To Be Healthy, One Must Go Against The Flow
09/04/14 09:00
We have all heard and used the following terms to describe a difficult course of action like “swimming upstream”, “going against the tide”, and “fighting an uphill battle”. Have you ever used these terms to describe the road to a healthy lifestyle? I have. I hear it all the time working with weight loss clients who come to the realization that making healthy food choices takes planning, control, and constant effort. I hear it when the idea of exercising and not remaining sedentary anymore starts to take shape in a person’s life.
Going with the flow, instead of going against the tide, is what leads most of us into overweight and obese classifications. As weight comes on so do extra aches and pains which makes it even more difficult to keep swimming upstream. Riding the waves these days seems comfortable and easy for a little while, but soon the waves start to pull you under and it can be really hard to reach the surface again.
There are many reasons to just go with the flow, but in the end those reasons are just excuses. Unfortunately, excuses do not initiate action. You can get off the wave and plant your feet on solid ground by starting with just one small change in your lifestyle. Each small change you make will sustain your effort to make the next one and the next one. Before you know it you have made it to the next section of the stream where the rapids are not so rough. Once there, it is easier to continue making the changes to keep going.
I fight the fight myself daily since I am faced with the same choices as everyone else. I fight to keep sugar out of my house that filters in from school, church, and outside activities. I fight to put a healthy dinner on the table for my family and not give in to the hundreds of ads I see each day for fast food. I fight to make time to exercise and not give in to the comfort of my couch just like anyone else. Do I get tired of going against the flow? I can honestly say, no. The flavors of a healthy life are much sweeter than the taste of going with the flow; therefore I’ll keep swimming against the current. Are you ready to dive in?
Niki Kubiak, RD, CSSD is the Director of Health and Nutrition at InfiniteSportsWorld.