“I want to lose weight! Eat more vegetables! Go to the gym once a week!” These are three of countless examples of New Year’s resolutions, but what many people don’t realize is that health looks different for everyone. While there are general guidelines everyone can follow, it’s unreasonable to follow the exact same eating or exercising routine as another ‘healthy’ person and expect the same results.
The first thing to do before making health-oriented goals is to define it: what does being healthy mean to you? Senior Alessandra Obrist links physical health with mental wellness.
“Physically healthy doesn’t mean [just] body-wise, but also mentally. When you work out, you’re also letting all the bad hormones and toxins out, getting your mind off of stress. So it just makes me feel better on the inside as well as the outside,” Obrist said.
Mental health and physical health go hand in hand. When one struggles, both struggle; when one flourishes, both flourish. When one is struggling, boosting the other can help you out. For example, if you’re having a rough go with your mental health, forcing yourself to eat healthy and go to the gym can help pull you out of the slump. However, it’s sometimes hard to eat healthy and be physically fit. It’s much easier to curl up on the couch and eat macaroni and cheese than it is to work out for an hour then put together a balanced meal to replenish your body. Junior Hadyn Brooks offers advice to those who struggle to find motivation.
“Do it for you. Make it a goal, stay on top of it, but do it for you that way you are able to see the positive out of it and be able to benefit from being active,” Brooks said.
No one is going to force you to be healthy. It’s a decision that you must make for yourself, and the benefits outweigh the pros. Studies show that being healthy and active is linked to people who live longer and have less health issues. Science teacher Dr. Keith Peterson advocates for health and wellbeing, and he has some great advice on improving your health.
“I think making small changes…any little bit you can do to be healthier with the food that you put in your body [is important], starting with more fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that plant based diets are healthier diets. So I always try to eat my vegetables, especially at meal time. I find vegetable options that I like. A variety is always good, but I think you’re better off eating the same vegetable multiple times a week than you are not eating a vegetable at all. Small steps are the biggest thing, you know?” Peterson said. “Eating some type of vegetable is better than nothing. Don’t overthink it. Try to make it easy, find something you enjoy.”
Small lifestyle changes are essential for improving a diet, but they must be sustainable. Don’t say you’ll never eat processed foods again, that’s incredibly unrealistic. Instead, make your goals small, but significant. Things like trying to eat a cup of vegetables at dinner or having an apple for a snack instead of a honey bun are small changes that will make progress in the long haul.
Humans are bound to make mistakes and fall onto old habits/patterns, and that’s okay! It’s more than alright to treat yourself, and if you happen to have a day where you make not-so-healthy choices, try again tomorrow. All we can do is try our best, and the best we can do sometimes means eating pizza and ice cream.
Eating well and exercising regularly is always a good option, but it’s important to take it at the pace you and your body wants to take it. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day; simply try to make healthy choices when you can and encourage others to do the same!
