Don't "Get Healthy"

Stop making vague, half-hearted intentions. Just don't do it. Don't decide to "lose weight" or "save money" either. These are not goals. They're projects. Taking on a major life change is complicated, and you'd already be doing it if you knew how. You might never have needed to make a project out of it, because you simply learned how to avoid having problems with money, health, or body composition. Most of us are never taught this stuff, and the answers definitely are not obvious; otherwise, they wouldn't be problems for almost everyone in our culture. "Getting healthy," just like "losing weight" and "saving money," is a natural result of behaving in certain ways.

People who start a fitness program with the goal of losing weight or becoming healthier exercise less than people with any other fitness goal. That's about 32% less, according to Michelle Segar in No Sweat.  Why else would anyone exercise, though? Let's look at some more interesting ideas.

Tired of being miserable in the heat every summer

Want to go to the beach or the pool, wear a swimsuit, and ACTUALLY GET IN THE WATER

Want to play with kids or grandkids without getting tired

Want to be proud of how I look in full body photos

Want to have only one size of clothes in my closet

Want to wear a dress, skirt, or shorts without my thighs chafing

Want to stop having to wear compression shorts under things

Want to be able to sit on the floor and get up again without holding on to something

Want to learn to cook new foods

Single and want a broader range of people to date

Attracted to fashions that aren't available in my size

Want to fit comfortably in an airplane seat

Want to be able to run up and down stairs in case of emergency

My dog deserves to get out more

Want to set a good example for my kids

Don't want my kids to fall into the same patterns I did

Want to know what it's like to be fit and strong
Want to get back into something I used to love (dance, racquetball, roller derby, swimming)

Want to try something new (surfing, kick boxing, SCUBA diving, riding a unicycle)

Want to do something I never got to try when I was a kid (ballet, karate, gymnastics)

Want to run a marathon

Because my grandmother wasn't allowed to do any of this stuff

Because I want my neighborhood to be safer, so I'll be outdoors with my phone and video camera

Want to look at gardens and get ideas for my yard

Want to spend more time at the park while the weather is nice

Want to be in a better mood and not be so irritable or depressed all the time

Want to have more energy and not be exhausted by dinnertime

Want a reason to spend more one-on-one time with my kids

Want more alone time

Want to get back to romantic times my partner and I used to have when we were first dating

Want to look how I want to look

Want to be done with this part of my life and try something new

Want to loosen up my chronic neck and shoulder tension

Want to get more natural Vitamin D

Want to save money on gas

Want to get to know my neighborhood better

Want to train for a triathlon

Want to meet new people who share my new interest

Want to look better than my ex's new partner

Want to look better than my ex

Want to get a new tattoo that would look better on muscle

Want to live up to my own standards and values

Want my outsides to match my insides

Want my partner to be able to pick me up and carry me down the hall

Want to be able to pick up my kids and run to safety

Want an outlet for my high drive and ambition

Want an excuse to get away from my roommates more often

Want to be able to travel with a smaller suitcase

Want to be able to scratch the middle of my own back

Want to do a cartwheel and a hand stand at least once in my life

Want to support my friend/relative in changes they are having to make

Want to be perceived as a high achiever

Want to look strong and physically intimidating so I feel safer

Want to know how to defend myself in a physical attack

Want to sleep better

Want to be able to climb into a tree fort

Want to make the most of my dream trip with all that walking and all those stairs

Want to pretend I'm in a spy thriller

Want a deeper connection to my cosplay character

Want to save money on fabric by wearing a smaller size

Want to do less laundry: smaller clothes = fewer loads

Want to find out if exercise will help get rid of my migraines

Want to know if I can get the same results so-and-so got

Want to look great on TV

Want to be able to do the limbo

Want to feel confident when I walk into a room and people look up
Want to find out how much I can improve my athletic performance

Want to learn about gardening and how to cook what I grow

Want Future Self to be impressed and grateful

Want to make the most of the rest of this year

Want to do it now because I don't want any pressure on New Year's Eve

Want to wear something super glamorous on New Year's Eve

There is no one good reason to do something. There are also no bad reasons if they lead to positive results. Nobody is allowed to tell you whether your motivation for doing something is okay or not. Lots of people complain about political correctness, but then they insist on it when it comes to body image dogma. You're allowed to think whatever you want about your own appearance, and decide whether or not you are satisfied with how you look. You're allowed to make your own decisions about what you think is beautiful and sexy. You're allowed to make any changes you want to make. If people can get plastic surgery, get manicures, dye their hair and/or cut it however they want, get tattoos, wear makeup, wear high heels, do cosplay, and wear different styles of glasses frames, then we should also be able to change our body composition without comment. If people do have comments, smile and thank them. Change the subject if you're not into hearing what they have to say. You might be surprised, though, at how little pushback you get when you start making decisions and doing what you want.

You can always change back. If you try something and don't like it, you can simply go back to what you were doing before. Most people do go back to their default. The trouble is that we usually revert to our defaults unintentionally. It's good to make choices and do what we planned to do. It's good to pursue what we want as we try to be our best possible selves.

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