Eight months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 257. Yesterday, I talked about trying to incorporate the principles of Tai chi in my life. Today is a new day.
He was free to do what he wanted with his body so I didn't lecture and scold him (I wasn't gonna tell him how to live his life), but I noticed the toll that lifestyle took on his physical and mental health. He was always tired, he got frequent headaches, he cared less and less about his hygiene, and he was always stressed out. As a result his grades declined, he was struggling in his studies, and the stress and disappointment in his performance created a viscous cycle of neglect. My experience with my roommate showed me the importance of taking care of what you eat.
Our bodies are the vessels in which we interact with the world and so like the space suits the astronauts wear during their expeditions, our bodies are invaluable and should be treated as such. It's okay to eat junk food once in a while, however, the problems start when junk food becomes a normal part of your diet (as shown in my roommate's experience). We all know that eating junk food all day every day is bad for us. That's not the problem. The difficulty comes in overcoming the desire for such foods and maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet. They give us instant gratification, but we soon see that such happiness doesn't last.
When I was working in Alaska the summer of my first year in college (after meeting my roommate) I ended up only drinking water for 3 months and I felt great. The availability of food and resources forced me into a detox of sorts and it worked. Sugary foods and drinks tasted way too sweet, and I craved more raw and natural foods. Going back into college unfortunately brought back some old habits, but when I went back to Alaska a second time it the same thing happened and I noticed a big difference in how I felt when cutting out junk food from my life compared to when I wasn't thinking about what I was feeding myself.
I've relapsed a little, but today was a good reminder to not let it become a habit. This isn't even just about diet, either. It applies to our lifestyle in general. I did some studying, did some cleaning in my apartment, and after writing this will do a short workout before I head off to work. One of my fears is to become bedridden from health problems. The day I can no longer physically do the things I love scares me more than death. By taking care of my health I can give myself more time to fully enjoy it.
What are you eating? How is it affecting your health? Your life?
Peace
"Looking good and feeling good go hand-in-hand. If you have a healthy lifestyle, your diet and nutrition are set, and you're working out, you're going to feel good." - Jason StrathamI bought a cheese croquette and whipped-cream bread at the supermarket today and as I ate it thought about how terrible they were for my health. Although the croquette was delicious in all of its deep-fried glory and the bread's sweet caramel brought my taste buds to heaven, I was reminded of when I got a huge wake-up call in life through my roommate. He would drink soda, play video games for hours, and eat lots of junk food like pizza and burgers every day. He never exercised, so by the end of the year it looked like he gained at least 10-20 pounds (5-10 kg). At the start of the year his shirts fit him. By the end of the year they barely covered his gut.
He was free to do what he wanted with his body so I didn't lecture and scold him (I wasn't gonna tell him how to live his life), but I noticed the toll that lifestyle took on his physical and mental health. He was always tired, he got frequent headaches, he cared less and less about his hygiene, and he was always stressed out. As a result his grades declined, he was struggling in his studies, and the stress and disappointment in his performance created a viscous cycle of neglect. My experience with my roommate showed me the importance of taking care of what you eat.
Our bodies are the vessels in which we interact with the world and so like the space suits the astronauts wear during their expeditions, our bodies are invaluable and should be treated as such. It's okay to eat junk food once in a while, however, the problems start when junk food becomes a normal part of your diet (as shown in my roommate's experience). We all know that eating junk food all day every day is bad for us. That's not the problem. The difficulty comes in overcoming the desire for such foods and maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet. They give us instant gratification, but we soon see that such happiness doesn't last.
When I was working in Alaska the summer of my first year in college (after meeting my roommate) I ended up only drinking water for 3 months and I felt great. The availability of food and resources forced me into a detox of sorts and it worked. Sugary foods and drinks tasted way too sweet, and I craved more raw and natural foods. Going back into college unfortunately brought back some old habits, but when I went back to Alaska a second time it the same thing happened and I noticed a big difference in how I felt when cutting out junk food from my life compared to when I wasn't thinking about what I was feeding myself.
I've relapsed a little, but today was a good reminder to not let it become a habit. This isn't even just about diet, either. It applies to our lifestyle in general. I did some studying, did some cleaning in my apartment, and after writing this will do a short workout before I head off to work. One of my fears is to become bedridden from health problems. The day I can no longer physically do the things I love scares me more than death. By taking care of my health I can give myself more time to fully enjoy it.
What are you eating? How is it affecting your health? Your life?
Peace
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| Be disciplined, be healthy, live well. |
If you have any thoughts, stories, or experiences, share them in a comment! Have a great day~
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