In the past, I saw fitness as a hobby. (A strange, painful activity done by strange people.) I’d see friends head to the gym in the evenings for a workout, and think, “Run on a treadmill? Lift weights? No thanks. Not for me.”
I’ve lately begun to notice that in this day and age, a “not for me” attitude, when it comes to fitness, leaves you lacking in many areas of life, including job security. With health insurance rates rising, companies are beginning to take active measures to insure their employees are health-conscious assets to their companies, rather than costly burdens.
So I guess you could say I jumped on the bandwagon out of fear. Once the seed had been planted, though, I began to think more about it. Faced with the opportunity to join the Body for the Ages Online Wellness Program, I asked myself what such an undertaking really meant to me. Well, of course it may seem obvious: a healthier lifestyle… Duh. But I think it’s easy for us to lump the terms “health”, “fitness”, and “wellness” into an abstract idea - a chore or an obligation, like when we’re little and we hear “Eat your vegetables” at the dinner table every night.
It’s important, though, to stop and think about how wellness is connected to our life’s most cherished goals. I got out a pen and paper and asked myself what exactly I wanted from the Body for the Ages Wellness Program.
What will you bring me, health? I asked in big letters at the top.
Underneath, I listed:
More energy
A sexy body
The ability to keep up with my children
A long, happy life
I stopped and read over what I’d written. Each item on my list was non-negotiable. Now that my list of wants was there in black and white, staring me in the face, I couldn’t crumple it up. I couldn’t toss it in the trash and say “not for me”, and head home to my couch and a few mindless hours of television, to end my day.
So after work, I headed over to the Body for the Ages Health Center instead…
…Check back next week to hear about Day One on Team Body for the Ages.
