What Would A Healthy Person Do?

Posted

By Joe Bocek
Park Fitness

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m compiling a grocery list, planning meals and workouts, and catching up on some Marvel movies. As I reply to a client’s email, I’m reminded of a simple idea we often use when working with people looking to improve their health and fitness.

So many times when we are trying to make a change in our lives and start a new habit, we often don’t know where to begin. This can be true for losing weight, running a race or even quitting smoking.

We often focus too much on the end goal and get overwhelmed by the small steps it takes to reach the end result.

But is it possible that we could be overlooking a simple step in all this?

What if all we needed to do was ask ourselves a simple question: “What would a _________ person do?”

This can be applied to being more fit - “What would a healthy person do?” It could be applied to running a marathon - “What would a marathon runner do?” It really could be applied to a number of things.

Now, simply asking this question is not going to be enough. We have to let this question begin the process of thinking, and acting, like someone who is successful at what you are trying to do.

That might require some research or even enlisting the help of a professional. But for a moment, let’s dive into this idea.

If you needed to lose 10 or even 100 pounds, starting with the mindset of “What would a healthy person trying to attain weight-loss do,” is not a bad place to begin.

For example, a healthy person might become more active or even start a balanced fitness program. A healthy person may cut out snacks or desserts, eat more salads or vegetables, and drink more water.

This idea can trickle down to regular decisions and tasks. Taking the stairs more often, parking farther away from entrances, and even replacing snacks and sweets with fruit can, over time, have a huge impact on health and body composition.

If your goal is to run your first half marathon, it could be helpful to start with the question, “What would a marathon runner do?” A marathon runner might enlist the help of a running coach or trainer and research first-time marathons and marathon nutrition.

Depending on where you are starting, a few short runs or some brisk walks could be an appropriate starting point.

The overall concept here is to put yourself in the mindset of someone who is successful at the task you wish to complete. Then, allow that thought process to help you with your future decisions.

Heck, you could even apply this to everyday life, and ask yourself regularly, “What would a kind or thoughtful person do?” But that’s a longer topic for another day.

In the meantime, let’s start thinking like the person we want to become and allow that to affect our smaller daily decisions. This won’t do everything for you, but it’s a good place to start.

Well, I’m back to Sunday errands and activities. Now I find myself pondering, what would someone in need of a nap do on a Sunday afternoon?

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here