“Keeping your body
healthy
is an expression of
gratitude.” 
Thich Nhat Hanh

I think I might project the image to some people of a guy who has his shit together. The truth of the matter is this: sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. For the most part, I want to believe that, much like a good wine, I have improved with age. In many ways, I am confident that I have. Do I have it all together? Definitely not. Like most people, I am still a work in progress.

Last March, I experienced an awakening — a rude awakening. While I knew I was overweight, I found solace in the many people who tried to convince me that I looked fine. By the end of March, however, not only did I admit to myself that I didn’t look fine, my body was telling me in a number of ways that I wasn’t fine at all. I was a mess, inside and out.

By the grace of God, I found the motivation to turn things around. When I stepped on the scale yesterday morning, my weight was identical to what it was when I graduated from high school in June 1972! Physically, I feel amazing. This transformation has had a positive effect on my mental health, as well. I’ve learned a few important lessons along the way.

The Dalai Lama tells us, “Happiness is the highest form of health.” I hadn’t really given this much thought prior to this year, but it’s absolutely true. My level of overall happiness with my life has skyrocketed in recent months as I’ve worked toward the goal of getting my body back in shape. Good mental health, however, is more than just a healthy body.

The British statesman, Edward Stanley, shared these words of warning: “Those who have no time for healthy eating will, sooner or later, have to find the time for illness.” This particular quote resonated with me. The sedentary lifestyle and careless eating habits I had employed for the past decade or so were putting me at risk for significant health issues. This awareness served as motivation for me to get my act together and make the necessary changes to my diet and level of physical activity. 

Morgan Spurlock, an American documentary filmmaker (Supersize Me), provided this food for thought: “Sorry, there’s no magic bullet. You gotta eat healthy and live healthy to be healthy and look healthy. End of story.” Blunt, but true. There’s no getting around this one.

Many of the Renaissance writers pointed out that balance in life is the key to success. Too much of anything can be harmful to us, just as too little of anything might be detrimental to our well-being. Our overall health requires an integration of our mind, body, and spirit. It’s important for us to recognize that everything we do, everything we feel, everything we think, and everything we believe has some effect on our overall well-being. Keeping tabs on all of these factors is essential to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Accomplishing this task can be more difficult than it may seem.

The French writer, Voltaire, wrote, “I have chosen to be happy because it’s good for my health.” He could also have said that he had chosen to be healthy because it was good for his overall happiness. Any way we look at it, keeping our body healthy is an expression of gratitude.