"Health is not simply the absence of sickness."
- Hannah Green
My equally brilliant interpretation and application to the fitness world: There are several different renditions of this classic quote, but each one is fantastic. It highlights the fact that you can't be passive about your health by simply NOT eating bad foods or NOT sitting on your butt all day. Rather, you have to take charge and take action by not only NOT doing the bad things, but taking it one step further and ADDING in a hefty dose of the good stuff. Yes, high intensity training and spinach is actually "the good stuff" in this situation.
"It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees."
- Emiliano Zapata
My equally brilliant interpretation and application to the fitness world: Don't fall victim to just scraping by. Sure, you may not be in bad health now, but if you aren't treating your body right, chances are high that you will be soon enough. Obviously, you shouldn't take this quote literally in the sense that you drive yourself to the point of exhaustion and possibly death, but the idea is to give it all you've got right now, then give even more tomorrow. Too many people "live on their knees," and you can read into that however you like, but bottom line: It sure won't help you get a head (???)…
"Maybe it was only a second of your time, but you need to treasure life, every second."
- Toshihiro Kawabata
My equally brilliant interpretation and application to the fitness world: Can one more second or one more rep really make that big of a difference? Absolutely! Because that one second or one rep is the difference between good and great. If you push yourself just a little harder each time, there's nowhere to go but up!
"Seize opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind."
- Bulgarian Proverb
My equally brilliant interpretation and application to the fitness world: Don't wait for the perfect time to start making positive changes to your lifestyle. "I'll start working out right after I finish this big project at work." "I'll start eating right this summer when school lets out, so I'll have more time." There's rarely a perfect time to start anything, and even when there is, whatever was holding you back (or something similar) will crop up again soon. So stop waiting, and start doing!
"The refreshing pleasure from the first view of nature, after the pain of illness, and the confinement of a sick-chamber, is above the conceptions, as well as the descriptions, of those in health."
- Ann Radcliffe
My equally brilliant interpretation and application to the fitness world: Oddly, this quote is basically endorsing bad health. While I agree that the feeling is absolutely amazing, it's also something I don't feel is worth the price. Why not have that same feeling every day? Sure, it's easy to take excellent health for granted once you turn your body into a smooth-operating machine, but if you need a reminder of why it's worth it, just check out a viral friend or family member. You'll quickly realize that the epiphany moment mentioned above isn't worth the horrific sounds you hear coming from the bathroom.
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