My ultimate reason for healthy lifestyle

We talk about goals a lot here on SP. "I want to look better", "...feel better", "...weigh less", "...train for this", "...do that", "...fit into my whatchamacallit for my so-and-so's whatever", etc.
Goals like these are relatively immediate and recognizable. "Feeling better" is the result of what counts. Look carefully at the SP articles and you will see that they are in fact not targeting mere loss of pounds; the goal is much bigger because it is for healthy LIFESTYLE. Sure, losing weight is a very nice side effect of healthy habits, but that's what it really is if one goes about following the articles and their advice!

In the long run, how we look or what we weigh is less important than the overall status of our internal health because that affects quality of life and ability to fight disease. The difference between healthy lifestyle and fun-without-caution is often the distinction between preserving enjoyable life and succumbing to unnecessary death.

Many people I know have had some minor or major health scare and temporarily changed habits to follow doctors' orders/recommendations... and then after a while return to old ways that either nurtured or caused health problems. These are the folks whose personal histories make a physician's efforts a discouragement to that physician. While we can't avoid some problems, we can sure face them stronger for the battle. Few of us live without facing some health battle. No matter how careful we are, life just plain happens. We can't spend our lives worrying about what illness or injury is in the future, but we CAN do our best to BE our best, our healthiest. And we must each look for positives in our lives and work as we do what we can to become healthy, stay healthy. A positive attitude has marvelous health benefits!

Those of us who are working toward living more healthfully than we once did are on the right track. Sure, we can feel better now but what is truly important is that taking care of ourselves can prevent many illnesses or at least give us stronger, healthier bodies that are better able to overcome problems.

I've long loved the Army motto "Be.. the Best You Can BE". It's a goal that keeps on growing, and is part of the key to longevity. In my case, I've a long road ahead of me but a longer one behind me in oh-so-many ways. Which feels very good even though the most "obvious" goals still show in the mirror. I've been doing my best to live in a healthy way. And isn't that all any of us can do? Our best.