The real reason diets and workouts don’t succeed
We started this blog with the premise that we wanted to hold ourselves accountable for continuing to work out as well as to share our story with others so that they might get up off the couch and do something about their health as well. Well, up to this point, we have followed the same routine that millions of others do…what’s that?
The real reason diets and workouts typically don’t succeed is that we don’t actually make them a mandatory part of our day.
Most people get up out of bed at a certain time Monday through Friday. Why? Because they have a job to go to. They go to that job and work 8-10 hours, and then they come home. During the day, we’ll eat breakfast (maybe), we’ll definitely have our cup of coffee, we’ll break for lunch, we’ll drive home, eat dinner, watch tv, and on and on. So why is it so incredibly hard for us to dedicate an hour of our day to working out? Or why is it so difficult to eat healthier? These are questions you need to answer before you can become successful in your workout or diet.
For me, it is almost definitely the “thought” of going and working out. The idea that I’ve got to go somewhere, change, work out, get sweaty, have to shower, and then go on about my day. The thought alone makes me weary. But why? I mean seriously…We drag ourselves out of bed for our 9 to 5. We’ll go through the trouble of either going through a drive-through or setting up our coffee pots to get our favorite cup of joe, so why is it we can’t make ourselves do something that ultimately makes us feel better about ourselves, and I’m not just talking long-term – you almost immediately feel better after a good workout. Same goes for a diet. We grab a burger or some fast food garbage because it’s quick and convenient, but have you ever really stopped to think about how easy it would be to pick up something healthy instead? Rather than going by Arby’s or McDonald’s on your lunch break, why not stop by Publix or just about any grocery store for that matter, go grab something fresh from their salad bar, or pick up some fresh produce, and be on about your day? I can almost guarantee you that the lines in your grocery store will be shorter at lunch than will the line at any given drive through.
The bottom line is that you need to make workouts and dieting a part of your day just like any other mandatory to-do’s. It’s amazing how you’ll feel just after two or three workouts. Same goes with eating healthier. Try replacing your lunches and suppers a few days in a row and see if you don’t have more energy and spring in your step. Combine the two and you’ll feel super human!
Just to reiterate, the key to having a successful diet or workout is to dedicate yourself. Don’t make it a choice. Make it a necessity – it NEEDS to be as important to you as getting up and going to work. It’s not hard to do. It’s nothing more than breaking down those mental barriers that make you think it’ll be there tomorrow. Remember, it can’t wait until tomorrow, you need to do it today.