I CAN'T keep starting NEXT MONDAY!

It's the first of January.  It's the start of the new year. Restart.  Re-energize. I am newly motivated.  and I can't wait to get started on my new exercise program.  I'm going to eat right.  I am going to plan my meals and take my lunch every day.  I may even get up early and walk before work. I am going to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day!  In fact I may even get myself one of those new fancy looking BPA-Free water bottles. I'll use my gift cards to get some new workout gear.  I will buy some new shoes for my exercise program.  I may even consider joining a gym.  This is my year!  and I can't wait to get started...and I will start on Monday!

Oh wow!  How many times have you heard these things...many times? How many times have you heard them because YOU are the one who has said them. Monday is going to be the start of a great new me.  What's so special about a Monday start day?

Many say its because it's the beginning of a new week...and it's a good starting point.  I can have one last big meal or one last night out with friends where I don't have to pay attention to what I eat and drink.  And then on MONDAY...I will start fresh.  What ever your reasoning, I say the best time is NOW.  Don't put off the inevitable.  If you have the mentality that "I will start Monday," and then something happens to prevent the start of your program, you'll push it off until the next Monday.  All of a sudden, you realize that its the middle of April and you haven't really done anything yet.

Get the mindset of "now"...of "today."  I mean...don't you think your'e worth it?   Of course you do. We are a people that expects instant gratification.  We want what we want, and we want it now. Guess what?  It doesn't work that way for the most part.  If you have a few extra pounds on you, chances are you didn't put those on overnight...and you won't get them off overnight.  It's going to take some effort.

One of the things I remember learning from Bill Phillips, author of Body for Life, is that you have to "Focus on progress, not perfection!"  Find yourself a picture of a person that has been there and done that...and has a similar age and body type as you.  Set your goals high, but work to achieve them in smaller increments.  For example:  If you want to compete in a marathon, you first have to train to run a mile without stopping, or passing out. Another great book for fitness is written by Pastor Steve Reynolds.  It is called Get off the Couch.  what I learned from Steve Reynolds is that "You make better progress when you work together and encourage one another along the way."  Research says this about people that start a 12 week transformation program:  Of those that start alone, only 6% will actually finish the full 12 weeks. But the percentages increase dramatically when start and work with an accountability partner or a group."  I have personally led a group where we started with 210 people and had 145 finish all 12 weeks (69%)...and another group of 119 that finished with 76 people (64%). Why didn't everyone finish you ask?  Because that's human nature. But what I know is that you can't do life alone, and you can't do a transformation program alone.

Both books can be found online if you do an Internet search for them. Both books, Body for Life and Get Off the Couch are 12 Week Transformation Programs.  Both are chocked full of motivational stories of real people making real changes.  I recommend them both whole-heartedly..,along with Steve's first book, Bod4God.

No matter if you get a book to guide you, or you get a trainer at a gym, or if you join a gym with a friend of family member...the same theme applies that I started with in this blog.  Start now.  don't wait until next Monday!

Get Fit.  Stay Fit.

Keith