People always talk about how hard it is to eat healthy food, exercise, and stay active. I get it. A hard set of deadlifts takes effort. So does getting dinner on the table when you’re already tired. But when I look at how I feel over the course of an entire day, I think it’s way harder to be unhealthy.
Picture waking up tired, leaning on caffeine to get through the afternoon, then pouring a drink at night because you finally want to unwind. Do that often enough and the whole day starts to feel like something you have to get through. That sounds like a lot more work to me than making a good meal and getting outside for a walk.
I eat food I enjoy. Navy beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and Japanese yams are staples for me. And baked tofu is delicious! My morning shake is packed with nutritious ingredients, tastes great, and leaves me feeling ready to get on with my day. There’s an immediate payoff in eating a meal I look forward to and feeling good when I’m done.
Most evenings I spend a couple of hours walking with my dogs, Rumi and Derby. If you put “walk for two hours” on a list of things I had to do every day, it would sound like a chore. I look forward to it. Rumi gets a little extra bounce in his step when the weather cools down, and Derby will happily investigate a patch of grass for as long as I let him. I get why they’re excited when it’s time to go out. So am I.
Being active is one of the best mood boosters I know. The next time you’re stressed and turning a problem over in your head, try going for a long walk. The problem may still be there when you get home, but you may find you have a little more patience and a clearer head to deal with it. That alone can change the course of an afternoon.
Strength training has that same immediate payoff for me. I’ve spent years building muscle and strength. At 53, I still enjoy seeing what I can do, and I want to hang on to as much of that strength as I can as I get older. I also care about how I feel when I finish a workout. There’s a particular kind of confidence I get from lifting something heavy or finishing a demanding interval session. I’ve gotten off the elliptical in a better mood than when I got on it more times than I can count. I get to enjoy that return on my effort the same day.
Getting my hormones in a good place is a big part of feeling my best, too. When I think about testosterone, libido, strength, and building muscle are all part of the picture. I also care about how I show up for the rest of my life. Do I feel confident and ready to take on a challenge? When the day throws something at me, do I feel like I can handle it? I’ve had sky-high testosterone numbers and felt pretty much the same. That experience changed how I think about what’s optimal for me. The number is one piece of information. How I actually feel matters just as much to me.
Habits can build on each other in either direction. When you feel sluggish after a meal, it’s easy to spend the rest of the evening on the couch. After a rough night of sleep, a workout or a trip to the grocery store can feel like a much bigger ask. String enough of those days together and you can get used to feeling worn out. I still have rough nights and days when my mood is off. On those days, I’m especially glad I have things I genuinely enjoy doing that help me feel better. I can make a meal I’m hungry for, train if it’s a training day, or grab the leashes and get outside with the boys.
When I think about why I’ve kept these habits for so long, the answer is pretty simple. I like having the energy to do the things I want to do. I like feeling strong, and I like coming home from a walk in a better mood than when I left. The long-term benefits matter to me, too. But if you want to know why I’ll grab the leashes again tomorrow, it’s because I know how good it’ll feel tomorrow night.
