Wellness and why it is important

I decided to hit the gym in the morning on January 2nd and boy oh boy were there a lot of people. Most of them were over 50 and maybe even 60 and from the looks of it, had no idea what they were doing. We call these folks resolutioners and eagerly await their quick exit from a workout plan and hence, jamming up the health club.

When I think about this, there are two sides. First, they are clogging the place up and making it harder for me to get on equipment. On the other hand, it is very unfortunate that they do not have a plan other than showing up and that there are no trainers walking around, educating them, and even offering to help them create a plan. They show up a few times and then disappear.

Of the 12 wealthiest industrialized countries in the world, the USA ranks dead last in life expectancy and we Americans average three times the annual health care costs of the closest country. What this tells me is that we have a serious wellness issue, and it starts with the American lifestyle.

Let’s face it, things are easy here and we have every convenience at our disposal. We don’t have to go to the store because Amazon will deliver to our home on the day that we order something. We don’t have to cook as we can run down the street to a plethora of drive-thru restaurants of our choosing. Hmm, what are we in the mood for tonight? Also, on average, Americans don’t get annual wellness checks with their physician, and hence we have one of the highest death rates from heart disease in the world.

Add all of this up and the message is simple. On average, we eat poorly, don’t exercise enough, don’t take care of our health, and have too much stress. This my friends is a recipe for disaster.

The solution is easy but requires choices and a plan. Eating a bit better, exercising 3-4 times per week, getting an annual physical, and taking time to do things that are fun that reduces our stress is a great start. This does not require a 180 normally, just some slight course corrections that get us going in the right direction. If we make a plan and stick to it, the benefits will be tremendous.

Here is to a healthy and happy 2023. Now go be the best version of yourself!