Too often in life, we like to rush change and “get it over with.” However, changing to a healthier lifestyle is not a fast process. You cannot go and run a marathon without the proper training. You would probably collapse from exhaustion. Similarly, you cannot switch to a healthy lifestyle at the drop of a hat. You have to make timely changes, slowly but surely introducing and adjusting to healthier lifestyle choices.
Fitting a Wheel
In ancient days, there were no tires, and wheels were permanently “fitted” to the axle of a chariot. Fitting the wheels to the axle demonstrates that matter, iron, in this case, expands at higher temperatures and contracts at lower temperatures. Nitrogen exists as a liquid between the temperatures of -210°C and -196°C, which equates to -346°F and -320.44°F. Usually, the bore in the wheel is small enough to prevent it from going onto the axle. The axle is placed in liquid nitrogen that cools it, reducing its size. Then, the wheel is placed on the axle and, after the temperature expands the axle, becomes permanently fitted.
Cooling a Bulb
If a hot dish or light bulb is flooded with cold water, it breaks because of the sudden contraction of the part(s) as the object rapidly cools. If the light bulb is allowed to be timely and uniformly cooled in the air, it is likely not to break.
Similarly, we may be frightened by sudden changes in the condition of our environment because our brain does not have adequate time to interpret and respond to the changes. A person may also die if they’re an alcoholic or drug addict and suddenly stop drinking alcohol or taking drugs. The body needs time to adjust, so proper rehabilitation is required to timely wean it.
Starting a Car
In earlier years, up to the 1980s, cars used a carburettor device to mix air with petrol to power the engine. It was advisable to let cars idle for a while after starting to allow the engine to warm. This allowed the engine oil to circulate over the moving parts, enhancing lubrication, reducing damage to the engine and extending its life.
Modern cars use electronic fuel injectors to mix fuel with air to power the engine. Idling is not advisable. Instead, drive slowly to allow the engine to heat up and be lubricated. The idea is to extend the life of the engine by carrying out a timely process.
Our bodies also require timely changes!
The more active the human body gets, the more oxygen it demands to release energy in the muscles. Without adequate oxygen, the body carries out anaerobic respiration to release energy. Unlike aerobic respiration, which occurs with oxygen and produces harmless products, this process causes lactic acid to build up in the muscles and fatigue. Depending on the stress level and length of the activity, we could damage our muscles.
To prevent soreness or muscle damage from happening, we should introduce timely changes. Before exercising, allow your body to warm up by slowly jogging for about 10 minutes. By doing so, we supply oxygen to our muscles in a timely way as our heart rate and blood flow increase. If we start sprinting before warming up, then we risk injury.
Similarly, we should also slowly walk or jog to allow the body to return to a normal state after running. Just as we should let a hot lightbulb slowly cool, our bodies need to cool down slowly after exercise. We should not run while cooling down. If we run and suddenly stop, then it’s like dumping cold water on a hot bulb. Doing this may result in, or worsen, an injury as our body does not timely return to its resting state.
Remember, weight loss is not high-speed cycling.
We all want to lose weight and to do so fast. However, it is not healthy to lose too much weight too quickly. Weight loss should be a timely process that allows our body to adjust to the changes without complications. It is not healthy to start doing too much to begin. Please see the post concerning staying in the zone. Do not run too many miles, lift too many weights or do too many push-ups. We start slowly and allow the body to progress in a timely and natural manner.
No sudden changes! Period.
We should work with our medical practitioners before making drastic changes. This includes no sudden changes in our diet without ensuring that we are not depriving our bodies of the essentials. For example, we may decide to stop eating meat. In such a case, we should ensure that our new diet provides the necessary nutrients and vitamins we typically get from meat.
Personally, I am a meat lover. So it took me a while to reach the point where I only eat meat once or twice per week. As an avid runner, I was concerned about my iron level if I should stop eating meat. Therefore, I had to ensure that I got my iron and vitamin B12 from the vegetables I eat. I monitored my performance and feelings, and slowly made the cross-over with advice from my doctor. My blood test shows that I am well within the required range of the essentials. The bottom line is that we should make controlled and timely changes while carefully monitoring our bodies.
To continue reading, learn more about nature’s timing.
