How to stay fit for life... I have the best kept secret. The answer is: there is no answer. I can't tell you in one direct way what would make you mentally, emotionally and physically make better decisions in your fitness journey. I can tell you pieces; I can give you tools; I can even show you what to do but it is no secret that YOU are responsible.
Self-awareness, self-accountability, and self-respect go further than when your parents would tell you to make your bed, to make sure you did the right thing or you deciding to go to the gym or not. So let’s start with what I believe is the most important of them all, SELF-AWARENESS. You have to be aware of your own shit! Smell it, live in it and own it because it’s yours. No one created you. You created you. Yes, you are a product of your environment but at some point you grew up and you became aware of what is right and what is wrong. So why do you continuously choose to do what is wrong for you? At some point you can no longer blame your past. It's because you like your own chaos. Naturally we find comfort in familiarity even if the familiar isn’t what’s best or healthy for you. If all you know is pain, stress, anxiety, and insecurity then subconsciously that is what you'll attract in your life. Like the old saying goes "Misery loves company". “Courage is the power to let go of the familiar”, so take a deep breath in and be responsible for the life you created for yourself, the decisions you made and the image you see in the mirror because what you see within yourself isn't always what others see in you. All of this can be both positive and negative. Just know what the hell is up and make a promise to yourself to let go of the familiar and focus on what will help you be the most healthy version of YOU!
Identifying self-awareness takes time. You learn through experiences in your life and how you react to those moments in time, but once you learn more about who you are and what you stand for; it’s your responsibility to constantly check yourself. Doing the right thing isn't always the easiest thing... It is usually the hardest and very difficult to stay consistent. You are going against the grain and it never gets easier. Like saying no to sugar when everyone else is enjoying a piece of cake or going to the gym after a long draining day at work. What is right for you versus what is easier for you? That's what you need to ask yourself. There is a time for everything... I stand by the 80/20 rule but even that is hard to sustain sometimes. Being aware of what you need to do is much different than holding yourself accountable to what you should do. The awareness is the thought and the accountability is the action. Follow up and follow through with what is right for you.
Why should you commit to what is healthier and positive for your life when the commitment is so challenging? It's because of self-love and self-respect. The term self-love gets used a lot but making your mind and body feel good in a way where the outcome is rewarding beyond how you look… is priceless. Setting a standard for you, that you execute on a daily basis, teaches and creates a model for other people to treat you the same way. Earning respect from your peers starts with you. It is beyond fitness. What do you deserve? What have you earned? You owe yourself a good life, a strong beating heart and a sense of pride. You have the capability, not only in your fitness journey but throughout your life, to be great. If others cannot understand that, then be patient and reflect because you were once them. Remember at one point you lacked self-awareness, self-accountability and self-respect. All you can do is lead by example.
The secret to staying fit for life never starts with a treadmill and it never ends with a diet. It begins with you and never ends. You will constantly be learning about who you are as life goes on and prioritizing through life experiences. Being fit is just a byproduct of being an awesome healthy version of YOU! I was able to discover clarity of mind and compassion in my heart through this process. It has become a passion of mine to make people just “Feel Good”, from within themselves. I only hope to spread the power of independent inner happiness through my fitness platform because if there is one thing I have learned about being in the fitness industry, it is that at its core, it never has to do with just fitness.