Too harsh? Maybe, but sometimes the truth hurts. A reality check can light a fire under us, motivating us to take action. We’ll, here I am with matches and gasoline in hand. Now it’s up to you. Will you make excuses or make a change?
The Problem – I think the pie chart says it all. If you are out of shape, chances are you’re eating too much and not exercising enough. But don’t worry, the fix is simple. There are three factors that contribute to your weight and level of fitness. The first two include 1.) What you eat 2.) How often you exercise. Finding your ideal weight or fitness level goals is a balancing act between input and output – how many calories you take in, versus how many you burn. You’ve got to find the sweet spot between starvation and overeating; between being sedentary and being obsessed with exercise.
The Solution – the solution can be found at the point where consumption and activity are equivalent. Truth be told, I don’t think I am telling you anything that you don’t know. But, clearly there’s a disconnect. Why isn’t everyone fit and happy? That has something to do with the third and most overlooked factor 3.) Excuses.
The Three E’s; exercise, eating and excuses.
Fast food is terrible for you. Why do you eat it? You know that you should go to the gym or take a walk, but you plop down in front of the television instead. Why?
I will tell you why – because you’ve found that making a change is difficult and making an excuse is easy. Let’s be real. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. And, right now, you are the problem.
Keep Things Simple
Making a change and sticking to it can be difficult, but that doesn’t make it impossible. Remember, we are trying to simplify things. When you break down big, ambiguous topics like health, fitness and diet into bit sized thoughts they are easier to work with. Start with the three E’s we talked about: eating, exercise and excuses.
Eating. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be. Eat real foods – foods that come from the earth, not out of a box or a bag. Fuel your body with highly nutritious foods like lean protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables. These are your dietary guidelines 80% of the time. Then, the other 20% of the time you can get a little crazy and eat all of those sugary treats and comfort foods you crave.
Exercise. For some of us exercise is like calculus, we have absolutely no idea where to start. Here again you are making things more complicated then they need to be. You don’t need some high-tech fitness gadget to get into shape. In fact, you don’t need anything more than your own body weight and a kettlebell to get a great workout.
Sure, competitive athletes might spend hours in the gym, but that doesn’t mean you have to. If you’re anything like me you don’t earn a living working out. I work out to look good and feel good, so my plan is to spend less time training and more time living. How does that sound to you?
Excuses. If you tell yourself that you are too out of shape to exercise or that you don’t have time, you are driving a wedge between who you are and who you want to become. They only way to make a change is to stop making excuses. Don’t dwell on what you can’t do. Instead, get to work doing what you can.
When it comes to getting fit know that there will be a lot of hard work involved. But, when you stop making excuses and start taking action – you can have a say in who you will become. It all starts with what you eat, making time to exercise and eliminating excuses. Once you do you’ll be overwhelmed by an infectious energy that propels you to places you never dreamed of.
Action Plan – Look at your pie chart. Do you like what you see? What are you going to do about it? Try creating your own workout program that will allow you to achieve all of your health and wellness goals. Or, download one of our training plans for an at-home workout.
