So Much Food. So Little Time
There’s so much delicious food for those of us who live in the most obese country in the world. It’s everywhere. Our primitive ancestors had to go out and kill their food. We can drive through and have it handed to us through our car window. An expenditure of about 5 calories to lower the power window can yield well over 1000 calories in a matter of minutes. It’s no wonder that 75% of the people in the U.S. are obese or overweight.
As a health coach, I’ve learned that nobody wants to lose weight. They say they do, but actions speak louder than words when it comes down to actually doing what’s necessary.
What they do want is to be happy. Everybody wants that.
Robert Waldinger, the head of the Harvard Study of Adult Development—one of the longest-running studies of human happiness on record has accumulated data
which began all the way back in 1938 that have transformed our knowledge of human happiness.
One of his findings is what you would call a “no-brainer” however it is probably one the most ignored in our culture
“You need to take care of your body like you’re going to need it for 100 years. And if you do that, you end up much more likely to be happy, as well as well. And that means exercise. It means eating well and getting enough sleep. It means when you can, get regular health care.”
If we all know that, why don’t we do it? Maybe it’s because the pain of bad health is in the distant future for most of us, and the pleasure of delicious food is in front of us every day. It takes some impressive self-management skills to be healthy in this country.
If you’re making a New Year’s Resolution around your health, consider a six-point checkup to see where you need to make a commitment:
Am I at my healthy weight.? (consult a BMI chart to find out)
Do I make healthy choices about food?
Am I getting 7-8 hours of good sleep every night.
Do I manage my emotions and stress in a healthy way?
Do I get enough exercise?
Are the people in my life lifting me up or bringing me down in terms of my health?
Pick the one that has the biggest payoff for you and include it in your New Year’s Resolution.
Here’s wishing you health and happiness in 2023.