As we enter Thanksgiving week, it feels right to reflect not only on family and friends, but also on something too often taken for granted: our health and fitness. If you show up to train, make smart food choices, and prioritize your physical well-being, you have a real reason to feel grateful. What you do each day is not the norm, and that alone makes all the difference.
Health and fitness are about so much more than working out or eating clean. They define how well you move through your life, how independent you remain, and how fully you can seize your opportunities. When you invest in your body, you are building strength not just in the gym, but for life.
In this culture, many of us begin our fitness journey for aesthetic reasons. Maybe you want to look a certain way, reach a goal weight, reduce body fat, or build muscle. There is nothing wrong with that. Those goals matter. But over time, something shifts. You realize what matters even more is not how your body looks, but what your body can do.
That realization is powerful. You begin to understand that fitness gives you freedom. When you are strong and fit, you can walk longer, run farther, lift heavier, carry more, and keep up with the demands of everyday life. You can travel without getting winded, chase your kids or grandkids around with ease, move furniture, climb stairs, and handle unexpected physical tasks without fear or limitation. Fitness gives you capacity. It prepares you for the unknown before the unknown even arrives.
Fitness also gives you independence. You do not need to rely on others for basic tasks. You can care for yourself, move confidently, and navigate the world without hesitation. That independence matters deeply, not just for convenience but for your confidence, peace of mind, and long-term quality of life.
And there is another side to all of this. When you are healthy and strong, you get to stay alive longer and be present for the people you care about most. You get more years and more quality in those years. You get to show up for the roles that matter most to you: parent, spouse, friend, teammate, leader. The fitter you are, the more you can pour into others. The stronger you are, the more you can give. The healthier you are, the longer you get to be here for the people you love.
In truth, we live in a world where chronic disease is far too common. According to the CDC, more than 90 percent of the nation’s 4.9 trillion dollars in annual healthcare costs are driven by people with chronic and mental health conditions. Heart disease and stroke remain among the leading causes of death in America, accounting for more than one in four deaths each year. Poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity are major risk factors for these preventable conditions.
Right now, about 40 percent of U.S. adults have obesity. The CDC also reports that roughly 25.3 percent of adults in the United States do not get any physical activity outside of work. That means about one in four Americans lives a completely sedentary lifestyle during their free time. Among older adults, those numbers increase sharply. Approximately 27.5 percent of adults aged 50 and older report no physical activity at all. For people aged 75 and up, that number rises above 35 percent. And adults with at least one chronic disease are significantly more likely to be inactive compared to those without chronic disease.
These statistics are serious. They represent real people across the country who are being weighed down by preventable illness and a lack of movement. They show how rare it truly is to consistently prioritize health. And that makes what you are doing extraordinary.
That is why this Thanksgiving week, you should take a moment to be thankful for your health and fitness. You have chosen to invest in yourself, and that investment is shaping the trajectory of your life. You are strengthening your body, protecting your future, and improving your ability to say yes to more opportunities than you could have imagined before.
Being fit allows you to create more memories. It helps you live with more energy, more joy, and more freedom. It helps you experience life instead of sitting on the sidelines. It does not just add years to your life, it adds life to your years.
You are also building resilience. Fitness gives you durability and toughness both physically and mentally. When life throws something at you, you want to be capable of responding. You want to have the strength to handle stress, illness, adversity, or unexpected challenges. You want to be able to carry not just physical weight, but the weight of responsibility in your family, workplace, and community.
What you are doing each day is not normal. It takes discipline, ownership, and consistency. It takes a willingness to rise above the average and live with intention. Be thankful for that drive inside you. Be thankful that you choose to prioritize your health in a world where most people do not.
So this week, reflect on what your health and fitness mean to you. Be grateful for your discipline, your effort, your progress, and your commitment. Be grateful for the coaches, community, or support system that helps you stay accountable. And be grateful for every moment your body allows you to train, move, breathe hard, sweat, and grow.
Then keep going. Keep taking care of yourself. Keep making your health a priority. You are building a life with more freedom, more capability, more connection, and more years with the people you love.
This Thanksgiving, be thankful for your health and fitness. It is one of the greatest gifts you will ever have, and one of the greatest gifts you can continue to build.
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