Living a Healthier Life

Do you follow Ali Edwards? Even if you're not a crafter, you'll enjoy her posts. She's just an all-around inspiring, authentic person. Ali recently started sharing her fitness journey on Instagram, and I appreciate how she speaks about the ups and downs of trying to live a healthier life. She often shares how her work and family life get in the way of her fitness goals. But each time she lapses -- and this is the best part about her posts -- she GETS BACK ON TRACK, because she knows she'll feel better when she does. 

Ali's posts have made me stop and re-think WHY I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Truly, it shouldn't be about perfection -- it should be about moving GENERALLY in the right direction. There are times when I eat ALL THE CHIPS. And there's a reason I never make dessert or buy potatoes. 😉

 One of Ali's latest posts was about the scale. Ahhh, yes, the dreaded scale. There have been times when I've been SCARED to get on the scale. In fact, there were a few years when I didn't even own a scale, making getting on the scale at the doctor's office once a year even more terrifying. 

So when Ali asked: Is the scale a friend, foe, or a tool? I paid attention. For me, it can be a foe. 

That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I'm not overweight. There is no need for me to feel this way about the scale. Obviously, there is some self-criticism at play here. It's true that we all need to be more loving toward ourselves...myself included.

So I tell myself that weight loss is not one the reasons why I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle. But that's not completely true. Like many people, I'd like to lose a few pounds. Recently I came down with an awful case of the stomach flu and over the course of 24 hours, I lost 5 pounds. After I started feeling better, I was a little bit happy that I had lost that weight -- even though having the flu was the WORST way to lose it. When I got on the scale that day, it was my FRIEND, not my foe. Not the healthiest outlook, I know. The scale really should be a TOOL -- not a friend or a foe.

One of my fitness goals is to visit the gym each day. When I was sick, I missed a day and that really upset me (there's that perfection thing rearing its head again). I started this back in October, and when the gym manager began writing "biggest users" on the chalkboard, I found myself motivated to continue. Now seeing my name on the chalkboard has become a monthly goal for me.

A few months ago, I injured my foot during yoga and couldn't run for quite some time. So during that time, I took up the elliptical instead. Now I alternate between the elliptical, treadmill running, and the stationary bike each day. This allowed me to get back into running without re-injuring my foot, and the variety makes it more interesting. Without that injury, I never would have incorporated the dreaded elliptical into my routine!

Still, it took some time to make my way back to running the full 5K (it takes me about 40 minutes to do it). I had finally reached that level -- in fact, I downloaded the 10K app to take a look at it as a possible next goal -- when...

I tripped over a ladder in the garage and stubbed my toe in a big way -- the same foot I previously injured! I don't know if it's broken, but it certainly doesn't feel great. So much for that running!  

But like Ali says, the journey toward living a healthier lifestyle can be filled with ups and downs. The important thing is to not give up -- find something you CAN do. Luckily, I can still get my tennis shoes on, so I'm back on the bike for now.

Another goal is to improve my emotional health, and I've found that yoga is a big part of that. Yoga breathing has helped me through a number of stressful situations, including biopsies and MRIs. In addition to improving my flexibility and balance, yoga provides a great arm workout which complements the work I do at the gym.

So if not weight loss, what are my fitness goals? Why am I spending one-two hours each day doing this stuff?

I have found that when I spend time being active, I feel better in my body -- regardless of those 5 pounds. I have more energy and sleep better at night. I also know that regular exercise offers some protection against certain diseases which have reared their ugly head in my family. I can't change my genetics, but I can modify my lifestyle to put the odds more in my favor. 

For me, those are reasons enough to continue trying to live a healthy lifestyle, regardless of the ups and downs of the journey!

jp