What is Healthy?

Day 15 - 31 Day Challenge
To read from the start of the series, click HERE

What is healthy?  I think that is relative to who you are and where you are in life.  For example, it would be great for me to get out an mow my yard with a push mower.  It would be fantastic exercise and it would accomplish something that needed to be done.  However, it would not be healthy for my 93 year old grandmother to do that exact same thing.  That same task would hurt her back, strain her heart, and put her in bed for the next week or so.

It would not be healthy for a morbidly-obese overweight person to decide to run a marathon the day of the marathon. Not that this is a smart decision for anyone, but for the obese, the strain on the heart might be too great and the distance insurmountable.  With training, a diet specific for a long distance runner, and a few months practicing and getting in shape, a marathon is a great goal to aspire to.

Our choices are sometimes between junk food and kinda junk food, hot dogs or pizza? Which is the healthier option? Donuts or brownies? Soda or hot chocolate?  When our choices are limited how do we make the healthiest choice?  Do we fight all hunger pangs and eat nothing until we can get out of the meeting (which may last another two hours) so we can order our own healthy made to order lunch or do we answer the need to fuel our body so our brain will continue to stay focused on the task at hand? The choices we make and the reasons behind them can change from day to day even moment by moment.

After hiking 7 miles on Saturday, I ate a corn dog.  I know its not a healthy option.  Deep fried corn batter around an all beef hot dog was not the best choice on the menu.  I wanted a reward for the hard work I had already accomplished.  I even had the fresh cut fries.

I have a  very hard time making healthy choices when those around me are not.  If  I am out with friends and they all get burgers or pasta with a heavy cream sauce, I'm not going to be the one to get a salad.  I'm going to be the one that gets the bacon cheeseburger and dessert!  I have no will power.

I am still in this fight for health.  I must work harder and be more vigilent and focused on my goals.  Just hide the chocolate, okay?