Why Health is a Spectrum, Not a Scale Reading

Without health, nothing really works in your favour. Lack of productivity, aimlessly scrolling, belly fat expanding, and the list goes on. Everyone has their ways of how health fits into their lives.

I hope we are in alignment that health is the foundation for everything we want to do, can do, and should be done without breaking a sweat.

Too many healthy goals are still set around two factors. These two are not the most exclusive ones, but a trend of measuring health around these two markers tends to rise above anything else.?

The almighty scale.

Tiptoeing into the bathroom and ever so lightly pressing one’s toe onto either the plate of doom or the non-slippery surface of eureka. The numbers do not lie, so all that goes down is a sign of celebration. Daily weigh-ins are an added must for any professional fighter, but how does the needle move from left to right (or the digital numbers) define how “healthy” you are?

The attention to BMI

BMI—or Body Mass Index—is (still) a measurement that uses your height and weight to estimate your total body fat. The error lies in the last word—fat—because BMI does take into account the amount of muscle you have. I would be obese if I took BMI as the source of truth. It is an indicator, but it does not tell you the truth about how healthy you really are.?

Home-based tools to use as indicators on the health spectrum. It tells us very little if you use it accurately and in perspective to set a goal, know where you are, and connect the dots to make conclusions.?

How much the scale says or how high/low your BMI is are not definitive health measures. In fact, they skim the surface of how health must be defined. True health does not lie in the numbers (see also an earlier article about the redefining of illness - wellness - fitness).?

Data reigns supreme. The numbers shown at home and in the hospital or clinic measure how health is currently interpreted. But measuring health is a broader spectrum that is left aside. I consistently see how friends, colleagues, and even myself are advised to look at numbers.?

But how do I see the measurement of health? A few of the more I have.

The pleasure of enjoying nourishing foods

I love vegetables, eggs, meat, nuts and seeds, to name a few. Do I go 100% of the time after this? Not a chance. A pizza in a while also is on the menu.?

Focussing on joyful moments

Little wins that turn the tide. Smiles and seeing the obstacles of yesterday turn into opportunities for tomorrow.?

More mental energy

Writing gives me clarity and more energy. I also embrace more morning walks, taking breaks, less digital time, regular exercise, and more breathwork and short bouts of meditation.

Connection with those I hold dear

I enjoy personal meetings with those I value and hold dear. Whether on a call or in person, the feeling of connection, even when it is only for a short time, elevates my mood and, thus, my health.

Ability to cope with stress

Stress is essential and is simply a part of life we cannot ignore. It starts when we wake up. The accumulation of stressors and the FOMO concept does build up more distress (bad stress) and eustress (good stress).?

How well do I sleep

This topic highly interests me and forms the cornerstone of my health. How little we put value to our sleep remains staggering. The truth of what health brings to the table is well-known and peer-reviewed, and how we currently live in a sleep-deprived society.

Endless running around a track when the scale pushes the numbers in a less-preferable direction or listening to your doctor to do something when one’s BMI passes the 30 mark are not healthy numbers to rely on. Quantifiable data.

Data we can benchmark against what health is are dictated by a few who set the rules, and we follow them. This is not health, and it certainly is not healthy.

The reason why The Thrive Approach is out there.

The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale | Arthur C. Clarke