foreverfitness.info

Physically we tend to age just by living normally. In this context, "normally" means concentrating on our duties as parents and workers, almost always taking on more than we are able to handle. Providing a window of free time for ourselves is rare.

Thus, the thought of a new lifestyle which demands a daily two hour investment seem like an absurdity. This is really the cost of an hour workout, which typically involves a drive to an from a club along with a shower,getting dressed and undressed. Granted, a little thought can eliminate a few minutes but the time investment is still considerable. For many, this makes daily workouts something best left for high school people or retirees. Because of the good that can come of starting this as early as possible that ought not to be.

One's image in the mirror all too often causes sadness, probably depression in most instances. This down turned feeling, commonly referred to as thirty something is equated with feeling old. What it includes is the loss of muscle tone, the accumulation of fat and the wrinkling of skin. Of course it gets worse as time goes on. But all of those things cause the feeling of  really being old far more than does the passing of birthdays or contemplation of one's driver's license.

Daily workouts along with proper diet diet and supplementation can turn these problems around. In fact, a regular fitness lifestyle, done over a long enough period of time (not the typical three month trial starting in January only to end by tax time)  will turn them around. Further, starting fitness early, like in the thirties, keeps them from happening until much further down the road; and that is true in spite of what the skeptics say,  Ask anyone who has been at it for a long time. They will tell you what is like for them. Yet, believing these people can be extremely difficult. Why is that so?

We all have friends relatives and neighbors, whom we deeply trust--more so than those whom we may have just met. They know how old they are, and they know our age as well. What that  means is that they have the necessary facts to persuade (force) us into "acting our ages." That phrase  generally means being sadly ponderous and serious, just like them. But, it more specifically means not taking time from the  allegedly necessary functions which go hand in hand with an adult life. Those include, but but are not limited to,attending PTA meetings,  long hours at work,  and crashing in front of the TV (as everyone supposedly needs a little fun with so much work. In other words, fun time is obligatory as well.)

This is the sum and substance of a mature life. Work, family obligations, and sedentary pastimes such as never missing the summer reruns. Doing all of these gets us approved by our friends relatives and neighbors, largely because that is what they do. And, it is what we are expected to do until we retire, all the while being vaguely convinced that doing nothing other than our hobbies and visiting relatives, funds permitting, is indeed the most pleasurable of all things imaginable.

What would happen if we broke out of this mold? What if  we went to bed early, skipping the supposed essential TV time, enabling us to get in a workout before going to the office? What if we skipped the PTA meetings, using that time to read about new fitness ideas, heroes/heroines and products? What if we cut back on the number of hours that we work (or the commute, something which is becoming more possible today in a lot of companies?) Would we then not have the time we need for fitness?  Finally, what if we honestly told everyone that the reason for doing all this was to work out so that we could look as good as we did when we were in college?

Perhaps a a very small number would applaud us; but it is unlikely that most would be sympathetic. In fact, most would probably do everything they could to hold us back. Their standard way of doing this would be to question our integrity as adults, making us feel as if we were in the throes of an identity crisis. That would not be easy to take. It is for this, more than anything, that we courage-- the courage to withstand the criticism. But having a few new friends makes things easier.

What kinds of new friends do we need? We need ones who work out everyday, supplement intelligently and religiously cut back on all fat and sugar calories. It may  take some work  to find them initially, but one or two is all that it is really necessary. With them in our lives, the criticism from our family and peer group becomes much less of a problem. In fact, with new friends, we may not even have the time to be around the others all that much. What a shame!
 

That probably sounds harsh, but that is precisely what needs to be done. We must actively seek out new friends with the intention of staying clear of the old ones . That even means staying away from the old ones at Christmas and Thanksgiving if for no reason other than their expectation that we overeat to prove that  we like their cooking (and them as well.) We must let them get that type of reinforcement from some other folks. 

It is all as simple as that. If we stay with our new lifestyle and  new friends for at least a year, we can revisit all of the people we left behind without having to worry. Seeing a new us (and maybe even being a little lonely) may then make them want to follow our lead. And, that is far better for all of us than following theirs.

For further thought on the fitness revolution order my book "Think and Grow Fit.