It is only considered suffering because you’ve decided to label it as such, and what’s worse you think it’s a punishment, but it’s not, it is treating yourself and the vessel in which you live with care love and consideration.  Stop labeling the habits that are so good for you as painful, what is painful is mindlessly eating crap and letting the gift you’ve received become bloated, unhealthy and diseased. Eat a well-balanced meal full of veggies and lean protein and tell yourself it tastes amazing and is absolutely what you needed, because it is.  Go for a long walk, speed up the pace, let your lungs fill up with oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, tell yourself how unbelievable it is that you get to move and be active, because it is.  You are here for a lifetime, make it a healthy and happy one.

Copyright 2020 Strength & Grace Life Coaching LLC