What the Heck is ‘Healthy?’
Hi guys! Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to an amazing start.
I started mine off with a sweaty iron-pumping sesh, a trip to the post office (package is on the way, my Pilot lurve), and a glorious breakfast.
It’s been too long….
They were just as amazing as I remember 🙂
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So as I’m sure you guys know, there’s been a lot of brouhaha in the blog world this past week. A lot of *bad* happened, but some very thoughtful and much-needed conversations occurred as well. I especially loved *this post* by my friend Heather regarding blogger responsibilities.
Throughout last week, quite a lot of talk went down classifying bloggers’ actions/training plans/eating styles as “healthy” or “unhealthy”.
It got me thinking: What the heck is healthy, anyway??
Disclaimer: If you are currently struggling with ED or in recovery and think that reading about this topic may result in a trigger effect or is a sensitive issue, please skip the rest of this post. I don’t ever want to offend or influence others, just share my experiences and what has worked for me and what hasn’t. Everyone is different and knows how certain things affect their bodies and minds—it’s up to us to use our best judgment.
“Healthy” is such a subjective term and what is considered healthy and normal for one person, may be not-so-healthy to someone else. In the beginning of my weight loss journey and even into maintenance mode, I thought *healthy* was about perfection. While I never had an official eating disorder, I definitely participated in disordered eating, which I’m sure many women unintentionally do when they’re flooded with so much information and trying to find a balance.
There was a [very short] time in college when I ate a few Quaker granola bars for each of my meals and snacks. It wasn’t for weight loss or anything like that, but they tasted good, were inexpensive and I thought they were *healthy*. Going for an entire day without a fruit or vegetable is anything but. When I was trying to lose weight, I tried a variety of crazy diets (all of which I’ve written about on the blog) and there was a time when my life was very sugar-free, fat-free, low carb and chemical-laden. I tried so hard to be what I thought was *perfect*, almost all of the time, which I now know isn’t a fun or healthy way to live.
I eventually realized that “healthy” is IMperfection. Not being afraid to skip a day at the gym, eat indulgent desserts without regard to calories or fat, and cutting yourself some slack… not just with fitness and eating, but with life. Taking time for a nap, a pedicure, a snuggle sesh, or a glass of vino and great chat with a friend.
On the other hand, I think it’s so important to make fitness and nutrition a priority, without taking it overboard, for long and happy lives.
So what’s the difference between healthy and unhealthy?
Is it the intention behind actions? The comfort in not always being *perfect*?
What does healthy mean to you??
I’m OFF work today, so it’s time to run amuck in Orlando. And by that, I mean do laundry and get groceries before dance tonight 😉
See ya later today!
xoxo,
Gina
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Healthy is finding a balance my body loves: eating delicious but nourishing foods and moving my body so that it finds the energy outlets it wants while also staying in good physical condition — which keeps me happy and healthy! We all know what those endorphins do… 🙂
Healthy is loving myself, inside and out. Sure, I can focus on fueling my body with the right foods… but most of all, I need to fuel my mind with positive thoughts and encouragement.
Sneaky, sneaky 🙂 Healthy to me is finding balance, doing what makes me feel good mentally and physically.
Healthy to me is doing something active every day and feeding my body with food that nourishes it! It’s not about weight or calories or anything like that we can measure, but how I feel about myself and the choices I make to take care of my body.
To me healthy just means being balanced.
Healthy means maintaining balance and feeling confident, both physically and mentally. Healthy also means living obsession and fear free, which is a process, never an all or nothing achievement.
Healthy means taking cues from your body. Healthy means tuning into one’s body’s signals for hunger and satiety along with the need for activity. Healthy means eating with one’s full attention on his/her food choices and engaging in joyful movement. Healthy means being one’s authentic self and fully taking care of one’s body, mind and soul.
Healthy to me means eating a healthy diet and staying active. I don’t deprive myself of things I love, but have learned to enjoy them in moderation. I also believe it’s important to do some kind of exercise to keep your heart rate up for an extended amount of time.
Healthy for me is eating a plant-based diet!! What you look like is largely based on what you eat, and it became so apparent to me when I started eating more veggies!!
Love sneaky giveaways!
Healthy to me is all about balance. Focusing on getting some tough workouts and some easier workouts in each week, and mostly clean eats with the necessary indulgences. I try not to get too hard on myself!
Healthy means actively working to keep certain diseases at bay. Being able to walk up a flight of stairs without panting. Loving myself. Enjoying life. Giving myself freedom to make “mistakes” and eat and enjoy ice cream and cake while knowing it’s not the end of the world.
Healthy to me means having a good balance…balance in life, relationships, and physical activity. In order to feel good about myself I need to workout and eat healthy food but I can’t let that rule my life. You also have to make sure you take quality time with friends and family and that might mean a not so healthy dinner with drinks and skipping a workout. In the end happiness=healthy to me!
Having grown up surrounded by a family with ED, healthy did not come easy. I struggled with an eating disorder at just 12 years old. Now 12 years later, I can finally say I understand what healthy means for ME. Healthy is a balance of what works for your own body. You can’t let other people’s definitions of healthy decide your lifestyle. There needs to be a good balance between what you eat, working out, time for yourself, and enough time surrounded by your loved ones. I’m still working on my own “healthy” but everyday I wake up happy and enjoying life, and that works just fine for me! 🙂
I like to think of “healthy” more in terms of wellness. Happiness. The way you feel about yourself. Feeding yourself the way you want to feel.
Healthy to me means not needing help moving, carrying groceries, or lugging my suitcases. It means being self-reliant and confident, more centered and calm, and more positive in mind because your body feels good.
Ps those pancakes are delicious! I’ve shared the recipe with many friends 🙂
To me, health is happiness 🙂
To me, healthy means finding balance in everyday life and making sure to always find time in my busy schedule to be active and take care of my body so that *I* feel good about myself.
Healthy to me is being comfortable in my own skin and being confident with how I look. I workout and eat well for myself and not based on how others feel.
Healthy to me is a balance of sleep water exercise and a balanced diet.
Oh Bella…you sneak pup, you.
Healthy is a result of what makes you feel good–inside and out–no matter what else is going on. Taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and physiologically to produce a pure sense of happiness and peace.
Eating fresh. Listening to your body. Feeling happy, satisfied, proud, & confident. Sweating once a day. Doing what you love & what makes you feel good.
Healthy means to me about feeling good in your body and the right balance to achieve success for yourself!
Healthy for me is feeling energized, and doing the things that get me there. I’m all about the 80/20 rule….eat the healthiest freshest food 80% of the time, work out 80% of the days in the week…and REALLY enjoy that 20% of indulgence and rest time. It helps me look at indulgent foods as exciting treats, not “bad calories” and rest/lazy days as part of the balance of working out.
To me healthy means having balance in your life. In the past I used to struggle with overeating and then eating next to nothing to make up for it.
I happy to say that I have finally found a healthy balance in my life now. Healthy means being able to have an indulgent treat and celebrate without freaking out.. Balance is great!!
p.s. I love sneaky giveaways
Healthy means – balance, listening to your body, exercise, rest, greens, and treats.
Healthy to me to is feeling good about myself, my habits and my happiness.
Sneaky giveaways are awesome! Haha I always feel so elite 🙂
Being healthy is about finding a balance–reducing stress, getting things done, finding time for exercise as well as rest! Eating well, connecting with others, it’s all encompassing!
Oh well thanks Bella. 🙂 Healthy to me means feeling like my mind and body are a connected circle if that makes sense? Like i’m choosing with my mind to eat right and exercise and that’s making my body and mind feel great so I choose to do that more often? That might not make sense. I had a lot of coffee this morning.
Healthy means everything in moderation including moderation 😉
It means doing ACTIVE-ities (sorry! couldn’t resist!) that you enjoy – if you don’t like running, then don’t! If you love swimming, dancing, hiking, or – gasp! – just walking, do what you enjoy and be consistent, whether that means 10 minutes on days you’re just “squeezing” it in, or 60 minutes when you can. When you do activities you enjoy, it’s being good to yourself.
Life gets busy. Sometimes you can do more, sometimes less, but if you’re consistent about being good to yourself (good night’s sleep, brisk walk) I think that’s what being healthy is about.
Healthy to me means doing what you can now to feel your best in the future. It means always improving and pushing yourself to be the best version of you you can be.
Healthy to me means finding balance in it all. I have been restrictive, been indulgent, but finding balance and not obsessing either way is healthy to me.
Healthy means feeling good about my choices, and how I feel. NOT OBSESSING! I always feel the best when I manage to be active daily, and make good food choices – with some wine thrown in there of course, because wine keeps me same 😉
PS – I just lost my fitbit and would LOVE this… I’m
So sad!!
Being healthy to me is feeling good about yourself with the help of what I eat and about my working out. I used to think that weight had a lot to do with being healthy but I learned that being healthy has a lot to do with being happy in your own body.
Healthy means to be balanced. Try to eat real, whole foods, but don’t give up on your favorite indulgences. Keep active, however you can have that play into your day – whether a vigorous workout or a dance party with your kids!
Healthy really is a feeling for me. Like when you have a cold, you know when you’re being unhealthy. And when you’re recovered from that cold, you know you’re healthy again. That’s how I am trying to relate my fitness/eating habits to. I try not to feel badly about drinking wine, eating cake, etc. etc. because I know I can create a balance. And even after eating that cake, I still feel healthy because I have a workout in my future.
To me, being healthy is finding a balance in exercising & relaxing, and eating well & eating food that makes you feel good….it is also inner peace with your decisions and body 🙂
To me, healthy is balance and wholeness in all areas of life – physical, emotional and spiritual. I’ve got a long way to go, but it is something good to strive for. 🙂
To me healthy means listening to your body and being kind to it. Being healthy allows you to enjoy life more and live longer, who wouldn’t want that? 😉
Healthy means living an active lifestyle, finding balance and being emotionally/mentally happy!
Healthy means feeling happy with your body and mind!
To me healthy means doing what works for you. I always follow the “everything in moderation” rule. I’m not going to deny myself dessert because it’s “bad”…but I realize that it is a special treat and don’t overdue it. And I don’t beat myself up if I have a “bad” day in terms of eats or if I miss a workout. Life gets in the way sometimes and there is always tomorrow!
Healthy to me means eating whole foods, getting outside, and moving my body around as much as possible. . . it’s all about balance.
Healthy means being active, encouraging my girls to live a happy/active life and always being positive 🙂
My definition of healthy is feeling good and being happy. I feel the best when I workout consistently and eat relatively clean (with a small occasional treat), and am therefore at my happiest. 🙂
In my little world, healthy means taking time to do something I want to do for myself whether it’s a run or workout or a netflix binge-watching session. Healthy is balance between doing things I want to do and things I need to do, and knowing that doing both is what keeps me happy.
Healthy means balancing work, life, fitness, and food in a way that works best for you individually. There is no “one size fits all” approach to being healthy, as these comments have clearly shown!
For me, healthy is feeling good about yourself and in you own skin. I strive to stay thin but also know that there’s so much more to health than being skinny!
Healthy is waking up in the morning, feeling glad for a new day, and the ability to get up to greet it. It’s physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. No one can outweigh the other. I couldn’t agree more with your post – imperfection is health, and it’s the only way to a real balance.
“Healthy” to me means balance. I am constantly trying to find a balance between eating nourishing foods and being active and taking it easy, eating dessert, and enjoying life. When your healthy efforts get in the way of making the most of your days, that’s not healthy.
Healthy means indulging in physical activity you enjoy, rather than what burns the most calories, and indulging in food that fuels your body!