Thursday, June 16, 2016

What "Healthy" is not...

Oh hey!  Let me brief you on my day yesterday, and then I'm going on a major-crazy rant!

(Not really, I just wanted you to get excited for drams...but there's really no drama...)

My run yesterday morning = warm, humid, yucky, but kinda gorgeous.


+ tunes from one of my favorite books/movies.


I nearly turned around because of these jerk birds.  I was like "Uh, that's okay...I'll just go back...", and then I heard a couple of them hiss at me.  Well no freaking way am I going to let some future featherdusters scare me!  I walked slowwwwwwwly toward them, and they got off the path.  Take THAT!


I spent exactly three minutes and 34 seconds in the shower, then head off to work.  After a long day, I got home and apparently had the munchies?  I put these two things together, as though they were PB and J.  But they really, really aren't.  I guess I'm just in a snacky mood.


One PLLs episode, and I was on my way to the track to hang with the /R/iver /R/unners crew.

Beautiful?  Yes.  Hot as all getout?  YES YES YES.


We ended our night here; it was really nothing to do a write-up over, though.  We were kind of disappointed (too many $$$$, food wasn't great, service was blah), but at least there was beer.


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I figured that, since most of my posts are completely random, I might as well make one post that's actually filled with some information or ever-so-slightly educational.  So YEAH, Amanda, I'm using #TOLT for something...well...not as random as I usually use it for.:)


Here we go:  Healthy IS NOT --------->

1.  ...all about weight loss/being skinny.  Have you ever Google'd or searched for "Healthy" on Pinterest?  IT.IS.BA.NA.NAS how many "weight loss tips" show up in your feed.  As though that's the only way to true health, is more weight loss.  *shakes head furiously*

2.  (bouncing off of number 1) ...is only in regard to how you look.  Health can be synonymous with Wellness.  Depending on where you look, there are six to nine components of Wellness.  Here are the seven that I adhere to:

As you can see, our Wellness Wheel covers what I would consider the seven major chunks of our lives.  Your health is broken down into these categories to help prioritize, and to help discover how to enrich those categories individually.  I love subscribing to the idea that my Physical Wellness is nothing without my Social, Environmental, Intellectual, etc. Wellness.

3.  ...expensive.  It's easy to get caught up in all of the supplements, the organics (which we'd all strive for in a perfect World), the gym memberships, the personal training, etc.

Regarding organic foods and products:  Check out the Environmental Working Group's website regarding the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 -- which foods you SHOULD BE BUYING organic, and foods you can totes get away with not buying organic.

For instance!

Aaaaaaaaaaand...



In other words, if you don't want to spend a ton of money on food, at least try to buy the organic option from the foods on the Dirty Dozen list and avoid the non-organic.

4.  ...only all about six-pack abs.  I'm not hating on anyone here.  What I'm saying is that if your end goal is only to have a six-pack, then eat a ton of broccoli and chicken (not really all that healthy in the long run).  There's a solid reason why bodybuilders cycle their diets ------- staying on a low-fat, lower carb (and at some point, ketogenic diet) ain't great for you for too long.  And to be honest, unless you have a fantastic metabolism, that's what it takes to see more definition and striations in your muscles.

5.  ...Something-Free/Low-Something.  Gluten-free, sugar-free, lactose-free, fat-free, low-carb, low-sugar...I was going to say "the list goes on and on", but I think that's just about it.:)  Regardless, something that claims any of these things aren't HEALTHY.  Albeit, some of these things aren't UNHEALTHY, but they're for specific people (e.g. GF & LF).  If your body cannot take gluten or lactose, then by all means, those foods are for you.  Otherwise, the other foods (SF, FF, LC, etc.) are usually filled with yucky things.  Read labels!

6.  ..."Cleansing".  I.e. The Master Cleanse. Just STOP THIS.  You have an organ that is working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365(+1 leap year day) days a year, to make sure your systems aren't "dirty".  Best believe -- what your body doesn't want, it gets rid of.

7.  ...working out every single day.  Nope.  You hear that "everything in moderation" saying, mostly about diet and nutrition.  I say this about exercise and training, as well.  There are people out there who run or bike seven days a week.  Again, no hate, but you better get your rest at least one day out of the week.

The seventh is the most important point that I have to make.  Please keep an open mind here.

8.  ...UNATTAINABLE.  I've been in the fitness industry for ten years.  I'm constantly asked so many questions regarding weight-loss, "toning" (ugh, stop using that word, please), nutrition and "how can I get this fat off my ____________" (newsflash:  There's no such thing as spot reduction).  No matter how many times we hear it, no matter how often we see it and try to repeat it to ourselves, we shouldn't compare ourselves to anyone else.

But let's face it...most of us do.

And that's okay.

What I never, ever ever want someone to think is that "healthy" is unattainable.  They think a certain weight, a certain glow in the skin, flawless hair and nails, the perfect job, all of the friends, etc.

The best thing that I can possibly say about this is that you define your own "healthy".  Your very best version is the healthiest person you'll meet.  Compare yourself to THAT.  See how attainable that is?  See how perfect you are?  Everything you want is attainable, including Health.:)

/rant
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Tell me ONE THING that you're thinking out loud today!


Weirdest snack items you've put together?


FAVORITE music to listen to while running?
-I cannot even answer my own question here.  I listen to EVERYTHING.

14 comments:

  1. Great views on health! As I get older (eek) I find myself thinking about health a lot more than in my youth! I love the wellness wheel. I think we do put too much emphasis on the skinny/six pack abs. Emotional healthy is super important!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen! Same, with the "As I get older..." (EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!:)

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  2. #preach #preach #preach. PREACH

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  3. hahaha "future feather dusters"! I'm going to remind them of that the next time I run by a gaggle of them.

    Great thoughts on health. I'm going to do a post on "race weight" one of these days. I've got a few thoughts about that topic as well.

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  4. Love love love. So helpful to be reminded of the fact that a lot of the ideology the fitness industry churns out is not necessarily true. Defining my own healthy FTW. :)

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  5. Yes! I love this! I definitely think that especially as of late, health can seem so unattainable, but it doesn't have to be as complicated as it's made out to be!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's what really irks me the most, that people think "healthy" looks a certain way. I'm so happy that message was clear.:)

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  6. I think I might have avoided those geese. I get them in my park too and while I have never seen them hiss or go after anyone, I don't want to tempt them.

    Gorgeous photo with the sun peeking through !

    As far as the healthy debate goes... I think it is going to take some time for a mindset change. Healthy is the new skinny, but then there is so much debate about "healthy". But at least its more about feeling good about ourselves and our bodies. Progress...

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    Replies
    1. Agreed! It's going to take a while, but the shift has to begin sometime.

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  7. Tiffany I love your wheel! And I love that you take into account your social, environmental, and intellectual well -being! Good for you! Btw those geese look scary...I would have turned around too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I teach my middle schoolers about the Wellness Wheel. Good times.

      I bet you'd be brave with the gaggle!

      Delete

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