This I know, the United States is a nation where it is extremely easy to get fat. Most American jobs are not physically strenuous. High amounts of calories (units of energy contained in food that are either used to move and function the body or alternatively stored as fat) are not burned while sitting behind desks, working behind counters, driving tractors, lecturing students, or selling various and sundry wares. People are not walking four miles to work, school, or church and back. Just take the car. It’s faster, easier, and most families have several. Food is handed to you through your car window and soda (an acidic mixture of syrup and carbonated water) flows out of fountains.
Thus, was it discovered that after two years of a life full of tasty fried chickens, tacos, yummy soda, driving everywhere, walking no where, and living like a typical American I was fifty pounds overweight (obese). I looked down, barely seeing my toes sticking out beyond my belly, and realized I was too fat. My want to kicked in. This is the United States and anything a person wants to do they can get it done. We have no oppressive government controlling our actions. No one forces us to eat a certain thing or work at a certain job. We are free to do as we please and there are unlimited opportunities available. We are all equal in that we are given twenty-four hours every day and are free to choose how to spend them.
You don’t have time to exercise, to eat right, to go there, and to do that. Wrong, you have the same amount of time as everyone else has. If any one person has ever accomplished a thing that shows you that it can be done. And if everyone who has tried to do a thing has failed there is no reason that you will not be the first person to succeed. There is only one question you need to answer to accomplish anything. What do you want to do? If you want it, you will find a way. Anything can be done even within the constraints of laws, family obligations, and work, if you have the desire to get it done. I found the desire to loose fifty pounds; the following is how I got it done.
This I know, the United States is a nation where it is easy to get fit. My journey to health began with a drive around town just looking at all the different gyms and fitness clubs available to anyone who would join. Step one, join. I picked the one that I liked the look of best and signed up. It cost money but guess what, you have money. Your money is like your time. Everyone may not have the same amount of money (some work harder or smarter than others) but we all choose how we will spend what we have based on what is important to us (What do you want to do?).
Step two, schedule. My workout schedule was simple, go early and go often. The first thing I did was to change my work schedule. I switched to fourteen hour shifts three days a week. I choose to get all my working done on the weekend. Then I could work out as though it were a job during the week. I talked to my boss and told her what I wanted my schedule to be and she changed it that day. What? Your boss doesn’t schedule you to work anytime you want? Then, you must not be the best employee at the company you work for. You should be. Recession or depression doesn’t threaten your job if you are the best; also, it is always easy to find another job if you decide to move on. Work ethic is a different story, no wait, it is the same story but here we are applying it to exercise and not to your day job.
I hit up the gym every morning at five a.m. when they opened. Treadmill to warm up for an hour, followed by a weight training circuit, then another hour or two of treadmill. On weekdays, when not at work, I would go again at four p.m. and work out with a friend from work. We would talk and visit and miscount each other’s repetitions while lifting weights so we both worked harder than we would have alone. That gave me another three hours of exercise on those days.
Step three, control yourself. I continued to eat the same things as I had before, only my portion sizes were smaller and I gave up all drinks except for water and a biweekly milkshake. Well, after three months I had more energy than I ever had before in my life. I had reached my weight loss goal of being fifty pounds lighter while my buddy from work had lost thirty-eight pounds while working out half as much as me. I found myself sleeping better at night and I felt better about the way my body looked. I became more social and outgoing making many new friends every were I went while still keeping all my old friends.
I want you to know that you can accomplish anything. All you need is the true quality desire to improve your life. No one can do it for you and no one can stop you from reaching your goals and accomplishing your dreams. I believe in you and you can do anything if you will only believe in yourself.