HEALTHY DOESN’T MEAN OPTIMAL

I used to think of health as something measurable, like a score I could improve with the right habits, routines, or tracking tools. If I could eat clean, train consistently, sleep enough hours, and stack the right supplements, I’d be in control. I’d be “optimized.” It made sense in theory. But in practice, it became exhausting. What I’ve come to realize is that health isn’t a peak to reach. It’s a process to manage. And chasing some version of “optimal”, whatever that even means, often creates more tension than it resolves.

Some days, I sleep poorly. Other days, I don’t move enough. Sometimes I snack late, or forget to breathe properly while working. According to the model of optimal health, these moments are failures. But I don’t see them that way anymore.

Because the truth is: health isn’t a test to pass. It’s a relationship to maintain.

And relationships fluctuate.

Trying to be optimal all the time isn’t just unrealistic, it’s a form of self-pressure that hides behind good intentions. It’s a mindset that says, “You should be better than this,” even when your body is doing its best with what it has.

For me, health has become more about flexibility than control. More about checking in than checking off. I still care about how I eat, move, sleep, and train. But I’ve let go of the idea that there’s a “perfect version” of these things I’m supposed to be hitting daily.

Now I ask different questions:

• Do I feel steady?

• Do I have energy for what matters?

• Am I paying attention to what my body is trying to tell me?

Some weeks I train hard. Other weeks I focus on rest. Sometimes I eat great, sometimes I don’t. But overall, I function. I feel human. I bounce back. And maybe that’s what real health looks like, not chasing perfect, but learning how to return to balance when things go sideways.