Ever stop to wonder why obesity rates are skyrocketing as the number of gyms continues to increase? It’s because the gyms don’t care about you. You will find instructors, trainers and other employees who care, but the people getting rich at the headquarters of 24Hour-Planet-Lifetime gym do not care. Commercial gyms’ business models are centered around you – the members – not showing up.
Additionally, if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol or something like that and the doctor gives you a prescription, does the doctor call you a week later to make sure you’re taking the pills? If you don’t make any future appointments, does the doctor call you and ask why? I’m not suggesting that doctors don’t care – not at all – they simply can’t be responsible for the actions of all of their patients. And why should they?
The truth is – we are responsible for our own health. Me and you – no one else. A doctor isn’t going to make sure you follow the directions for healthier living. A gym doesn’t care if they never see you again. It’s up to YOU to decide to lead a healthier lifestyle.
I don’t know about you but I love when things are my fault. Seriously. I know that sounds weird but here is what I mean – if something is going wrong and it’s not my fault, I can’t fix it. But if it IS my fault – yahoo! Now I can make the changes necessary to correct the situation! So the fact that the responsibility to correct our behavior is on us is a GOOD thing. It just takes a little bit of dedication and self-discipline.
Where do you start? Sometimes the first step is the hardest, I get it. So just start with these two things:
Move more than you currently do
- Park far away from the door at Target. Take a walk around the block. Put on some music and dance. Tomorrow? Do five squats or five push-ups. Don’t feel like you have to do the best workout ever with the greatest clothes at the fanciest gym. Just move more today than you did yesterday.
Eat better than you currently do
- Ignore the debates over nutritional dogma like paleo, intermittent fasting, keto-diets, or anything else until you can adhere to the following points:
- Tons of vegetables all throughout the day
- Lots of protein
- Starchy carbs surrounding workouts
- A good amount of healthy fats (control portions if weight loss is the goal)
- Adequate fiber
- Try to eat food grown or raised as close to you as possible
Think of yourself as a train pulling out of a station. Going from still to that first chug is the hardest but once you pick up steam, the forward momentum is inevitable.