What does health have to do with character?

What does health have to do with character?

We have a health crisis in America and there are few if any that would deny this fact, but the truth is the way things seem is that we are more concerned about our weight than our health. What do I mean? Well just look around you for a moment and look at how we as a country approach this problem. think back at the TV ads, magazine covers, social media ads, and how companies get you to buy their products. Now that you have taken a minute to think about it, doesn't it seem obvious that the message of the day about our bodies is: We can help you lose weight and lose it fast. There are cleanses, 21-day challenges, heavily processed meal bars, and miracle shakes. Just to mention a few. All with the promise to help you shed that unwanted weight. We know that all this advertising is based on what we are buying; Weight loss. As a health coach that has the privilege of working with so many people. When it comes to weight loss, I know that health really is more important than weight loss to most us, but so many have mistaken weight loss for good health. Unfortunately, weight loss doesn't mean healthier body. If we are pre-diabetic/overweight than getting healthy will equate to weight loss, but weight loss doesn't always equate to better health. 

  So what does health have to do with character? Let me first share a quote by John Wooden: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are". Now let's replace Character with health and reputation with weight.  Be more concerned with your health than your weight, because your health is what you really are, while your weight is merely what others think you are. When I first read this quote it really hit me hard, because it's easy to get caught up in what people think of us and forget that's it's more important who we are, than who people perceive us to be. It's the same with our bodies; it's more important to be healthy than for people to think were healthy because of how we look. But a lot of the times we are concerned with how we are perceived and so we shoot for weight loss above health. I know this not only because I'm a health coach and personal trainer, but also because of the numbers. Take a look at these numbers: 

The annual revenue of the U.S. weight-loss industry, including diet books, diet drugs, and weight-loss surgeries is 20 billion dollars, there are 108 million people on diets in the United States, and Dieters typically make four to five attempts per year, and 220,000 people with morbid obesity in the United States had bariatric surgery in 2009, and most people, well over 90% do not keep the weight off. 
  So what can we do about it? First, we must fight the urge to make weight loss our focus, and then refuse to jump on the next weight loss fad that comes along; because they will keep coming. And then remind ourselves that making a conscious decision to get healthy will always lead to a better body. just like a good reputation doesn't always mean a good character, a drop in weight doesn't always relate to better health, but a good character will lead to a better reputation, and good health will lead to a better body.