Ashley Saunders is the Health & Wellness Chair for the East Cobb County Council of PTAs and the Rocky Mount Elementary PTA. She and her husband, Les, reside in Lassiter High School district along with their three kids, two of whom are students at Rocky Mount Elementary School. She taught PE at Palmer Middle and Dickerson Middle Schools.
I was a Middle School PE teacher in Cobb County for seven years. However, I did not fit the typical physical educator persona; I am not athletic, I am not competitive, and I am quite clumsy. Like most people, I did not enjoy middle school PE. I would explain these things to my students and naturally, they would ask, “then why did you become a PE teacher?” My answer was simply, “so that your experience in middle school PE would hopefully be better than mine.” My passion is helping people of all ages realize that being healthy does not have to be horrible. I am no longer teaching, but I am still passionate about people’s health.
The New Year is often seen as a time to set goals, and most of the top ten New Year’s resolutions are about health topics. About 80% of people give up on their resolution before January is over and another 10-15% don’t make it past March. I would like to propose a challenge to you, the reader: let us set goals this year that are achievable, realistic, simple, and life-giving. Let’s lead by example and show the next generation that taking care of yourself and your health can be beneficial not only to you, but to your community as well!
Maybe, like me, you are not competitive or athletic. But thankfully neither of those things is required to be healthy. Let’s revisit some middle school health lessons (no, not the dreaded Human Growth and Development). I would like to briefly discuss five areas of health to help start you on your way to a healthy New Year: Physical, Nutritional, Mental, Social, Spiritual
PHYSICAL
Just move! Find something you like to do that gets your body physically moving (riding in a car doesn’t count). If you hate a certain form of exercise, pick a different form! Play basketball with friends, take the dog for a walk, do a Zumba class with a friend. I have a 79-year-old friend that loves to line dance. You can play bocce ball or volleyball or go for a walk in the woods; just move! You are more likely to stick with a form of ‘exercise’ if it’s an activity you like to do.
Have regular visits to your doctor so they can tell you accurately about your physical health. So, throw away that scale! Instead of thinking about pounds, think about how your favorite pair of pants fit. Are you sleeping well? Do you have energy? Are you stressed? These can be some non-scale indicators of health. Positive, fun, physical activities can help your body be fit, have energy, reduce stress and have restful sleep.
NUTRITIONAL
I am not a certified nutritionist, but I do know that being healthy takes intentionality. Drink lots of water. Get your fruits and veggies, get your whole grains, and eat proteins, carbs and good fats! Remember, vitamins and minerals are your friends and a daily supplement can certainly help fill in nutritional gaps. A balanced diet is very important because food is fuel and your body needs it to function. You could talk to a certified nutritionist or do personal research to find the best foods to put in your body. Weekly meal planning in advance can help you become intentional about healthy eating habits.
MENTAL
Always keep learning. Try doing simple tasks with your non-dominant hand (the opposite hand of the one you write with). Drive a different way to work. Research a new way to do a favorite hobby. Instead of TV or the news, read a book or listen to informative podcasts. These are very simple ideas to keep your brain stimulated and challenged, but not stressed out.
SOCIAL
Find two or three friends, people that you can be real and vulnerable with and let them know the “real” you (Facebook is not a great indicator of real friendships). Use your phone to coordinate meeting with a friend face to face for coffee or a meal. Show the next generation what it’s like to invest in people and genuine relationships. Yes it can be risky, but it can be very rewarding as well.
Realize that sometimes it’s OK to say ‘No’: No to events, No to volunteering, No to positions on boards, etc. Your calendar (being full or empty) does not dictate your self-worth. Find a few things you are passionate about and pour into those. It’s better to give more effort to a few things and to do them well, than minimal effort to a bunch of things and not do any of them well.
SPIRITUAL
Find something that is “life-giving” and pursue it. Get involved in giving back to your community. Pay it forward. Be kind, always. The way you treat other people will have a massive effect on your everyday attitude.
Rest. Set a time to rest for yourself and for your family. Rest doesn’t have to mean sleep or not moving. Rest can simply be a time of being intentionally “unproductive.” For some people that might be going for a walk or meeting with a friend; something that clears your mind.
Being healthy does not have to be horrible!
- Take time, MAKE time, to be present in your loved-one’s lives this year.
- Find an activity that you like that gets you moving.
- Do a weekly meal plan.
- Rest with your family.
- Say no to overbooking the calendar.
- Say yes to people and being present and relationships that are life-giving.
Cheers to you and your health this New Year!
Written by Ashley Saunders, Health & Wellness Chair for the East Cobb County Council of PTAs
This article originally appeared in the January issue of the EAST COBBER magazine on page 50. Click HERE to access the digital edition.
