No Foolin’

Staying fit isn’t as easy as it seems.

I did yoga for thirty-one days in a row. (Counting today, thirty-two.)

Each day in March, I took a little bit of time out of my day to roll out the mat, and do yoga. The practices lasted anywhere from eight to fifty-six minutes; most of them were more like twenty to thirty minutes long. (All thanks to Adriene Mishler, who created Yoga with Adriene.)

When we were sent home to work remotely — one year and sixteen days ago , but who’s counting, amirite? — I lost access to my workplace fitness center. But since I had already built an almost-daily habit of exercise, I found a way to continue working out — running, yoga, strength training. Even as we move out of pandemic days (slowly, surely), I plan to continue to run when I can and do yoga daily.

As I thought about writing about this, I thought, “Oh, maybe I’ll do a little ‘5 Tips for Being Well’.” After all, I’ve made it to 50 without major health problems (barring my life-long anxiety disorder). But as I started writing out my tips (“Eat well.” “Move your body daily.” “Drink not at all or in moderation.” “Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit; and if you don’t smoke, don’t start.” “Get good sleep.” Ha! I don’t even follow that advice, although if I could I would.) I realized I was writing from an extremely privileged place, and my tips would not benefit anyone who didn’t come from the same circumstances I did and do.

I grew up in a household where ‘eating well’ was the norm. I didn’t have a day of food insecurity as a child. I had access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and they were regular parts of just about every meal I ate. Fast food was a rare treat.

I also learned how to eat when I was hungry, and stop when I was full. Food does not have an emotional component for me — “comfort eating” was never an obstacle I had to overcome.

As far as moving my body, I grew up in that generation of children whose parents kicked them outside when the weather was good and told them not to come home until the streetlights came on. (Holler at me, Gen X kids!) I didn’t have cable television, the Internet, or a cell phone. Atari may have been invented in 1977, but we didn’t have one at home until I was a teen.

My parents weren’t extremely active people, but I remember them working outside in the garden and yard, and we went on a lot of walks as a family. They bowled and took disco lessons, and eventually took up golf. We kids swam, and skated, and played soccer and basketball. We had a yard, and a neighborhood with sidewalks, and other children to play with.

Sure, I had to learn how to exercise safely as an adult, but I didn’t come to it hating the idea of it, or with the goal of trying to lose weight. And as an adult, I have had access to gyms, and money to buy running shoes, and now, devices on which to watch workout and yoga videos.

I smoked on and off for a long time, but once I was out of college, I barely smoked a pack a day, and at this point, I have been tobacco free for more than eight years. Alcohol has always been an issue for me; I would say I drank fairly heavily in my 20s, and recently had to consciously cut way back. And, of course, my sleep habits aren’t super, although not for a lack of trying on my part. Reducing my anxiety through therapy and exercise can help with that, but I still suffer from insomnia occasionally.

So, I have no universal tips for being, getting, or staying healthy. I developed a lifetime of good habits because of the way I was raised. I sincerely hope I am providing a good example to my kids.

Why do we make being healthful so very difficult in America? It’s more than simply not having access to good healthcare (because that it has been historically tied to employment). People grow up not knowing how to cook vegetables or having access to a good crunchy apple. Screens are everywhere, and exercise is seen as a major chore and/or undertaking, not a simple part of daily life. On the plus side, I feel like smoking is much less prevalent these days, but I don’t know that for a fact.

And of course, coronavirus derailed all kinds of good habits that people were trying to build, created poverty and unemployment, and set up even more obstacles to good health.

I guess instead of tips, I need to take my good fortune, and share it somehow. I need to set a good example for my children. I need to get back to volunteering for 412FoodRescue; I need to donate regularly to area food banks. As long as COVID-19 is a threat, I will wear masks, and distance appropriately, and get vaccinated as needed.

And if you are like me, I’ll encourage you to do the same.