FOOD IS SEXY

Food is so sexy.

At least I used to think so until my sister in law said something so impactful, so very honest and hard hitting it almost made me stop eating the second helping of crisps and dip. Almost.

So I’ve been struggling a little bit with my weight for a few months. Around December time I’d decided to really enjoy myself with food wine and having fun with family and friends. Like anyone does when the Christmas season is upon you. You indulge. You enjoy more than your fair share of good food and fine wine. It’s been a tough time getting through the year and it’s nice to relax a little in the evenings. “what’s a few extra pounds, I can shed that in a few extra hours at the gym or a couple of brisk walks” I would say to myself.

Well December turned into January. And well it’s now a good portion into the belt holes…I mean March. And I’ve found far too many extra pounds and way too little buckle holes in my belt. Truth be told. I’ve got chubby. Overweight, Fat. Rounded off. Call it what you want I’ve let myself slide far too south in the personal health sector and no one like to admit this but I’m taking a stance against myself and publicly saying here and with honesty that I have let myself go.

Now. Instead of feeling sorry for myself. I’ve decided to take action. I’ve set a plan. I’ve made the decision. I’ve written out my mission and my objectives and all the other pieces of the plan to make an effective and very important change in my health for the better. But what I’ve lacked in the past I am now making certain on here and right now that I have publicly declared my mission which is to “Achieve a 20% reduction in body fat, while growing lean muscle”

Stage one. Lose the lard. The truth is I need to shed weight before I even think about making muscle. I know enough that I can’t do both at the same time. So I’m choosing long walks, smaller meals, yoga and meditation to achieve my weight loss. Of course I will be making sure I drink the right amount of water each day to keep my hydration up and my focus on point. A good sleep pattern and lots of good high energy meals without the salt or sugar I’ve been enjoying.

Stage two. Make new muscle. I want to hit the gym right now and I really want to see if I can still dead lift 150kg but I know for a fact I can’t and I sure as sugar will not walk into a gym looking the way I do. To you I may not seem over weight or too bad but to me I have really lost confidence in the way I look right now so I will not be disgracing the smith machine with an overhang.

Even as I write this I can’t get what my sister in law said to me on Saturday night as I was enjoying a beer and eating crisps with dip, which was after my supper and pudding (I know I know) So my honest no messing about with her words Sister in law looked right at me and said “Steve, you really don’t have a good relationship with food anymore do you” I was totally caught off guard and it made me realise something. I have been lying to myself and not facing the fact that I have lost my once chiselled physique and I hate to admit it. But it’s time to do the hard work as I am not willing to sit back and let this continue. And to help me I am stating the fact here that I am not where I want to be physically which is just as important as mentally. My mental health is probably around 90% right now and I have never felt more confidence about where my life is heading and how my business is growing. But numbers and deals mean nothing if my health is not at the peak it can be. Who cares about money and growth and getting that next lead if you’re feeling like crap about yourself at the end of the day? I sure don’t.

I’d rather have my health and happiness than an extra zero in the bank.

So this is a very personal article and I am sharing this with you in the hope that if you are like me and you are facing some tough physical challenges and you want to face them together. I’m here to help keep the truth the truth and to make sure we achieve the goals we set. No one gets anywhere alone, team spirit and leadership come from being accountable to ourselves and each other. I’m just being the first to say I am really wanting a big yummy sexy pizza, chips, ice cream and maybe one of those Choco……. No Steve. Eat a carrot. ;)

We all face these times. When we have allowed the luxeries of life to take hold of our main focus and we allow the good times to keep going when in truth what we really need is to get happy with being in the dirt and grind and making the neccasary adaptations that will make the mission a success. I know what i want and i have to be willing to pay the price to achieve what i desire. It's just that simple. But as we all know. Simple is never easy. So here i go. Open, Vulnerable, And in view of all to see. And i am doing this to prove to myself that i can achieve anything i set my mind on even if the people i respect can all see it.

I’ll update you at the next belt buckle.