Wow, February 2010 already!!  Anything you want to accomplish in 2010 you better buckle down and get to it cause it’ll be gone…..woops there it goes. 

Speaking of buckling down and getting it done, how about your health?  I find humor in the massive amount of news and marketing these days about how exercise and nutrition benefit you in so many ways.  I think it’s so comical because the vast majority of the information comes packaged as “New and Exciting”. Even clinical information seems to have a flair which mocks our intelligence.  I mean, we all know that being active and eating right makes us feel good.  We also know that sitting around doing nothing physical and eating junk leads to feeling like crap.  What’s so “new and exciting”?  What’s even more laughable is the fact that these industries have to use such tactics to get most of us to do anything proactive about our health!

I understand why marketing guru’s around the world are hard at work trying to get your hard earned dollars with their latest fitness machine, fab diet, or super health pill.  There’s big money in health and fitness!  The pharmaceutical and medical machines, or "sickness industry" as I like to call them, also market to you for your health dollars because there’s even bigger money in "sickness care".  And the food industry, it’s like feeding poison to rats.  If you package it right, put enough fat and sugar in it, color it real pretty and make sure it has a half-life equal to Uranium, we would eat a piece of card board and enjoy it! 

This is where logic seems to break down for me.  Come on, let’s face it, we all want to feel well, look good and be strong and healthy, right? Yet 2 out of 3 of us won’t even do the simplest things needed to accomplish this?  Nothing about being healthy and fit is “rocket surgery”.  You know why the health and fitness industry has to resort to trickery, splashy headlines and unrealistic health claims to coax people into taking better care of their health?  It's because they have to compete for your dollars with the “sickness industry’s” tricks of making you think you're well with "band aides" which never really fix you, but just keep you from feeling to bad for too long.  So, how long does one have to feel bad, look bad, and be sick before you make a decision to take better care of your health?

It’s “sickening” how the media promotes most wellness products as quick, easy, fast, and the best ever.  But to their credit, they do have one thing right.  It doesn’t take that much to be healthier.  Amazingly, very small adjustments in physical activity and nutritional intake can create huge health benefits.  And the more changes you make, the more you want to make.  It’s the snow ball effect.  You will feel better if you are physically active even just a little bit every day! You will feel better if you eat just a few more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods every day!  Then each day you will want that feeling more and more and soon you will be living healthy because your body will crave the feeling.  Just start by “Moving More and Eating Less”. 

Let's back up for a minute.  Earlier I stated there is big money in health and fitness care but, even bigger money in sickness care?  Look, I'm all for modern medicine and where we've come with this technology.  There’s always going to be a need for medical care for all kinds of things and we are very lucky to have people who chose this profession.  However, we don’t have to feed the monster purposefully through neglecting our own health.

Really think about the last time you visited your doctor or the hospital.  Think about what it cost you in money and time.  I assure you, you spent much more money during a 30 minute office visit than you would spend in a month of health club dues.   And a hospital visit these days…..you might be able to buy a health club for what they charge.  The point is many of the reasons we visit the doctor or the hospital are our own fault.  I’m talking about lifestyle choices we make everyday which lead to chronic conditions that keep the “sickness industry” running smoothly and profitable.

If you could make a few simple changes in your daily habits which have been proven by “current research”, to help you live longer, feel stronger, look better, save money, blah, blah, blah, why would you choose not to?  Do 2 out of 3 Americans really like being overweight or obese?  That’s right, currently 67% of all Americans are overweight or obese! 67%. 

This is where my brain really begins to melt.  We are such a sophisticated society, yet at the same time we act as if we just began to walk upright!  Of course I’m biased.  I own a health club and have a desire to promote wellness so I can provide a living for my family through this means.  But, come on man! Where is the logic in wanting to be healthy, knowing the risks of not being healthy, having a basic understanding of how to be healthy, then continuing to consciously do nothing, or worse, do something which leads you further from health, all the while wishing and wanting to be healthy?  Such is the irony of our current state of health in this country.  Or should I say, “the insanity” of our current state of health. 

I know the standard definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome each time, but the above paragraph could surely be considered synonymous.

Ok, now for the sales pitch!  A membership to a health club ranges from a couple hundred a year to maybe a thousand a year for a family of four.  If used, and there's the key, a health club membership can provide you with the preventative health care options needed to significantly lower or even eliminate your sickness expenses per year and more than pay for the membership.  But hey, you don’t have to join a club to start becoming more active, it’s just easier because there is a variety of equipment and knowledgeable personnel to help you.  So, whether you join a club or start exercising on your own, do something. 

If you are not currently someone who exercises regularly or eats somewhat healthy, I challenge you to the following test;

Get a notebook and write down every dollar you spent on "sickness care" in 2009.  Everything from cold medicine to aspirin, doctors visits to health insurance, every dime you spent to help yourself feel better in 2009. 

Next, start exercising and eating better today.  If you are comfortable joining the Mountain Home Athletic Club, we would love to have your business. If you have questions about health and fitness but don’t want to join the club, call me, I will help you whether you join the Athletic Club or not!

Lastly, keep track of every dollar you spend this year on health and wellness including health club dues and any other exercise related expenses. Check the totals each month.  If you are not spending less on “sickness care” specifically and health care in general this year over last, you're either not exercising regularly and eating better, or you’ve had a significant health related setback due to an accute health incedent or you're dealing with a serious chronic condition possibly caused from previous neglect.

I leave you with a paraphrase from the famous stand up comedian Dennis Miller, who said after every rant on any subject he spoke of; “but hey, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong”!

And now for some of my all time favorite quotes:

Buddha

“The thought manifests as the word;

The word manifests as the deed;

The deed develops into habit;

And habit hardens into character;

So watch the thought and its ways with care,

And let it spring from love

Born out of concern for all beings….

As the shadow follows the body,

As we think, so we become.”

Aristotle

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"

Douglas Adams, author of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by”

Unknown

“A person needs only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use the tape.”

“Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Thank you" though it helps if you say it with a

southern accent.”

The five most essential words for a healthy marriage: "I’m sorry, you are right."

“Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.”

“Never pass up an opportunity to pee.”

“If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance!”

"Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."