Life is full of complications, twists, turns, ups, downs and all arounds. You think that it’s going to be easy. You graduate high school. Go to college. Get a great job. Meet the man or woman of your dreams. Get married. Buy a house. Have beautiful children that you will raise to be wonderful and productive adults. Then you will retire and travel the world. Your life will be a blissful experience that you could write a book about.
Then you wake up.
Some of us wake up sooner than others. Some of us live this life. Some of us live a life that doesn’t look like this but does bring us the fulfillment and joy that we anticipated when we were growing up.
Some of us are beaten and bludgeoned continuing to learn the hard way.
If you would like to live the life of your dreams, then there has to be some planning involved.
There must be some goals. There must be a system in place that you can follow.
You don’t just work for 50 years and magically have enough money to retire.
The same goes for your health. If you don’t have a system to follow. Some sort of plan. Well lets face it. Just like having enough money for retirement. Odds are you will not have the health to be able to enjoy yourself when it is time to sit back and relax.
There are too many stories of the guy or women that works their tails off, retires and drops dead 2 weeks later.
We put more thought into a weeks’ vacation than we do our health. We plan our vacations as if our lives depended on that week being perfect. We spend months making sure that week is magical and awesome. Everything must be just right.
How much time do you spend planning how you are going to keep your weight in a healthy range so you can truly enjoy that week off?
How much time do you spend figuring out your calories for the next week so that you can release a pound of extra fat?
When was the last time you figured out your ideal weight and how long it would take you to get to it in a 300-calorie deficit?
Do you even know what a 300-calorie deficit looks like for you?
I bet you know how much the hotel is going to cost for your weeks’ vacation and how much you need to save so that you can pay that bill.
I bet you know how much spending money you want to bring with you on that vacation and how much you need to save weekly so that you have enough money.
Do you know what your body fat percentage is?
Do you know what your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure is?)
Do you have any idea how many calories you eat in a day?
Have you thought about what is going to happen to your body in the next year?
What about the next 10 years?
I didn’t think about it. I just did whatever I wanted. I ate whatever I wanted, and I went on some awesome vacations. I planned trips to Vegas, White Water Rafting in The Grand Canyon. Went on an incredible tour of Italy. Planned a trip to Bora Bora. For years we camped at a campground every summer. Did a week at the beach in Wildwood. Went on lots of ski weekends and a few weeks. All this time I gave some thought to my health. But I certainly did not prioritize it.
Life catches up to you whether you like it or not. Those trips to the burger joint and the pizza place begin to add up more and more over time. Getting out of the car starts to get harder. Getting off the couch becomes more and more of a chore. Skiing becomes something of the past. You know that’s what you used to do when you were younger.
I stopped playing golf. It just started to become too much to do. It took too much effort.
The truth is before you know it you are 40lbs overweight and tired all the time. Then you just keep forging ahead saying that you will take care of yourself when you have more time. Another year goes by, and you add another 10 to 15lbs. Before you know it you are 50 lbs heavier and pre diabetic. Holy shit How Did I get HERE!! This is not my house…. This is not my beautiful wife….(what song?)
You finally get disgusted and take 25 pounds off. But because there is no plan. Because you have no system or any real goals you fall right back into the abyss. You put the 25 pounds back on and add another 5.
This can go on for years. This, my friends, is the never-ending cycle of yo yo dieting.
It is torture!
But I bet you have a great trip planned for next year. One that you spent months figuring out.
The good news is it is never too late to start prioritizing your health. It doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Start small by making a commitment to move your body for at least 30 minutes each day, whether that is a brisk walk, a yoga class, or some strength training. Make a plan to incorporate more whole foods into your diet and aim to drink 8 glasses of water each day. And do not forget to prioritize sleep. Taking care of yourself is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your loved ones.
If there is anything I can help you with along the way, please do not hesitate to ask me anything.