Say what you want to be in as few words as possible. For me it can come down to the intentional phrase: to be fit, fed, strong, and happy through all the decades of life. I want it for myself and I also want it for others. Each part can be expanded to give some more clarity and there is an interconnectedness to them.
So what does it mean?
FIT. Being fit means our work capacity. We are not restricted by our level of fitness. Fitness is freedom. The freedom to take on challenges or adventures, be spontaneous. Knowing that your body can step up to the physical demand. Training to be fit involves flirting with the limits of our abilities. We don’t need to smash ourselves into the ground while working out. We do need to get ourselves a bit breathless and tired with physical activity on the regular and recover from that work.
FED. People often tell me they know how to eat. Or, how they should eat. Yet, if they are not operating at a healthy body weight then there is something missing. I don’t want to see people always on a diet, I do want people to get connected to their sense of hunger and fullness and nourish themselves in a way that supports their fitness. It can also mean we learn to not medicate ourselves with food.
STRONG. Everybody should be strong. Physical strength takes effort and a familiarity with discomfort. Our lives are not as physical as in years past. We must make the effort ourselves so that when the time comes for us to rely on our strength it is ready. I’ve never heard someone say about a situation, I really wish I hadn’t been so strong. But I have heard the opposite. Plus, our bodies can live a long time while also deteriorating for that same measure of time. We lose muscle, bone density and resilience over the years. Often we don’t notice it until it has progressed to be obvious. It is easier and also better to strength train before that point than to start later. It’s not always fun, but being weak and fragile is also not fun.
HAPPY. This is more about management of our state of mind. This might also be the toughest one of all. We are responsible for our own happiness. That means we need to manage stress. We need to connect with others who support us and set boundaries with those who do not. We need to say yes to our priorities and no to what sucks life from us. We need to be unreasonably optimistic and complain less.
There is more depth to each of these, to be sure, but I hope you get the general idea. These are not ideas that happen at the snap of our fingers, rather they are a journey we set upon and advance closer to over time. A lifetime. Imagine if your health and lifestyle could be summed up by being fit, fed, strong and happy? And also 3 years from now. And also 10 years from now. Even 20? That is where through all decades of life comes in. To paraphrase Ben Bergeron, I want to be kicking ass into my nineties!
How about you?
Where are you on this journey? What comes to mind when you think of being fit, fed, strong and happy? I encourage you to detach from the images we see on social media or screens. Those are curated and presented in a particular way and only represent a brief intentional moment. Healthy fitness doesn’t have to be about shredded abs and outperforming others because that is not sustainable. Especially over decades. And probably won’t make you happier.
If you want to start making the move toward a healthier lifestyle, the members at Stone Brook Strength are great peers to come alongside. They have been where you are and are actively on the journey themselves. The coaches are great guides who have helped many people figure out what needs to be done and how to do it. Click HERE to talk to a coach and see what is possible, to start making a change for the better.
If you have been struggling with fitness for a while, how much longer are you going to carry that? Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes.