Health is a Matter of Math

Decades ago, when I first trained as a Personal Trainer, weight loss and strength training were the main gaols of many. We were taught that to achieve these goals was a simple matter of math.

Weight loss = use more calories than you eat.

Muscle gain = lift weights and consume more protein and calories.

I’m oversimplifying, of course, but you’d be surprised how little we knew back then about the complexities of individual body types and needs, life stages like peri/menopause, hormone cycles and balanced health.

Health was reduced mainly to an equation.

This got me thinking about another equation for health. One that may be more useful.

I’ve often mentioned in my books to “Manage your energy, not your time.”

For the past few weeks, I’ve started practicing yoga on my front patio outside while I wait for my breakfast to cook. It’s the trifecta of health for me: earthing, early morning sun and mind-body movement.

Monday after breakfast, I opted for a guided Qigong meditation on the deck (the air is fragrant with Mayday trees in bloom). I lingered after meditation to soak in the scent and sights of spring. Every shade of green dotted the hillside.

I headed back inside just in time for my weekly Zoom practice with my Buddhist sangha. We began with a long guided meditation practice in equanimity. Why am I telling you this?

Because at some point later in my day, I felt guilt enter into conversation with my mind.

“That’s a lot of meditating for one day.”

“We can call it a retreat day.” Like it needed to be justified.

“Surely Monday should be a work day.”

“Not necessarily, and stop calling me Shirley.”

Back to the math. Consider, for a moment, how much energy you expend in your day.

• Answering emails, texts, DMs.
• Grocery shopping, planning and preparing food
• Getting yourself and/or others ready for their day
• Looking after a pet, friend, loved one
• Working
• Cleaning/tidying/organizing
• Paying bills, managing expenses, repairs
• Not to mention the emotional expenditure of worry, thinking, parenting, relationships, health projects…

Now, consider how much energy you cultivate.

• Deep sleep
• Time in nature
• Mind-body practices (Qigong, yoga, meditation, breath work, etc.)
• Rest
• Nourishing food
• Therapies (water, massage, sound baths, etc.)
• Play, dance, joyful exertion
• Wandering just for wandering’s sake
• Long hugs or belly laughs

Do the math. If we use the same simplistic formula we once used for weight loss or weight gain…

Does the difference between the energy you spend and the energy you cultivate leave you with an excess or a deficit?

Of course, like the antiquated weight loss/gain equation, other factors arise. While some tasks require more effort, others actually bring us benefits while performing them. Writing may be a brain-drain for some people and an inspiring creative boost for others. Gardening may feel like a chore for some and a refuelling for others.

If we use math as a guideline and consider if this culture of ours, this fast-paced way of life, is creating more of a demand on us than we can replenish, it may be time to tip the scales back towards balance. Or even take a retreat-day (or 10) to replenish the energy well.

Or, perhaps, it’s more like grammar than math: There are always exceptions to the rule. Sometimes, despite all our efforts, we get sick.

Ayurveda speaks of perfect health and the ways to achieve it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tibetan Medicine offer similar discourses.

And yet, through no real fault of our own, illness comes and sidles up to us. Like all of life, there is wisdom even in illness — often more so than with other experiences.

Still, we can perform a simple calculation and manage our energy to work in our favour.

“When we stop to breathe, we’re not wasting time. Western capitalist civilization says ‘Time is money’ and that we should use our time to make money. We can’t afford to stop and breathe or enjoy a walk or marvel at the setting sun. We cannot afford to lose time. But time is more precious than money. Time is life. Coming back to our breathing and becoming aware that we have a wonderful body— this is life.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Art of Living”

Much love,

Stephanie

Interested in restoring balance to your energy? Enjoy this 3-step plan in The Life Force Blueprint. Available worldwide on Amazon.