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The thinking and seeking is now over. It’s time to get to work and start your journey. Here’s what to expect and how to succeed.

  1. Prepare – This step is extremely crucial, and is often not given enough attention. There is a time commitment that needs to be fully thought out. You may have a family to take care of, or a full-time job, or maybe you’re going to school, or all of the above! So food preparation is a must! You should never be scrambling to find a healthy option while you’re on the run. All meals must be planned out or prepared in advance. Your exercise schedule should also be mapped out before hand. It may be cliche, but the saying, “Fail to plan, you plan to fail,” is going to make or break this journey.
  2. Application and Execution – This step seems simple enough but how you do something matters just as much as the action of doing it. For example – you may have to do 30 minutes of cardio five days a week. Now, you can get on a treadmill and walk on a slight incline for 30 minutes and there you go, “I’ve fulfilled my requirements.” Or you can get on a stepper and push your body to its limits and after 30 minutes look like you jumped in a pool with your shirt on. How about you cooked a meal for your family and you sit down with your fish and broccoli. You could very easily convince yourself to have one of those pork chops instead and just skip your oatmeal with breakfast tomorrow. You can’t compromise your way to achieving goals. In this, and most would agree, in life in general, you most absolutely get out what you put in.
  3. Habit – After a few weeks of faithfully following the plan, you begin to create a habit. This new found life begins to take hold and the temptations and struggles that you had in the beginning start to fade more and more. Waking up an extra hour to do cardio and eat breakfast is just life now. You don’t toy with the idea of hitting snooze seven times anymore. Sitting in the cafe and eating the same food out of Tupperware everyday isn’t the same dreaded thing as it was when you started  (as your friends eat burgers and fries.) The only way to experience that, however, is through repetition and never giving into temptation. Every time you pass on junk food or wake up for cardio, be proud of yourself! Take pride in the little victories along the way. You get stronger and stronger with each one.
  4. Persevere – You will no doubt face unforeseen challenges but you must become a master of overcoming adversity. You may face a death in the family or maybe something positive, not emotionally devastating, such as a wedding. Whatever it is finding a way to not get derailed is crucial. I’ve seen time and time again – you’re at a wedding or birthday party and your meals are packed but you give in and have a piece of cake. This is not the end of the world unless you let it be. Wake up the next day, shake it off and get back to work. Something as tragic as a funeral might take you away from the gym and your meals for days at a time. But don’t let days turn into weeks. Life happens, so just don’t let life defeat you! Because you’re on a path to a new life and a new you, giving up is giving up on  yourself and there is no joy in that. So go hard and look forward, leave the past where it belongs…in the past.