By Coach Jimmy Hays Nelson
I swear that was my mantra from elementary school age until my early 20’s! Have you ever felt that way? You decide you are ready to take that next step. You truly have a burning desire to finally start taking action to live a healthier lifestyle, but you have NO IDEA where to start!
There has never been more information available about weight loss, fitness, health and nutrition. But what is the right plan? There are so many options:
- Low Fat Diet
- Atkins Diet
- Paleo Caveman Diet
- Cabbage, Lemonade, Cayenne Cleanses
- Dukan Diet
- MMA Training
- Bootcamps
- Gym Classes
- High Cardio
- Low Impact Cardio
- Cross Fit
- P90X
- The Biggest Loser
- Personal Trainers
- Long Distance Running
- Burst Training
Sometimes having too many choices is as paralyzing as having no choice. Every time we read one report, see news broadcasts, or hear from a friend about a program that works, we can be immediately bombarded with another message saying why the complete opposite strategy is the REAL solution to weight loss struggles. This carousel of messages can be frustrating and overwhelming to the point where we don’t take any action at all.
At the end of the day our heart is truly screaming, “I’m willing to do what it takes. Just tell me what HONESTLY WORKS! No hype. No empty promises. I just want to know that what I’m going to do will really work!”
So how do we cut through the fluff and find what truly works? I wish I was a doctor, personal trainer or a nutritionist who has a research based, scientific answer for you. But, I’m not! I’m just a former fat guy who was plugged into a simple system that told me what to do each day, what to eat, and surrounded me with supportive people.
I was willing to try because of a recommendation of a friend. I had a co-worker who kept looking better and better, so I HAD to ask him what he was doing. I thought, if it is working for him, it can work for me! There is nothing special or different about him. Why NOT me?
At the end of the day my hope for you is that you find the desire of your heart. Most people I’m in contact with want to improve their health and fitness in one way or another. The most amazing thing I find is the reason for wanting to get fit usually goes way beyond squeezing into skinny jeans. Is there something in your life you have been scared to pursue because, in one way or another, your fitness level holds you back? I know that was the case for me!
I had a desire to be a stage and screen actor. But how could I honestly pursue that with 100% effort when I wasn’t even comfortable in my own skin? The thought of standing on stage in front of hundreds of people was intimidating because what would they think of this awkward fat guy trying to be a leading man. And let’s not even talk about the fear of the extra 10 pounds the camera adds! So I found lots of ways to self-sabotage my acting dreams, and try to blame circumstances and others for my failure.
Maybe your dream isn’t to be an actor. Maybe you would love to change careers, go back to school or start a business. I don’t know what it is, but I do know you DO have a dream. You may have forgotten it, or buried it so deep under life’s disappointments that it may take some digging. What was the thing you dreamed of doing at 10, 11, 12 years old? Why did you give up on it? Does your current physical state tie in with giving up on your dream?
I’m not here to tell you which program is best for you. Or to persuade you on why.
Do pick a Plan! And in choosing what it is you are going to do I would encourage you to ask yourself 3 things:
1. Has it worked for others? Testimonies from real people let us know if a plan is a good theory or actually produces results.
2. Is it safe? Just because someone dropped 20 pounds in 1 week, doesn’t mean it is good for you! Check the facts!
3. Is this something that I can do long term? Don’t be a yo-yo! Losing 15 pounds only to put 30 back on because the plan is too strict is worse on your body than if you didn’t lose any weight!
The last thing to take into consideration when picking your plan is SUPPORT. Most people I know that start a new nutrition or fitness plan on their own end up quitting. It’s not a reflection on the person or their desire to change. Everyone has bad days! Resistance will come! It always does when we pursue a worthy cause.
On those days when you want to quit, will you? If you have someone else to lean on in those hard times, you are much more likely to pick yourself up and keep going. Remember, it isn’t how many times you fall down that counts. Its how many times you get up! It’s always easier to get up with positive, encouraging support.
If you have that burning desire to take action to change but feel completely alone, I invite you to connect with me on my Facebook Page.
Don’t give up! You are worth pursuing the dreams and goals God put in your heart!
I’m in this thing WITH YOU!!!! – Coach Jimmy
Jimmy Hays Nelson Beachbody Coach is a self-proclaimed ‘former fat guy’. In his mid 20’s he was an overweight college dropout, who found himself living back at home with his parents. Knowing something had to change, he took action.
Through his transformation journey he lost 100 pounds, started his own business, was featured in the Shaun T workout series INSANITY, and has been seen multiple times on QVC with his buddy Tony Horton promoting P90X.
He founded NELSONGY FITNESS with his wife Kelly to reach out to give hope and support to those that are dissatisfied with their current situation. Whether you are lacking physically, emotionally, financially, or nutritionally we are here to help you see REAL RESULTS!