We all have New Year’s resolutions. Yes, it’s the end of June and I’m talking about New Year’s! But a lot of people — myself included — have that one resolution in the back of their mind every single year, to get healthy.
I had a time, about 5 years ago, where I was extremely healthy. I was running and working out on a regular basis and eating a diet based on natural foods. I felt so great! And then, somewhere along the way, I fell off track, had stress enter my life, and just couldn’t find the motivation to get back ON track with getting healthy once again.
Even to this day, after struggling all year with cravings and lack of motivation, I still find it a hard go to find that person I was years ago. I have days where I have a dinner out that isn’t so healthy and it turns into a few days of bad choices. I understand that life happens, but why is this such a hard part of life? Why is it so easy to eat poorly and neglect workouts than it is to eat healthy all the time and get in regular workouts?
I think, for me, part of this is the fact that I tend to see being healthy as an all or nothing sort of thing. If I say that I’m getting healthy, the instant I do something that’s NOT so healthy, I see it as a failure and have a hard time motivating myself to continue my healthy ways. I mean, really, it’s not so hard to plan meals throughout a day that are well-balanced, made from natural ingredients, and good for you — I’ve found plenty of amazing recipes this way — but it’s like the instant someone says, “Hey, let’s go to dinner!” or, “It’s so and so’s birthday — we’re getting together for cake!” I completely start to panic and feel anxious that that ONE BITE of something that isn’t good for my body will throw me off of my current.
I know I’m not the only person who feels this way. I think that there are a lot of people who look at quitting smoking, or quitting drugs, as something that can be done — it’s something that just seems common sense to quit. But when it comes to eating, I mean — we have to eat. It’s hard to escape food when we need it in order to survive.
Getting healthy is something that takes a lot of commitment, and can take a lifetime to achieve. I really think that so long as we try to be on the right path the majority of the time, only good can come of it. We have to do things in moderation and we still have to live our lives. I understand that it can be a hard road, but I’d like to think that it’s totally worth it.
Have you had a hard time in your life getting healthy? What is your motivation?
