What is your definition of health?

The word "health" means many different things to many different people.  Let's look at some commonly accepted definitions of health:

1. The state of being free from illness or injury: "he was restored to health"; "a health risk".

2. A person's mental or physical condition.

Dictionary.com

"a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

World Health Organization, 1946

"Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."

World Health Organization, 1986

Which one of these definitions do you like best?  I like a mix of the last two, with a few extras added in.  :)

One of my favorite authors, Tim Ferriss, has this great chapter in The 4 Hour Body that gets in deep about these vague definitions we use to describe our physical and mental state.  A few terms that necessarily get ripped apart are health, wellness, cellulite** and toning**.  The terms health and wellness are very subjective.  They mean completely different things to each individual. 
Ex: an elite athlete vs. a 90 year old man with heart disease.  The athlete is concerned about keeping their body at the utmost peak health (ex: high VO2 max, high level testosterone, elite cardiovascular conditioning, low body fat level), whereas the 90 year old is concerned with much lower level health outcomes (being able to walk around the grocery store, maintaining adequate hormone levels, pickup his grandkids, decreasing the progression of heart disease).  While these cases are extremes, it's important to realize that even your seemingly similar neighbor has very different health goals than you.

"Everything popular is wrong."  Oscar Wilde

Why are popular things wrong?  Because they're probably not right for you.

Health is a very subjective term.  In order to reach your best health, you'll need to look inside and determine what it is you want out of your life.  Wanna live the longest, highest quality of life possible?  How about climbing Mount Everest?  Maybe you just want to be able to keep your options open in the game of life by maintaining a fit figure?

If you're not sure what it is you want for your health and fitness, here are some questions that may help you determine your goals:

What do I want to accomplish in my life?  

What are my values, and how do I need to maintain my body to continue living my life according to these values?

What does my ideal body look like?  (Do I need to decrease fat/increase muscle mass to reach it?)

How long do I want to live without illness?

Why do I want to be healthy?  (Or, who do I need to stay healthy for?)

Determine your purpose, vision, and strategy for reaching and maintaining your health goals.  Find out what it is you want out of your body, and you can hit any goal!

For better or for worse, don't feel bad about yourself because you're not 15% body fat (or a size 4) and your neighbor is.  Is that really even your goal? 

When you live your life based on your values and your goals, you'll be happy.  But first, you need to figure out what it is you are.  Second, you'll do the actions needed to be who you are.  Third, you'll have the things/body you want.

Be. Do. Have.

Start everything by looking inside.  :)

**  Side note for the gals:

Ladies: As far as the words cellulite and toning go, they should be thrown out of any health seeking woman's vocabularly.  Cellulite is really a different type of fat deposition, commonly occuring in women's thighs.  In fact, if you have cellulite on your thighs and transplant thigh skin onto your hand, you'll have cellulite on your hand.  It's true- and it happens!  The only thing that actually decreases cellulite?  Increasing muscle and decreasing fat.  Your body can do two things when it comes to composition: Increase/decrease fat or increase/decrease muscle.  If you decrease fat, cellulite decreases.  Yes, it may be stubborn- but adding increased muscle mass on those saddlebags will certainly make your thighs look differently.  No store bought "skin firming" lotion will ever decrease the fat deposition in your thighs.  You have to do the work.
Same thing with the word toning.  You'll appear more "toned" when you lose fat.  Is there a better type of exercise to tone your muslces?  NO!  The best type of exercise to build your muscles is strength training with heavy weights.  Using light weights and higher reps for toning isn't going to build your muscle mass nearly as fast as heavy weight training.  Want results faster?  Lift heavy weights.

Worried about bulking up and looking like Governor Arnold?  Unless you're supplementing with steroids or taking extra testosterone, you're never gonna look like the Governator.  We have a mere fraction of the testosterone our male counterparts have.  Forget about it, and pick up those 15 pounders!  You will looked tight and toned when your muscle mass increases (and you're not going to do it with those 2 lb weights....)

Did Kim Kardashian make you feel bad when you looked in the mirror today?

There are billion dollar industries out there that sell products (and make TONS of money) by making you feel bad about yourself.  Sure, sex sells...  but self loathing sells much better.

Ladies, why do you think cosmetic companies spend so much money on worldwide campaign ads, paying celebrities big bucks to promote products?  We listen to them and buy their product, and they make billions off our dislike for ourselves!  We all don't have Jessica Biel's (false) eyelashes, Hayden Panettierre's clear (makeup drenched) skin, or Kim Kardasian's tiny waist (that she most certainly didn't get using balance shoes)..  we are all unique and beautiful.  If thinking of any of these celebrities makes you feel bad about your body, realize that it's because you have been programmed in the values a soul-lacking corporation has created.

While I strongly believe that most successful businesses are built on the creation of value, there are many corporations that spend hundreds of thousands (if not millions) on hiring marketing firms to procure an image for a product.  These marketing firms are amazing that creating some niche market, and identifying with values.  Sometimes they even create societal values.  They're brilliant at our demise...

Two of these corporately created societal values make me sad for every man, woman, and child that buys them:

1) Your body isn't beautiful the way it is.

2) Your body is flawed.

The two indutries that seem to profit most off these tenants?  Cosmetic corporations and the pharmacuetical industry.  Have imperfect skin?  There are 8,000 creams and lotions for that- surely one will fix your lack of beauty...  Have to pee a lot when you drink caffiene?  There's a condition (overactive bladder), it's "well researched", and there's an expensive drug for you...  but don't worry- your insurance probably covers it. How about your kids- too much energy?  Well they probably have a common condition (ADHD).  But don't try feeding them clean food or giving them more exercise, as those strategies are not "proven"- make them take this pill!  And in your child's school, they will educate them about the dangers of drugs..  (and sometimes force you to medicate them to keep attending their school).  All these lies continue...

Why am I talking about targeted advertising on a health blog?  It very negatively effects the health of many people in North America.  Whenever you buy a product because you believe you're flawed, you're supporting an industry that devalues YOU.  So many people focus on appearance more than their health, sometimes thinking that looking good means you're healthy.  It's doesn't!

If you focus on getting healthier, you will look good.

Health isn't a certain body weight, skinny arms, or a "toned" body.  Health is a state you should constantly be working towards.  It's physical, biochemical, and mental.

Many celebrities aren't healthy..  2 hours of hair and makeup, an expensive personal trainer, and a strict (but not always healthy) diet can make anyone look good for a decade or so....  Heck, I always used to think Gwyneth Paltrow was gorgeous.  When I was in high school, I would've given anything for a tall, thin look like hers.  A strict macrobiotic diet, 2 hours of exercise per day, colonics..  and what did it get her?  Osteopenia.  Her bones are weak.  Her risk of fracture is high, and it's a legitimate threat throughout her life.  I'm so glad I didn't have the mental strength to starve myself througout high school.  And that's just the thing:  wanting to look like a celebrity isn't a good reason to do anything.  As soon as I decided to get healthy, I lost weight and kept it off.  Health and living a better quality of life is a great reason to make a change!

There's a big difference between buying a product because you love yourself- wanting to be your best, and buying it because you feel inferior to some airbrushed celebrity.  You may think you're doing it for yourself (and I hope you are), but next time you're at the store to buy some product, think of this:
Am I buying this product because it makes me feel good about myself, or am I buying this product because I don't feel as good as someone else?  If you're attached to name brands with celebrity endorsements, this could be a sign that you're not thinking focusing on yourself.  (Side note: every large celebrity-endorsed cosmetics company has products full of nasty chemicals-  all known with an increased cancer risk.  Check your products on http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ and see just how safe and clean they are.)

Believe in your body, mind, and spirit.  Don't let anyone (or society) tell you that you're flawed.  What's this standard everyone gets compared to anyway?  I've never met anyone without unique talents, unique beauty, and the ability to make a high quality of life.  But, it sure is hard when people don't follow their own values, swapping them out for whatever someone else/society told them...

Focus on being your best self.  Each of us is a gift to the world.  The world deserves us just as we are.

"Learn what you are, and be such."  Pindar