Life Won’t Change Until You Change Your LifeTM
Richard Pearce - CEO
It has been said by one of the greatest minds in history, Albert Einstein that “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result!”
“Life Won’t Change until You Change Your Life” is a similar yet we feel more personal counterpart and one that if accepted and respected can help to change your life. Round and round this simple saying goes and as you say it over and over the undeniable fact comes through in its simplicity. Life Won’t Change Until You Change Your Life!
Once you face that fact then the next question is what are you going to do about it?
Start by saying what is it that I want to change?
- Your financial status?
- Your relationship?
- Your education level?
- Your job skills?
- Your health?
One thing that you will eventually find to be true is the fact that no other single thing you could focus on to change will change everything else as much as the decision to improve your health. When you make that commitment it is miraculous how it impacts every other aspect of your life. We humans are creatures of habit, both good and bad. Myriad studies prove that on average it takes at least 21 days of consecutive action to create a habit. No matter what that may be, studying more, working longer, spending more quality time with your family and friends and yes of course changing your diet and committing to a logical, reasonable and ever challenging exercise routine.
Just Three Weeks
It happens to just about all of us, even those of us who have a rather sound athletic back ground who have generally paid close attention to our health. It can happen because of changes in life that are just part of the normal course, working too much, getting married, sickness or (in my case) injury. It just seems like one day you look at yourself in the mirror and it is not you looking back. That is the time to take inventory and be honest with yourself. What have I done or not done to allow this to happen? Then more importantly what am I going to do about it to change it? We here at H.A.R.D. Nutrition pride ourselves on being straight forward and honest about general health and nutrition. We believe above all moderation and common sense should be the foundations of most of life’s decisions.
We are not of the mindset that you can only eat tree bark and tofu for the rest of your life and that you have to be a slave to either your diet or the gym. Rather we believe that committing to a common sense life style is the best way to effectively change your life over the long haul. If you want to have a little chocolate cake once and a while fine, but why not make it a reward that you have to earn. Think of your calories as dollars. If that piece of cake is going to cost you let’s say 400-500 calories over and above your normal daily consumption, then earn those calories the same way you would money. Spend an extra hour on a tread mill, bike, stair master or lift some extra weights whatever your chosen exercise may be. I will tell you from experience that it will make that chocolate cake taste all the sweeter.
No matter what you decide your strategy may be to get either back into shape or into even better shape the key is to understand the first three weeks are by far the hardest. After that it is pretty much smooth sailing as it will become habit, what was once something you dreaded is now something you look forward to. Also, it is usually about the three week mark when you will notice the initial benefits from your 1st 7-10 days as the body delays its effects. If you want it to work, you have to come up with a plan you stick with. Understand this, you cannot get into shape today, tomorrow or next week, but you can start to make major strides within a month. If you make your mind up to do it, then you really are just 3 weeks away from a new and better you, after that it will just keep getting better!
Whatever You Do!
Don’t overdo it, don’t say I’m going to cut out half my calories and at the same time start running 2, 3 or 4 miles a day and lift weights hard 5 days a week etc. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN! What probably will happen is you will get really sore if not injured and then you will sit around bored and tired and that will cause you to seek comfort from food and there goes your diet.
The Three Most Common Excuses
The vast majority of people who refuse to face the truth and choose rather to justify their inactions about taking the necessary steps to getting healthier go in this order.
- I just don’t have the time!
- I am just too tired to exercise!
- I can’t afford it.
Here is the Truth
With respect to #1 “I just don’t have the time”
To the contrary, we’ve all said that and at times it seems that way with our modern hectic life styles, sometimes it is hard to find the time but trust me it is there. As a matter of fact I promise you, after the first 21 days if you stick to the plan you will find that the time will create itself. Yes in those first 3 weeks you may feel a little more tired and it will be tough but it is only 3 weeks we are talking about to change the rest of your life. Stick with it and you will see! After three weeks the 1st thing you will notice is the quality of your sleep will improve greatly but the actual quantity of sleep will almost always go down about 60-90 minutes a night yet you will wake feeling more refreshed because 6-7 hours of good deep sleep is better then 7-8 hours of restless sleep. So right there is your free hour to work out each day. But that is just the start of it, you will find that you are so much more productive during the day that what used to take you 7-8 hours to get done you can now do in less time… there is some more bonus time. It is yours, do what you want with it, stay at work and get more done, spend it with the family, get caught up on chores or increase your time working out, it’s your time, spend it as you wish!
With respect to #2: “I am just too tired”
Ask yourself why you think that is? It seems almost counter intuitive but it is true nonetheless. The more energy you expend on a regular basis the more you will eventually have on a regular basis. THINK of boot camp in the military. In most cases it is taking couch potatoes and turning them into human machines. The hard work that seems almost impossible at first becomes second nature and within about 3 weeks the body actually begins to crave the testing of the body, the physical activity and yes the punishment. You will find that you will begin to feel better and better. Will you be tired after a real good workout, yes, you should be! But it is a good tired, the kind that makes you feel cleansed and refreshed not like that dead couch potato. I know it is getting repetitive, but this is just three weeks and it will change your life!
With respect to # 3: “I can’t afford it”
Afford what? If this current economy has you down and times are really lean, then go back to nature. Stepping outside for a walk each day and then eventually a jog and yes then a little running, it costs nothing and works wonders. The push up is still one of the greatest upper body exercises there is. Find a set of stairs at a building near your home or place of work and use them slowly pushing yourself a little more each time your body tells you it is ready. Standing lunges, deep knee bends and the like are all great ways to get started. My advice, go to www.Redrocksfitness.com and read their exercise program. With very little exception this is all pure natural body resistance training and let me tell you these are some of the fittest people you will ever find. If you can afford to get into a gym, do it! If you think you can’t look hard at all your monthly expenses is there a $1.00 - $1.50 per day you could save and put towards a gym membership, in most cases there is. That’s it! $1.00 to $1.50 per day, to feel better, look better, be better, live longer, have more energy, have better sex, perform better at work…the list goes on and on. There are certainly things in your budget that can find you that $1.00 - $1.50 per day. Chances are that if you are really in need of getting into a better diet and exercise program, you may be spending more time and money then you should on fast food, junk food and other body bloating wallet slimming items. The $1.00 - $1.50 per day is there and what you will find is after that 1st three weeks your body will start to clean out and you will not even crave those junk items you used to, you will not think that large bowl of ice cream sounds as good anymore. You will not want to finish a good hard hour at the gym or on a good run and stop at the drive through to ruin everything you just worked so hard for.
So there you have it, just some very basics about getting started; now it is up to you. What did you do yesterday, the day before that, and the day before that etc? NOW what will you do tomorrow that will start your journey to the new and better you? If you took the time to read all of this I hope you agree with at least one thing; that the decision is yours and what we started out saying is undeniably true!
Life Won’t Change Until You Change Your Life!