Have ever been shocked to hear that someone you thought was really fit suffered from–or even died of a massive heart attack? Or that someone else you know who runs every single day still has high cholesterol? Or someone who is a biker or hiker or active tennis player or swimmer deals with inflammation and pain?
You might see someone as very fit on the outside, but it turns out that even though they are eating right and exercising, they are dealing with all kinds of health issues.
Maybe you know these kinds of people. Maybe this person is you. These people are fit. They exercise 5 times a week. They look great, they aren’t overweight, and they seem to eat healthy foods.
Sometimes what we see on the outside doesn’t mirror what’s going on on the inside.
Fit does not = healthy.
Even though you might be a ‘fit” person, you can still be unhealthy, and there are a lot of reasons why.
Still confused?
There are so many people who are posing as “fit” people, but inside, they are not healthy.
How? Here are some of the reasons:
- Lack of good sleep. This doesn’t only mean getting enough sleep, but also the quality of one’s sleep. Someone can get 8 hours of sleep but still be tired. Has that ever happened to you?
For some other people, they can sleep 6 hours of sleep, but they have great energy when they wake up. It’s not the amount of sleep but the quality of their sleep–and this may also take into account what they did before bed and what time they went to bed.
Do you randomly scroll on your phone before bed? Do you watch TV and fall asleep that way?
Or do you do a “digital detox” before bed–turn off your devices and instead meditate, do some slow stretching, read a book, play games with loved ones, or even take a bath with Epsom salts? We always make sure that small children have a long bedtime routine that includes books, low lights, cuddles, etc.
Why don’t we do the same for ourselves?
- When it comes to fitness versus health, we also need to look at a mindset. How are you viewing life? Is it filled with lots of stress and tension? Lots of deadlines and not enough time? Your viewpoint, perspective, and mental health all play a part in your overall health. You cannot expect to be stressed all the time, work long hours, and then have good physical health.
If you want to know some ways to lower your stress, read my blog here:
https://simplehealthylivingcommunity.org/how-to-manage-stress/
Also, are you sabotaging your health with negative self-talk? Your inner thoughts could be your best friend or your enemy, and they can make all the difference in your health journey.
- One big component of fitness is diet. What are you putting into your body? How is your diet? Is it water rich or water poor? Is it loaded with lots of sugar, fat and processed foods?
Do you mostly “eat clean” but not understand why you’re gaining weight or in poor health? There are so many reasons. It might be that you are eating too late, too much of a certain kind of food, loading up on condiments, or focusing on the convenience of food instead of the quality of food?
You can run 5 miles everyday, but if you are filling up your body with processed, unhealthy foods, you will not be healthy.
There is more to life than fitness. There is your health.
I, too, ate healthy, moved my body, yet was still stuck on medications, depressed, anxious, and in poor health. Want to know how I made my way from sickness to health? You can read about my transformation here.