WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?

“I try to get to the gym, but work always gets in the way?”

“Training? Oh yeah, I train when I find the time.”

“I’d love to be able to work out more, but I’m just so busy at the moment.”

EXCUSES….. all of them

They’re not valid reasons as to why you’re unfit, out of shape, overweight, and miserable. They’re weak, limp, lily-livered excuses.

Now, that might sound harsh.

And yep, I’ll give you that.

But I’ll be honest, I’m not just talking to you here – I’m also talking to the David (that’s me) of 5 years ago too.

The same David who thought that the gym was for two types of people….

• Bored housewives living off hubby’s 6-figure salary and looking for ways to fill the gaps between lunch with the girls and afternoon tea.
• Professional athletes, who made a living from their physique and physical prowess.

But for me?

A Busy guy in the corporate world?

Well, being in shape would have been nice and all, but really, I had far more important things to be doing with my spare time.

You’re probably doing the same thing too – equating being busy and stressed with not having time to train.

But here’s the thing …

YOU’RE WRONG!

POOR YOU – YOU MUST BE SOOOOO BUSY!

So you’re working 60-hour weeks.

Commuting an extra 10 on top of that.

Answering emails from home.

Missing out on family time so you can get your spread sheets done.

And getting up in the middle of the night to chat with the big wigs in China via Skype.

No one’s going to argue that this isn’t stressful or demanding, and it’s enough to give any guy a bit of aggro, and make him think that he simply can’t fit any more into an already jam-packed schedule.

The inevitable happens…. you use this lack of time as an excuse.

And I bet you’re using it as the reason why you eat like crap too. Correct?

Because who has time to cook up Tupperware containers full of chicken, broccoli and avocados, right?

You can’t be standing there for hours every night, slaving over a hot stove to boil a mountain of veggies, prepare piles of salad and grill organic, wild-caught salmon fillets.

Healthy food is time-consuming to make….. apparently.

Hell, you spent 15 minutes last week just trying to find out what this “quinoa” thing was – and you’re still none the wiser.

Screw it – there’s a KFC just round the corner from the office. A Zinger burger tastes semi-decent and it‘s only 7 minutes from getting up to being back down behind the desk with food in hand.

That vending machine down the corridor is just so handy when you need a mid-afternoon “pick-me-up” of a Kit Kat and a Coke.

And how about the oh-so-convenient Costa right outside the train station?

You can’t find gaps for something as trivial as training when your time’s this pressurised.

ARE YOU HAPPY TO DIE EARLY?

Again, some firm words on my part.

But this Shit really is serious.

How many times do you hear of stressed-out company execs keeling over at 50 from heart disease?

Or guys in their 30s who go for a BUPA check-up and come out being told they’re in the same shape as someone at retirement age?

Do you really think you can perform at your best – not just at work, but in your home and family life too – if your old ticker is under so much stress from the fact you never move faster than a walking pace, and couldn’t care less about what food goes into your mouth?

Health and Fitness is MORE IMPORTANT than your work.

Not only will it help you be more productive, and, to use one of my favourite sayings ‘Get Shit Done’ it will also make you a better father, husband, son and friend (check this video out from Bedros Keuillian – it’s a masterclass on GSD).

NO-ONE ‘FINDS’ THE TIME

When I realised this, things changed.

All the excuses I used to use…

• My job.
• Chores around the house.
• Having to pick up the kids from various practices and rehearsals.
• Anniversary dinners, weddings, reunions and drinks with friends.
• Getting stuck in the rush-hour traffic.

They weren’t reasons for me not placing health and fitness on a pedestal.

They were simply justifications to make myself feel better about being fat and lazy.

Look at it this way – if something is important to you, you might not ‘find’ time for it, but you ‘MAKE‘ time.

And what’s more important and worth making time for than your health?

FACT #1: EXERCISE DOESN’T TAKE THAT LONG

So many guys think a gym session has to last an hour.

It doesn’t.

You can be in and out within 20 to 30 minutes.

Stuck for something to do? Try these workouts I guarantee it’ll be worth it – it’s less than 75 minutes of training time ever week.

WORKOUT #1

1. Superset #1: deadlifts (4 x 5) with dumbbell lunges (4 x 8-10 per leg).
2. Superset #1: incline dumbbell press (3 x 10-12) with chin-ups (3 x maximum reps).
3. Superset #3: standing alternate shoulder press (3 x8-10) with cable rows (3 x 8-10).

 [note: numbers in brackets denote sets x reps]

WORKOUT #2

Perform the following as a circuit for 10 reps each, resting as needed and complete as many rounds as possible in 30 minutes…

1. dumbbell goblet squat
2. press ups
3. reverse lunges
4. lat pulldowns
5. burpees
6. v-ups

WORKOUT #3

Find a bike, elliptical, or any cardio machine, warm up for 2 minutes, then sprint as hard as you can for 15 seconds, before going steady for 45 seconds. Repeat 10 times, then add on a 3 minute cool down.

FACT #2: YOU DON’T EVEN NEED A GYM

Don’t believe me?

Then I recommend you read this article. It may just change your mind. Read this –

BUT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE…..

Come on …

You know it.

All that stuff I wrote above, deep down you were nodding your head, thinking “David, I’m with you, I’ve been told this before, and you’re right, I SHOULD do something about it.”

But will you?

Most guys won’t.

And there are several reasons for this…

#1. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EAT

This Is simple. Here’s my preferred solution…. The Really Simple Guide to the Paleo Diet.

It changed my life.

#2. YOU’RE WORRIED PEOPLE WILL LAUGH

It’s OK. It might sound vulnerable to say so, but we’re all self-conscious. How is NOT losing weight and getting fitter going to help that though?

And if you’re really that embarrassed, find out how to Exercise without even leaving the house.

#3. YOU THINK FITNESS ISN’T FOR YOU

If fitness isn’t for you, then I guess the alternative – being overweight, unhappy, hating your physique and letting the people around you down IS what you want?

So I’ll ask again….

WHAT IS REALLY HOLDING YOU BACK?

Before closing this, going back to check Facebook, or answering your emails, just have a think about the following….

• Do you really want to achieve a lean and fit body?
• Are you unsure how you can achieve it?
• Are you unable to picture yourself in a lean and fit and healthy body?
• Do you have a powerful enough reason WHY you want to lose the weight?

This is all achievable, but it’s on no one but YOU.