Monday Motivation 9/25/23

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I spent the weekend at Oktoberfest with my girlfriend, my son, and my friends. I want you to know I did not turn down the schnitzel, the weisswurst, the kaiserschmarrn, or the beer.

“Wait, Arnold, this is a fitness newsletter. Why are you telling us about all of these unhealthy, delicious foods?”

Because I want you to be healthy and fit, but I don’t want you to just have a 30-day or a 90-day transformation like influencers push. I want you to have a lifetime transformation.

I want a healthy and fit life that you can sustain forever, and I don’t believe it is sustainable to cut the joy out of your life.

We eat protein and vegetables and healthy food most of the time so that we can let loose with friends and family some of the time. Otherwise, what’s the point? We don’t want to be fit and healthy just to be fit and healthy. We want to be fit and healthy to make our lives better.

So I want you to always remember to live. Have that schnitzel or beer when your friend is in town or you’re on vacation. Don’t starve yourself of joy.

Remember, we share studies all the time about how connecting with other people also extends your life. This isn’t just a fitness newsletter. It’s a life improvement newsletter.

It’s a lot easier to connect with new or old friends over some delicious treats than it is with broccoli and chicken.

Let my weekend inspire you. Remind yourself that those days when you don’t reach for a bedtime snack or a soda aren’t for nothing — those days allow you to find joy by treating yourself with your ice cream, or beer, or steak on the days when it’s time to celebrate your success and your commitment to being healthy and fit.

If we want to keep our healthy habits for a lifetime, the carrot cake matters more than the stick.