Health and Fitness Defined

January 26, 2021

When contemplating health and fitness, most of us think about the physical part and the aesthetics of it—the body beautiful. According to the World Health Organization, health has three main components: 1) physical health is the absence of illness and disease, with the added component of wellness; 2) psychological health involves the ability to process both logical and emotional thought; 3) social health has to do with one’s ability to interact with others. All three parts are linked to one another and contribute to complete health and well-being.

The ancient Greeks, the creators of the Olympics, considered physical skill and mental dedication the pinnacle of human achievement. They were devoted to living at their highest human potential, physically, mentally and spiritually. This quest was called Arete ́ and it’s defined as an honorable course of thought, feeling and action; including goodness, excellence and virtue. An individual who possessed Arete ́ lived a life shaped around one’s highest purpose and deepest wellbeing, striving to realize their full potential in all realms of sport and life.

What a wonderful idea to contemplate—health, fitness and the principles of Arete ́—living our best life and highest potential. How could this idea shape your life moving forward? A simple strategy is to create a vision for your life based on the three components of health—physical, psychological and social well-being. From there, create an action plan dedicated to living your life everyday with excellence and virtue. Will it be easy? Probably not. However, it is a noble endeavor worthy of contemplation and implementation.

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