A Heathier Me

Amber Simpson

Dr. Jody Nusholtz

English 101-FIGH

22 November 2011

A Healthier Me: How a Lack of Exercise Affects My Life

Living a healthy lifestyle is something that is easier said than done. Growing up I was always encouraged to eat my veggies and to play sports and, at the same time, do well in school. Now that I am in college and have to motivate myself to excel in all these areas, I have come to realize that it's not so easy balancing out everything that's important. The biggest thing I struggle with that affects many other aspects of my life is exercise. If I would focus on improving my well-being - both physically and mentally - by exercising daily, my life would be more disciplined, and I would be a happier person. One area that is negatively impacted by my lack of exercise is my food choices.

With a promise of exercise, I often give myself permission to over-indulge or eat what I know is going to sabotage my well-being at social gatherings or whenever I'm feeling down. The problem with this seriously flawed thinking is that I rarely keep my promise to myself and exercise, so my body suffers the consequences. Junk food is not something that is readily available or abundant in my household, but it seems to be the number one "people pleaser" temptation put before me most frequently. Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard University graduate with a major in botanical biology, describes in Newsweek magazine how many people today avoid exercise and how bad food choices can affect us:

“More and more of us are sedentary, spending most of our time indoors. We eat industrial food much altered from its natural sources, and there is reason for concern about how our changed eating habits are affecting our brain activity and our moods.” (2011)

Instead of playing tag or riding my bike with friends like I used to do when I was younger, I find myself in front of the TV watching movies and mindless reality and sitcom programming. Unfortunately, this has become the typical...