I don’t have the genetics to be healthy.
This was something I grew up believing to be true. I’m pretty sure I got this ideology from my 7th-grade friend. He came up to me after I couldn’t complete the Pull-Up Test (By this I mean I couldn’t even hold myself up on the bar. Pretty embarrassing!) and said, “Zach, some people are just meant to be fat.”
What timely encouragement.
I lived with this understanding for a long time. I didn’t come from the healthiest family and at some point, I just started believing that I was made to be hefty. Call it destiny, calling, or just unfortunate. I was fat and nothing was going to change that.
A couple of years ago, I found myself depressed, negative, and constantly tired. I weighed 260 pounds, hated how I looked, and felt like a waste of a lot of space. I fully believed that my wife was an angel for sticking by the Pillsbury Doughboy. We vowed to be together through thick and thin, but it was mostly just thick for her. I felt bad.
I was always overwhelmed with the idea of weight loss and found myself paralyzed at all the ways I could make changes in my diet, exercise, habits, etc. So naturally, I mulled it over by eating a roll of cookie dough with a spoon.
Maybe you can relate?
Today, I weigh around 185 pounds, I go to the gym consistently, and have much better eating habits. Listen, that’s not the best part. I’m happier, more confident, and I’m enjoying my life. That’s what makes all of this worth it. My physical health didn’t just get me into smaller clothes, it helped me live a better life.
That’s what I want for you more than anything else and I believe you can achieve it.
There’s a lot that went into my change, but here are three things that made the biggest difference!
Focus on a behavior, not an outcome.
So many times I would think, “I want to lose 40 pounds.” And it would get me nowhere! It clicked for me when, instead, I would say, “I want to go to the gym three times this week for one hour.” That may seem small, but I was way more likely to achieve the latter than the former. When we set these massive output goals, we get overwhelmed. Instead, write down three behavioral goals you want to change. That will make a huge difference.
Find a Coach/Cheerleader.
You need someone to cheer you on. Trust me, you will have bad weeks. It's only destructive when a bad week turns into a bad month. That’s where you will need someone to encourage you and push you. This can be a friend, spouse, or family member. I believe the best part of having a personal trainer is having someone who is there to watch you succeed and help you become more knowledgeable in health and fitness.
Drink Water!
Do you want a small change that will change your life? Stop drinking sodas, juices, and alcohol. I know you are rolling your eyes right now. I know you love your “diet" soda. I know you love drinking on the weekends with your friends. BUT, if you took one month and drank just water, I promise you will feel a thousand times better! If I’m wrong, you can come and smack me in the face.
I believe in you and I cannot wait to see you experience a better life! It starts with a better you!