Don’t you just hate those health hypocrites? Overweight nurses, doctors who smoke, personal trainers who could use a bit of training themselves — what gives them the right to tell you what you should do to your body when they don’t follow their own advice? Well, unfortunately for you, this column is actually written by one of those people. But I hope you’ll keep reading because I do have something important to say.
I am a self-professed chronic over-doer. When I decide to do something, I put everything I have into that project, especially when it comes to healthy living. But when it comes to eating healthy and exercising, I take it to the extreme. If I was really concerned about being hypocritical, I could simply tell you something about how to make good food choices in the Dining Hall or how great exercise can be for your mental and physical well-being. But I want to talk about something I think is even more important: the dangers of overdoing it. Healthy actions can quickly become harmful if you take them to extremes.
I work out every day unless I am sick or physically cannot figure out a way to fit it into my schedule. I am not proud of this; I say it as a warning. Working out vigorously every day is unhealthy. Do not try to work out everyday because attempting to do so will leave you more vulnerable to illness and injury, give you less time for schoolwork or social activities, and will lead to excessive amounts of stress when you realize you won’t be able to make it to the gym every day. These downsides of exercise obsession are not something you want to deal with if you don’t have to. You need to listen to your body, use reason, and set limits before you get carried away. It is easier to restrict your workouts to a few times a week before you develop an exercise addiction. Once you’ve gotten to the point where you are working out too much, it is much harder to scale back.
It’s also important to remember that when trying to eat healthy, splurging on occasion is acceptable and much better than being too strict with yourself. As someone overcoming an eating disorder, I realize now how exceedingly wonderful it is to eat ice cream every once in a while without feeling guilty. But it goes deeper than that. Obsessing about food can literally take over your life. When you can’t let yourself eat cake on your birthday, when you can’t go out with friends without eating beforehand or bringing something to eat or eating a salad while they savor delicious comfort food, it becomes about more than just food. As with exercising, you may feel pressured by your social group to eat a certain way or be a certain size. Stand firm. Let their judgments roll off your back or find another group of friends. It will be worth it to avoid the years it can take to overcome an eating disorder. Just remember, it’s healthier to have a cookie every once in a while than to spiral into an unhealthy obsession.
I give you this advice as someone who’s been there and is still working towards a clean getaway from my over-doing-it ways. I’m making steps in the right direction, but I am still a health hypocrite in giving you this advice. Still, I hope for your sake you take it and avoid going through what I and so many others, guys and girls, have. If you feel you are headed down this path or are already in too deep, seek help from your friends and family and consider scheduling an appointment with the Furman Counseling Center. Now take it easy and go eat something delicious!