What is our body...?

BrendaLee
BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
If not a delicate machine? A reply from Sacredmaiden on another post got me thinking about all that we do TO our bodies, and how little most of us do FOR our bodies. So much we do is for the momentary pleasure without much thought for how our body will cope with what we're doing to it. If we all took the time to appreciate our bodies, give them what they need, feed them, care for them, refresh them...maybe they would give a whole lot more back to us, right?

Smoking, weekend binge drinking, eating tons of sugar and junk food, trying to function on 5 or 6 hours of sleep, not relaxing, not replenishing...we literally treat our bodies like they're of little use to us until they start to fail, and we start thinking...why me? We all need to change the way we think about this machine that can be such a blessing when it works well, and such a burden and a heartache when it doesn't. Sometimes we wake up too late, and realize that our chance to really treat our bodies well may have passed, and that's not something any of us wants to face.

So, here's to making this the day, the week, the month, the year...the lifetime, that we start really loving and caring for this amazing machine we move around with. It really does try to keep up with all of the crap we throw at it- to function, and to adapt, let's give it a helping hand.

For those of you here at MFP who are already on the right track, here's to you for appreciating your body enough to give it what it needs. :drinker: And for those of us who are trying so hard to learn exactly what our body does need, and trying every day to treat it better, keep up the good work. :flowerforyou:

__

What is your very best TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT tip?

Replies

  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    GREAT TOPIC!!! :-)

    My best tips:
    - Give it plenty of rest,
    - Give it a chance to show what it can endure, with adequate exercise,
    - Replenish it with plenty of fluids,
    - Respect it when it tells you it is full!!! :-)
    If not a delicate machine? A reply from Sacredmaiden on another post got me thinking about all that we do TO our bodies, and how little most of us do FOR our bodies. So much we do is for the momentary pleasure without much thought for how our body will cope with what we're doing to it. If we all took the time to appreciate our bodies, give them what they need, feed them, care for them, refresh them...maybe they would give a whole lot more back to us, right?

    Smoking, weekend binge drinking, eating tons of sugar and junk food, trying to function on 5 or 6 hours of sleep, not relaxing, not replenishing...we literally treat our bodies like they're of little use to us until they start to fail, and we start thinking...why me? We all need to change the way we think about this machine that can be such a blessing when it works well, and such a burden and a heartache when it doesn't. Sometimes we wake up too late, and realize that our chance to really treat our bodies well may have passed, and that's not something any of us wants to face.

    So, here's to making this the day, the week, the month, the year...the lifetime, that we start really loving and caring for this amazing machine we move around with. It really does try to keep up with all of the crap we throw at it- to function, and to adapt, let's give it a helping hand.

    For those of you here at MFP who are already on the right track, here's to you for appreciating your body enough to give it what it needs. :drinker: And for those of us who are trying so hard to learn exactly what our body does need, and trying every day to treat it better, keep up the good work. :flowerforyou:

    __

    What is your very best TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT tip?
  • tayner
    tayner Posts: 372
    Nice post. This is something I wish I had thought about more earlier in life.. but I am at least thinking about it now. It is amazing what our bodies cope with, and how much better we feel when we start treating it right.
  • April1
    April1 Posts: 2
    Awesome! I love it!
  • ilike2moveit
    ilike2moveit Posts: 776 Member
    sleep
    My bf in college did sleep deprivation studies..very interesting
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    I will stretch.

    I have been doing an awful job of stretching the muscles. I really like the biggest loser one stretch and belly dance fitness stretch. actually seeing something I can follow makes me take the time to do it.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    sleep
    My bf in college did sleep deprivation studies..very interesting

    I have fibromyalgia, and I've read that sleep deprivation symptoms are similar to those in fibromyalgia. Mood issues, reduced tolerance to pain, etc. I think sleeping long enough and sleeping well is the most important thing you can do for yourself.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I will stretch.

    I have been doing an awful job of stretching the muscles. I really like the biggest loser one stretch and belly dance fitness stretch. actually seeing something I can follow makes me take the time to do it.

    I've been stretching pretty much every day for the past few months, and it feels so good!
  • GreenEyedMonster
    GreenEyedMonster Posts: 803
    I've been pretty good since I've been introduced to this site. Been eating better, getting 8 hours most nights, working out 4x/week though I could probably do better. I'm a social drinker and I haven't found anyone cool to drink with since I got to Cali so not doing too much drinkin. Haven't smoked in about 9 years. All in all you got me thinking I'm doing pretty good for myself.

    About the only thing I can think is... well nevermind... I'm trying to be good. :devil:
  • ilike2moveit
    ilike2moveit Posts: 776 Member
    I've been pretty good since I've been introduced to this site. Been eating better, getting 8 hours most nights, working out 4x/week though I could probably do better. I'm a social drinker and I haven't found anyone cool to drink with since I got to Cali so not doing too much drinkin. Haven't smoked in about 9 years. All in all you got me thinking I'm doing pretty good for myself.

    About the only thing I can think is... well nevermind... I'm trying to be good. :devil:
    :laugh: :laugh: I'm with ya! That's healthy too!
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    sleep is a huge issue for me. I just started taking melatonin and thank goodness, I finally fall asleep without a struggle. Last night was a little rough because my youngest daughter woke up 3 times, each time out of her diaper. The melatonin was telling me today I needed to sleep, so I napped a fantastic nap after my workout.
    Oh, and it really helps me cope better with my children.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I'm trying to be good. :devil:

    Don't.

    :tongue:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    sleep is a huge issue for me. I just started taking melatonin and thank goodness, I finally fall asleep without a struggle. Last night was a little rough because my youngest daughter woke up 3 times, each time out of her diaper. The melatonin was telling me today I needed to sleep, so I napped a fantastic nap after my workout.
    Oh, and it really helps me cope better with my children.

    Oh how I miss sleep. I tried melatonin once, but it didn't work for me...I think it made me jittery, but I don't remember for sure.
  • GreenEyedMonster
    GreenEyedMonster Posts: 803
    Oh how I miss sleep. I tried melatonin once, but it didn't work for me...I think it made me jittery, but I don't remember for sure.

    Melatonin works good for putting me out but if I'm having one of those off nights I'll usually wake up after a couple hours, fall back asleep, wake up after a couple hours, etc etc.

    Something else that helps me sleep is...

    I don't know why I feel the overwhelming urge to corrupt this thread.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I don't know why I feel the overwhelming urge to corrupt this thread.

    I think corrupting threads is your M.O.

    That's my general sleep pattern...fall asleep, wake up, fall asleep, wake up...fun.
  • GreenEyedMonster
    GreenEyedMonster Posts: 803
    I think corrupting threads is your M.O.

    Who have you been talking to? :laugh:
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    One of the things I noticed after I lost my job was how much the stress had been literally taking years off my life. I felt like I had aged 25-30 years in the past 8.

    Occasionally (like two nights ago when my dog age a nectarine pit and I sat up a lot of the night seeing if he would get sick), I have nights of 4-5 hours of sleep, and I am just a wreck the next day with fatigue--difficult to exercise, feeling the "need" to snack on junk food all day, on edge and irritable--and I am just amazed that I used to live like that every day--for years. It's just another reminder.

    On the other hand, the reverse of your statement is also true to some extent--the fact that we can reverse a lot of lifestyle effects by eating healthy food, exercising, practicing stress management, losing weight, etc, also shows that our bodies are pretty resilient as well and can take a certain amount of abuse and still bounce back.
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