Plastic or paper?
Regular or decaf?
Local or organic?
Choices. Every day of our life is filled with hundreds of choices. Some of them are small and perhaps inconsequential to our bigger goals. If you choose to take wear the blue skirt instead of the black pants today it probably won’t change the world. Other choices, like plastic or paper, can have a bigger impact on the world but may not be felt by you at the end of the day.
There are other choices that may seem small but over time will determine how long a life you will live and how full that life may be.
- If you choose to sit instead of stand or ride instead of walk chances are you will live a shorter life than your more active peers.
- If you choose to drink soda instead of water your dehydrated brain and body won’t function as intended, leading to other poor choices through out the day.
- If you choose to eat a donut instead of an egg research says not only will your weight probably go up but so will your chance of heart disease.
Everyday we all face these kinds of choices. It’s hard to do what is best for our bodies sometimes. The world isn’t set up to help us make the best choices. With all the information out there (often conflicting) it’s hard to know sometimes what the RIGHT choice really is. What’s right for you make be wrong for someone else.
This week we start taking applications for the Go Red for Women BetterU Challenge. I am so fortunate to be leading the effort for my fourth straight year. As I am starting to prepare the program (which officially kicks off June 6), I start thinking more and more about what we are all really trying to accomplish during the 12-week program. The term “make over” may imply some sort of bold transformation but it’s not what I expect of the team. All I ask of them is to start taking control of their choices. I want them to be aware that they do have choices. I want for them to own their choices and make the best one they can in a given situation. I don’t ask for perfection, just one percent better each day.
If you think that you’ve let go of your power to make healthy choices then perhaps it’s time to reclaim it. If you live in the Springfield, Mo area I encourage you too apply for the American Heart Association Go Red for Women BetterU Challenge. To qualify you simply need to be a female who is at least 18 years of age with a need and a passion to live a healthier life. If you need help in changing your heart health risk factors (or want to learn how to support others in your life who need to be empowered to change) the Go Red BetterU Challenge has the best team available to help you. Each participant who is chosen and commits to the program receives:
- Free wellness screenings before and after the challenge by Mercy Women’s Heart Center
- A personalized fitness program from Thrive Personal Fitness
- A chiropractic treatment package, including adjustments, therapies, and acupuncture (as needed) by Loehr Chiropractic
- Free 3 month gym membership at any of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board’s three family centers
If you are ready to make a commitment I urge you to get the application here, complete it and return it to the Springfield American Heart Association office by April 30, 2015. At the same time I also want to give you fair warning – it is a commitment. While we don’t ask much in return, we do ask you to give up some Saturday mornings this summer and to be on stage at the Go Red for Women luncheon in September. We will ask you to tell your story and help inspire other women to take control of their choices and their heart health.
Not taking any action at all, is also a choice.
