A heart attack?
Bodyfat% to be in the "danger zone?"
A horrible doctor's report?
Medication?
Realizing you can't do something you used to be able to do?
Don't you know, the best time to "fix the roof" is when the "sun is shining!"
Why wait until it is "pouring rain" before you decide to make a healthy lifestyle change? Yeah, I know, a healthy lifestyle change requires some work, commitment, consistency and some changes! But, that sure beats the alternative right? Maybe this will help put it into perspective...
There was a stubborn guy who ate whatever he wanted, his vegetables were french fries, his fruit was blueberry donuts, his exercise was his thumb channel/computer surfing on the couch and about the only physical activity he got was the walk to the mailbox and back.
One day, he found himself on a rooftop being confronted by someone who meant business. This person gave him an ultimatum as it had come to that point. Think of it as his last chance to fix the roof before the big downpour came! So, the man who meant business on the rooftop said, "you have 2 choices and you must choose 1 now! Either you change your ways and adopt a healthy lifestyle or I am going to force you off this rooftop to take your chances."
The stubborn man then said, "I will not change my ways...this has to be a joke!" Then, ALL OF A SUDDEN, the stubborn, unwilling man found himself falling off the roof. His last words were, "so far so good!"
Now, I realize that may be a little extreme for some, but a very true reality for others! I know personal stories of those whose health got the best of them and watched them struggle to survive or get taken too early from this life! We only have about 80-90 years or so on this planet so why not give ourselves the best chance possible to maximize that time?
I have been told before that I could walk out tomorrow and get hit by a bus and die so what good was living a healthy lifestyle? My response back to them was that I can only control what I can control and I can't control what I can't! In other words, when it's my time to go, it's my time, but what if my time isn't until I'm 100? If I live that long I want to be able to still have quality of life. You see, I don't do what I do to try to live as long as I can because I don't have full control over that; I do what I do to live as QUALITY as I can while I'm still alive!
We have a lot of things to stress about in this life, but why should health be one of them? We have the ability to take control of our health and live a better life because of it! As a natural doctor that I know says, "we only get 1 'earth suit' so wear it well!" I want to live the best life I can while I'm still alive so a big part of that is staying physically healthy.
Of course, there is also mental, emotional, relational, spiritual health as well, but I guarantee you that if you get struck with a serious health condition, it will instantly jump to the front of the line and can end up dominating your life AND those loved ones around you! This opens up another can...which is if we don't take care of our health, eventually, we will force others around us to have to! It then puts incredible stress and hardship on loved ones/caregivers in our world to now have to help us because we chose for many years to not help ourselves in the area of our health!
If I'm going to be alive, I want to have the best quality of life that I can within my control! A healthy lifestyle doesn't ensure your life will be great and you will have no problems, but it can only make your life better from whatever place you are in! A former boss of mine said one time to me, "money isn't the answer to everything, but it sure helps to have it." In the same way, a healthy lifestyle isn't the answer to everything, but it sure makes your life better if you live it!
My challenge to you is to start TODAY by incorporating 1 healthier choice/habit daily and build from there! It may or may not help you live longer, but I guarantee you that it will help you live better!
Your health and fitness coach,
Clayton
