I woke up this morning realizing that this fall will be 30 years since I taught my first fitness class at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. I never would have imagined where that path that started out as a way to make some extra cash and stay in shape would have taken me.
So much has changed over the years.
We used to wear weight belts to protect our backs. Now we’ve learned that we need to strengthen the lower backs as much as the rest of the muscles in the body.
We used to teach that, to lose weight, you needed to exercise in your ‘fat burning zone’, which meant slow, low intensity work. Now we know that weight training (muscle conditioning) and short bursts of higher intensity work is far more effective for fat burning.
We used to stress pelvic tilts in everything we do until we learned that walking around in pelvic tilts all the time did not make for a healthy spine.
And let’s not even talk about the diet industry. We’ve gone from no fat to high (healthy) fat; high carb to low carb; no meat to mega meats; eggs are now good for you and soy is now bad.
While the health industry has advanced by leaps and bounds, the obesity rates have doubled during that time. How is this even possible with all the advances in technology?
Until we see that our greatest wealth is our health, then we will continue to put other things first. Nothing is more important than our health because without it, you have nothing else. You will not be able to enjoy any other areas of your life. You will not be able to fulfil your purpose or your higher calling; you will not be able to help and care for others; you will not be able to enjoy the company of friends and family; and you will not be able to enjoy any financial wealth that you may have amassed.
Honestly, aside from my need to squint when reading small print, the grey hairs cover my head (I guess my secret’s out), and the occasional achy joints, I feel as good, if not better, than I did 30 years ago when I taught my first fitness class.
This is an incredible gift and testimony, and I believe it’s possible for you too if you make the choice today to see your health as your greatest asset. Think about all of the things that you’re currently doing. How much more effectively could you be doing them if you felt great, had a ton of energy and felt unencumbered? Just imagine the joy and freedom you would feel…
It’s available to you too. Just take the first step in faith and do something today to put you on the path to better health.
