Your Body is Your Vehicle
We all have different makes and models. Take a look in the parking lot or what’s around you the next time you’re on the freeway. Most cars are different—some are similar, but they are all unique. The same applies to our bodies. We all have different body types and features that distinguish us from each other.
Most vehicles require traditional gasoline to operate, but there are other fuels, like diesel and petrol, as well as completely alternate energy sources like electric and solar power. This is very similar to how we fuel our bodies. Most Americans fuel themselves on convenience, while others choose alternates that optimize how we run. Are you putting the right fuel in your engine? Do you know what your body operates the best with or what it operates poorly on?
Do you do routine maintenance on your vehicle? How is your approach to maintaining your body? Do you just hope for the best while trying to run through 10,000 miles between oil changes, or are you being more responsible and trying to make your vehicle last as long as possible?
How often does your car operate on little downtime? Do you keep the engine running when you get home from work for the day? Likely not. You shut down your car so that the engine cools down and recovers for your next drive. What are you doing to let your body recover from life's demands? Are you hoping for the best, or are you actually paying attention to what you have control over?
How does your vehicle run if you’ve left the dome light on overnight? It doesn’t, right? Its energy is drained and probably needs a jump start to get moving the next day. How does your body operate when you have had excessive amounts of coffee or alcohol, or when you stare at a screen right up until you go to bed? Try mixing it up to see if you feel differently tomorrow by the actions you take today.
How often are you driving at 100MPH? Maybe here or there when you want to test your vehicle—or your luck. But, is it responsible for us to continually drive at that pace? I don't think so. How about with our bodies? Is it needed to always have the pedal down, or is it better to drive the speed limit, train our bodies safely, and only step on it when we need to? How often are you redlining your workouts? Is that the only intensity that makes you feel like you accomplished something? If so, your body may really appreciate you trying some different speeds! Odds are you may even optimize your "vehicle's" performance by doing so.
I could go on forever here (and, if you have some other add-ons, feel free to comment on this post), but I feel like the point has been made. Most people take care to protect the investment they've made in their vehicles. Make sure you pay the same attention to the way you take care of your body. Feeling stuck? We're always here to help. Just ask!