...about your 6 packs, your defined muscles, your huge muscles, your whatever muscles.
Well.... that’s not exactly true. It is but it isn’t.
We have a vision and that vision is our motivation, whatever it may be. Some say "I want a 6 pack," some say "I want toned arms," or whatever it is, you can even fill in your own as your reading (It doesn't even have to be fitness related.)
And as you tell me those things, I say "Ok, we can do that, we can do that, and we can definitely do that... we can make all that happen. Here’s what we need to do," then we get into the plan. The nutrition, the cardio, the homework. We text and e-mail. You read my Facebook posts and "like," them and they motivate you and we're on our way.
But to me, it’s not about 6 packs. Its about your health. Very few people say, "I want to be healthier," or "I want to live a very long time." I know you want it, its not that you ignore that part. It’s just that I see it differently. That’s why I tell you to buy a pair of running shoes. That’s why I try to teach you what to do and how to do it without me. (Reading between the lines there?)
I know certain people read this now and I hope they know I don’t write this stuff while pounding my chest like I'm some amazing leader of training. Far from it. I'm very open with the people I work with and they know we share similar hurdles and I'm on the path with them. Most know, I recently (over the winter) hired a trainer for myself. Jay Ashman writes my programs and it’s been great. For one, it’s so refreshing to not have to think about what I want to do to myself in the weight room. I see the paper and just go. Secondly, I like being held accountable. Its motivating that he writes it. I don’t want to suck! I want to be an example of his programming the same way I reference "Be the Brand," when talking about Blue Chip. Plus all the new ideas, new routines and its forced me out of my comfort zones and pushed me into new areas of training that I never would’ve bothered with. So again, I'm on the path. There's really no difference in me working with Jay and me going to take a yoga class... I’m looking for great ways to train my body.
But back to the health thing... I was recently at a function for my daughter and a woman got up to speak and she was probably 80-100lbs overweight.
I'm struggling in front of the lap top right now, because I really can’t express how I felt... I wanted to talk to her after... I wanted to give her my card and pay for a membership and train her for free. But I can’t just do that. People would think I was an asshole and who knows how she would take that... and I don’t mean it in any way other than, let me help you. I'll do it for free...
That’s what I mean when I say "I don't care about your 6 packs." I want you to live. Your family and friends want you to live a very long time!
I was on Facebook (which is a great place to read dumb things) and someone said something about "fat and lazy," and I don’t see it that way. For me, it’s always been about self love. If you love yourself and love the people around you, you'll care to stay here and stay healthy and be there for people. If you don’t, you won’t. It’s not laziness, its awareness. It’s being mindful of all decisions. Its knowing McDonald s is slow suicide. Its self love. If you love yourself, you’ll care to put the work in, to be healthy to stay.
I bought a shirt not too long ago that reads "Vote," with the Om symbol on the front. It got my attention the way that word does every time I think of it or read it or hear it. You "vote," every second of every day, not just ever few Novembers. You vote with how you eat, you vote with what you read and what you watch. You vote with where you work, the car you drive, who you hang with, what types of companies you support and how you spend your time. So how are you voting? Are you voting to live to see 80? Or are you voting for a heart attack at 50? Think that's harsh? Think that's intense? Its reality. If you had McDonald's today, you voted. If you fed your kids McDonald's, you voted! If you skipped a run, you voted. If you rocked that BootCamp tonight, you definitely voted.
How you spend your time and everything that surrounds you is a vote.
A fantastic level of health and wellness is the goal and along that path we say "I want a 6 pack," as our shiny medal to collect along the way.
Whats on your calendar for 2013? If you have nothing and need a partner, let me know. Ill sign up for anything right now.
