To her being healthy was to gain weight to aid in the growth of her baby. Although she was under the impression that she could not join this contest. Since gaining weight is possing a challenge to her at this time setting a goal such as this could work out just fine. Health is relative to what our bodies need. It goes beyond our physical state and includes our mental well being. I always notice when I am exercising regularly and feeling fit that my mental state is also sharpened. When I am stressed, overwhelmed or mentally taxed it can be that much harder to exercise. For me these are interdependent. Does meditation count as exercise? I would say so. It can be physically challenging to sit still and it definitely has a strong mental and emotional element to it. When I think of my overall health I include physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. To reach my goals I believe it takes a combination of exercise, nutrition, diet, self discovery (reflection, mediation, therapy, journaling, this type of thing), motivation, discipline and most improtantly accountability. I definitely struggle with balancing all of this and following through on the discipline/accountability piece.
Regarding measurement, our society (Western in particular) seems to be obsessed with figuring out ways to measure everything. Grades in school, performance reviews at work, our waist size, our weight, our body mass index, our body fat percentage, resting heart rate, etc. Measurement has no life to it. It is generally just a bunch of numbers and/or data. We are the ones who add meaning to all of this. I know what is more meaningful is to talk about things that matter. Thinking about my mental health and ability to play a sport to the degree I would like to or be physically attractive to others is more motivational than thinking about some number. And still, as much as I would like to avoid measurement, I too am seduced by figuring out ways to measure and gauge my health. I made it a key part of this challenge. In future posts, I will look into some of the key fitness measurments and their significance.
So with that said, I invite you to think outside of numbers and instead think through the things that matter. Ultimately, this is a far better driver of motivation and sustainable success. While, I am talking specifically about health/fitness you could think through this at work, in your home, in any context - we measure lots.
I know that when I am healthier, I am a better husband and father. I have more energy, presence, and patience. My mental state and sense of being is much more at peace. This in itself is motivating.
