Persevere

Its Monday evening and there’s a new face at the gym. He’s been exercising for about a week and he knows exactly what he wants. He’s had it with being overweight. He’s had it with being unhealthy. He’s got something to prove and he’s training like it. The regular crowd is doing their thing. The posers are glued in front of the mirrors, eyes fixed as if in a trance. The talkers are standing around chatting about their lives and current events. The old timers are dutifully performing their task just as they have year after year. The new guy is different. He’s insane. He’s on a mission. He’s going to train as long and as hard as it takes to reach his goals. He won’t slow down, he won’t quit, he won’t,,,,,,,

He won’t be back next week!

How many people have you known like this?  Someone so excited about losing weight, toning their body, getting healthier.  Someone new coming to the gym ready to hit the elliptical until they are ready to puke.  Coming to work on Monday morning telling everyone about how great their new diet is and how fast the weight is going to melt off.  So eager to change his life, become a new person, regain the body he had in high school.  But two weeks later he's back to eating Jack in the Box and watching a Harry Potter marathon all weekend.

What happened?

Our friend has made an important discovery that his parents, teachers and guidance counselors who all took turns wiping his chin neglected to share with him. Life is hard and worthy goals are not achieved without effort. Exercising and eating healthy are hard work. If it weren’t everybody would be doing it.

I want you to succeed. I don’t want you to be just another fad dieter who ends up yo-yo dieting and steadily gaining weight after each new diet attempt fails. I want this enough for you that I feel compelled to share one of my greatest secrets with you about how I lost 65 pounds and lowered my cholesterol, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and liver enzymes. There is no easy way.  There is no pill that will make it happen.  There is no fad diet that will make you healthy.  There is no quick way to lose weight and keep it off.  If you aren’t mentally prepared for this truth then you might as well start pre paying for your spot in a nursing home now.

You have a decision to make. Your reading this blog because you want something. You want to be healthier for your family.  You want to look physically fit.  Are you prepared for the mental and physical challenges you are going to meet on your way towards you goals?  Are you ready to ignore hunger?  Are you willing to miss your favorite tv shows to spend time on a treadmill?  Can you pass up the donuts your coworker brought to work and eat your bowl of oatmeal instead?  Will you spend an extra 20 minutes at the grocery store so you can read food labels?  Are you prepared to set your alarm clock earlier and give up an hour's sleep so you can meet some friends for a morning run?  

Its up to you. I like success stories and have little tolerance for excuses or failure. Will you be at the gym next week?  Next month? Do you really have what it takes? It's in your head and in your hands to achieve your goals but you must understand that sacrifices do lay before you. Take pride in yourself.  You are working toward something that everyone else wants but few have the unbending will to achieve. Are you truly up for the challenge? 

Expect pain.  Be tough like Huff!