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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Selfishness: The Greatest Gift

“You take care of you for me and I’ll take care of me for you.” - Jim Rohn

Lately the reality of my age is setting in. Not that I am feeling old, mind you...I turn 36 next week and feel stronger and younger than ever. In fact, a few months ago when my niece was preparing to go to college and I was thinking about a gift to get her, my exact thought was: "I will come up with the perfect gift because I JUST LEFT college...uh...13 years ago." Wha? When did that happen?

I guess what I mean by age setting in is that I see things happening around me in friends and family that show that we are aging. That the seeds that we have sown are coming to fruition (how about those $5 English major words?). Some marriages are striving, others are failing. Some have successful careers, others are searching for new ones. Some are vigorous and healthy, others are succumbing to illness or disease. Many friends are having to take care of their aging, ailing parents.

Zach and I spend a lot of time and money on "self care." We work out every day. I spend many hours per week planning, preparing, and cooking our family's meals. We get out of bed before dawn and head to sleep before 10pm most nights. I bet people think we are missing out on a lot of stuff. 

But here is the deal: taking care of yourself and your health is the absolute best gift you can give your spouse, your kids, and your extended family. 

These people love you. They are invested in you. When something happens to you, they are grieved and stressed. They put their lives aside so that they can care for you.

In theory, eating crappy food and sitting on your duff is a victimless crime. You're the one who gains weight, develops Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Combine those lifestyle diseases with aging and stress, and the next thing you know you are in the hospital because a wound won't heal. Or you have a heart attack. Then it's not so "victimless" anymore. Your family, friends, and co-workers are not only worried and scared, they also have to cover for you. Someone has to pay the bills. Someone has to meet with the client and deliver the report.

When people think about trying to lose weight, it's a trap to think that it's just about how you look. "I want to look good in those jeans," or "I want my spouse to think I'm attractive." Sure, those are nice byproducts of a healthy lifestyle. But investing time and money in your health is ultimately about living in a way that gives your loved ones the gift of YOU for as long as possible. 

I don't want to spend the last 15 years of our marriage managing a chronic disease. I don't want to have to say no to a retirement trip because I'm in no shape to walk or haul bags to the airplane. I understand that there are no guarantees, and no amount of exercise and carrot eating will ensure that something bad doesn't happen to one of us. But if there is any way I can tip the scale in my favor, you know I'm going to do it. 

You take care of YOU for ME, and I'll take care of ME for YOU. Sounds like a good plan.

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Workout of the Day
P90X3 - The Challenge

Shakeology of the Day
Pumpkin Pie:
1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
1/2 a banana
2 TB canned pumpkin
dash of cinnamon
ice
water



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