In observing the worlds of diet and fitness I have seen a lot of odd things. I write about many of these things and they often involve the idea of discordance. That is, there is a conflict or a lack of harmony between what people are doing to get slim, strong and healthy and the truth. The unfortunate result is the failure of most people to reach their physical goals. Exposing this obvious “lack of harmony” in the diet and fitness world is rather easy. We are surrounded by almost $60 billion worth of answers, yet failure is everywhere. Yet, there is no shortage of hard work or discipline. Public motivation and desire to succeed has never been greater. It seems people are killing themselves trying to get into attractive shape and become healthy. I have never seen misdirected energy on such a grand scale.
To me, some of the best examples of this disparity between reality and the fitness industry’s ineffective solutions are represented by the some of many diet and fitness guru’s we are supposed to follow. You see these folks on television selling their fitness programs and on some of the television shows where obese people are competing to lose weight. I work in the same industry. Allow me to describe many of their lifestyles. First, these people practically “live” in the gym. They aren’t just surrounded by the world of diet and fitness – they are immersed in it. Their friends, their girlfriends or boyfriends, their careers and money, everything comes from this industry. This is what they do, everyday. They eat, sleep, work and play in the fitness world. There are a few of these folks that I have known who I have never (ever) seen wearing anything but workout clothing. Almost everything for them is about diet and fitness – their professions, businesses, relationships, lifestyle, culture, food, friends and travel.
Does this sound like they have ANYTHING in common with us? Do they go “drinking” on the weekend or at least every now and then? Are they surrounded by unhealthy processed food choices like most of us are on a daily basis? Are they also surrounded by other people living unhealthy lifestyles? Do they go to work every day in an office where they don’t get to move around? Do they need to spend countless hours every day raising kids? Not the ones I have known. Quite the contrary – EVERYTHING in their lives revolves around THEIR physical fitness.
We try our hardest to “fit” some aspect of fitness into our busy lives. With these folks it’s just the opposite. Why then are we emulating them? Why are we trying to become like them when it is actually impossible unless we open gyms and begin careers as personal trainers?
Please don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with living this healthy and active a lifestyle. I think it’s wonderful. After all, this is what these people do for a living. I am very aware of this as it is now what I do for a living. I submit to you though, that they represent a complete illusion. We buy their diet and fitness products, often because of the way these folks look. Yet, they live a fitness lifestyle that we will never, ever be able to realistically embrace. Indeed, for most of us the hope is to spend a minimal amount of time in the gym but for the most results possible.
I strongly submit to you that to succeed one first needs to consider ONLY diet and fitness ideas that fit OUR lives. We need harmonious and effective methods that elegantly match our lifestyles. This vital matter of practicality is the first step to actually getting somewhere. No matter how glitzy and attractive the fitness industry’s solutions (or physiques) seem, they will do nothing for you if this initial caveat is never met. This is the primary reason why so many of us buy so many of these ideas when we see their advertisements and promises, only to quit shortly thereafter.
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