You’re the CEO of your heath
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I recently heard Dr. Mark Hyman mention a concept in one of his most recent podcast episodes, but I really took it to heart. You’re the CEO of your own health. I really resonated with this comment because I’ve been on my own health journey for the past several years, truly since the pandemic began. The more that I thought about this concept, the more I believe that it’s reshaped my personal well-being. We only get one body in this lifetime, and we need to take care of it - always.
Throughout the decades, we’ve seen our communities gradually getting bigger and sicker. Currently, I’m watching my mom undergo some major health challenges that have hindered her everyday life. I don’t want to have that happen to me. Ideally, I’d grow old (gracefully!) until well into my 80s. I don’t want to be one of those people who can’t physically take care of myself in retirement. I want to experience that idyllic retirement where I can still travel the world, go on adventures, and complete my bucket list.
I’ve set a list of goals for myself, based upon my own research and understanding what my body needs. These include:
Daily walking: I’m aiming for at least 15K steps every day. Luckily, I’ve got a dog who needs to get outside every few hours. It’s the perfect time to go on a walk to get those steps in.
Running: I want to run a half marathon every year, because it’s a goal that keeps me motivated and on track. The racing atmosphere is electric, and I feed off of other people’s energy. Aside from half marathons, I aim to run 3-4 times per week just to stay in shape.
Weightlifting: It’s so important as we age to keep our muscle mass up. Lifting weights - especially for women - at least 3 times per week keeps our bodies strong, lean, and feeling younger. I once heard someone say that lower body strength equals longevity. This means that I really need to change my attitude towards squats and lunges (I hate them!), and continue to improve my lower body strength.
Pilates: I just love how pilates stretches and strengthens my body - all at the same time. I look leaner and toner the day after a tough class. It’s one of those all-around workouts that really makes me feel that I’ve accomplished something. It really hits those fast twitch muscles that we don’t always work in a weightlifting or HIIT class.
Diet: Now, I’m not a fan of dieting. I don’t put myself on specific diets, because I believe that life should be lived. And restricting your diet is not really living. However, I do believe in eating healthfully. This means, not eating ultra-processed foods like Doritos. I do love chips though - they’re probably my downfall. But rather than eating chips every day, it’s better to substitute for something healthier like cucumber slices. I can still eat the chips, but minimally. As in, not every day.
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Health is a lifestyle. I’m not looking to be a certain weight anymore. I’m looking to create healthy habits that allow me to live my best life, stay out of the hospital, and grow into old age without any major health scares. That’s an ideal life for me, and one that I’m working towards every day. This is what it means to me to be the CEO of your own life.
