The Easy Way

Time and time again I am approached, typically at the hospital by people who have fitness related questions. In a field full of medical professionals I am often humored at the amount of people who just don't have the answers about basic health, fitness and nutrition.

In an environment where health is the ultimate goal, the health of the people taking care of you is very often in question. Many times you will see overweight nurses smelling of smoke, stressed out, overworked.... who will devote 80 hours a week taking care of you, but refuse to spend 30 minutes a day taking care of themselves.

I do proudly have to say that the team I work on is pretty darn fit. 80% of the people I work with have completed a marathon. One person smokes and she has smoked longer than I have been alive. She was also an Army nurse in Vietnam. I would actually fear her not smoking.

I am always asked what the right fitness program is, the right diet, is Atkins good (HELL NO), should I do the three shakes a day diet (NEVER), and I want to get toned but I don't like to sweat.

As I interview athlete after athlete the question also often arises.... what is the quickest route from A to B without having to put in all of the training?

As it stands the health and fitness industry is a multi million dollar enterprise. And I will never be rich in this field.

Why?

Because I do not offer a quick fix, slim in 20 days, take a pill and eat all you want program. In fact, the best personal trainers and coaches and fitness instructors.... they don't either.

Take a deep breath because I am about to let you in on the biggest secret on earth. Write down that New Year's Resolution because I am about to give it all away completely for free.

Are you ready?

Eat healthy and exercise every day.

There is no easy way.

Anything worth having has taken some work.

Career? You doctors spent half your life in school for what you do. Teachers? Look at your education.

Family? Even if you have adopted the process of beginning a family is not a quick fix. Labor. Enough said.

Take any other example: buying a house, starting a business, (insert your example here).

People will spend thousands of dollars and years of their lives on everything but working on themselves.

If you are new to exercise, start small. Make sure you are in good physical health. If you aren't, then work with your doctor to achieve it. Build up over time. Do what you enjoy. If you hate running, don't run.

Consult a personal trainer (and check their damn credentials!) to help you design a well balanced program of strength, and cardiovascular exercises.

Schedule every workout whether you are training for the Ironman or getting in shape.

Write down what you eat whether you meal plan or eat as you go. Eat small frequent meals and have as much color in every meal as you can.

Drink 3 Nalgene bottles of water a day. Flavor it with a lemon or a lime for fun.

Give it time. Have patience. How you feel will change within a week. How you look will begin to change within a month.

The longer you take to lose weight, the longer, preferably permanently it will stay off.

Adapt new nutrition habits. Your current habits can not be returned to once the weight goal is reached. Allow yourself to change, to evolve, to be a healthier person.

The bottom line.... there is no easy way. When you start to respect and love yourself, when you find something that you love to do (yoga, swimming, running, step aerobics) then it becomes easy. Then it becomes fun. The it becomes a part of your life and who you are.

So this year ban the diets, ban the quick fix. Delve into you and the great things you can do, to make 2008 your healthiest year yet!