If you're healthy and miserable then you're not healthy

Eat vegetables! Workout! Go run! Lift weights! Don't drink alcohol. Don't eat cake!

Take this weight loss pill! Use these supplements! Buy these lifting shoes!

Run yourself into the ground! burn yourself out! Get lazy! Get Fat! Avoid exercise altogether because the stress and exhaustion outweighs the benefits! Stop eating organic and healthy and consume more desserts and fast foods because you've realized you don't care if you have a six pack!

Realize you're still not happy with how your body feels and looks and begin to oscillate between the two extremes.

Extremism is not healthy and that is what our culture is built on. You're either a gym rat or you're not. You're in shape or out of shape. You're on a diet or you'll eat whatever is in front of you.

We need to redefine what health is so that we can better understand our path to better health and a happier life.

Health is defined as, "the state of being free from illness or injury." This includes physical illness as well as mental illness, and chronic pain along with acute injury. Does your lifestyle move you toward a state of being free from physical and mental illness and free from chronic pain and acute injury?

Let me phrase that better: Does your lifestyle stress you out? Does your job make you anxious? Do your workouts make you ache? Does every meal stress you out? Do you need to go workout after you eat too much? 

On the flip side: Does your lower back ache from sitting all day? Do you lack energy because your breakfast consists of sugar and starches? Do you lose sleep to stay up and watch Netflix?

I want to give you a clear understanding of how to work toward health. If the goal is to be free from illness or injury: acute, chronic, physical, or mental, then extremism is ineffective. Train at a moderate intensity. You don't need to destroy yourself in the gym to get the body you need. 30-60 minutes of intentional consistent resistance training will get you further than you ever thought possible with fewer injuries.

With your diet, strive not to eliminate foods but add foods. instead of reducing your alcohol and soda intake, simply start with increasing your water intake. Look to add whole foods, vegetables and fruits and quality protein sources into your life. PULL YOUR SCALE OUT ONCE A MONTH INSTEAD OF ONCE A DAY. 

If you're extremely fit and miserable than you're not healthy. If you don't care about your body but you're content to do nothing but sit and eat and watch television, you may be "happy" but you're not health.