Fitness for Dummies

A lot of times, people assume that it's easy to get or stay in shape. That it comes naturally to people, or that some people are genetically inclined to have their "beach body" all year round. And while there are instances where this can be true, I submit that for the average Joe, the weekend warrior, the desk bound hiking enthusiast, the guy with low back problems, the lady with bad knees, fitness is anything but easy. It's an all out war, won not in a day, a week, or a year, but over time.
This is sub-optimal in our culture that demands results, and demands them now. We want the newest iPhone with the fastest network so we can watch Rebecca Black's latest superhit, the magic pill that strips the weight off and makes us look like a sexy cross between David Beckham and Megan Fox, cliffs notes versions of Twilight...The list goes on and on. I've never had a client tell me that they were ready to work through injury, puking, and frustration for months on end, we want our results now.
So what's a person to do?
Well, if you're among the 63.1% of overweight or obese people in America, the answer is easy. And hard. Well, mostly hard.
If I can instill two values in any given client, I can guarantee success. And I could choose between an average joe with these two values and a professional athlete without, I would take the Joe any day of the week.
Dedication.
Mental-toughness.
There it is, easy.
These two are the x-factor in anyone who is successful in their endeavors. Set your mind to something, and get after it. And keep getting after it. And when it sucks, stay after it. And while it may not seem like much to have those potato chips at your work potluck, and it seems like hell to have to do those last 5 pushups, these are the little battles with which your war is won.

So, if you're still with me at this point, try an experiment tonight.
Get home, find a nice wall in your house, and do a wall-sit

It should look something like this.
Time yourself, and see how long you can hold this position for. Record your time and forget about it. Come back tomorrow, or subscribe to see part II of this article, and go from there.









GET AFTER IT.