Redefining Health

BY : CAROLINE SCHNEIDER

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I read this quote by one of my favorite writers, Jess Connolly, on the topic of body image, and I haven’t been able to shake it… “What if exercise wasn’t about making your body good, but treating it as if it’s already good?” I like to change it up to: “What if health wasn’t about making my body good, but treating it as if it’s already good?” 

This whole concept has radically changed how I view my health. What if we started treating our bodies like they were already good instead of feeling like we have to fix them in order to be called good? I mean woah!  This is the difference between striving and thriving for me. When I live out of the lie that my body is broken, I am striving to fix it and usually come up short and disappointed. But when I live out of the space of taking care of my body because it IS good, I thrive. Are you tracking with me? I hope so, but let’s break this down a little more. 

When someone asks if you feel healthy, what is your answer determined by? My answer has definitely varied over the years as I’ve understood the body and specifically my body more. One of the reasons I wanted to dive into this body image series is because I believe as a culture we have a very skewed view of health and what it means to be healthy. I’ve learned a lot on my journey towards healthiness. I don’t always get it right, but I now know this to be true: my health isn’t determined by a number on a scale, the size of clothing I wear, my BMI, if I feel comfortable wearing a two piece swimsuit, or even what my eyes perceive when they look in the mirror. It is much bigger than that. 

I have learned to look at my health holistically. We hear this term thrown out a lot, but what does it really mean? According to the dictionary, the holistic philosophy is “characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.” Put simply, holistic living means caring for all parts of yourself – mind, body, and soul – and considering them all as vital to your well-being. 

So if we are going to measure our health holistically, we have to start looking at all parts that make up the body. Start by asking yourself these questions to get a good gauge: 

How is my mental and emotional health?

How am I sleeping?

What is my energy level and am I feeling fatigued midday? 

Do I feel strong and confident? 

What types of food am I reaching for and how do they make me feel after (both emotionally and physically)?

Have I been enjoying moving my body? 

What has rest looked like for me lately? 

Am I listening to my body?

Am I getting outside in the sun?

How has my blood pressure and heart rate been lately?

Are you spending time with people that bring you joy?

If we want to experience body freedom, we have to start being honest, realistic, and gentle with ourselves in these answers. Then start moving towards what you hope your answer would be. You can focus on one or a couple at a time, but you drive this train. Only you know what taking care of your body looks like, and this will vary from person to person. Look at your health one day at a time and ask those same questions every month or so as a check in. Shifting your mindset is where you will start to feel free and see yourself as a whole person in need of holistic care in order to be truly healthy. 

As I’ve been on my journey towards freedom from body shame, here are some key things I always come back to as a reminder:

• My body is already good. I don’t have to fix it to make it good, but I do get to take care of it. I get to take steps to live a full, healthy life filled with strength, confidence, energy, and joy.

• Moving my body and fueling it with good food is an act of worship for me and a way I lean into honoring my body and my Creator. This is not restrictive for me, but it does help me make decisions that I feel good about. Eating is not about withholding or seeking comfort for me (it took me a bit to get here). It is about nourishing my body to do the work set out before me for the day. This also means enjoying foods that aren’t the healthiest at times and allowing myself freedom in that. I love the 80/20 food rule. Moving my body isn’t about treating it as a project. It’s about finding a workout that I don’t hate but actually love getting to do. It’s about increasing my endorphins and giving myself energy. It is about getting stronger. 

• Looking at my health holistically improves my overall physical, mental, and spiritual health. It helps me be more productive and creative. It reduces stress and improves my mood and emotions. It decreases brain fog and brings clarity in my goals and what I want to give my time to. It overall brings more joy into my days and reminds me what I value. It helps me maintain my rhythms and love myself and those around me better.

A final reminder I want to leave you with :  you are worthy of a lifestyle that helps you thrive because you are worthy of a FULL life. Believe this for yourself and your body. Shifting your mindset and experiencing freedom in your body takes time. Wrestling with the statement “my body is good” and coming to a place of fully believing it to be true is worth it. Healing and living free of body shame is worth it. Be gentle with yourself in this process. You are a whole human, and you won’t always get it right, and that’s okay. Remember to give your body rest while you are helping it get stronger. Find restoration one step at a time, and enjoy yourself along the way. May everything we do for our health overflow from the truth of these words – “my body is already good, and today I get to take care of it and enjoy it.”