Inspired by a sermon I heard this morning, I want to share 5 things that I feel are basic truths about your health and fitness. I don’t feel like you can ever be truly successful until you have learned and can apply these principles. I hope it helps you as much as it helps me.
If you have more to add to this article, feel free to add it in the comments section below.
- Seeking the wrong things – It’s so easy to get caught up in what we see. We want to look better and fit in our clothes. It’s a good thing to strive to accomplish goals, but when you focus on weight alone, you miss the point. Weight is variable, and truthfully, not always motivating. When weight goes down, we have reason to celebrate, and if it goes up, we can use our emotional eating to give us a reason to drown our sorrows. When you begin to focus on adopting a healthy lifestyle, your weight loss will by a byproduct of what you do…a side effect, if you will. Because without striving to change our health and lifestyle, we continue to repeat the same weight loss patterns year after year. Strive for picking up new sports, enjoying new, healthy foods, and being able to achieve physical achievements you never have before.
- Time wasters – Oh how easy it is to get caught up in a TV show. 30-60 minutes can disappear in a heartbeat. Have you ever said that when sitting on a cardio machine? Probably not. But you will also never hear anyone reflecting back on life wishing they had watched more TV. If you are busy during the week, on the weekends find something active to do with the family. Isolate yourself so you have no choice but to follow through with it. Go on a hike and then hike back to your car. Challenge yourself and find adventures. Do things you haven’t done since you were a kid. Play Frisbee or Hula hoop. When your kids are at soccer practice, leave the chair at home and go for a walk. Develop new ways to use your time to your advantage, not waste them. I haven’t had cable in years and no one makes fun of me for not knowing about the latest happenings of some television show. Take back control of your time and use it for you, instead of against you.
- Justifying your situation – Everyday I see people overcoming things you couldn’t imagine. I’m talking about double knee replacements, strokes, and various other serious injuries. That’s hard. But how easy is it for us to find an excuse not to exercise or eat healthy? It takes the same amount of effort to order a salad at the drive thru as it does a double bacon cheeseburger. I know it’s hard. I’ve been through some of the same struggles that you have. And believe or not, I still do. Here’s a secret about me…I hate vegetables. It’s true, and always has been. I still eat several servings a day, but not because I want to. Take control of your situation and do what’s right for you.
- The joy of struggles – This is a hard one to swallow, but it’s something I’ve learned a lot about over the last 3 or 4 days. Have you ever had a week where everything seems to go wrong and you just want to throw in the towel? But it’s so easy to miss the opportunity that exists in that moment. I was reading Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell this weekend, and he said something rather interesting. The things that we struggle against, are the things that allow us to rise up to a higher level. There are certain things we all have to overcome in our pursuit of health. There’s simply no way around it. If you are a carb addict, until you face that struggle head on, you won’t accomplish your goal. You can’t run around your battles. Don’t let them discourage you. Because through your struggle, your victory will bring you to a whole new level. Enjoy this video, and then check out the last tip below.
- Reaching the end – I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say, if I can just lose 20 pounds, I can relax. Or, I lose the weight 3 or 4 times, but I end up gaining it back. Or even, you are already in great shape, why do you workout so much? There is no end in sight. I don’t say that to discourage you, but so you will understand the big picture. There is always room to improve. You can always strive and accomplish more with your health. I’ve been personal training for 15 years now and I can still think of ways to improve my health. Don’t pursue this with the thought of finality after reaching a certain point. Strive to reach for new goals and new heights. When you begin adopting these habits, it does get more exciting…I promise.Don’t give up on what you hope to achieve, but don’t quit looking for new goals either. If you are struggling to lose weight and need help, please let us know what we can do to help you. You are capable of overcoming your current situation. We can help.
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