A Little Less Talk

When it comes to fitness and nutrition it is way too easy to get caught up in the details.  Most people tend to be baffled by the idea of working out or making a change to their diet.  More time is devoted to discussing or mapping out a specific course of action then the action itself.  

Tell me this doesn’t sound familiar…

 If I am going to start working out, so I will need a personal trainer or workout program.  My friend got so jacked from that P-X-90 deal…LEGIT!  Now all I need is to get some dumbbells.  Wait, I don’t have enough space for that?  Maybe I should join a gym.  I know, I ran in high school and was in good shape, I am going to start running again.  Now all I need is some new running shoes.  Yeah, I will run and cut out carbs.  My friend got so jacked when he did that…LEGIT!

I could go on for days, but the point is that we all have a “friend” who constantly lives out this cycle. Instead of actually doing something, making a change or at least attempting to, they talk themselves in circles, creating what I refer to as paralysis by analysis.  Dwelling on the details gets absolutely nothing accomplished. 

I am not going to lie, making sense of all of the different diet and workout plans that are out there is almost impossible; mainly because most of them are total B.S. They are often in direct contradiction with one another, further complicating the decision as to which course of action is best. 

You may be wondering why it is so difficult to find the one program that will produce the weight loss, fitness and overall wellness goals you dream about.  Sorry to have to break it to you, but there is no ONE plan that can do all of those things.  You have to be proactive and take responsibility for your physical, mental and emotional health, by making decisions and choosing to act in your own best interest.  

Health clubs, magazine publishers, supplement companies, and the creators of exercise equipment are out to make a buck regardless of your needs or goals.  They produce books, DVD’s and products that have been studied, tested and then re-tested.  Unfortunately, these tests were ordered to determine a marketing strategy and return on investment, not to evaluate the effectiveness of the product.  No one cares if what they are selling actually lives up to the outlandish hype that they have created, so long as it makes money.  

So there it is, plain as day.  The personal trainer at globo-gym and the “experts” on television are filling your head with so much information, or misinformation, to take advantage of your get-fit-quick attitude. In turn, you end up trying every magic bullet pill or program in existence on the path to weight loss.  Stop wasting your time debating the details, trying to navigate the path of least resistance to results.  Stop wasting your energy planning, beginning and giving up on every fitness program with a 30 day money back guarantee and do something productive, like a set of push-ups.  

Yep, that’s the fix. Don’t over think things. No more excuses.  Try talking less about what you are going to do and instead pick something, anything, that includes moving more and eating less and do it consistently.  Commit to making one small change a week. Eliminate one food this week, like white bread, and see how it goes.  Next, week try walking 20 minutes two days a week.  (I do not want to hear it; you have 40 minutes of free time.  You can even take your phone with you to text, Facebook, and check Twitter while you walk.)

 You do not have to be a personal trainer or nutritionist to exercise or eat healthier.  Most everyone will benefit from walking or jogging instead of sitting on the couch and choosing lean protein and vegetables in place of processed foods.  Yes, it will take some effort to create a daily plan that fits your lifestyle and schedule. But, you can tweak, refine, and perfect your program after undertaking the small changes we have discussed.  

Take Action:

 1.  Stop talking about doing something and just DO SOMETHING!

 2.  Make one change to your diet each week for the next month.  Eliminate a sugary beverage or dessert, processed carbohydrate, have a salad for lunch.  

3.  Make one change to your exercise routine each week for the next month. Perform a basic stretch and yoga routine in the morning when you wake up.  In the evening, take 20 minutes and complete a bodyweight only workout. Better yet, plan to meet up with friends and walk or jog around the neighborhood.  

4.  Now that you are already doing something, keep it going! Along the way, try a healthy recipe for dinner, pick some new exercises to add to your bodyweight routine, or add some resistance with a kettlebell.  

When it comes down to it, you know what you have to do; you are just choosing not to do it.  It is up to you to change that.