Finding the Middle Ground

One of the things I find most frustrating about health, fitness and being overall "healthy" has got to be that EVERYONE is right.  What I mean by this is; their solution or their way to get healthy is the RIGHT way, and unless you do it their way, you’re not going to be healthy, nor are you going to be fit.  WRONG!!! There is no disputing the fact that we’re all unique individuals.  People are built differently.  We’re not all built to be razor thin and we’re not all built to be naturally muscular – which is why I think that the most common practice of using BMI to determine ones “healthiness” is a load of crap.  Let me elaborate:  As part of my 9-5 employer’s (not BEAST – but my mundane 9-5 job) health plan; we were required to undergo a bio-metric screening if we wanted to receive a discount on our 2012 healthcare premiums.  That’s all fine by me, and I’ll take a discount where I can get one. While the results of this screening do not affect our premiums, I found it offensive that the results suggest that I was obese at 225lbs (I’m 6’1).  Now, this offended me mostly because I would be included in statistics used to compile the “obesity epidemic” numbers, when in fact I am far from obese at 15% body fat.  The point here is that generalizing things by using height/weight just isn’t enough and is not accurate.  I’m technically obese, yet my resting heart rate was 50bpm, and my blood pressure was 105/70 – hardly unhealthy. No one really preaches moderation and an active lifestyle because that wouldn't sell you on their way to do things! To be healthy and fit you have to do it their way - drink their miracle drink - follow their exercise plan - eat their foods etc.  The list could go on for days. Good grief, I call BS.  Whatever happened to just eating well and moving around enough to avoid excessive weight gain? I say, eat what you enjoy (applying moderation), get your butt off the couch a few times per week, and visit your doc once in a while to make sure your numbers are in check and enjoy life. There is a middle ground and I like to think that part of my health and wellness journey is finding it, making adjustments as need be and being as healthy as I can be while still enjoying life.   From 9-5, Lonnie sits in front of a computer.  Outside of being an IT Geek, he’s an athlete who’s familiar with the cycle of being fit-fat-fit that so many of us struggle with.  Down from his highest weight of 300lbs in June 2009, he’s made the permanent lifestyle change to remain Big. Strong. Fit. Healthy.  When not spending time with his wife, son and daughter, he’s at the gym keeping off the fat and adding quality lean mass.