Most people say they want to be fit, and yet only a very small percentage actually are fit. Why is this? Because they are doing the WRONG THINGS!
Here are 5 examples to get you started on your fitness journey…
#1: DO THIS: Exercise DailyThe truly fit among us choose to hit the gym instead of getting extra sleep, watching TV or doing whatever else it is that you’d rather be doing. Exercise is a daily habit that simply becomes a way of life, rather than a task that’s begrudgingly undertaken on occasion. Incorporate challenging exercise until – gasp – you begin to enjoy and look forward to it!
NOT THIS: Forget Exercise
Your focus is to spend your spare time being as relaxed as possible. This means plenty of kicking back on the couch. The less that you use your muscles, the more aches, pains and mobility limitations you’ll experience. Oh, and if you’re consuming more calories than your natural metabolism burns then you’ll steadily gain weight.
#2: DO THIS: Eat Clean – All The Time
Choose your meals based on nutrition rather than taste and desire. This means plenty of salads, lettuce wrapped sandwiches and lean protein at most meals. Being fit means making it a habit to limit your intake of simple carbohydrates and get lots of protein and fiber.
NOT THIS: Eat For Taste
Eat whatever sounds and tastes good. Our human palate is naturally drawn to items that are high in sugar, salt and fat so your eat-whatever-diet will naturally be filled with these fattening foods and will be lacking in protein and fiber. You’ll find your weight increases, and your energy levels plummet, accordingly.
#3: DO THIS: No Room For Junk
Truly fit people turn down their favorite junk foods –even when they really, really want it. Treats and indulgences are saved for special occasions, and the fact that it’s Monday or that there’s traffic doesn’t count as a special occasion (nice try though!). Cut out simple sugars and harmful, processed fats out of your diet completely.
NOT THIS: Say YES to junk food. Snacks and meals purchased at convenience stores and fast food restaurants are a staple in your diet. And as I mentioned above, your favorite foods are likely high in sugar, salt and fat. Your indulgent eating is going to raise the number on your scale higher, and higher, in addition to putting you at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other weight related ailments.
#4: DO THIS: Push Harder
Being fit is a constant progression. You push your body to be stronger, faster and better during each workout. There’s no such thing as simply going through the motions of your routine – instead your focus is to consistently challenge your muscles to do more each day.
NOT THIS: Stay Comfortable
Your goal is to be comfy. This means use as little muscular strength as you can on a daily basis. When you don’t use your muscles they begin to atrophy (shrink!), leaving you with less lean tissue. Since lean tissue raises your metabolism, a drop in lean tissue means you’ll be burning fewer calories at rest than ever before causing fat gain to be automatic.
#5: DO THIS: Control Calories
Forget the unlimited buffet line. Being fit requires that you limit your total calories to within an appropriate range for your size and goals. Remember, even healthy calories can add up to weight gain when you’re not careful, so calorie control becomes a way of life.
NOT THIS: Pile It On
There’s no limit on how much you eat – in fact, more is better. As a result you often feel sluggish from your overloaded digestive system. And your motivation to exercise and turn your Flab Life into a Fit Life gets dimmer and dimmer.
Which choice will you make?
The truth is that both of these lifestyles are hard. Just depends on which hard you’d rather deal with.
The Fit Life’s hard has to do with discipline, motivation and determination. It’s about doing the right thing rather than the easy thing. Most of all, the Fit Life is about constantly striving forward.
The Flab Life’s hard has to do with excess fat, aches, pains and physical limitations. It’s about avoiding doing the hard thing now and ending up with a body that’s just plain hard to live in. Most of all, the Flab Life is about NOT taking action.
Which hard do you choose?
If you’d like the Fit Life then take action now by calling or emailing me today to get started on a fitness program that’s going to be hard. And rewarding. And life changing.
The best kind of hard.
Yours In Health,
Brian
