Throughout my adult life, I have learned about investing in my bank account and retirement savings, both of which are good pieces of advice. However I was NOT taught about investing in the health and well being of my future self. What good is it to have a successful career and a large bank account when I’m older, if I don’t have good health to enjoy it?
When I was younger, health and fitness was only measured in numbers – the number on the scale, the number on the pant size, etc. As I’ve grown older (and wiser ;)), my view on health has changed. My goals are no longer measured in numbers, but rather what my body is capable of doing. Can I carry my growing grade schoolers around when they ask? Can I play sports with my kids? Will I be able to go on long hikes and play tennis without causing injury?
Now I view health and fitness as a way to enable our bodies to do all of the things our minds and hearts and souls wish to do.
This has caused a shift in mindset. I know in 20 years and beyond I want to continue to live a physically active life. I want to be able to go on hikes with my kids, go on fun adventures and vacations, take care of more dogs, and play tennis into old age. What choices can I make today that are an investment in my dream future self, and not a withdrawal?
I encourage you to take a moment to consider the following:
- Who do I want to be 10 or 20 years from now and beyond?
- What do I want to be able to do?
- What positive choices can I make today that will create a compounding interest into the investment of my future self?
Here are 5 Actions I’m taking now to enable the vision of who I want to become.
1. Body movement every day
As a busy working wife and mother, it can be difficult to find dedicated time to exercise. I used to spend hours a day exercising when I was a college athlete years ago. My life no longer accommodates that kind of time and dedication…and that’s okay!
Over the years, I’ve let go of the concept of the highly regimented and time consuming workouts. Instead I focus on ways to move my body everyday. I strive to complete a 30 min workout 4 times per week, but some days a neighborhood walk or lunchtime stroll will suffice. Stretching and yoga have also become important in my weekly routines.
Just move your body.
Don’t lose yourself in perfection – but understand what is ‘good enough’
Studies show that regular, consistent exercise throughout your life can slow the biological clock and keep your brain young. According to neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki, exercise can provide “Better mood, better energy, better memory, better attention.” (Source 1) Forget chasing a magic pill to stay young – exercise is the key to combating physical and mental decline with age.
2. Strength training
As a young 20-something, cardio activity was my exercise of choice. All the cardio I focused on was a misguided and uneducated attempt at staying thin. I rarely tried to lift heavy weights, for fear of ‘getting big’.
Strong is the new skinny
As I’ve become more educated in fitness, I see the error in my thinking. I’ve come to learn the importance of muscle growth and retention, especially as we age. Sarcopenia, the typical loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs as we age, can cause a decline in regular physical activities as well as increase chronic illness. A study from the National Institute of Aging states that muscle mass reaches its peak between ages 30-35, then slowly declines linearly at first, then more rapidly after age 65.
Now, weight lifting has become an integral part of my exercise routine, and something I enjoy far more than cardio :). I strive for at least half of my weekly exercises to focus on strength training.
3. Reducing alcohol
Socially and culturally in the United States, alcohol use is an accepted (and sometimes expected) practice in adulthood. When I attended college (MANY years ago!), binge drinking was a normal part of life. As I grew older and became a mother, my alcohol consumption dropped significantly, but I still enjoyed a few glasses of wine during the week. In the summertime, a cold beer or seltzer seemed refreshing and delicious, and was a regular part of summer gatherings with friends. I began to realize the majority of my social gatherings revolved around drinking.
Alcohol is a poison.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I began to fully understand the detrimental effects of alcohol. The World Health Organization states that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. Alcohol is a known poison and classified as a Group 1 carcinogen – the highest risk group – and is found to cause at least 7 types of cancer. (Source 4) Additionally, a Northwestern Medicine study concludes that cumulative alcohol consumption speeds up biological aging (Source 5).
Since becoming more educated on the negative effects of alcohol, I have adjusted my mindset regarding alcohol use, and only drink occasionally. I still enjoy the taste of wine, and the non-alcoholic wines taste like grape juice. However I no longer have mixed drinks, and have replaced regular beer with non-alcoholic beer. This may not be perfect, but it is significantly better than my previous drinking habits.
4. Reducing sugar
Ugh. I have a serious sweet tooth, so this one’s particularly hard for me. Sugar and I have a long history. Growing up, sweets and homemade baked goods surrounded my home. My mom is an incredible baker, and she enjoys expressing her love through food. She passed down to me a love of baking, and my sweet tooth 😉
Sugar causes weight gain.
The research is clear that sugar is linked to excess weight gain. An article published by the Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences states that on average, Americans consume more than 300% the daily recommended amount of added sugar. There is an obvious correlation between the increase in total sugar consumption and the increase in obesity in the United States. Added sugar is a simple carbohydrate that the body digests quickly, providing no nutritional value and a poor source of energy. Excess sugar is stored as fat in the body, leading to weight gain.
Thankfully I’ve always lived an active life, and have chosen to eat healthy in most other ways, so my sweet tooth has not significantly impacted my health. I’m a firm believer in living a balanced life and eating all foods in moderation, so it’s unlikely I will ever give up added sugar completely. However added sugar is hidden in so many foods, it can be surprising how much sugar I consume, without ever realizing it. I now make more conscious and educated choices for the prepared foods I buy. If I’m going to consume added sugar, I’d rather it be in the form of a delicious homemade chocolate chip cookie, rather than a salad dressing.
5. Increasing Protein
In my mid twenties, I experimented with a 90-day diet plan to see how my body would react to different macro ratios of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. By the end of the diet I learned two important things about my over diet choices. First, I realized that carbohydrates had dominated all of my meals. It was easy to have toast or bagels for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and pasta for dinner. Second, I learned that my body felt better when my meals contained more protein and less carbs. This was the beginning of my journey to incorporate more protein into my diet.
Now over 10 years later, I continue to push myself to cook high protein meals for my family. Additionally the carbohydrates we consume are more in the form of fruit and vegetables, rather than grains and starches. It’s clear that protein is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, from muscle growth to boosting your metabolism. My future self is thanking me for making this long term change to my diet, and fueling my body with nutritious sources of protein.
I hope these items provide inspiration for maximizing your life and investing in your future self.
Take a moment to consider your life and which past choices/habits have positively impacted your life today. Are there habits you want to continue? Habits you want to eliminate that haven’t been serving you? Comment below!