The Difference: Looking Healthy vs Being Healthy
Looking Healthy is Good, But Being Healthy is Better
Have you ever checked out the people standing in front of you in the fast food line up and wondered why they aren’t as fat as you? They are about to eat the same food you are, so don’t they deserve the same fate? Of course they do, but life isn’t like that…so I have learned.
[You know this guy in the picture. He is that friend that can eat whatever they want and still look great. Not everyone is so fortunate. If you are part of the 20% of people that can eat whatever they want and still look great, then stop reading. If you are with the rest of us....please continue reading]
Looking Healthy: Image is Everything
Unfortunately genetics do play a role in the way we look, and while our friends might be able to order a Big Mac for lunch everyday and still maintain their figure, we are not so fortunate. It took me a long time to realize this, and even longer to accept it.
So what does a healthy person look like? Most people when asked would tell us that a healthy person usually has some of the following characteristics;
- Small waist size
- Abundance of energy
- “Twinkle in their eye” or glow
- Some noticeable muscle tone
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it does represent what many believe to be attributes of a healthy person.
[Maria Sharapova shows us how to look healthy and backs it up by living healthy too!]
The Good News
Almost anyone is capable of looking healthy, and surprisingly it’s not as hard as you think. The beauty/fitness/fashion industry preys on people trying to achieve this look. Wouldn’t it be nice to look healthy without putting in the time and effort to achieve the results? Of course it would, that’s why we fall for it every time.
Take a moment and think about products you may have purchased as a means to achieve this “healthy look.” If you have purchased a Red Bull in hopes of energizing yourself, or bought a specific outfit to hide your bulging waist line, then you have contributed to the “healthy look” economy. I have been a victim of this many times!
You Shouldn’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
[We all remember the mistake judges and a world wide audience made when they laid their eyes on Susan Boyle for the first time. Appearance can deceive us, being truly remarkable requires dedication and hard work.]
Years of unhealthy eating, and poor nutritional choices will catch up to anyone, so don’t think that skinny friend of yours is healthy when their diet consists of Cheetos and McDonald’s. They may be blessed with great genes, but what lies beneath the surface could be alarming. Be confident in your healthy ways and don’t let others belittle your attempt.
Why Being Healthy is More Important Than Just Looking Healthy: Benefits of being healthy
When we are physically healthy it shows and carries over into other aspects of our lives. We become more likely to try new things, more confident in our ability, increase immune system function, and become better equipped to handle stress. You can’t buy these benefits, but you can earn them!
Two Steps to a Healthy Life
1. Nutrition: Learn how to eat properly
By now you know my bias towards a diet that promotes clean eating. While I believe that the optimal way to eat is by implementing a true Paleo diet, it may not be the answer for everyone. Variations of the Paleo Diet are also a good place to start and may offer an easier solution for your particular circumstance. If you are looking for a good place to start then you can refer a past post thanking my mentors.
It is no secret that changing our diet alone will help us become a healthier people. Sadly, many people associate health and fitness with extreme diets and grueling fitness routines, but this doesn’t have to be the case. It has been estimated that a person’s body composition can be attributed to nutrition (80-90%) and exercise (10-20%). So if we had to choose the quickest and most impactful path to true health, it should be obvious to start with what we put into our body. To become optimal however, it takes a bit more than just nutrition.
2. Exercise: Get that natural glow and a twinkle in your eye!
I love watching people exit the gym. If you are ever in the situation where you are waiting for a ride, or just don’t have somewhere to be for a while, stop and take a moment to look at people when they leave the gym. There are a few things you will notice.
- People leaving the gym are still sweaty (nothing wrong with that!)
- People leaving the gym are probably in a rush (people that go to the gym have a greater sense of purpose)
- People leaving the gym have an unmistakable glow with an intriguing twinkle in their eye. That twinkle is not usually present in unhealthy people. This “glow” can take your smile from plain to Hollywood in seconds! The best news is that you can only pay for this “glow” with my favourite currency; sweat!
You can’t buy happiness, but you can achieve it!
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I don’t think that been fat = unhealthy, and I don’t think that been thin = healthy. A fat person who exercises and eats well may not lose weight but will have a better chance of living longer than a thin person who does not. Maybe we need to stop thinking in terms of weight but what we eat.
I was expecting that. I was being a bit harsh on purpose, because I was writing that from the perspective of my former self, that being my life experience as an overweight person, which has been the majority of my life. I used to be that guy that would start a diet, and then give up because I saw people (friends) that could be thin while eating whatever they wanted! I guess it was discouraging. The point is that things aren’t always what they appear to be, and even though it seems like our attempts are going nowhere, if we stay the course and continue down the path to living a healthy life, we will eventually achieve it.
I do agree that fat does not = unhealthy, however it may not be optimal. There are also varying definitions of “fat”.
I know a few thin/skinny people personally with poor eating habits who are experiencing health issues (you would never guess by looking at them). You nailed the essence of the post Dan; you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover! Nice to see you back.
Cheers,
Jordan
Jordan, You make several great points. Genetics can be frustrating. I’ve met some people who look amazing who eat junk food and seldom exercise. As a society we are guilty of judging people by their appearance. If people have big muscles or a thin waist, then we assume they are healthy. There’s obviously a lot more to good health than that. I also agree with the 80% / 20% nutrition to exercise ratio.
Tom,
I struggle with the idea of judging people based on their appearance just like the rest of society. Unfortunately, most people will not want to take advice from someone who doesn’t look healthy. I have even noticed a difference in the level of respect I get from students, now that I am in better shape. It’s like they trust me more, and I can’t say that I blame them.
I know better however, and understand that there are many aspects to health that others don’t consider, and this is what I am trying to teach them.
Changing my diet is the only reason I lost weight, and fitness is taking me to the next level. 80/20 for sure!
Cheers,
Jordan
Jordan,
I’d take being healthy over looking healthy any day. Of course chances are if you are healthy, you will look good as well. And you also get the long-term benefits (disease prevention, longer life, etc.)
Alykhan
Definitely agree. Your point is well stated and one I wholeheartedly believe in. If you live healthy you will look healthy!
I totally agree with your two steps to a healthy life, and I even support the suggestion of going with a primal diet. However, a great first step is to just stop eating the crap you know you shouldn’t be eating. For example, if you are that person standing in line at a fast food restaurant, get out of line and never go back. Eliminating fast food from your diet should be the first nutrition change you make when trying to increase your health. Nice article.
Jordan
Really enjoyed your post. I know a lot of people see health as just the absence of illness, but that really is setting the bar too low when you think of all the benefits of vigorous health we can enjoy.
What you said about the healthy glow is so true. I dropped over 40lbs, and my favourite thing about the new me isn’t my abs, its seeing that glint in the eyes. I’m glad someone else has picked up on this as I was starting to think I might be a little weird
Looking forward to your next post
Michael
I
Susan,
Thanks for stopping by and contributing. I’m glad that you believe in a primal style eating plan as well. I totally agree that the majority of people trying to lose weight would see great results just by reducing their fast food, and processed food consumption. Besides the weight loss benefits there are other obvious health benefits to ditching fast foods. I can’t say that I have given up fast food permanently, but it’s been a few months since my last hiccup (nobody is perfect!)
Michael.
Thanks for the kind words. I tend to agree that people set the bar to low for their health and fitness goals, but I guess not everyone feels it is a priority like us! You definitely aren’t weird; everyone notices that glint or twinkle, they just don’t admit it! That is one of the first things I notice in people that have made a change.
Cheers,
Jordan
Completely agree with the main point here, it’s better to be healthy than look healthy. Why choose though? Both are reasonable goals in the long term. Once you start eating healthy, you will hopefully lose weight and start being healthy. In my opinion, the importance of being healthy increases exponentially with age as well. I could eat whatever I wanted as a teenager but that doesn’t work in my 30s any more.
Dave,
I was hoping most people would come to that conclusion! Being healthy will eventually result in looking healthy.
I am approaching 30 and I know what you mean!
Jordan
My life is based around being healthy. This is one of the main reasons that I’m vegan, I enjoy the fact that I feel good mostly because I eat well and exercise. I actually feel better today in my 30′s than I did in my early 20′s when having 3 am burgers and waking up hungover was the norm. I definitely agree with you that being healthy is way more important than looking healthy.
I am all about feeling healthy. The reason I wrote this article was partly because I feel that I have gotten away from that healthy feeling, and focused more on appearance or other measurements instead of the best measurement of all, which is how I actually feel. I’m glad you feel great for your age, it shows!
Jordan
Hi Jordan
Have to agree with Dave’s comment regarding priorities as you age. I know personally in my twenties it was all about image and even though I ate a lot of crap and partied hard I knew with enough exercise I could keep up my appearance. Now entering my 40′s the focus is health and preserving my body as long as possible.
I agree with your two steps to a healthy life of diet and regular exercise but I would also like to add mental wellness and managing stress as important factors to optimal health.
cheers
H
I have recently changed my philosophy on that as well. I am thinking long term with my diet now, and know that it is the only way to stay healthy long term. I was not going to mention mental wellness because it is such a great topic, that I was hoping to save for later. Howard, you are absolutely right though, if you are not healthy mentally then it will impact all areas of your life including fitness. Thanks for contributing; I couldn’t agree with you more.
Jordan
Excellent article … my goal is consume the healthiest things I can get most of the time (i love cheese cake and beer) and to workout as hard as I can most of the time (I like putting the feet up to and just watch TV, while eating cheese cake and drinking beer) so if I look healthy or be healthy it just goes with the territory I try not set any of them as goals it just happens if it happens!
Hate to be brutal but being fat is not a good look on anyone so seriously I can’t even imagine any excuse for wanting to be that way healthy or not!
Raymond
Raymond
I love chocolate and chips! We all have our vices, and I think it’s great that you work hard and reward yourself. You are educated however, and know how to eat strategically like I do, so that we can enjoy our favorite indulgences.
In my position in as a teacher, I never want to make children feel bad about their body composition. Since I was a chubby kid growing up, I know all about the pains of that.
However, I have learned that if you want to be fit, you can. Sure, there may be minor genetic disadvantages for some people, but we are proof that you can really do anything with your body. So I’m not buying the excuses that I hear from some people. Like when people in my life have told me that I only lost weight because I am a PE Teacher. Does that make sense? I have been teaching PE for 4 years, and during that time I reached my highest weight ever!
Bottom line is that anybody can change their body composition if they are motivated and have good information. Fat is definitely not an optimal look for anyone.
Thanks Raymond
Jordan
I love working out, and a good hard one too! i started seriously working outt and dropped 30 pounds over the last year, and i feel fabulous! I’m continuing my workout regimes and i can honestly say, i am mentally and physically loving life <3 !
Sara,
Thanks for reading this post. That is great to hear. I love success stories. Keep at it!