By Omar Shamout
Cancer is a menacing disease most of us do everything in our power to prevent, although we often wonder exactly how much of an effect our efforts are having in the face of its insidious and often invisible underlying causes. However, when it comes to skin cancer, the causes (particularly sun exposure) are often easier to see, and the preventive treatments (including sunscreen) are often easier to undertake. Let’s look at some information that may help to ensure that your aerobic adventures in the sunshine aren’t hurting your skin while they’re helping your heart and muscles.

I’d love to help you with any other health or fitness questions you have. Let me help you succeed with the least effort!

My mentor Jim Rohn emphasized that one of the first things everyone should work on is their physical health. He said, “How terrible would it be if the mind said, ‘let’s go conquer the world’ and the body said, ‘I can’t even get out of bed’?” It takes your healthy body to carry around your head full of ideas and your heart’s desires.

There is nothing more pitiful than a ready and willing mind but an incapable body.

There is a well-known quote from the philosopher Virgil that says, “The greatest wealth is health.” I also believe that health is the beginning of wealth. In other words, your health will help you create wealth.

Times of great danger. The great efficiencies of technology have made us more inactive and sedentary than ever before. Food has become more abundant, more easily accessible, super-sized, bulk packaged and mass merchandised. Commercial marketing has proliferated into every space of attention with ingeniously creative and utterly tantalizing commercial marketing. It has never been more difficult to become and remain healthy.

If you are in the business of attracting, influencing, selling or leading others, how you show up, your physical appearance, speaks volumes about who you are, how you are and what you are or not capable of.

I know, people shouldn’t judge you, right? Well, here is a clue… they do!

Whether you like it or not, people make judgments and draw conclusions about you in the first 10-15 seconds they meet you, based solely on how you look. Like it or not, how you show up on the outside says a lot about you on the inside. Our body advertises our personal development. All the habits, behaviors, choices, disciplines (or lack there of) are made physical (literally) in your physique.

Here is a good question to consider: If your body is the billboard of your personal development, your calling card and your personal 15-second commercial, what is it communicating? Take a good hard look in the mirror (literally) and determine if that is the message you want conveyed. I know this is pretty direct and maybe a bit harsh, but this is the reality of life. This is also why I hope you read this blog—because I am willing to tell it to you straight with no holds barred.

I’ve passed this tip to you before but let me repeat it again here: If you want to attract committed, dedicated, disciplined and consistent people into your business, then you have to exhibit those qualities yourself first. And like it or not, how you show up, your physical outcome, is the demonstration of those qualities in you.

So I encourage you to take your physical fitness seriously. If not for the sheer benefit of having you live longer, look younger and feel better, then because it will attract more and higher quality people into your entrepreneurial pursuits.

On my Facebook fan page there are several (free!) videos where I offer some no-nonsense health and fitness tips: my personal strategy to staying fit, the forgotten secret to health, making food selections and surviving those ‘holy moments.’  VIEW HERE

For more tips on uprooting the (maybe unconscious) bad habits and installing the simple disciplines that will last a lifetime (finally!), I also refer you to Chapter 3 of The Compound Effect. Chapter 4 also gives you the system to keep yourself motivated and consistent.

Share your insights: If you don’t like what your billboard is saying, what few things are you going to do different starting today? If you like your billboard, what few tips can you pass along to everyone else? Share in the comments.

Thank you for reading this blog post (and thank you Darren Hardy and Success magazine for your continued excellence!

I’d love to read you comments and questions, then help you and others achieve higher levels of fitness, self-confidence and success.

Bryce Jackson

The over-riding theme seems to be “I’m not motivated so it’s too hard / I can’t start / I can’t keep going.”

Okay, I understand those feelings. Hell, I battle them frequently myself. Frankly, that’s how I managed to let myself get 30+ pounds over fat!

It’s a cop-out. We all know it. Even when we’re telling ourselves these excuses stories, another part of our brains is saying something like “well, what we’re doing now isn’t working, so where’s the motivation supposed to come from?”

I’ll tell you…by doing it. It really is that simple. Keep reading, please.

You probably learned two terms in grade school or middle school science class that apply well to behavior also: 1) Inertia – a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force; and 2) Momentum – strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events.

Did you catch that? If we are at rest, we tend to stay at rest until some circumstance (force) makes us change. So, ask yourself “Am I waiting for someone or something else to happen to make me change?”

You know, if you sit and do nothing long enough, arthritis, diabetes, a heart attack, etc. will likely be the change you’re waiting for. Care to wait that long and deal with a problem that big and expensive?

Now remember, the flip side to that definition is that an object (you and your body) in motion will tend to continue moving in the same direction unless acted on by an outside force.

In other words, all you have to do is DECIDE that today everything is going to be different. TODAY you will CHOOSE to move BOLDLY in the direction of your goals and dreams. DECIDE, CHOOSE, and MOVE BOLDLY.

Now the magic happens. Put together a few days and weeks of these BOLD DECISIONS and you have MOMENTUM!

Momentum – that’s motivation! You feel better, move more, make changes, feel changes, see changes, others see changes in you and ask you what you’re doing, tell you that you look happier, healthier, more energetic, leaner, more muscular!

MOMENTUM BABY!

This is the tried and true pattern for all success, not just fitness. Edison and his team tried and failed with something like 134 (don’t remember the actual number) of light bulb designs before they had the “right” one. But, they kept moving forward toward the goal, learned from each attempt and finally hit it BIG.

Comparatively, fitness is far more simple. You don’t have to know the science as to why it works…your body already knows. All you have to do is give it what it needs, consistently, for long enough and you will succeed!

So, now we have to address the self defeating habits/attitudes:

• It’s too hard – at first, maybe. Consistency over time is the key. Giving up will never lead to success!
• It’s too complicated – if you want it to be, sure. I have to know the science. All you have to do is eat well, with frequency and reasonable portions. You have to get off your hind-end often enough to give your body a reason to change! The rest is details and you know it!
• It takes too long – no one can do anything about that, no matter how cool their marketing materials or dramatic their testimonials. Let’s face it, you didn’t get out of shape in a matter of 2 weeks or a couple months. It’s going to take at least that long to get back to your “before” shape. Yes, you can do it faster…but will you maintain the results? Statistics say no – 95% of people gain back 100% of their lost weight within the first year because the program they followed to lose the weight was not something they were willing to maintain. My job is to teach you how to modify, modify, modify to keep changing until you’re ready to maintain, then how to do that and fit it INTO YOUR LIFE!
• I can’t follow my diet because of my husband/wife/kids – okay, really? This is a cop-out every time. There are literally thousands of cookbooks and websites full of recipes that allow for easy individual portion control while cooking one meal for everyone. Don’t transfer the blame/responsibility/power to someone else.

My personal pet peeve is when people see some initial success (duh, when you go from no movement and a crap diet to movement and healthy eating you’re going to make positive changes) that then slows (that’s called adaptation – that’s when it’s time to make some minor modifications  to your plan) so they get frustrated and quit!

WHAT THE *&^* IS THAT? How in the world is quitting going to get you anything you want? If we’re honest with ourselves, quitting because it’s not fast enough is a very child like sort of tantrum response. Frankly, throwing a 2 year old tantrum would be more productive. Imagine laying on the floor kicking and screaming…that’s cardio and ab work to be sure!

So, moral of the story is that motivation comes from the doing, not the other way around. You have to start moving to build momentum. It’s a choice, every day. It’s not the responsibility or fault of anyone or anything else. We each get to CHOOSE our actions…every day.

What’s your CHOICE?

as always, I’m here to help, whether your my client or not. I have tools, programs, products, knowledge that will simplify your fitness pursuit and shorten the timeline to your success. Please, let me help.

Bryce D. Jackson

503-975-3761

www.BeachBodyCoach.com/RealFitnessOR
www.RealFitnessOregon.com

This summer, amazing trainer Chalean Johnson (the lady who created Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, and ChaLean Extreme) is releasing through Beachbody her latest fat destroying program!

Okay, enough ad copy. Seriously, I’m excited for this one. The Body Gospel Program is going to be great, I’m sure. But I’ve done all of Chaleans other programs and they are great, and a ton of fun! So I have no doubt that this one will top them all!

Check it out here: http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/turbofire-tbb.do?coach=36098

Being a domestic god or goddess isn’t easy. You want windows that let all the sun in. Floors that gleam. Toilets that sparkle. But you still want to stay in bathing-suit shape for those days by the pool on Mount Olympus.

So what do you do? Try the Housework Workout.

A recent British study revealed that the average Brit burned over 50,000 calories a year doing housework. That’s equal to burning almost 15 pounds of fat.

Now, I’m not saying that housework should replace workouts. But if you take the right approach to keeping your house clean, you can really burn fat and tone muscle. And who doesn’t want to do that?

So how do you start firming and cleaning? Before you work out, be sure to warm up to keep from pulling a muscle. Turn on some lively music to help you keep an upbeat pace. Take deep breaths to stay energized. And have your cleaning supplies ready to go.

The Housework Workout includes eight exercises that will help you get in shape from head to toe, while making your home look great. So let’s start:

1. Tone your triceps—shine your windows. Grab a towel, spray the window, and do 10 circles to the right, then 10 to the left. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Then use the same moves to polish your tables, countertops, and anything else that’s gathering dust. Keep a brisk pace and you’ll definitely feel the burn in your shoulders and triceps. (30 minutes = 107 calories)
2. Work your thighs with a vacuum. But don’t just vacuum—lunge! Tense your muscles as far as you can while pushing the vacuum back and forth. As you lunge, keep your toes pointed forward, and bend your knees. Go slowly so you’ll get a good stretch, and you’ll work the backs of your legs and buttocks. Vacuum your couches and pillows, and you’ll really feel the burn. (60 minutes = 238 calories)
3. Lift your iron for a curvier butt. While ironing, squeeze your butt cheeks together for 10 seconds. Do this 10 times every couple of minutes, and you’ll notice a difference in your muscle tone. Your bottom will hold in a semi-flexed position for up to 20 minutes after working the muscle. And don’t forget to flex and stretch your shoulders and arms. (30 minutes = 80 calories)
4. Get your thighs burning while cleaning clothes. Squat slowly as you pick up dirty laundry, while keeping your back straight and heels on the floor. Include one squat for every piece of laundry you put into the basket. And just watch your legs, buttocks, and thighs firm up. (15 minutes = 71 calories)
5. Step up for clean shelves and great legs. Climb up and down a short stepladder (three or four steps) 10 times, alternating your feet. While you’re up there, organize your shelves. By stepping up and working with your arms held high, you’ll not only work out your legs, but your arms and shoulders, too. (60 minutes = 214 calories)
6. Scrub your floors for sexy arms and abs. Drop the mop and get on your hands to scrub the floor. Cleaning your sink or bathroom by hand will also firm your arms and core. The harder you work, the better. And remember to push yourself by extending and exaggerating your arm movements. (60 minutes = 258 calories)
7. Use that broom to work your shoulders and core. Don’t vacuum the kitchen floor—sweep it. And get outside to sweep your patio, sidewalk, and driveway. When sweeping, be sure to work your obliques by pivoting at your waist. And when you bend down with the dust pan, do a few squats. Your thighs will thank you. (60 minutes = 272 calories)
8. Make the bed for better upper-body tone. Take off the sheets, turn the mattress, pull the sheets straight, and plump those pillows—and you’ll burn lots of calories. Stretch across the bed, and you’ll also work your core and upper back. (30 minutes = 68 calories)

Add extra moves to burn more calories.

When you’re mopping and sweeping to your music, include the boxer’s bounce—that rhythmic bobbing and weaving boxers do—to your tasks. You’ll add strength training to your workout without using weights. You may also find yourself finishing each job in less time. And since you’re adding moves, why not drop and do a few push-ups or crunches? All this can really make a difference by helping you burn fat and add muscle.
Aim to burn 500 calories per day.

If you can do that each day, you’ll burn a pound of fat per week. Of course, don’t forget that you’re burning calories when you walk the dog (30 minutes = 150 calories), go shopping (30 minutes = 122 calories), and the list goes on.

Whatever you do, the idea is to set a fast pace, and look for ways to add resistance to each move. When you do, you’ll become a calorie-burning machine.

As helpful as it is, the Housework Workout won’t replace a good Beachbody® workout. But by making simple changes to your housekeeping routine, you can achieve sensational weight loss results. Your house will be cleaner than ever. And that can only elevate your status as a domestic god or goddess.

When we started school, oh so many years ago, no one had to explain to us that the human body was not designed to sit in a chair for 8 hours at a time. Somehow, we inherently knew that we needed recess, physical education, lunch, and even naptime. Even that walk uphill, both ways, in the snow, barefoot, was just part of what we needed to do. So we worked all of those years, graduated to our dream job, and ended up sitting in a cubicle for 8 hours without moving. Sure, we use the facilities, maybe go out to lunch, but mostly we sit on our backsides with horrible posture and stare at a computer screen. At around 4 PM, we begin to search for a pick-me-up, and end up eating candy and soda from the break room. Sure, at age 12, we thought free junk food was like winning the lottery. But as adults, we end up feeling flat-out yucky. We vow that tomorrow will be different, but we are so exhausted from a sedentary lifestyle, that change seems impossible.

The good news is that a desk job does not have to be so stagnant. If something in motion stays in motion, then we need to find ways to keep moving. And with a bit of food preparation, we can actually avoid the Snickers® bar. Let’s look at some ways to stay healthy at work.

Get Out of that Chair

Sometimes it seems impossible to step away from your desk. People in Hollywood get fired for missing a call, an email, or taking too long a lunch. Here is the deal: They cannot fire you for standing up, going to the bathroom, or getting more water from the cooler. If your workplace is not completely rigid, switching your chair out for a Swiss ball a few times a day can make a huge difference in your posture. Even just standing up next to your desk can give your back the break from compressing that it desperately needs. So stand up, roll your shoulders back a few times, and breathe deeply. Go fill up a water bottle, which will give you even more reasons to stand up, as you will need the restroom. And set a timer to go off once an hour, so that you remember to do it. Sometimes that Excel® spreadsheet is so fascinating, we forget about everything else. (Yeah, right.)

Speaker or Tweaker?

Did you realize your phone can be dangerous? No, this is not a lecture on driving with cell phones. Cradling a phone to your shoulder for extended periods of time can actually lead to misalignment, strains, and slipped discs. They still make fancy phones with a cradle for your shoulder, but they don’t extend quite high enough. Try a wireless or corded variety of headset, which sometimes can be less expensive than their Bluetooth® cousins. Forty bucks on a headset is better than multiple trips to the chiropractor. Or if what you are discussing is not sensitive, put the person on speakerphone. The coworker next to you might not appreciate it, but your neck will.

Stretch

You can stretch your entire body in a cubicle—a lot of it while sitting down. Here are some stretching options, which will release lactic acid buildup and help with structural alignment.

* Neck: Lean right ear to right shoulder until you feel a stretch along the left side of your neck, hold for 10 seconds, switch to the other side. Lower chin to chest until you feel a stretch along the back of your neck, hold for 10 seconds. Lift chin toward ceiling, until you feel a stretch along the front of your throat, hold for 10 seconds. Look over your right shoulder, hold for 10 seconds and then over your left.
* Shoulders: Extend both arms over head, interlace fingers, turn palms, and push up. Then interlace fingers with palms up behind back, lean forward slightly from waist, and lift arms away from your body.
* Arms: Extend arm straight across your body, grasp forearm, and pull extended arm toward your body. Repeat with other arm. Then sit up in your chair, open your knees, and place your palms flat on the chair between them, with your fingertips facing you, and thumbs toward your knees. Push down on your flat palms.
* Chest: Lift both arms out to the side, creating a “T” with them. Bend at the elbows, so your hands are going straight up to the ceiling, and you resemble a football goalpost. Pull your elbows back and hold.
* Back: Sit up as tall as you can, and pull in your stomach muscles to your spine. Extend one arm across to the opposite arm of the chair, and twist. Hold for 10 seconds, and switch to the other side.
* Quadriceps/Hamstrings: Stand at your desk. Bend one knee behind you, lifting your foot off the floor and catching it with the same hand. Don’t lock your supporting leg; hips tucked under, and both knees together. Switch to other leg. Then place one foot on the desk in front of you, keeping the foot flexed and the knee straight. Put fingertips on leg, or desk, and with a flat spine, lean forward. If that isn’t possible, flex one foot on floor in front of you, and lean forward with a flat spine.
* Calves: Stand arms’ length away from your desk, both toes facing the desk. Step forward with one foot, and bending the knee, keeping the back knee straight and pushing down in the heel. Switch.
* Feet: Remove shoes if possible. Stand in front of desk. Form a “V” with your feet, heels together and toes pointed out at slight angles. Bend knees first, then lift up your heels, and hold for 5 seconds. Straighten knees and lower heels. Repeat 5 times.

Exercise Your Options

The following office exercise options are chair-based exercises for our more modest readers. If you are less aware of the stare, try adding some push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, dips, and squats to this routine. If you have an office with a door that closes, get yourself INSANITY® right now and skip this entire section. For the following exercises, you’ll need an exercise band, like the flat Thera-Band® variety, which can easily be stored in your desk. And if your chair wheels easily, put the brake on now.

* Chest press: Place band around back of chair, looping the ends of the band in each hand. Sit on the edge of your chair with abs pulled in tight, and straight posture. Press arms straight out in front of you, keeping them parallel to the ground. Hold for 2 counts. Fold elbows in and bring back of hands to chest. Repeat 10 times. Can also be used as chest fly, by slightly bending elbows and bringing hands together in front of you, like you are hugging a tree.
* Row: Wrap resistance band around the leg of your desk. Sit facing it, both feet on ground, and abs pulled in. Grab one end of band in each hand; bend your arms and slide your elbows back, grazing the sides of your body. Hold for 2 counts, and return your arms to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
* Lateral raises: Sit on the edge of your chair, place both feet on the center of the band, and take an end of the band in each hand. Keeping a very slight bend in the elbow joint, bring both arms out to your sides creating a “T” with them. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your arms back to the sides of your legs. Repeat 10 times.
* Posterior deltoid exercise: Hold band, hands 9 to 12 inches apart. Extend arms straight out in front of you, chest level, rolling shoulders back and down, keeping elbows as straight as possible. Open up arms to your sides, hold for 2 counts, and return your arms to the straight position. Repeat 10 times.
* Bicep Curls: Sit on edge of chair and place both feet in center of band, or wrap band under the legs of the chair. Grab one end of band in each hand. Keeping elbows glued to your sides, bend both elbows and bring hands up toward shoulders. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your hands. Repeat 10 times.
* Tricep extensions: Wrap band low around desk leg, and face away from it. Reach behind you, grab ends of band in each hand, and extend both hands to ceiling, with thumbs facing behind you. Hold for 2 counts. Keeping your elbows exactly where they are, let elbows bend slowly until hands reach ears. Extend arms straight toward ceiling again. Repeat 10 times.
* Knee abs: Sit on edge of chair, tuck pelvis under slightly, and draw abs deeply into your spine. Lift your heels off the ground, and lift one knee at a time. For a super challenge, lift both knees at the same time, making sure to maintain a C-curve in your spine (keep your abs firmly tucked in). Repeat 10 times.
* Leg extensions: Tie one end of band around the base of your chair. Tie the opposing end around your ankle. Sit firmly on chair, keeping backs of legs pressed into the chair. Extend wrapped leg out in front of you until knee is straight. Hold for 2 counts, and lower your leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg.
* Hamstring curl: Wrap one end of band under leg of desk, up as high as it can go with other end of band tied to your ankle. Sit facing desk, on edge of chair, and extend leg toward desk. Bend knee and pull foot underneath you. Hold for 2 counts, and return to straight leg position. Repeat 10 times, and switch to other leg.

Chew on This

An ounce of prevention might be a pound of cure, but 4 ounces of carrot sticks will never be as tempting as that bowl of M&M’s® on your coworker’s desk. So how do we avoid it? A handful of nuts, a protein bar, or some low-fat trail mix might not remove the craving, but they’ll make your hunger dissipate until your next meal, and they don’t require refrigeration. You can keep them in your desk at all times. So instead of the bowl, five M&M’s might be enough.

Keep Water on Desk

Besides the previously mentioned reason to drink water (getting you out of your chair), hydration in an office setting is sorely overlooked. Your body requires a lot of water, even if you’re stuck in a chair. Being well hydrated keeps you mentally alert, flushes out toxins from air conditioning, and will sometimes help with food cravings. So drink up.

Get out

This next tip totally depends on your employer. Most offices have at least a few smokers in them. How come they get to go outside and talk about their weekend, in the sunshine, several times a day? Just because you don’t spend 8 dollars a day on cigarettes doesn’t mean you can’t take a moment and get some fresh air in your lungs. If your boss complains, scream discrimination against nonsmokers. Or you could pick up some candy cigarettes and pretend, as long as you avoid eating them.

It is no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 67 percent of the population as being unhappy with their career choices. Is this because we all have chosen the wrong careers? Or is it simply that most office workers would rather be outside playing tetherball? As you are well aware, it’s difficult to pay the mortgage unless you go to work. But there are many things you can do, while remaining at work, that will keep you feeling better than a Snickers will. Maybe if we all take a few minutes a day to take care of ourselves, that workplace contentment statistic might drop a little. And if that doesn’t work, at least we can avoid the horizontal spread of our back ends. Now that is something to be happy about.

If you’d like more informative articles like this on just about any health and fitness topic, visit www.beachbodycoach.com/realfitnessor and join the club!

Okay, so I officially finished my 90 days of P90X last Monday. If I understood the book correctly I was supposed to take a week off before doing my final measurements, fit test and after photos.

Gotta say, that was a surprisingly hard week! I felt lazy and lethargic most of the week. Might have something to do with pollen induced allergies, but I don’t know.

So, did my fit test today and oh my! Okay, so if you read my profile, you know I’m a personal trainer and former athlete. I’m used to telling others about the benefits of exercise and how much change they’ll make. I’m used to the progress of others.

It’s bee a long time since I’ve tried for, let alone seen, my own progress. So, here goes:

I lost 27.3 lbs! Mind you, I was in okay shape to start.

I lost a total of 13.75 inches; 4 inches off the waist, 2 inches off the booty!

I went from 23.9% body fat down to 12.7%!!!

I love P90X!

The thing is, it’s not magic. There’s nothing that’s amazingly special or secret about the program. It’s actually very similar to the kinds of programs I’ve been developing for my clients for years.

So, why did it work? Simple…I did it. And that’s all Tony Horton and Beachbody tell us to do. Just “Push Play everyday” and eat sensibly.

The key for me was that I made the decision everyday to follow my program. Okay, full disclosure…I didn’t follow it everyday. If I had I would have had even more amazing success.

Instead, I made the decision most days to do what I intended. And P90X made the workouts effective and convenient. I didn’t have to get ready and make the trip to the gym (which by the way, I love the gym). I didn’t have to THINK! That’s huge. I got to be the training client for a change. Tony trained me! Thanks Tony!

The Team Beachbody Club made my nutrition very easy. Again, I didn’t have to think. I didn’t have to design the menu myself. I only had to log-in and see what I had intended to eat, and understand how to make exchanges when I wanted a change.

Okay, so I was very happy with my results. However, last Thursday I listened to a webinar about doig a 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse. Never having done a cleanse, I was intrigued. Since I was already in a week of rest, I figured I’d give it a shot.

Oh my lord! The Cleanse was so easy, and quite successful. I never got hungry, tired, dizzy, cranky or any of the other things that a cleanse usually induces. And I lost 5.8lbs in just 3 days! Holy cow!

What a great “sprint” to the finish line! Plus, today I started P90X doubles because I want to be in the single digits for bodyfat before summer.

The 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse is an amazing way to jump start a program…especially during the days a person is waiting for their Beachbody program to arrive!

You’ve got to try it! I love Beachbody! Go to www.beachbodycoach.com/realfitnessor and www.shakeology.com/realfitnessor NOW!
If you’d like to try Shakeology, just let me know!

Wow, the honesty that can come from the minds and mouths of my kids. So, how the heck do I answer that question when I don’t actually know, nor have I ever met, the gentlemen that we saw while shopping at Fred Meyer?

I’ve been training people for about 22 years. So, I can make a pretty educated guess. And that’s what I did.

I told them that, while I don’t know for sure, the man probably had developed two unhealthy habits: 1) eating when he’s bored (for example, after dinner while watching TV, even if he’s not hungry anymore; and 2) not moving any more than necessary, so he gets tight and tired which makes him not want to move anymore than necessary.

Chances are that this particular guy (about 5′10″ and I’m guessing close to 300 lbs) has some other issues around food. It’s a safe guess that he uses food to reward and punish himself. Perhaps food has become a comfort to him. Maybe he has developed the belief that his weight is an effective defense mechanism…”if I don’t develop close relationships with people because of my weight, they can’t hurt me”…or “if they don’t love me the way I am, I don’t need them.”

But I didn’t want to get that deep with a daughter on the verge of being aware of her body and looks, and a 7 year old boy.

You see, Americans tend to believe that we’re the only ones who feel a certain way. That no one can really know what we’re going through.

Most dangerous is the beleif that our situation is unique and that the normal “rules” don’t apply to us.

That’s all crap. Though I understand how those beliefs develop.

If we want to make a change, we have to be honest with ourselves. The things that make us overweight are the SAME for everyone! EVERYONE. Eat too much and move too little and we all eventually gain more fat than we want. Genetics, hormones, glands, medications, etc…can all effect the equation, but it’s still the same math.

Now, what makes some people go WAY beyond a little overweight? A whole soup of pyschology. That’s what.

The thing to remember is those thoughts and beliefs can only lead to extra weight through eating actions.

The same can be said for weight loss. Only ACTIONS lead to weight loss.

Choices…that’s what it all comes down to.

So, what are you going to CHOOSE to do today to make your life and the lives of others better?

It’s your choice to change. It’s your choice to not change. It’s your choice to be happy. It’s your choice to be unhappy. It’s your choice to be fit. It’s your choice to be out of shape and unhealthy.

What do you choose? No excuses. Choose.

Bryce