In my 30’s, I buckled down and put more effort into my health after watching my dad struggle with heart disease, bypass surgery, diabetes and obesity. Genetics? Yes, his parents and all of his sisters died from heart disease. One can’t help but think lifestyle plays a role as well, in fact we know it does.
I guess you could say, my dad is my example of what not to do. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a twinge when I see people who have active, healthy parents they can run with, etc. That’s all kinds of awesome.
I did have a positive role model of a healthy lifestyle growing up so don’t cry for me, Argentina. She wasn’t a runner by any means, but my maternal grandma was the paragon of health. She’s dead now, but she lived quite vigorously well into her 90’s. What were her “secrets” to a long, healthy life? Here’s what I observed:
- She walked. A ton. Into town everyday for groceries which she carried home. There’s a workout.
- She gardened. And grew her own veggies and flowers.
- She cooked all the time and ate simply. Lots from her garden. Little to no processed foods.
- She was vivacious, outgoing and had tons of friends from a vast array of age groups.
- She had a crazy, wild sense of humor everyone loved.
The media is filled with ideals of healthy, fit people and many of us aspire to look like a celebrity or sports star. But how realistic is that? Who knows what it really takes to appear that way and for how long can that be maintained? My grandma was much more real to me than any celeb or sports figure.
The takeaway: While it’s all good if you do, running marathons, belonging to expensive gyms or cooking elaborately aren’t mandatory for good health. It’s far more basic than that. It’s about simplifying, moving, managing stress finding balance, and enjoying life.
If you think kids aren’t watching what you do, think again.
So now I ask you: Who inspires you to be healthy?
I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.
I love this Marcia! My grandma is still going strong at 98 and she does almost all of the things you listed about your grandma:) Although she uses a walker now, she still lives alone in her house of over 60 years and does laps around her house in her walker:) She knows she needs to stay active and I love it!
My mom always exercised. She did aerobics, played tennis, and still walks and does yoga. She didn’t push herself like I do, tho. I don’t think anyone of her generation did, really. But she was a good role model in that sense, for me, that you need to take care of yourself.
Great point! Our overall health is more than just the hour we spend at the gym- it’s all the little things that add up to make an overall active and healthy lifestyle.
Hi Marcia! Looks like we’re both TOLT 🙂 I love your post today – it’s so true! I just posted a picture yesterday to Java & Sole’s FB page of my daughter’s homework. They had to write a math story problem with the answer 26 miles. Too easy? My 8 year old wrote about how “Mom ran 2 races,” 14 and 12 miles, for a total of 26 miles. They are ALWAYS watching…Thanks for the reminder 🙂
I don’t really have one I guess. I supposed my older relatives were healthy because they were mostly farmers who lived closely off their land.
This is lovely. Healthy isn’t just muscles or flat abs – it’s a lifestyle, it’s being happy, and it’s enjoying life! Looks like you grandma knew that 🙂
Absolutely agree! And in fact the research is really supporting that people more active in their everyday life are better off than those who workout and then are sedentary the rest of the day.
I’m inspired by people that I meet who have overcome obstacles and continue pressing forward. I’m a marathoner who likes to enjoy the gift of running (and walking), so I don’t get caught up in “time”/”pace”. It’s good to just sit back and enjoy the journey. If I had to choose one, my sister is a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and definitely a source of inspiration.
Great post! I have had so many more “uninspirations” in my life for the wrong way to live, but I agree with you about your kids watching. I hope that some day I will be their health icon (even if they’re both boys).
Marcia, I loved reading about your Mom. My Mom is my inspiration too, she is 72 and still goes to the gym three times a week, walks with me the two days, gardens, eats healthy. She has made it her job to take care of herself and it’s impressive for sure!
This is an awesome post! You really hit the nail on the head regarding healthfulness and what it truly means. I am inspired to be healthy by seeing people who have overcome challenges to become healthy. Sadly, both my family as well as Adam’s family have a long history of diabetes and various other diseases – so I am inspired to be healthy to ward off those genetics!
I love this post, Marcia! My inspiration for living a healthy life comes from multiple sources, including those that do and don’t live a healthy lifestyle. Several of my family members don’t live a healthy lifestyle and face a variety of medical issues. They definitely inspire me to try and be as healthy and active as possible.
My kids inspire me to be the best I can be. I am also truly inspired by all of the amazing moms in our running group.
Aww…I really loved this post, and it made me really miss my grandma. She walked everywhere too, and was super super active, well up til she turned around 90. She also had a bunch of friends and cook for all of us and liked gardening! <3
I love this!! My grandpa (Poppa) was definitely my go-to figure. He lived a full life – 98 years!! He worked hard and stayed active until about 90 when his knees started to give him troubles. The last year of his life he was a bit more sedentary than he would have liked but he still could get around on his own!
I can’t say that anyone inspired me to be healthy. However, I want to be the example for my kids and my grandkids. I want to be their icon!
Great post! So true that there are so many paths to healthy, but simply eating healthy unprocessed foods and moving on a regular basis will go a long ways towards getting you there.
I’m not sure who inspired me when I was younger. My parents weren’t active when I was a kid. They are much more active now. My kids are the ones who inspire me now. I want to stay healthy and in shape so I can run around with them!!
My maternal grandma is the same way. 90 year old and still goes to her water aerobics. I want to be like that when I grow up.
thank you for sharing this. I have to say my kids and my family keep me wanting to live healthy, for energy and longevity I want to be a good example to them
So true! I love that we don’t need to be perfect to be healthy and that alone releases so much stress!!
I think my kids keep me healthy! I know they are watching everything and I believe in leading by example! Simple living and lots of laughter I think will help us all live to be old grannies! 🙂
Aww, I love hearing about your Grandma! My mom’s mom is like that, and I want to be like her when I am her age 🙂
love this- i know what i currently do is a luxury that i won’t have forever (expensive classes and memberships). I’m not sure I have one single person, but the running and blogging community have held me accountable and that’s what I love.
Literally the blog post I read before this had a picture of the writer going for a run with her husband and dad and I totally had that pang of, ‘I wish I could do that!’ My parents are active, but my dad’s a golfer and my mum’s a walker – not so much with the running and yoga!! 😉 As a trainer, I’ve been surrounded by people doing amazing things with their bodies, which is definitely inspiring. And now, I would say that a lot of the bloggers I read regularly (you included, of course) are extremely inspiring to me.
This post made my life. I had SO MANY people to look up to as a kid…my Mom, my Dad, NBA and NFL athletes (back when they were the bee’s knees and not drama), Olympic gymnasts, swimmers, and track stars. I couldn’t get enough of Mary Lou Retton.
Now? Jillian Michaels, Lolo Jones, myself, you, other fellow bloggers are who I look to for healthy inspiration. Let me explain “myself” —> checking myself before I wreck myself = the biggest inspiration of all.