Child: “Mom, can I have dessert now?”

Mother: “No, not until you finish your veggies.”

Child: “But I don’t like them!”

Mother: “Too bad, it’s good for you.”

As children, our parents made sure we ate our fruits and vegetables, and drank plenty of milk for healthy growth and functioning. The funny thing is, most adults at some point or another, physically fit or not, abandon healthy habits just for the sake of being healthy.

Society portrays health by a look – a lean, toned physique with radiant skin.

Most people associate health with looking the part and often times their training and nutrition is based on whatever the bare minimum is to achieve said look. For example, if someone does not need to do any cardio to stay lean, they might not, even though it is great for your heart, lungs, blood vessels, recuperation and is a natural detox (through perspiration). A person dieting might also eat only one kind of vegetable like asparagus or broccoli out of simplicity, despite the fact that a broad range of different pigmented vegetables will offer a wider array of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Training transforms to a “bare minimum” plan of time, intensity, and frequency, and nutrition is viewed in terms of total calories, fats, and carbohydrates.

It is true – achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and muscle-to-fat ratio is important, but it is not the only element to health and overall wellness. Furthermore, a low body fat percentage does not necessarily transfer over to healthy organs, healthy joints and bones, stamina, and strength.

As a prior competitor in the figure division of bodybuilding, I have come across hundreds of competitors that have a whole host of health problems due to malnourishment and over-training. There are some competitors that incorporate fruit, despite the “evil sugar” and many different types of vegetables instead of just asparagus, broccoli, and green beans which have the lowest amount of sugar because of overall health benefits – these are my kind of people!

Being and living healthy is not just a pant size, number on a scale or body fat percentage.

My definition of healthy incorporates the following principles:

1. Drink plenty of water! (at least 64 ounces per day)
2. Consume as much of your calories, fats, carbohydrates, and protein from whole food sources as possible.
3. Have variety in your food sources to derive as many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as possible.
4. Opt for organic and non-GMO whenever possible.
5. Follow the right balance (for your body) of calories, fats, carbohydrates and protein that will support a healthy metabolism, body weight and composition.
6. Perform some sort of cardiovascular exercise at least three times per week.
7. Perform resistance training at least three times per week.
8. Eat “bad” foods every now and then!

Some of the aforementioned principles will not be seen on the physical body, but they are principles that are simply good for you in the long-run for both internal, external and mental and emotional health!

I feel it a disservice to people to exclude other reasons for living a healthy lifestyle that are not aesthetically driven. If we focus on being good to our bodies, this “look” will be achieved in a more balanced way.

A fit body is not necessarily a healthy body, but a healthy life will produce a fit body.