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Health Takes Time · 25 July 2013

I know it sounds obvious, but getting healthy takes time.


Whether we are trying to lose a few pounds, or take time off our personal records in some road race, or just being able to get out and play with the kids more, we need to remember that getting healthy takes time. Fortunately, it does not take the same amount of time to get healthy as it did to get unhealthy. After all, usually we let health get out of control one day at a time. One TV show at a time. One bite at a time.


We sit down at the computer or in front of the television instead of exercising. Or we overeat a little. Or we eat the wrong things. Or we do a lot of the things that get us to a place we do not want to be – unhealthy. Then weeks, months, or years later, we step on the scale or go to the doctor’s office and find that we need to do something to get back in shape. To get back to healthy.


The problem for most of us is that we want to get in shape immediately. We want results right now. Even though it took years to get out of shape.


In reality, we need to remember that our beautiful bodies did not get in whatever shape they are in overnight. And they will not get into whatever shape we want them to get overnight either. It will take time to reshape our bodies. And our lives.


Fortunately, eating right (need I say plant-based, whole foods) can give immediate, if not drastic results. The weight will practically fall off. Of course, weight loss will vary from person to person and it will mostly depend on how much processed foods and animal products you keep in your diet. However, cutting down or cutting out processed foods and animal products will start making internal changes immediately. And eating properly will certainly kick start the process of getting in shape.


Running or any sort of exercising takes more time to get results than eating right.


Sometimes people who only need to lose a little weight will often give up exercising when they find they have gained a few pounds. They do not remember that muscle weighs more than fat by volume and they think that getting heavier means getting fatter. In reality, if they are doing things correctly, they are often getting fitter not fatter because they are gaining muscle and losing fat.


For those who need to lose lots of weight, the thought of doing a bunch of push ups or sit ups or any sort of ups is ludicrous. Walking down the street can even be out of the question for others. But we all need to remember that health must start somewhere. Even if it is just doing one push up or walking one block.


I have been doing push ups and core strength exercises for many years now. But when I started running a year ago, I thought I ought to be able to go a couple miles without any trouble. After all, I was somewhat fit. Unfortunately, I could not run very far. And certainly not very fast. Almost a year later, I am still not going very far or very fast, but I am going farther and faster than when I started.


In September 2012, I was ecstatic that I could run two miles. It took me twenty-eight minutes and I was excited because I had gone down a couple minutes from the week before. Now, I am excited because I can run more than three miles in less than twenty-eight minutes. I am still not breaking any land speed records, but I am running. And I am getting healthy. It is just taking time.


When it comes right down to it, time is the key to every worthwhile endeavor. Especially, health. Whether it is taking the time to learn to eat properly or making time to exercise, we must invest time in doing what needs to be done to be healthy. We need to remember that it took time to get out of shape and it will take time to get into shape.


I know it sounds obvious and a probably a bit preachy, but getting healthy takes time.

© 2013 Michael T. Miyoshi

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