Why Wait?

Often we wait until some compelling reason moves us to focus on our health - clothes that don't fit, don't like how we look in the mirror, health issues... Even some of these reasons may not inspire us to make changes because the perceived work involved can be overwhelming, if not downright depressing.

Putting your health first takes practice if it's not something that you are accustomed to doing. We often sacrifice our health for our jobs, family, or some other obligation. Deep down we all know that making our health a priority should be what we do each day, but for some reason we never get around to it.

It took a tragedy in my life to compel me to change. Losing my father due to his poor health habits, and seeing him regret this at the last moments of his life, were enough to convince me that I didn't want to wait until it was too late.

So, where do you start? As I said, the work involved can seem overwhelming, especially if you are not use to following a healthy lifestyle. Some people want to go "whole hog" when they commit, but that approach can by risky as your body and your mind may be overwhelmed by the changes, leading you to give up.

It's about introducing small changes over a period of time. These changes don't have to be drastic. It could be as simple as drinking one less soda, or taking a short walk with the kids. Do whatever you are capable and comfortable in doing, then over time, add more. These small changes allow you to gain a feeling of success each time which will motivate you to do more.

The other key piece in the bigger picture is not getting discouraged when you "fail". I didn't lose over 200 pounds on my own by avoiding failure. I made many mistakes along the way, but I kept on getting up each time I failed. That's determination, right? Perhaps. It was a promise to myself that this is a journey in which I will be continually learning, growing, and moving forward.

What I did may seem amazing or even impossible. The fact of the matter is that it is possible, which is what kept me going. I lead by example and so can you. It doesn't matter where you are in this journey. What matters most is that you start and you never give up on yourself, even when things seem the worst.

7 Key Things I Did To Set Myself Up For Success With My 200 lb Weight Loss

I wrote this article some time back and the principles in it still hold true for me today. In the coming months I plan to share more insights in the journey. The ideas may seem a bit too simplistic, which was my intent, not to over-complicate the process, and I can see where some people may not be ready to try some of these things.

In my experience there is no one-size-fits-all approach to taking charge of your health. It is a personal journey for each of us.

I have is an amazing story which I will continue to share with the world to inspire others to take charge of their lives and their health as I did. I don't have all the answers, but I do know one thing for sure:

Your health is an investment in your future.

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