One Sandwich Short of a Picnic
As I was staying up slightly later than normal last night to enjoy some college football, I got to thinking about my new ‘normal’ schedule. Some say it is crazy. There isn’t a day–including weekends–that I wake up later than 5 am. I’m either working out at a Camp Gladiator workout, running (even if I hate every minute), or on our recovery days, walking.
I’ve signed up for obstacle course races even though I am unable to do a pull up (YET–see…still working on that mental game). I work with a nutritionist, focus on macros and eating more protein, challenge myself to complete programs like 75 Hard, lift heavier weights than I ever thought I could, bore my kids with anecdotes from podcasts I listen to or books I read regarding health and fitness (I get lots of eyerolls 🙄). Basically I spend a lot of energy focusing on how to better myself.
Why is that crazy?
So when I tell people about my schedule and my activities, I get a range of responses, beginning with the blank stare and ending with “that’s crazy, I would never do that.” My question is…why? Fitting in a workout where I can, which just so happens to be early, is bonkers? Wouldn’t it be crazier not to fit in a workout at all, and go through life sluggish and unhappy?
Signing up for races and training for them. Nuts? Or motivational? Setting a goal and reaching it…proving to yourself that you, in fact, CAN do hard things. Why is that considered crazy?
Participating in programs like 75 Hard, that challenge you mentally and physically. Insane? Or…training yourself to be disciplined in your health journey? The rules, while challenging, are not necessarily crazy. Why do we think giving up alcohol, following a diet, exercising outside, taking progress pictures, drinking a gallon of water, and reading 10 pages a day of a book — for 75 days — is crazy?
Redefining the word
What does it say about us as a society when we categorize healthy behavior in this way? Here’s a radical idea — being sedentary, feasting on the Standard American Diet (there’s a reason the acronym is SAD), bingeing streaming services, not drinking nearly enough water, and drinking too much alcohol…that is what is insane. And the vast majority of us repeat these patterns day in and day out and wonder why our mental health is suffering, we feel lethargic and crappy, our hormones are out of whack, and that extra weight hangs on for dear life.
Here’s your wake up call to use the proper definition of ‘crazy’ in this instance: passionate. Excited. Fanatical. In that sense, absolutely YES. I am crazy. I am passionate about bettering myself. Excited to see what I can accomplish. Fanatical about learning what my limits are and exceeding them. I’m not letting society’s definition of what is normal dictate how I live my life.
Why would you?
