Today I’m sharing a website that I believe everyone should bookmark, read, instapaper, tweet, like, share…whatever you prefer. But instead of just skimming over it, really read it. Read it and don’t even tell me you don’t get pumped up a little bit and WANT to actually live a healthier lifestyle just by reading it.
Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act: Renegade Perspectives for Thriving in a Mixed-Up World.
I came across Pilar Gerasimo’s article in Experience Life Magazine in February of 2011. As an employee (Personal Trainer) at Life Time Fitness, I was able to receive this great wealth of information in my mailbox for free. (Members received it too, for just a dollar or two extra a month). I encouraged all of my clients and any member I came across to read it and take the information it provided as bible. The authors that contributed to the articles were top-notch. Plus I pretty much adhered and agreed with everything they preached – the workouts, the recipes, the training advice, the “real-world” pieces. All great stuff. Plus there’s something to be said for the written word on paper (or magazine form) that seems to be lost these days. Sometimes don’t you just want to pick up a book or a magazine instead of a Kindle, or an iPhone or another electronic device??
Fast forward to the February 2011 edition. The cover photo alone was enough to get me to begin reading Pilar’s article immediately. It pretty much beckons to it’s readers “Come on, BE HEALTHY!” But it was actually the title that intrigued me: “Being Healthy is a Revolutionary Act.”
Wow.
I mean, it speaks volumes doesn’t it? It’s so true!
As I continued to read this article, I felt like I was getting pumped up to fight a battle or something, ha! I mean, she really engages the reader to look at the world in a different way. By the end of it, you really do want to put some armor on and suit up and fight the war on Health! At least… for me.
As someone in the health and fitness field, it becomes almost like an order…like a frustrating and redundant order, telling people “This is what I want you to do to improve your health. This is what you MUST do to improve your health.” The resistance I am met with is almost like a war in a itself.
It’s almost as if many people don’t want to be healthy. Maybe they don’t come out and say it, but so many times I hear people say “No thanks” when offered something for FREE. If it’s FREE and it’s for their HEALTH, they don’t want it.
The most recent example was just a month ago at our Free (YES FREE) Health Fair. Our free services consisted of getting your glucose and cholesterol checked, blood pressure, body fat, weight, chiropractor screening, balance test, massage therapist and a sleep apnea questionnaire. Everything you need to know right? All in one place. All free, no strings attached. We even gave all participants a free week of fitness classes. Again, no catch.
We got a good turnout but what was so discouraging and disheartening were the amount of people who passed by and said self-degrading or just plain negative things like
“I already know I’m fat.”
“Oh I’m a diabetic, my doc has me on meds.”
“No thanks I don’t want to know my numbers.”
“Why would I want to know how unhealthy I am?”
It was extremely discouraging. My friend and I who were standing at the front trying to entice people to come in discussed this somewhat surprising reaction:
Does no one really care about their health? Is it really that unpopular to take try and prolong your life?
Of course this is a general statement and I know there are people out there who DO care. Unfortunately a lot of people care too late. They wait until they are on meds or until something unfortunate happens and then all of a sudden, they care.
As a trainer for 4 years I should be used to this type of mentality. But it still irks me.
This is why I’m so glad the Revolutionary Act was created. Being healthy shouldn’t HAVE to be a revolutionary act, but it is. And it’s time people started caring.
For those that don’t, I try not to let it bother me. I can only worry about myself.
I can only be the healthiest ME regardless of how unpopular it is.
The Joyful Celibate 