What does healthy living mean to you?�Does healthy living require a change

in your lifestyle?�If so, is change major or minor?

A healthy lifestyle doesn't mean we have to live in a bubble.�It

doesn't mean we must sanitize everything we touch. Healthy living

doesn't require us to eat twigs and leaves, or ride a bicycle everywhere

we go.�We need not endure nutritional denial or torturous exercise.�We

simply must make good decisions and choices.

We wouldn't knowingly step in front of a moving bus; why, then,

do we smoke? We wouldn't face down a rabid animal; why, then do we

consume excessive amounts of alcohol or do drugs?�We wouldn't put

our hands into a running garbage disposal; why, then, do we eat so much

sugar and fat?�I make these comparisons to point out the dangers many

folks expose themselves to on a daily basis.

Exercise can, likewise, be done without radical behavior.�Taking the

stairs increases the heart rate more than riding the elevator.�Parking

further away burns more calories than otherwise. In today's society,

there is no excuse for not knowing the pitfalls of smoking, excessive

drinking and dumb nutritional choices; yet, look at the epidemic of obesity

of our citizens, young and old.�Look at the deaths caused by smoking and

drunk driving.

Building a healthy lifestyle is not an option.�It's a must.�Sound

nutritional advice is available from your doctor or through any number

of resources.�The internet comes to mind.�Wholesome and tasty foods are

abundant.�As I have written many times in previous articles, exercise

can be many different things to different people.�Some may take to walking;

others may take to running marathons.�Choose something you like, and do

it.

A healthy lifestyle isn't static.�It is exciting and dynamic.�As

your body changes, so, too, will the variety of foods you can eat.�As

your fitness level changes, so, too, will the variety of activities you

can perform.�

Parents, teach your children the value and importance of sound nutrition

and exercise.�These lessons learned will become a key part of their entire

healthy, productive, and happy lives.�Perhaps we can turn around the growing

plague of obesity.

During the course of my personal training sessions, I often hear folks

say that they don't have time to exercise and are not inclined to

change their eating patterns.�Don't look at the concepts of sound

nutrition and exercise as gimmicks, but rather tools with which to build

and maintain a genuinely rich life.

I am sure that many of the current requirements in your lives were not

always the case.�You made the changes necessary to facilitate ongoing

responsibilities.�Seems like many of us have had to learn to schedule

time to shuttle our kids to a myriad of activities.�Some of us have had

to adjust to changes in our work schedules.�All of us are constantly making

adjustments in our lives.�Can we afford not taking care of ourselves?

If we look back, I think all of us have made adjustments that at the time

seemed impossible; yet, today, are just routine.

Lifestyle changes need not result in denial and torture.�Agree to make

small changes at first, and then build on them. Enlist the help of family,

friends and respected professionals. Make specific goals, not vague or

general ones.

If you had the choice for you and your family to have more energy than

less, feel better than worse, look better, and be overall healthier and

happier, what would you do?

Let's focus on making on 2004 the best year yet.

(If you have any questions or comments, ask Mike at [email protected].)

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