HealthKick: Don't Be Average
When it comes to following a healthy lifestyle, doing what the average person does is rarely “a good thing.” For example, the current recommendation is for individuals to exercise at least 30 minutes per day, at least five days per week. The average adult exercises far less than this desired minimum.
The average adult is overweight, as well. The average adult has risks for chronic diseases, such as cardiac disease and diabetes, due to unhealthy weight, lifestyle, and lack of exercise. Even looking at hours of sleep, another “lifestyle choice” that impacts significantly on overall health, the average adult falls far short of what would be considered acceptable.
As far as diet is concerned, again the average adult’s choice is not the ideal for which to strive. Average intake of dairy or other appropriate calcium sources is significantly below needs across all age groups, regardless of sex. The recommendation for vegetables is to eat at least three servings per day, or a combination of fruit and vegetable servings totaling five per day. Again, the average person comes nowhere close. Limiting saturated fat and avoiding trans-fats are also areas of nutritional concern where the average person isn’t hitting the mark. And beverage consumption is yet another area in which to avoid being average: most people consume high-calorie/nutrient-poor beverages on a regular basis.
What can you do? To start, as with your Martial Arts training, don’t think of the average as your goal. You should always strive to be outstanding, and to use your own standards to set your goals, not those set by what is the norm.
Next, make small changes that you can stick with, and add to them consistently. Make modest changes to your daily diet: decrease your consumption of unhealthy foods or food types. Substitute healthier food choices and eat high calorie or high fat foods only as a treat rather than as a staple. Exercise longer or more frequently. Then continue to add new changes gradually, while maintaining the previous changes. Eventually, you will be at the “top of your game,” and far beyond “above average,” you’ll be truly outstanding.
