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This is actually a topic that I’ve wanted to blog about for quite awhile, but for some reason I’ve always been afraid write my thoughts down in a post.
Perhaps I’m afraid of being judged, or perhaps I’m afraid that other people will think I’m judging them.
Honestly, I don’t care anymore.
I don’t care if people think I’m a nut case. I don’t care if people know I’m a health nut. I know what I am and I’m damn proud of it.
I run every morning before work, I eat a diet based on organic, unprocessed food for almost every single meal, and I like to go to bed at 9 PM to ensure that I get enough sleep.
If that’s a crime, lock me up.
When it comes to living a healthy life, everyone has a different view on what is actually right.
- Some people live a healthy life by working out a few times a week and eating a salad for lunch.
- Some people live a healthy life by working out a few times a week and eating whatever they want.
- Some people live a healthy life by eating healthy during the week and eating what they want on the weekends.
I’m not writing this post to tell you how to live your life. I’m telling you how I live mine.
Now that I work in an office, I can see why this country is so unhealthy. The office is literally filled with pizza, fast food, chips, and cookies on a daily hourly basis. I can see having pizza with your office buddies once a week as a social get together, but every day is going a little bit overboard, especially when you had Krispy Kreme for breakfast.
There are people here that have McDonalds for breakfast and fried chicken for lunch every single day. I seriously can’t even fathom what that would do to my insides.
Before I get called out for judging people, please be advised that is not my intent. Honestly, I don’t really care what these people eat. My number one priority should be to keep myself healthy, but I will help someone if they ask for it.
With that said, I think working in this kind of environment has actually sparked my motivation to be even healthier. I love the feeling of starting my day with a workout and eating healthy food throughout the day. It keeps me feeling fresh while everyone else around me is yawning and falling asleep at their desk. Hello sugar (or fried food) coma.
These are the reasons that I live the healthiest life I can:
1. I feel great and energized throughout the day.
By starting every day with a workout in the morning and a filling, engergizing breakfast, I’m always 10x more productive.
It really helps me shake that “I’m going to fall asleep at my desk” feeling!
2. I keep my body strong and at the top of it’s game.
Honestly, I feel the best right now that I’ve ever felt in my life. I haven’t been sick (besides something that lasted for a day or less) in about 4 years.
My digestion is also a lot better than it used to be. It’s amazing how much easier it is for the body to process real food.
3. I feel “healthy.”
This one is hard to put into words, but I physically and mentally feel healthy. I know what it feels like to be unhealthy. Honestly, that’s not the way I want to live my life. I don’t want to be tired all the time. I don’t want to feel out of breath just by walking up the stairs. I want to feel like the person that I know I am.
I know that sounds corny, but it’s definitely true.
4. I’m investing in my health.
I know that a lot of health issues can be prevented by taking action early. I know that living a healthy life filled with a great diet and exercise isn’t going to prevent me from getting hit by a truck on the way home, but it will likely prevent me from getting diabetes or having a heart attack.
A smart man once said “Prevention is better than cure.”
-Desiderius Erasmus
5. My fitness has improved.
Honestly, I don’t think my fitness level would be where it is today without a healthy diet. I know plenty of runners who eat completely terrible, but they are still fast as hell.
This wouldn’t work for me now, but I think the body adapts to lifestlye changes. When I eat something that I’m not used to eating, I feel terrible, but it’s because it shocks my system. I bet that if I ate like that on a normal basis, my body probably wouldn’t know anything different.
Why do you eat healthy? Has it made a difference in your life?
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{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome post, I feel the exact same way.
Carolina @ Peas in a Blog recently posted..Feel Better Banana Bread.
This post is amazing!
I eat healthy for many reasons. It helps my body feel better, my digestion is 100% better, eating processed icky stuff makes me feel like absolute CRAP, and going into the nursing profession–I’d like to be a good example for my patients. I certainly wouldn’t want an overweight, out of shape nurse telling me how to get healthy. I wouldn’t believe a word they said.
Love this.
You know that I agree on all of the above. If someone wants to eat crap, that’s their problem. But I know how much better I feel mentally and physically when I eat healthy 99% of the time, exercise every day, and have a “pathetic” bedtime. I happen to get a lot of work done at 6am on a Saturday morning haha. If someone thinks that’s crazy and doesn’t respect that about me, they’ve obviously never tried it themselves and aren’t worth my time.
Having a healthy lifestyle isn’t going to prevent every illness or make me invincible, but it is going to make me a hell of a lot healthier, stronger, and a happier person. I’ll take it.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..NuNaturals Stevia Review and Giveaway
Those reasons, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that I eat healthy so I don’t gain weight. As someone who has struggled with weight issues in the past, it’s a big factor.
Lee recently posted..Fall is Here
Totally agree…I don’t judge but I do get irked when others judge me. I have been following more of a vegetarian/vegan diet over the last few months and cannot believe the amount of questions/concerns I get posed to me. If beans, kale, greens, seeds, nuts, oils, ancient grains, whole wheat grains and fruits are wrong…deal with it. Don’t tell me I am going to become protein deprived. I am at my lowest weight in years and my training is going really well.
Eat that..
Laura recently posted..Scotia Half Marathon Race Report
Good post! I agree with you. I eat healthy so I can have the energy to chase my kids around and be happy doing it. I love that I can go to the park and slide down the slides with my two-year-old. I want to feel and look young as long as possible.
Run.Learn.Repeat recently posted..Eat of the Week: Tamale Pie
Great reasons behind healthy eating! And a really thought out post.
janetha recently posted..4 x 4 & the local spotlight.
I think it’s also important to point out that healthy food tastes awesome! I think most Americans think they have to choose between nutrition and taste, but that just isnt the case. Eating healthy doesnt have to be a sacrifice.
Good for you! I eat healthy because it makes me feel good and because it has helped me conquer an illness that I was born with.
I admire you for your habits. I have a teenage son and I often show him your blog (he is a runner and interested in healthy eating). Keep up the good work!
Rebecca recently posted..Avoiding the Post-Marathon Blues
Amazing post, I completely agree with you on this. I eat healthy simple because I owe it to myself to eat REAL food, not this fake, deep fried, chemically enhanced stuff they call food. Plus, healthy food tastes SO much better
Bravo!
I feel the same. I eat well because I can feel the difference. Plain and simple. It allows me to be the best that I can possibly be. What’s not to love about that?
Besides. In my opinion. Whole, unprocessed foods can taste so much better than the alternative.
Sarah@The Flying ONION recently posted..a bite of somethin’ special.
I’m glad you decided to post, I think it says a lot that you were brave enough to speak your mind finally. I used to be ashamed of eating healthy and loving exercise… and I think it was honestly because I didn’t really feel healthy on the inside and I didn’t look particularly healthy. Over the past 6 months or so I’ve gained so much health and now I can honestly say I’m proud of how I take care of my body and am not ashamed of my healthy habits.
Thanks for this post! We all have our reasons but you’re right…at the end of the day you just feel better!
THANK YOU! I am so sick of people criticizing my lifestyle…saying that I need to “live a little”!! its so frustrating! I am living! Living healthy to me is living life to the fullest!!!
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! recently posted..Stone Cold (WIAW)
This was an awesome heartfelt post. I’m very glad you decided to pit your thoughts “on paper.” I totally agree with your assessment of office eating. It is quite appalling where I work. We had a health and safety fair where they served funnel cake and corn dogs and other carnival food. Talk about a hypocritical message. I used to be embarrassed about bringing my own healthy lunches but now I eat it proudly.
Lindsay @ biking before bed recently posted..Raw Apple Pie
I used to eat so unhealthy at work. There was a young girl who worked with me and ate so healthy and I couldn’t understand why she never wanted soda, or bagels, or chips. It’s only fairly recently I started to change my diet, and now I feel the way you do!
Ashley recently posted..What do you want to be when you grow up?
Love this post! I totally agree with you. When I eat poorly, my body revolts. It really highlights what unclean body does when you’re used to clean eating. Energy is key too – sugary breakfasts or office snacks make me crash at work. (Even if my co-workers think I eat “weird.”)
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Eggplant Rollatini, Vegan-Style
Great post! I eat healthy because it makes me feel good physically and mentally! And because it’s part of the equation in helping me keep my body looking the way I want it to.
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health recently posted..Safety in the Weight Room
loved this post! especially the part about prevention. I eat healthy now so i can enjoy the present AND the future
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean recently posted..WIA{& Didn’t Tell}W
This is such a great post!
I used to be an unhealthy eater and even when I was trying to lose weight initially, it was by eating fake, processed, “low-fat” meals. Now, I love eating more wholesome, real foods. I admit to having some potato chips every now and then, but if I eat what’s whole most of the time, then I feel good.
Alaina recently posted..Getting Healthy with Poland Springs & A Giveaway
Great post Matt! Eating healthy really can change the health of the body AND the mind. It makes me feel content with myself, and like I’m doing something that will really pay off in the long run. Not to mention healthy food is damn delicious
sarah@spinach and spice recently posted..WILC: Growing Up and Growing Out
i LOVE THIS! i agree with everything you are saying x 1000! i love eating healthy because of the energy and this may sound funny but the positivity it honestly fills me with every time i think about the natural whole foods i am putting inside my body…free of chemicals and preservatives that just do NOT belong
Emily@RunningPerspective recently posted..time.
Great post Matt- you really hit it on the judging note with how everyone has their own ideas about ‘healthy’. I know I spend a lot of time deciding what are healthy choices for me and my family, those choices may not be for everyone, be it nutritional choices, using conventional vs alternative medicine, using vitamins or not, etc. We all have our own ideas and I think it’s really neat to share, but take from it what you want and leave the ideas that maybe aren’t for you to that person. I don’t know everything, maybe in another life eating McDonalds for breakfast will be my choice, but until then I’m going to keep on doing what i think is right for me until proven otherwise! Keep up the great blog.
Great post! Healthy eating for my used to be purely as a means to get to an ideal weight…over time, I have come to recognise and appreciate SO many other benefits that come along and to be honest, if people want to call me a health nut let them…those people are probably the ones living off Maccy D’s!
Khushboo recently posted..How I roll
Love this! I recently started working in an office too and some people’s eating habits are appalling. Some days they’ll eat next to nothing and other days they’ll gorge on unhealthy take-out… then you add in the constant supply of cakes, cookies, chips, etc that are available in abundance throughout the office and it’s no wonder office workers in general struggle with weight. I get teased sometimes because I always bring healthy leftovers and snacks to work and almost always decline when asked if I want in on a junk food run but at the end of the day, I know the food I eat makes me feel much better throughout the day. I once went along for a McDonald’s run and I was so sleepy the second half of the day, I could barely focus. I’m all for indulging once in awhile on weekends but at work I like to eat food that will keep me energized.
Christine @ Burning It Off recently posted..In Defense of Body Pump
Great post, Matt! I’d love to hear how you survive the work food temptations. It is so true that work can derail a healthy lifestyle in so many ways, and hearing how others make the best of it can be so helpful! I keep a desk drawer full of healthy snacks that taste good, but not so good that I eat them all an hour after bringing them to the office. We also have a great gym at the office, so I use my lunch break at least 3 times a week to spin lightly or do some kind of strength training. It’s a great reminder that I’m building my body, mind and future, and not to counteract that with junk food and not enough activity at work!
#3 is spot on! I totally agree that you can’t put “that healthy feeling” into words, but I know 100% what you’re talking about. For me, it just feels like my body works better thanks to my healthy diet. Plus, I can be proud of the food that I choose to eat every day, and that goes a long way to feeling good both mentally and physically.
I agree with you on all of the above. Especially #4. “The Oregonian” published this article (http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/09/you_docs_if_the_shaky_economy.html) about a month ago on that topic.
Austin recently posted..New Crack Dip
This is my favorite post of the day! Seriously I agree with everything you stated. It drives me nuts when people eat like crap all. day. long. Every once in a while is okay, but ALL the time? It’s just not good. I eat healthy because I feel better over all. Physically, mentally, and it fuels me and my workouts the best way possible. I definitely don’t think you’re crazy because I am the same way. It bothers me when people think I’m weird for eating the way I do when in reality, everyone should eat unprocessed, healthy foods as the norm.
I really liked this post. I was wondering if there was ever a time when you didn’t eat as healthy as this? Was it a hard transition? Did it take a long time to be like you are now? I am a healthy person, but comparing myself to the way you are, I am not on that level. For me it has been a journey. I grew up knowing nothing about nutrition and everything we ate was crap. I ended up getting healthy on my own, and the more I learn, the healthier I become. I eat an organic based diet about 85-90% of the time. I exercise as much as possible (not near as much as you do). I want to continue to improve but I have been finding it difficult, and was wondering if you had any pointers… I guess sometimes I am just in the mood for junk food (horrible I know, it’s rare but it happens), or just way too exhausted to work out (I work weird hours).
Also, I have had this crazy urge to start running. I love doing it but stopped a long time ago because of some problems I have with my heart (now I bike a ton, do the stair climber, weight training etc). As long as I keep my heart rate in a certain zone, now I should be able to run. Recently I did and every time I ran my knee was killing me. The Dr. thinks it’s IT band syndrome. Any tips on pressing through that? Or for a ‘beginner’ with running in general? I will never be a speed demon because of my heart, but I would like to set goals for myself and continue to get better when I run.
Thank you!! I feel the same way. All of my co-workers eat crap, and I end up looking like a freak when I bring a huge salad to work with fruit. Then, I confuse them even more by eating pb out of the jar with a spoon. haha
Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete recently posted..Portland Marathon 2011 Recap
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