An Evaluation of Health and Fitness
Having the desire to stay in good shape is one thing, but actively pursuing a lifestyle of fitness is another. This week we will evaluate what sets these two things apart, but more importantly, how you can work toward the greater of the two.
Staying physically active has been an important part of my life for years. From running track and counting calories to lifting weights and swimming for hours at a time, I have consistently spent multiple hours each week working to become the best version of myself.
As high and mighty as it sounds, there’s another side to this story. Most days the gym is the last place I want to be. When Monday morning rolls around, nothing gets on my nerves more than the sound of the revolving treadmill. By Friday, even the task of packing my gym bag is exhausting. And lately, I’ve skipped many workouts for a variety of reasons, none of which are valid.
In December 2019, I fell asleep while driving home from Pittsburgh. The resulting injuries ended my swim season, and put me in a boot for what felt like an eternity. The following April I stepped back into the water for the first time since. To my amazement, I nearly lost all of my swimming technique. The rotation of my body in the water felt misaligned. My broken foot hindered my performance for months. What once was a basic workout, now felt impossible for me to complete.
I set a goal for myself: I would break the school record in the 100 yard breaststroke. My schedule consisted of swimming one mile each morning before work, followed by an additional mile in the evening. During the peak of our season, I swam almost five miles each day, compared to the two or three miles of my peers. By the end of the season, I broke that record.
I tell you this brief story not to exaggerate my life story, or aggrandize my accomplishments, but to show how one of the worst moments in my life resulted in the greatest possible good.
I believe that’s the purpose of living a healthy life, marked by fitness through hard work. No one cares how long I go to the gym. No one cares how long you go to the gym either. But each of us has the unique opportunity to choose a healthy lifestyle, which looks different for everyone.
I’m convinced that someone reading this is probably at the gym the minute the doors open. For others, they choose to work out in the evening, maybe only for 10 minutes in the silence of their bedroom.
One of my coaches once said, “I don’t care how talented you are. I care about bringing out the best version of each one of you.”
Even now as I write this, my foot continues to mildly bother me. But by God, I’ll make it to the gym tomorrow, even though it’s the last place I want to be.