Give and Take For Optimal Health

in college life by Margo Smith — April 18, 2007 at 5:42 pm | 0 comments

Pick Your (Dieting) Battles

People who are truly fit, meaning they are in good shape physically and have healthy immune systems, are usually good at eating a sensible diet as well as exercising. Most of us need to pick our battles, however, and we need to improve in one area to make up for a deficit in the other. If you love to run, you can probably eat at Carl’s Jr. and not be as adversely affected as someone whose love is to play video games but eats that calorie-laden burger as well. If you can control your eating and hate to exercise, you might be able to at least stay thin if not be in optimal shape. Balancing both is, of course, ideal for a healthy body, but many of us are just not dedicated enough to make the kind of lifestyle change that would be required to be at the peak of fitness.

Trade-Offs

Trying to make healthy decisions is a system of trade-offs really. While it is true that it takes a mind boggling amount of physical activity to work off the calories just from one m and m, it is still better to exercise even if you cannot get the whole piece of cheesecake worked off in one workout session. So if you really want that doughnut, bag of Doritos or slice of chocolate cake, be prepared to run or swim or bike a bit more to make up for it. If you want suggestions about this trade-off, check out the book “Eat This Not That,” it will give you some good ideas.

True Fitness

Keep in mind that thinness is not a true measure of fitness. Cigarettes can make (or keep) you thin, but it is widely known that cigarette smoking is unhealthy for you in many ways. Being skinny can be nothing more than having an active metabolism, not a result of healthy food and exercise choices. Most of us have to work hard to get that metabolism up to good rates, but a few are blessed with a system that just burns through calories quickly. The rest of us simply have to buckle down and be sensible about what we eat, how much of it we consume and getting enough physical activity.

Test Your Fitness Level

1. Sit ups check your abdominal fitness.
2. Push-ups check the strength of your upper body.
3. Stair Step check assesses your aerobic stamina.
4. Vertical Jump checks leg strength.
5. Sit & Reach checks elasticity.
6. Squats check lower body vigor.

Stick With It

There are numerous health websites, magazines and TV shows that can give you good pointers on making healthy choices. There are few who don’t have to work at it one way or another. We all have to fight the urge to just be lazy. So, when it gets tough to forgo the Krispy Kreme indulgence in order to fit into your skinny jeans, know that you are far from alone in your struggle. It is a system of substitutions that keep most of us within the range of normal when it comes to health and well-being. Keep at it – your work will pay off.

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Tags: Diet fitness health nutrition