Friday, March 7, 2008

The Absolute Worst Phrase in Your Fitness Vocabulary Is...

This last Sunday night I came downstairs after helping my wife put our baby to bed and I was exhausted. I was exhausted emotionally and mentally.

The problem was I had a couple things I needed to get done. Plus, I was hungry. I’m sure that many of you have been in that same situation. Tired, with things needing to be done and hungry.

That is a very bad combination.

My first reaction was to say “I’ll do it tomorrow”, to the things that needed to get done and head for the fridge to find something sweet to eat. I crave sweets and peanut butter cups when I’m hungry.

As I was headed over to the fridge that stupid little voice came busting into my head.
“Weren’t you going to write a newsletter about this very subject?” That’s what the little voice said to me. They say you’re only crazy if you answer the little voices…so I said “yes, I was going to write a newsletter about this”.

Stupid little voice. I had my heart set on ice cream.

My inner voice was right. I was planning on writing a newsletter on that evil little phrase of “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Or the other one is, “I’ll start tomorrow.”

That phrase is so easy to say, yet it is the absolute worst thing you can possibly tell yourself if you want to start living a fit and healthy lifestyle.

How many times have you told yourself that you were going to start eating better and exercising, but that you were going to start after this one last meal, or this one last weekend? Then that’s it, all bets are off and you’re living the straight and narrow. If you’re like me, or the millions of others out there you’ve said it countless times.

But was it true? Did you really “start tomorrow”? Or did something else get in the way that impeded your new fitness lifestyle? Or maybe you lasted a couple days, then fell back on your old ways only to start the process all over again within a few weeks or months.

But why?

What’s so special about tomorrow that you have to wait? Is tomorrow some special, magical day that serves some special purpose?

The truth is there is no better time than right now. If you make the decision to start eating better, exercising, stopping smoking, or whatever, there is no better time than right this very instant.

Put down the cookie you’re eating while reading this. Put the bowl of ice cream in the sink. Shut the refrigerator. Do some squats and push-ups. It doesn’t matter, just start right now. It doesn’t have to be something major.

You’ve already made the decision to start, just start right now rather than tomorrow. If you do things right, living a healthy and fit lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of the treats you love. You just have to partake in those treats less often.

So stop telling yourself that you’re going to start tomorrow. You’ve said that enough times, now just buck up and start right now.

I mean it.

Start this very instant.

As soon as you’re done reading this, do something that takes a step in the right direction rather than something that takes you a few steps back.

Eat an apple. Eat a handful of almonds. Make a smoothie. Get some rest. Go workout. Go for a walk, or jump on the treadmill if it’s too cold where you are. Clean all the junk out of your cupboards.

Do something, anything. Just don’t start tomorrow. Start NOW!

Have a good week!

P.S. – If you need help getting started, let me know and I can help. Or you can buy my Fat Loss To Go eBook by clicking here.

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