Lifestyles

Everyone wants to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some quick thoughts reflecting on my lifestyle and why I chose it. Most young people (<30) are convinced that as long as they don't do hard drugs or are alcoholics that their lifestyle is healthy enough. After all, don't most college students smoke weed and drink and party on the weekends? Though their assertion might be statistically true, it is incredibly fallacious to claim that just because many people are engaging in a certain activity (drinking and smoking in this case) that therefore those activites are healthy and/or beneficial. In fact in my experience many people claim that just because they aren't engaging in drinking and smoking that therefore they are living a healthy lifestyle. While it is definitely true that comparatively they are living a healthIER lifestyle, it's a big leap to automatically assume that their lifestlye is, itself, healthy.

But before we ask ourself what constitutes as a healthy lifestyle, we need to ask why ought people pursue a healthy lifestyle to begin with? If Macbeth were correct in asserting that, "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player ...full of sound and fury. Signifying nothing." then a concern for a healthy and good lifestyle is completely arbitrary. However, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that our bodies are temples for God Himself, and therefore deserve the highest honor. It is from this premise, that man is charged with finding and living a healthy lifestyle.

A healthy lifestyle begins with the mind and expands to the body. The mind drives the body. If the mind is weak your body cannot be strong. The first step to a healthy lifestyle is to discipline the mind. Most people have learned to discipline their mind through school and studying, and this is a great start. People who discipline their mind are capable in managing their finances, their time, and other resources well. They are determined and highly motivated to pursue their goals. Next a healthy lifestyle consists of disciplining the body. Being overweight is a choice. If you don't believe me, consider this, can you get fat behind your own back? As Ricky Gervais says, no one in the history of the world has ever wondered whether the cause of their obesity was jogging or overeating, the answer is obvious. Disciplining your body consists of more than just being an appropriate weight, athleticism and strength play an important part of it as well. For those that question the benefits of strength training and muscles, there are many studies that show that exercising reduces heartattacks, and also leads to a longer lifespan.

In the same vein, diet is also very important to a healthy lifestyle. There are many different diets out there: low carb, keto, carnivore, vegan, etc. But finding the right one for you is the key. Everyone loves and hates different foods, and different foods react with everyone differently (ie: peanut allergies), so it's important to find one that works for you. A good diet also can lead to an increased lifespan and is essential since it plays an intimate role as the fuel for your fitness. Therefore it cannot be neglected. Food is fuel, and there's a reason why sports cars need better fuel than a prius, it's the same reason why racecars need better fuel than a sports car. If you want your body to be performing at a high level it's imperative you give it the right fuel to make it run.

For me a carnivore diet with intermittent fasting works the best. The intermittent fasting promotes cellular autophagy that clears my mind and reduces bloating and inflammation. Lifting and then running in a fasted state also helps me clear my glycogens and burn only fat. Then a meal high in protein lets me bulk and build more muscle. To conclude here is a summarized list:

Recognize the need for a healthy lifestyle stems from the commands of God
Stay away from unhealthy practices: smoking, binge drinking, drug use
Discipline your mind, set and achieve goals, and nurture your determination
Discipline your body, pursue fitness and athleticism
Make appropriate eating decisions: what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat