Healthy Living Really Is Boring

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger. His philosophy on fitness and overall wellness is, to me, spot on. While I don’t always agree with his take on food and some of the supplements he loves, I see in his thinking a foundation on which we can truly build wellness.

A recent blog in his daily newsletter began like this:

“Good health is not exotic and exciting. It’s boring, mundane, and fairly repetitive.

Lift weights, move daily, eat protein and fiber, hang out with friends, get sleep, and manage stress. That advice won’t break the social media algorithms. But, simple habits and behaviors can make you a health billionaire if you’re willing to commit, stay consistent, and avoid the temptation of distractions that push you towards restrictive and extreme behaviors.”

Of course, I would amend that statement slightly advising protein from plants like beans, tofu and tempeh, but more often than you might think, this newsletter does advise getting more protein from plant sources than animals…yipppppeeeeeee! Finally!

The blog goes on to say that so many of the ‘health hacks’ we see in our news feeds and on social media address only the details of wellness, while the big picture is left behind.

Trying to control cortisol 4 hours a day; optimizing how your body recycles and breaks down damaged components is not really the reason that we struggle to feel well, build muscle, age well, or increase our vitality.

All these hacks by various influencers are simply smoke and mirrors, designed to misdirect and distract you with sciency-sounding terms and recommendations. It’s the ultimate shell game.

The reality of what will change you for the better? What can help you create the wellness; the strength; the vitality you crave?

You don’t need a health whisperer to tell you the truth. You don’t need another cleanse to explain why you crash and crave sweets after 4 pm. You don’t need any magic teas to “balance” your insulin. Or heaven forbid, subsist on diets of raw red meat and butter. Bloating, aches, pains, mental fog and that damned stubborn scale are all part of the same set of problems.

If you vacillate between being on track and doing whatever, whenever you can or following the latest Tik Tok trends, it’s time to start asking the right questions of yourself and what is really standing in the way of eating well and moving your precious body. A hard look in the mirror is hard to do, but essential to moving forward toward your healthiest self.

Marion Nestle, PhD said in a recent interview that, in general, Americans simply eat too much, pointing the portion sizes of her youth, compared to the processed meals, food delivery and ultra-processed foods available to us now…by the ton.

What we need is the understanding of why…why we struggle to do the things we know are good for us; essential to us achieving wellness.

This is not to say…at all, that your excuses, reasons and obstacles aren’t real for you. But, to think that reality is so simple that a cleanse or a supplement or pill can fix your issues, is to deny what it will take to achieve whatever your wellness goal is. I can tell you from experience that small daily changes, built over time, help to create a foundation of health and vitality.

For all of my career, I have written about the impact of food on wellness, with fitness taking its rightful place as well. I am convinced from my own life experience that food is seriously powerful and when coupled with fitness can help you over the hurdles between you and long-lasting wellness.

While no one wants to say these boring facts out loud, the simple truth is well, simple. We need consistency in the life habits that serve the purpose of our lives: cooking with whole, unprocessed foods and moving.

We need to stay hydrated (with water, eating veggies, fruit and soups), eat at consistent times as much as possible, eat lighter at night, go to bed earlier, connect with your friends more often and take the time to laugh…and breathe…

You may have noticed that while I do strongly encourage a plant-based diet, I will leave your exercise choice to you. Do you love walking in nature? Cool; walk in nature. Do you love city strolling? Great. Is the gym your love? Then go, at least three times each week and work hard. Tennis, swimming, yoga, spin class, biking, running, strenuous gardening; doing squats during commercial when watching tv or on a long conference call…no matter the movement; move.

The solutions to changing your health are as old as…well, old. It’s time to build a plan that actually helps you to feel better and get stronger. No guilt; no shame. Every single one of us fails or falls off. Just get right back up when you do. Get back to work or as Arnold says, do the reps.

It’s time to stop letting social media ‘sell’ you on the latest, greatest obscure health hack “that no one tells you about” and do what we all know (and we all know…) works best. Eating well, exercising, seeing a medical doctor as needed to look under the hood now and again; getting blood work so that you have real information to build on. It’s the best way to know what action to take, even if choosing from natural modalities before pharmaceuticals if your jam.

When you have solid info, you can actively participate in creating your wellness. As we…mature…we don’t have the time to spare playing “pin the tail on the donkey” with our health and strength.

We get one precious body. Taking it for granted is a recipe for disaster.

The usual suspects; the advice we have been given for decades…sleep, movement, nutrition, and stress management are not sexy or exciting. But they work and are worth your efforts.

Create consistency in your habits and you’ll be rewarded with a strong, flexible body that can easily adapt to this adventure we call life. Don’t forget; a healthy body can lift your life out of the ordinary into contentment, even bliss.

Let’s commit this spring to taking care of our precious bodies so they serve the purpose of our lives with all the strength we need.