JUDD JONES: TIMES OF CHANGE

As we enter another new year, many are looking forward to better health and adding more fitness in their lives. With that comes many of the old health and exercise ideologies regarding low-fat diets, eggs cause high cholesterol, grains are healthy and running miles over building muscle should be your preferred exercise.

Perhaps in 2019 it is time to lose the old dogma and reset your thinking around what it means to be healthy. Maybe, just maybe, we need to consider dancing 10,000 steps over walking, stand instead of sitting all day, consider it’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter with a better understanding of resistance exercise over the brute force of weight training. Realize a fair amount of good fats in your daily diet is actually good for you and remember studies show people who have moderate caffeine consumption actually live longer. What I am getting at is, it is time to think for yourself and outside the box when it comes to health and well-being.

I think it is fair to say we are living in a time of change in a world with a much better understanding of our overall wellness physiology. As we move deeper into the 21st century, we are seeing significant shifts in how people view many fundamental aspects of nutrition, self-care, and fitness.

There is undoubtedly a groundswell of change affecting how many of us view the connection between our health, fitness and spiritual well-being holistically. This awakening or awareness by so many people is a change that goes beyond diets and exercise fads. People from all walks of life have started to approach a more complete full life aspect of wellness, making better choices in sustainable, nutritious foods and making strides to exercise and be more active for a healthier life.

There are so many factors influencing all of us across the globe on what it means to be well. These changes are happening on so many levels that it’s hard to tell what is precisely driving these changes to our health and fitness. One area that is likely the biggest part of this change is our understanding of the mind-body connection.

Our thoughts and feelings have a profound impact on our bodies. Many people are beginning to understand that controlling our thoughts through balanced emotions and mindfulness helps us regulate a natural state of well-being that keeps our bodies healthy. Modern life stress is a killer and learning to manage stress has hit the forefront as a health care concern.

Another area of change comes in the form of balanced nutrition. Poor nutrition and processed foods that started back in the 1960s may very well have been ground zero for the massive health crisis we find ourselves in today. The world has indeed begun shifting back to whole, healthy foods as a cornerstone to maintain their well-being and a healthy lifestyle.

With significant changes in understanding exercise physiology, many people have realized sustaining an active lifestyle and getting moderate physical activity improves their quality of life and potentially adds years to their lifespan. Exercise and being active can be unstructured, playful and free-ranging... just move, be active. Formal fitness programs are tremendous, but completely unnecessary as long as you keep moving to maintain muscle and tone.

In this time of change, what is your motivation to live a healthier lifestyle? Perhaps 2019 is your year to find your own unique, all-encompassing lifestyle bringing you health, happiness, and fitness.

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Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation and

a certified health coach.

www.jhanawellness.com