A frequently asked question that I get seems to be… “but how do I lose weight?” The easy response & the one that i find myself usually giving is, expend more energy than you consume.
Sitting down today to eat lunch, I realized that while the response is accurate for the question, people are asking the wrong question. This came to me as I was eating a plate of cut veggies, hummus, various nuts, and fruit; meanwhile a young woman near me was consuming a slimfast bar & diet soda (and was obviously starving.)
I’m by no means the first person to point out that health doesn’t always reflect body mass. It is also common knowledge (at least in the fitness community) that calories don’t always reflect quality in food.
My realization was that neither of the above factors is important when the right question is being asked. Instead of asking “How do I lose weight?” we should instead ask “how do I become healthy?” Obviously this isn’t a totally novel question, but I have to wonder why so many people think the first question answers or is a path to the second.
To lose weight, take in less than you expend. Simple, but this doesn’t guarantee you’ll live longer, better, or happier.
To be healthy, eat quality food, exercise your muscles & your brain, rest, & laugh.
I’ll jump off my soap box for the day, and welcome any feedback.
-Selene
