It has been a while since I wrote a blog. Two weeks to be exact.
Part of the reason is the effort of running a business and looking after a husband with a dodgy heart, but part of it is de-motivation. De-motivation of what you may ask. The answer is simple: I realised most people do not want to be healthy. The average Joe Blog is happy to get sick and pay medical bills of thousands of dollars rather than prevent this sickness by doing a little thing called exercising. And I built my entire business around showing people how to become healthy, it's what I do best.
The psychology fascinates me: people will spend a lot of money on manicures, the hairdresser, massages, even a dog groomer (hopefully for their dogs) to make themselves feel better. But when they look at me, a personal trainer, they make a big deal of telling me how expensive personal training is. How they can’t afford it. And oh, they don’t have time either, they are way too busy. Too busy eating, too busy manicuring and pedicuring. In short, exercise takes effort. Pampering does not. Pampering wins.
Unfortunately those are also the exact same people who will be most confused when they eventually fall ill. Because sister, if you don’t look after your health you WILL get sick, whether you like it or not. Your expensive hairdo and nails are not going to stop weight gain. It will not stop diabetes. It will definitely not stop the cold and flu.
Exercise. That is what stops all those nasty things that will eventually bite you in the butt. Oh, I hear you say, I take the cheap road, I’ll go to the local gym and do my own thing. Join a group class, walk on the treadmill while I read a book. Fine with me. But let me predict what can happen based on years of hard experience:
1. Your first month at the gym is great. Everything is new, the instructors are cute, you are loving it. Winter kicks in. The days are dark and gloomy, and so is your will power. You find one excuse after another not to hit the gym today. Or tomorrow. Or the day after. In the meantime that gym is taking your money because you signed a contract, and let’s face it, they really really don’t care if you don’t show up.
2. You join a group class. You love the vibe and energy, everyone around you is going flatout. You don’t want to look stupid so decide to join the flatout gang. But you forgot they have been doing it for a long time, and you have not. You are too stiff to walk the next day, possibly injured. You decide the pain is not worth it.
3. You don’t know how to use the machines at the gym. They look so intimidating, you are convinced you need a degree in science to operate them. You finally pluck up the courage and ask that cute instructor to help you. They show you how to use the machines really quickly. As in “let me show you how it works in 10 minutes”. When you come back tomorrow you will have forgotten half the instructions. So you feel stupid. And feel everyone is watching you. Believe me, they are.
After all that time you decide to spend money on a qualified and knowledgeable personal trainer. Suddenly you see results (providing you listen to your trainer), and because your exercise is based on appointments you will show up. Because bosses don’t cancel, right? You have a person who really cares waiting for you. No more injuries, and there is variety in you exercises. You realise McDonalds is no longer your friend, and your health improves by the day. Imagine that…
My suggestion? Stop imagining and spend your money on a personal trainer instead of a manicure. Just book in for one session to see if you like the personalised attention, no contracts no fuss.
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