I have to admit I’m now firmly in the category of middle age – I am 45. It’s not a pretty thought to say the least. Along with that, unless you didn’t get the invitation, I just finished my MBA. So, I’m really in that middle age just-did-something-major type of moment.
Over the last few years, I put on a few pounds. Snacking while studying contributed to the added pounds. Looking at an age/weight chart one day I discovered my not so petite caboose is now on the obese side of the chart. Nobody would have guessed, but I had a problem. I got fat.
It seemed like a good time to make major life-changing decisions, so I decided it was time to make a lifestyle change that resulted in a healthier weight. First of all, note that I did not say diet. Diets fail far too easily. I decided on eating a proper balanced diet and if I indulge every now and then, life goes on. Since I wasn’t going to starve myself to success, I figured I should increase my exercise – from none to some.
Just so you know, to celebrate this change in life, the little woman bought me a pie and ice cream. Not a slice, the whole thing. I think I need to explain the details of the plan a few more times.
So now I exercise six times a week! It didn’t happen overnight and I had to work up to it, but I exercise Monday-Saturday. I do it the old-fashioned way too. I just do it! I don’t have a Fitbit telling me I walked 50 extra steps or my heart rate is slightly elevated and it ‘counts’ as exercise. I go out and do it. My exact schedule is lifting three days a week and cardio the other three days, so this is a commitment. Now, a fair amount of readers are going to say, “It’s great if you have the time.” Blah, blah, blah.
That’s the point of this post.
I don’t always have the time. Things happen in my life just like things happen in yours. I make it; I fight hard to make it. Just recently, the West was hammered by a heat wave. That didn’t stop anything. To make sure I didn’t ‘stroke out’ while riding, I shifted my schedule so I can ride earlier in the day – think 6AM. That’s before I used to get up.
I don’t always have the best equipment. I would really like a new road bike, but that isn’t going to happen at least until my birthday in a few months or more likely, Christmas. Ol’ trusty the junky mountain bike I got at Walmart 9 years ago is going to have to do. I did some upgrades – tires, brakes, this and that. It’s what I got. Plus a new bike isn’t going to make me healthier faster.
I could have just as easily talked myself out of doing anything, it would have been easier. But somewhere between then and now, I came up with the idea of “give me an excuse” and instead of using that excuse to talk myself out of something, I use it as a reason to find a reason to do it.
The mentality is something along the lines of: I’ve gotten very good at using any excuse I can come up with to get out of doing something I don’t want to do. I flipped it over and now use any excuse I can come up with to do the things I don’t want to do. This way, I look for opportunities where I would normally be looking for excuses.
I’m not saying it’s easy and I do draw the line at common sense, but I find myself doing it more and more. Not just with this but in business too. You have things you don’t want to deal with? Start changing that mindset and you never know where it will lead you.
By the way, the little woman never figured out the pie concept… Maybe I’ll write a post: “How to Lose 25lbs in 3 Months and Still Eat Pie!”
