Time, Commitment, and Fitness

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” 
― Dr. Seuss

Health and fitness seem to be an elusive goal for some.  People are always trying to “get in shape”.

Some people go to the gym, some people run, some do triathlons, and then some just talk about doing something.

I started exercising back in 1996 after my mother stopped by my house and after a hug said: “you’re getting fat”.  I had always been a thin kid, I could eat anything, and I tried to gain weight.

But then, about 25 or so, the pounds started coming.   If you have ever seen a thin man with a belly it might be the most unattractive look on earth and that was me, thin man, carrying my weight in my stomach area.

Since1996 I have some type of program.  Sometimes I was training for a sprint triathlon, sometimes just swimming, lifting weights, and today I spend my time simply walking.

If you are tired of talking about fitness and want to do something about it,   I have an idea.  Go buy a Fitbit. 

Jenny and I bought our Fitbits on July 3rd of 2015.  In the last year, it has tracked my steps every day but 1.  I left my Fitbit at our Indy home and forgot to put it on, aside from that day, I can tell you how many steps I’ve taken on any given day.  

A Fitbit is a life changer.  If you can afford the $99.00 or $149.00 model, change your life and buy one today, they sell them everywhere. 

Here’s how a Fitbit can change your life.

When you buy your Fitbit, set your alarm for an hour before you normally get up.  It gently buzzes your arm, it’s a nice way to wake up.

When you wake up, you can check your sleep pattern.  How did you sleep, how many times did you wake up, the Fitbit will tell you your sleep statistics?  Use that extra hour for you, read, walk, meditate, and figure out your why.  Most people get so caught up in life that they lose their why.  What is your why?  

Once you get your Fitbit, search for friends in your contacts or via Facebook.  Add friends and start a daily, weekly, or weekend challenge.  It’s pretty amazing the push it can give you when you are only 1000 steps behind the leader.

I’m 6 foot tall, weighed 167 before I left our Indy home and if I was guessing, I’m down a couple of pounds.  I have more energy than at any time in my “old man” life and think I can keep this stamina going until my death at age 114. 

Health and fitness is a choice.  It’s a choice that we make.  Some get excited, post about their new program only to fail 3, 10, or 30 days later. 

Don’t be “that person”.  Get a Fitbit and commit to 60 days of dedication.  Eat fewer carbs, walk more and quit eating shit.

It feels good to feel good.

We are all wired differently.  I’m sure you a thousand of excuses as to why your lumpy body looks like it does, but you have chosen your body.   You can shape your body any way you want.  The body you have is because up until this moment, you have accepted your body.

You are not big boned, you don’t have a genetic disposition to carry weight, and you can have any body type you choose to have. 

If you don’t like your body, change it.  It’s a long process, it’s not going to happen overnight, look out 1 year and if you change just a few habits, pay a little more attention, and your body can look totally different. 

Stop waiting on Monday to start that program, stop waiting on New Year’s Day to adopt good healthy habits.

Quit eating shit and start eating healthy.  It’s not hard, commit to health and watch as all those health issues you have battled over the years begin to disappear.

I remember a post I made about fitness a few years ago.  A friend rather pointedly told me I was fat shaming others.  They said that I had never had weight issues.   “I should not talk about “fitness”, I didn’t understand”.  Well, I do understand, I’ve been working on me for 20 years, it’s a daily effort to maintain and improve both mentally and physically.

If you are overweight and happy let me be the first to give you a high 5.  These words are not for my happy heavy friends.  These words are for my friends that want a better existence, a different looking body, a body that will give them energy and not leave them dead to the world when arriving home from work.

Turn off the T.V., you don’t need to join a gym to change your body.  You don’t even need to buy a Fitbit, but it is fun competing with your friends and folks you don’t even know for that daily award. 

Are you tired of being tired?  Are you tired of looking at that person in the mirror asking yourself “what the hell happened?”  

No matter your age, body type, diet, race, color, or creed, you can with two things change your life.  Those two things are time and commitment. 

Both are free, both are plentiful, and you have both.  Commit today to change, if you don’t like yourself, become the person you want to be.  People will notice, give it time. 

Your fat face will be the first place fat will begin melting away.  I promise, work a little bit and see if someone does not say “what are you doing?”  You look different.  You will look different, but it takes time. 

Don’t take shortcuts, don’t do a crazy weird program of nut, berries, and water.  Eat like a king or queen, there are plenty of programs out there that allow for mass consumption of food, but it’s probably not the food you are currently consuming.

I’m not a doctor, a health guy, I’m just a man that over time has managed my body, weight, and mind.  Today I’m a good steward of not just my body, but also my mind.

You can do it, I know you can.  You are like me a fellow human being.  If you need therapy to get over your personal issues, pay $100.00 and go see a therapist.  

The only one that can start the change to become “the person” that you want to be is YOU.  Stop blaming that current medical condition, those “darn genetics”, or that “beer you love” so much and make changes to become “that man or woman” that YOU wanted to be all along. 

The happy fit you is inside, it’s time to get a plan to let them out.

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” 
― Dr. Seuss