We talk to patients, gym members, our families, and random people on the street every day about what it means to be “healthy.” There’s a lot of assumptions out there about health, and the fitness industry is littered with myths and misconceptions. It’s actually quite define what it means to be a “healthy person.”
Is health defined by how a person looks? Certainly not — “athletic” or “fit” looking people can be simply blessed by good genetics, have money for cosmetic procedures, or be physically healthy but internal balls of stress and discontent.
What about weight or body composition? Again, we’re striking out. Thin or lean individuals can smoke, regularly eat fast food, neglect sleep, have high blood pressure, or have any number of health concerns. Conversely, individuals with a higher body mass index or slightly bigger body types can exhibit be very “healthy” in terms of blood lab values, strength, cardiovascular fitness, stress management, and more. Body type or size is most definitely a terrible marker of health.
Yet, this is what we hear all the time. That individuals who look a certain way must be healthy. We live in a visual world, popular culture and media has distorted what we perceive to be healthy.
So let’s redefine it, shall we?
“Healthy” isn’t a number on a scale or a destination. Instead, it’s defined by a set of habits and behaviors that create health, fitness, and resilience, over time. Health isn’t base on how you look, what your Instagram profile looks like, your weight, or your percentage of body fat. Health is created by your behaviors.
At EVOLVE, we’ve identified five key sets of behaviors that we think form a comprehensive definition of health. If you check all of these boxes on a regular basis, we’re willing to bet that you’re a healthy person, or headed that way, fast. We don’t care what you weigh, what your body composition is, how you look, or where you come from. We care about your consistency with these behaviors.
1. Move
Healthy people move, and move often. Exercise in ways that make you feel good, not to gain a certain aesthetic, or to “earn” food. Train to make your body capable and resilient. Specifically, movement has three components:
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Regular movement throughout the day: Humans were not designed to be sedentary. 7,000 steps or more is a decent metric, but more is probably better.
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Strength training: At least twice a week, doing some type of resistance training to build capacity of the muscles, tendons, and bones.
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Cardiovascular exercise: Get the heart rate up and get out of breath, often. 150 minutes per week is a baseline goal for optimal health.
2. Eat
Health is also determined by what we eat. Food should be used to support mental, physical, and emotional health, and should not be used as a reward or punishment, cause anxiety, or be obsessive or overly restrictive.
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Eat intuitively, without obsessive tracking, and tune into natural hunger and fullness cues.
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Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains regularly
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Eat a balance of all the major building blocks: carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber
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Drink adequate water daily (bodyweight divided 2, in ounces)
3. Recover
In our go-go-go society, health also hinges on our ability to recover from the stresses of daily life.
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Sleep 7-8 hours per night at a minimum to rebuild and reset all body tissues and functions
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Rehabilitate pain and injuries to allow for pain-free activity and movement
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Resolve gastrointestinal pain / discomfort to allow for
4. Connect
Healthy people take time out of their busy schedules to connect with themselves and the people around them.
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Enjoy time weekly, if not daily, unplugged from devices
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Slow down and take deep breaths
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Spend time others who are positive, supportive, and growth-minded
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Find ways to refresh your body and mind without over-reliance on substances (alcohol, tobacco), escapism (Netflix binges), or excessive exercise.
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Manage anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions with a licensed counselor or therapist
5. Prevent
Finally, we must take steps to prevent chronic illness and injuries. Steps 1-4 are the foundation, but healthy people also:
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Understand their family health history
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Monitor biomarkers such as cholesterol, blood pressure, or other lab values with a medical professional.
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Manage injury risk factors to reduce orthopedic surgery risk
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Limit activities that are known to cause disease (e.g., smoking)
Move. Eat. Recover. Connect. Prevent.
This is EVOLVE’s simply but powerful recipe for both defining and developing true lifelong health. All of the elements work together, creating positive daily behaviors and actions that will help you feel great and do what you love, for life. We can both define health by these behaviors — a healthy person will do most of them consistently — and use them as a recipe to move any individual more towards health and further from sickness.
Of course, simple is not always easy, and that’s why we are here to help. Working with Abby, EVOLVE’s Registered Dietitian can be a powerful way to improve your relationship with food, resolve gastrointestinal issues, or optimize your nutrition to support exercise, recovery, and mental health. As a Physical Therapist, I can help you overcome injuries that may be limited movement and activity, or help you get started with an appropriate resistance and cardiovascular training program. Our Performance Training Program is built on these five pillars, and can help you progress consistently over time.