A Bigger Picture of Health

Fellow blogger Lindsey over at Sound Eats has launched a new site, Healthy Living Blogs. The question she poses this week: What does health mean to you?

As a Health and Wellness Coach with a blog about healthy living, you would think this would be an easy one but as I thought through how I would answer, I realized that health has many facets for me.

Before I became a certified health and wellness coach, health meant that I exercised six days per week and ate a clean diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and very little sugar.

These days, health means a lot more to me. Sure, the diet and exercise are part of it but today I base my health on how well balanced and nourished I feel in all areas of my life.

Do I feed my body healthy foods but am I able to indulge once in awhile without the guilt and shame?

Do I keep active but listen to my body when it needs to rest or stretch instead of sprint?

Do I have a spiritual practice that fulfills me?

Do I have relationships that satisfy my needs for love, sex/intimacy and friendship?

Do I have a career that I enjoy?

Is my home environment orderly?

Am I satisfied with the level of education I have attained?

Do I feel confident on a regular basis?

Are my finances in check?

Do I have adequate creative outlets?

Do I have a satisfying social life?

The foods I eat to maintain health and wellness are secondary foods but the above aspects of my life are primary foods. When these areas are out of balance, my overall health will suffer and it can even impact the secondary foods I choose.

For example: Imagine yourself in a career that didn’t feel motivating. You may feel bored or even depressed daily in your cubicle which could lead to a number of outcomes one of which may be unnecessary snacking due to boredom or seeking comfort and fulfillment in sugary “comfort” foods.

My goal is to inspire women with my health coaching to stop judging our health in terms of how many calories we burn or consume or the number reflected on the scale and to look inside instead and seek overall balance in your life to attain optimal health.

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Healthy Living Blogs is a new resource for the health blogging community. Created byb Lindsey of Sound Eats, HLB is a site designed to enhance the positive community of the healthy living blog world. Bloggers and readers can explore the site and find more blogs to love, bloggers in their area and forums to deepen healthy discussion and support. If you’re interested in having your site listed on HLB, email healthylivingblogs@gmail.com and check the site out for yourself!