The 8 “I Wills”

We are all given a certain set of circumstances.  Many of them are beyond our control.  That’s the truth.  That’s life.

This, however, is about something you have control over.  This is about your decision on how to react to your circumstance. Your choice.  Your responsibility.

These are the 8 “I Wills” of healthy living.

I will give up on weight loss. This is the most important rule!  You are not in control of how or when your body decides to convert fat into calories, or calories into fat!  You ARE in control of what you eat, and what you do.  Make living a healthy lifestyle your goal.  Make weight loss a side project, if you must.  Stop treating the symptom.  Start treating the sickness.

I will throw away my scale. You do not need a scale.  You do not need to obsess over your weight.  Being overweight is a symptom of a bigger problem.  Measuring your weight every day gives you an inaccurate gauge on your progress.  Check it occasionally at the doctor’s office, or gym.

I will make my house a ‘health sanctuary’. If there is one place in the world you should be safe from the things of this world that you choose to forsake, your home should be that place.  You can’t eat what’s not there.  Get rid of the junk, and only allow what’s good and right in through those doors.

I will re-prioritize my budget. Changing your lifestyle is going to cause a shift in your budgetary needs.  One of the problems you will face is that healthy food tends to cost more money than junk! If you spend money on healthy food, you are investing in a better life.  If you spend money on junk, then you are investing in short-term gratification, thus making your money work towards your demise.  Think about it!

I will reward myself with things that are productive to my goal, not counterproductive. I used to workout and diet really hard, and reward my diligence by pigging out!  It makes no sense!  Don’t get into this mindset that your healthy life is torture, and your only salvation is that junk-food-binge reward.  You were a prisoner who forfeits his power of choice before, now you’re free.

I will be prepared. My weakness was in the spur-of-the-moment.  I would decide to go out and eat when we were out for a day.  I had to start being prepared.  I made a list of all the restaurants in the area.  Then I made a list of what I would and wouldn’t allow myself to order there.  I started packing fruits and vegetables everywhere we go.  Do whatever it takes!  Don’t let anything get in your way!  Be radical!  It’s your health we’re talking about and this is war!  Be a strategist!

I will be positive. You can’t always choose your circumstance.  You can’t choose what emotions you feel.  But, you can choose what you say, what you believe, and what you do.  Don’t chose to become the person that hates a healthy lifestyle.  Don’t let the emotions and the circumstances translate into words and actions.  Aspire to be bigger than that!

I will embrace challenges. Don’t cower from a challenge.  Be a problem solver.  Devise a solution.  IDENTIFY.  FORMULATE.  EXECUTE.  Choose to overcome, or choose to find out how.  Don’t run from challenges.  Challenges are inevitable for those who want to make it!

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