The Scale Does NOT Define You

The Real Definition of A Healthy Lifestyle

Talk to mental health experts, physical health experts and even the more philosophical folks of the world, and most would agree that the word “healthy” is not easily defined. What most of us can agree on is a definition that involves both our emotional well-being and physical health. Beyond that, it can become complex and personalized.

For instance, many would say that a healthy lifestyle are people without physical disease or illnesses. Yet, the person with great physical health may suffer with an emotional illness or a chemical imbalance that is defined as mental illness. And even someone who has a “disease,” such as the person born with type 1 diabetes may be entirely “healthy” apart from their condition.

Then, of course, we have the modern world and all of its visual ideas of what a healthy lifestyle “looks like,” and most of the time, those images are way off the mark. For example, for years, health experts have pointed out that the classic “Barbie” doll is far from healthy or realistic. Many warn that Hollywood idols maintain figures and body weights that are not actually sustainable or healthy at all.

So, what can you, personally, do about this confusion? What should you do if you want to be your healthiest and live that healthy lifestyle? This article is going to go over many points in order to help you determine what your definition of the word healthy might be, and how to get there.

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What is Your Definition of Healthy?

Let’s start with the obvious: What is your personal vision of “healthy”? How would you define it?

If you ask an array of experts, they would say the following:

• “Health can be defined as physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and as a resource for living a full life.
• It refers not only to the absence of disease, but the ability to recover and bounce back from illness and other problems.
• Factors for good health include genetics, the environment, relationships, and education.
• A healthful diet, exercise, screening for diseases, and coping strategies can all enhance a person’s health.”

Note that the word “weight” does not appear there, nor does the phrase “clothing size”.  In essence, the experts would agree that it has very little to do with the purely esthetic or shallow things that people think of when they envision optimal health. It is not about being a marathon runner or able to fit into jeans from high school.

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The World Health Organization says that their definition of health is: “A resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.” In essence, living a full healthy lifestyle will get you there.

In other words, it is more a journey or state of being than a personal goal or destination. It is built up from a series of ideas, and it emphasizes your individual function in a broader and wider society. In other words, the healthy individual is not just about themselves but also about leading a full and productive healthy lifestyle out in the world.

Still more have added to that definition by saying that healthiness means that your body can adapt to new illnesses or challenges. In other words, how resilient is your physical and mental body?

Do you feel that you can get on board with that set of ideas where “health” is concerned? Most of us might issue a sigh of relief when we realize that health is a very personalized thing and that basic measures don’t really apply to the entire populace. However, where physical health is concerned, there are some broader terms and definitions that apply.

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Physical Health and Weight – Where Should You Be?

Physical health is about your lifestyle more than anything else. Yes, it could be about striving to keep your body operating at a level of peak performance, but it should be more about keeping yourself free of disease, getting enough sleep and rest, doing regular exercise, and eating a balanced diet.

Physical health, in this sense, can be about you doing the things it takes to reduce your need for “treatment” or eliminate risks of disease. As a simple example, let’s say that you know that heart disease runs high in your family. You also have family members who are inactive and get almost no exercise. They eat a diet that is out of whack where fat, sodium and sugar are concerned, and they skip annual exams at the doctor.

You can be far healthier by getting daily exercise, watching what you eat and visiting a doctor. In fact you may find that you create a healthy lifestyle that really optimizes your heart health.

And another broader way to look at health is to live in a way that eliminates or at least reduces your risks of injuries or health problems. For instance, practicing safe sex, performing adequate daily hygiene, taking care of your teeth and gums, skipping the use of compounds like drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and so on. Avoiding dangerous hobbies, such as skydiving, bungee jumping and other such activities is another way to protect physical health and live a healthy lifestyle.

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So Health Isn’t About Your Weight and/or Your Ability To Do Specific Physical Tasks?

That is a sort of yes and no issue. The human body does have some general height/weight guidelines, but there is more to it than that. For example, the BMI or Body Mass Index is one way to gauge whether you are maintaining a healthy weight, but this is often seen as a bit too general.

After all, it doesn’t factor in such realities as your age or even your muscularity or level of exercise. Instead of using something many call “insurance charts”, we recommend you calculate the BMR, or Basal Metabolic Rate.

This is the number of calories your body needs when it remains at rest each day, or the amount you need for basic day to day health and survival. The formulas are quite simple:

• Men – BMR = 66 + ( 6.2 × weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 × height in inches ) – ( 6.76 × age in years )
• Women – BMR = 655.1 + ( 4.35 × weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 × height in inches ) – ( 4.7 × age in years )

Let’s say you are a 48 year old female who weighs around 145 pounds and stands 5’ 7” in height. Your formula looks like this:

655.1 + 630.75 + 314.9 – 225.6 = 1375.15

That would mean that your body needs around 1375 calories each day to maintain that weight. You can then adjust that based on your current or anticipated level of physical activity.

• Sedentary or light activity – BMR x 1.53
• Active or moderately active– BMR x 1.76
• Vigorously active – BMR x 2.25

If the woman above exercises for one full hour, quite vigorously, each day, she is in that second tier. This re-adjusts her caloric needs to around 2,400 per day. This is a much more helpful level of information than a number that says you are “okay”, or obese in the way that a basic BMI tries to indicate.

Knowing your BMR is useful if you are eager to shed weight, gain weight or simply gauge if you are in the right range in terms of daily caloric intake. However, the BMI can be useful in helping you figure out your body composition. For example, two people with a similar BMR may be very different, with one carrying a great deal of muscle and the other carrying fat. So, use the BMI calculator at the National Institutes for Health to get an accurate figure of your body composition.         

How to Start the Journey: Healthy Diet and Exercise

How do you get there? How do you get on track with the healthiest diet and right amount of exercise? You use your BMR and BMI to see if you’re in a good weight range for your height and age. If you are, you may already be “there”, i.e. in no need to adjust your daily caloric intake and level of exercise.

However, if you are not in a good range, it’s time to figure out your personal goals. If your calculations show you are above the suggested weight, a few tweaks to the diet is often the smartest first step. You always want to eat the same number of calories as your BMR, or less. If you want to lose weight, it means one to two hundred calories fewer than the BMR, PLUS some extra exercise.

This creates a “deficit” that allows your body to tap into stored fat, leading to weight loss. Remember that if you add even 30 minutes of exercise, you boost the caloric burning. If you do light weight or resistance training, the increase in muscle mass also boosts calorie burning.

NOTE: Start small and keep moving in small increments. This helps you avoid burning out by diving head first into an overly rigorous routine. The biggest reason people lose weight only to regain it is because they overdo it at the start. Health, if you recall, is the life’s journey and not just one point along the way.

Getting to optimal physical health (according to your goals, needs and standards) is a healthy lifestyle and not a fixed window of time on the calendar. And while exercise is important, you should also develop good sleep habits, drink a lot more water, cut the sugar and processed foods. Why? Just those steps alone will help to boost overall health and lift your spirits.

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Does Physical Health Relate to Mental Health?

If you recall, the basic definition of healthy had nothing to do with the scale or clothing sizes and everything to do with social and personal resources in addition to the physical stuff. You cannot always control issues that affect mental health, such as genetics, education or income level, your surroundings, and where you live. However, you can be aware of the impact that those stressors have on your mental health.

No matter what causes a feeling of stress or anxiety, how you manage the stress is also how you help your personal level of health. Again, it is all about your lifestyle. While you are already on your way through the most balanced diet possible (one high in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and lots of water) as well as daily exercise (which boosts mood along with health, energy and quality of sleep), remember that you should also:

• Create a personal “value system” that you can use in your daily life
• Try to create and maintain as positive an outlook as possible (gratitude exercises are wonderful for this)
• Engage in activities that offer you a sense of purpose and/or connection
• Practice stress management techniques
• What is the importance of social wellbeing?
• Get your essential health screenings from a physician, clinic or other resource

This last point is ideal for showing how mental health and physical health overlap. For instance, one expert noted that “People with the highest levels of self-rated distress (compared to lowest rates of distress) were 32% more likely to have died from cancer. Depression has been found to be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.”

The Importance of the Annual

Our concept of health is to build a body resistant to disease and injury, and also one resilient when facing challenges or illness. Seeing a physician for the appropriate screenings and exams is crucial to health.

For women, this means never skipping the annual OB-GYN visit.

Many women dislike their annual exams, but if you are striving for optimal health, this is the one medical exam you should never skip. Why? As one medical team reminds us, it is our OB-GYN that offers:

• Expert breast exams
• Primary/preventative care (Many OB-GYNs can also be designated the primary care provider)
• Crucial cancer and pre-cancer screenings
• Sexual and reproductive health information, including birth control
• Vaccinations against HPV as well as standard vaccinations

With a single visit to an OB-GYN, a woman can actually get most of her basic healthcare needs met, as well as discuss other issues of concern and/or obtain referrals to specialists.

Men should have an annual exam with their primary care providers, too, and without fail. Small issues that can be overcome quickly can often worsen rapidly, and yet an annual exam can detect things early.

Are You on the Way?

Good health is not something that radiates from the model on the cover of the fitness magazine. That’s trickery with lenses and modern computer technologies. Good health is something you feel as you take better care of yourself from the inside out. Medicine is a wonderful thing, but don’t lean on it as your only method of health. Start small with the techniques here, and soon, you’ll understand completely what it means for you to live a healthy lifestyle and be happier than ever.

More Great Resources:

Physical health and mental health

10 Small Steps to Improve Your Physical Health

The importance of social interaction for your health