So I’m sure you’re wondering: Why the new healthy? What’s wrong with the old healthy? Or what the heck is the difference?
I feel as if today’s society has transformed the word healthy into a loaded word--a word that causes anxiety in some, and disorders in others. We hear healthy, we think diet. We hear healthy, we think skinny. We hear healthy, we think unattainable. Healthy is in fact none of these things! To me, healthy means strong. Healthy means balanced. Healthy means making mistakes and fixing them. Healthy encompasses not only our bodies, but also our minds. From here on out, we should re-define the word healthy. The New Healthy.
The mentality of today's society revolves around the quickest fix, the shortest corner, and the easiest way out. It's that mentality that caused the building of a fast food drive-thru on every corner. That same mentality facilitates the rising rates of obesity in our country. The easy-way-out mentality is conducive to companies making millions off of "diet pills" that don't help, but actually harm. It also lends to the fact that we think consuming extremely processed "diet foods" are the best ways to reach healthfulness.
One thing I've discovered in my path to becoming healthy is this: Eating healthy does not have to be hard. In fact, eating healthy can be fast, easy, and even inexpensive. The next time you're feeling snacky, enjoy an apple with peanut butter, rather than a bag of chips; enjoy a low-fat greek yogurt, rather than ice cream. These simple exchanges can make all the difference and get you on the path of healthy choices.
I don't mean to sound judgmental, just real. I have been there. Fast food used to be a big part of my life. I would stay up late studying, take a test, and then stop at Taco Bell on the way home for a quick meal. This happened more often than not. The problem is that these choices left me feeling sluggish and tired CONSTANTLY. These choices took me up to my highest weight, while simultaneously plummeting my sense of self and my self-esteem, in particular. My current dietary choices give me energy and truly make me feel good. Making good choices is surprisingly uplifting.
Let me also mention this: I am certainly not perfect. No one is. So expect to see me make poor food choices from time-to-time. I just don't beat myself up about it. I take it with a grain of salt and move on. Life is too short to dwell over something so small. Yet, life may be shorter if you don't at least give it some consideration. ;) And I definitely won't "hide" my poor choices from you, I'll always post them. Part of this blog is to make myself accountable, right?
If through this blog, I can touch one persons life, help them discover a love for their new healthy--for what healthy means to them, then it will be worth it.
This is my take on The New Healthy and specifically the reasons behind why I feel it's necessary to be re-defined. We are all different, so tell me what is your take on healthy?
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