A healthy body…this time around.

[This is the beginning of a series about my quest for a six pack - yes - but also for a truly healthy body as the result of this process. I have determined that the only way I will do this is to make myself accountable online. Thus, I will be updating on my weight and general well being.]

Intuitively, I know what to do. It doesn’t take a nutritionist to know that I shouldn’t drink this or eat that. That doesn’t mean I know what to eat, however (I will research healthier eating habits). What I understand now (as a father and as a man not in my 20′s) is that I need to be thinking of what I can do to build a healthy body in addition to trying to look good without my shirt on. I need to lose a good 35lbs. To state the obvious, I need a lifestyle change. This has proven to be difficult.

So losing weight is a mathematical equation…something about burning off 3500 calories (equal to 1lb) in comparison to what you burn now? Or it could be this:

• eat less, stop eating the foods that are not good for you (or, at least, in moderation)
• exercise more

That seems to be a good, common sense starting point to achieve a healthy body status. So my (pre-research) plan is

• cardio twice a day (30 minutes per session)
• follow some sort of healthier eating regimen (don’t know yet).

So how do I get this healthy body?

This is where the research actually comes in. I like to know why things are what they are. I’m not one to just have someone tell me something and take it at face value. If you tell me something, there should be some reasoning behind it. This is important because I think it helps to build a foundation in my subconscious as I’m making my lifestyle change.

For example, if we had a better idea of how our body systems worked, would we approach the foods we eat and the decision to exercise differently? If the knowledge doesn’t affect how I act, maybe it will affect my decisions concerning my children. Just maybe. Are they getting enough protein? Enough of the right fats? Too much of the wrong ones?

So why the emphasis on a healthy body?  Common sense? Gut feeling? A voice in my head is telling me to…that’s why.

Our educational system provides such little information on basic health. There is little to no focus on creating or maintaining a healthy body and my generation is really seeing the effects of this profound ignorance of our general health. I don’t want to be unhealthy any longer. I want to feel good and have the energy that I had when I was in my 20′s. Only true knowledge of how to create a healthy body will get me closer to this goal. That…and a little implementation.

I’ve noticed something in my children. They want a healthy, vibrant dad. If I am going to ask them to give their best, I should lead by example. Plus, I want to be able to take my damn shirt off at the pool.