| Why do I not do what I want to do? By Kevin Parker |
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Back to The Edge |
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Why do I not do what I want to do? You want to lose fat & start a diet but after a few days of effort, give in when someone tempts you with a food that is your weakness. You want to drink more water but can’t seem to give up your cokes or tea & don’t seem to be making any progress. You decide to workout regularly and are so sore after your first workout you bag the next workout and haven’t been back since! You have the right intentions! So why do your goals always seem out of reach? The apostle Paul said it best when he said, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15 (NLT). While Paul was talking about sin, the principal applies to us in a physical realm as well. We have good intentions but we’re not able to enact the changes necessary for success. Why? The truth is we’re creatures of habit. The things we do, eat & drink are the product of weeks, months, even years of habitual repetition. We are the product of these habits & it takes time practicing good habits to undo the bad ones. OK, we all have bad habits. I tend to struggle with changing my diet to fit my training. Often I think that I can stop my bad habits “on a dime”, & change my dietary habits in a day. I’ve never been able to do this, so this year, I’ve gotten smarter. I’ve taken time this year just to change the way I eat knowing it may take me a couple of months to form better habits & clean up my diet. Sound extreme? Today let me share how you can make changes that last, helping you achieve your physical goals. 1). Start with very small, modest changes at first. If your goal is to workout consistently, start with just making the gym twice or three times the first week. Don’t expect to train 5 days a week and that you’ll stick with it. Plan your time so that you can stay uninterrupted in the gym for an hour max. Turn off your cell phone & leave it in your vehicle. If your goal is to modify your diet, don’t look at it that you’re going to diet perfectly tomorrow but that tomorrow your going to do one thing better as one small step rather than an all or nothing approach. Life & good health aren’t a sprint but a marathon. 2). Don’t get discouraged when you backslide. You haven’t blown everything when you cheat on your diet or blow off your training. Setbacks are part of the terrain. The only bad thing you can do is quit. There’s a saying, “Winners are losers who didn’t quit.” Persistence will carry you to your goals. Your habits will improve with time & practice. How many things are people good at without practice? So why should making changes to your diet & physique be any different? How did world class athletes get to where they are? By YEARS of practice! I encourage you to strive persistently to your fitness & nutrition goals knowing that if you practice diligently, you’ll achieve them eventually! Promise yourself that you will start making small, positive changes this week toward your goals! If you put small positive steps together, you’ll realize you have made huge gains (or losses of fat and/or weight) over an extended period of time. But don’t look ahead…just one day at a time! Your brother in Christ, Kevin Parker http://home.hot.rr.com/kevinparkers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/drugfreebodybuilding These newsletters are not a substitute for a doctor’s advice, prescription or care. Please have a physical by a qualified physician before embarking on a workout program. |
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