Beyond the Scale
	We all know that being a healthy weight will enable you to live a healthier life.  But did you know that being truly healthy goes far beyond numbers and scales?  Health is a journey, not a destination.  Embracing this journey, instead of just wanting to be a certain size or weight, will help you to adopt a new lifestyle, not just endure a phase.
What is health?
	In order to be truly healthy, we all need to look beyond what we can see.  Health is more than just physical conditioning.  Your health can be divided into four parts: physical, emotional, spiritual and relational health.  They all are vital to living a happy, healthy life and they all affect each other.  If you are suffering in one area, pretty soon, all areas will suffer for it.  In order to be truly healthy, you need to be aware of each area and recognize their importance to your own happiness and health.
Lifestyle Choices
	The book, “10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People”, written by Walt Larimore, M.D., touches on each of these aspects.  Dr. Larimore makes a bold statement in his book when he states that, “some experts believe that as much as 80% of what controls how long you or I will live is related to our lifestyle choices, not our genes.”  Some of those lifestyle choices involve eating healthy, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, quitting smoking, getting regular, yearly physicals, as well as making your marriage healthy, reaching out to others, extending forgiveness, and developing true spirituality, which is a personal relationship with God that results in you having more peace, patience, kindness towards yourself and others, goodness, and self-control. Exercise has been linked to increased longevity, happiness, reduced stress and better self-image. Deciding to make exercise a lifestyle, enables you to reap those benefits as well as improving every other aspect of health.  Think about it.  What would your relationships look like if you first loved yourself enough to take care of yourself?  How would you perform at work when you’ve gained strength and a better self-image?  How would your family respond to a less stressed you?
Begin today
	Recognizing that all aspects of your health affect the others, will help you deal with issues instead of burying them.  If you’re reading this article, you are, at least, interested in improving your health.  I encourage you to take steps today to become healthier.  You and your loved ones will be happier for it.  Don’t hesitate.  Contact me today to help launch your journey to becoming a healthier you.