Let’s All be “Good Enough!”

One of the biggest obstacles that I hear many of my friends and family members talk about as excuses for not exercising and/or practicing healthy habits is that they just can’t do it all! They’ve set in their minds, like I believe many of us do, that if you can’t do all of it to the standards set by the “health and fitness gods” then health benefits won’t be achieved, therefore why bother doing any of it at all? Are you one of these kinds of individuals? I know that for years, the philosophies always challenged us to do more and that the more you do, the better it’ll be for you. I think it’s slowly changing and I’d like to adjust our thinking patterns a little, because I do believe that there is a “good enough” level to all the standard health and fitness goals that can result in some unbelievable results for all of us.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to do “good enough?” I mean seriously, if we can get results with doing “good enough” why should we kill our brain cells with the struggles it takes to do the best, particularly when achieving “the best” is almost impossible? I agree, whole heartedly! Think about it. Let’s all start with accomplishing what it takes to achieve a “good enough” health and fitness routine. Once we’ve accomplished that level, our “good enoughs” will only increase and before we know it we are doing far more than just “good enough.” Does that make sense?

So let’s go through some “Good Enough” Health Standards that I found on-line.

The “gold” standard set for eating your fruits and vegetables is up to nine servings a day. “Good enough” standard is to eat five servings a day. “Five servings a day is all it took to lower risk of stroke by 31%, according to a Harvard Study. Five servings provided significant antioxidants and fiber to reduce heart disease and cancer risk and to keep body weight in check.” Boost those five servings by keeping them cool and eating a rainbow of colors. Refrigerating berries, citrus and fruit with edible skins, as well as veggies, preserves antioxidants.

The “gold” standard for cardiovascular exercise is 30 minutes a day for five or more days a week. The “good enough” standard is to accomplish 17 minutes a day. A study from Brigham and The Women’s Hospital in Boston found that women who exercised just two hours a week (or 17 minutes a day) reduced their risk of heart disease and stroke by 27%. Boost your exercise by picking up the pace for 30 to 60 seconds a few times during your workout.

The “gold” standard for staying hydrated is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. The “good enough” standard is to drink with all your meals and when you are thirsty. Sipping water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. Everything you drink and all the foods you eat contain a percentage of hydration. In fact foods make up about 20% of your daily water intake. A recent National Academy of Sciences panel determined that healthy women get adequate amounts of fluids (an average of 11 glasses a day) from normal drinking habits like having beverages with meals, through the foods they eat and by letting their thirst guide them. The only exception is for those who live in hot climates, they have to make a more concerted effort to stay hydrated.

The “gold” standard for sleep is eight hours a night. The “good enough” standard is seven hours. Anything under six hours a night has been tied to poorer decision making, reduced alertness and increases in accidents and injuries. Five hours or less were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Boost your sleep by turning your alarm away from you, the light signals your brain to wake up and the “blue light” from your digital clock and cell phone are the worst offenders.

The “gold “standard for portion size is to measure everything you eat. The “good enough” standard is to only size up grains and fats. Few people become obese eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Where doubling up on breads, rice, pasta, cereals and fats (such as nuts, butter, avocado and salad dressings) tend to pack on the calories. Boost your eating by beginning meals with a large portion of high-fiber filled vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli or spinach. It’ll fill you up and you’ll eat less in the long run.

The “gold “standard for strength training is 2 or 3 times per week. The “good enough” standard is once a week. Research showed that people who lifted weights weekly for two months gained nearly as much lean muscle (about three pounds) as those who lifted three times a week. “It took them several weeks longer to achieve these results, but the results were similar,” says Wayne Westcott, PhD fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy. Boost your strength training by slowing down your repetitions. Going slower actually builds your muscles faster!

Hey, I’m good enough with this information! How about you?

 

Deborah Holmes

June 24, 2008