Patience in your Fitness and Nutrition Goals

By Jason Anderson

It is evident in today's world, we live in a time of instant gratification. When we want something, we want it now, and there are a lot of areas in life where we have figured out how to make it happen. Most of us have – at our fingertips – a device to make calls, send emails, text, take pictures, look up information, order items, listen to music, plan our schedule (or read an article!), and more. While we certainly enjoy the convenience of doing all these things, it hasn't helped us develop that ever-important quality of patience that so many of us lack. While we have come a long way in the name of progress, some things take time, and you can't hurry. Two of those things are reaching our goals regarding weight/nutrition and fitness.

We've all probably heard the old saying, ' Rome wasn't built in a day.'  When it comes to our healthy living goals, the same applies. Fitness is not gained overnight, and it is not lost overnight, either. Studies show you can miss about two weeks of exercise before losing fitness – but I don't recommend it! When it comes to significant weight gain, those of us who have "been there-done that" can probably attest that it didn't happen over one meal or even over a week of vacation (but a big meal can sure make you feel like you gained five!). For us to make and sustain the change and avoid frustration, we have to understand whether it is a marathon and not a sprint. It is not a one-time decision to get healthy but a series of daily, and sometimes hourly, smaller decisions that determine if we will be successful or not.

I mentioned that success in this area is like a marathon and not a sprint. Most people do not just get up one day and go and run 26.2 miles. To build up to that kind of distance, you start small. Even your long run may seem small initially, but you keep showing up. You keep getting out there. Rain or shine, cold or hot, feeling like it or not – you keep at it, stay the course, and remain consistent. After you have paid the price, you enjoy the rewards of your work when you cross that finish line. I used to have a running coach tell us that on the day of the race, the work has either been done or hasn't. There is nothing you can do on that day but show up and get what you worked for. The "greatest of all time" professional boxer, Muhammad Ali, once said, "The fight is won on the lonely roads, in the dark, when no one is looking before I dance under all those lights!"

Let it start today! What small thing can you do that, compounded over time, will mean a huge difference in your health? Will you decide today to drink water instead of that sugary drink? Will you decide today to add a piece of fruit to your diet? Will you choose to put away that e-cigarette? Will you decide today to exercise by taking a walk or joining that group exercise class? The small things, again, compounded over time, lead to big wins. The decisions may not be easy, but they will always be worth it. Just ask the man or woman who has lost their health. It has been said a healthy man wants a thousand things, a sick man - only one.

Whether you aspire to run a marathon, be a world champion boxer, or improve your health by exercising and creating better eating habits, just remember that the small, daily decisions matter. Even if you fail, one slip doesn’t mean failure, just like one right decision doesn't mean total victory. You get what you repeat. Make the next right move and keep making good decisions.

Jason Anderson is the Manager of Health & Fitness at Owensboro Health Healthpark.