Are you fit to be PHAT?

Are you having fat day or a phat day? Fat days are those days when you feel bloated, heavy, water logged or your body is just 'off'.  Phat days are awesome.  You feel trim, washboard stomach, and you're ready to take on the world.

Phat days are so much better than fat days.  Phat days bring a bounce in your step and your self esteem could reach outer space.  Nothing can stand in your way because you feel good, you feel strong, your pants fit, you tightened your belt one more hole when you got dressed. You put on that form fitting shirt. Even you're hair is cooperating. All that healthy eating is paying off. Your nails are growing, your skin is soft and supple and your wrinkles even seem to diminish a little bit.  But most noticeable of all is your broad wide smile!  This healthy living is awesome!  Your dedication and patience is paying off - finally.

But then a fat day comes along.  You're angry. You roll out of bed and feel like the Goodyear blimp. The toilet seat squeaks as you sit down.  You're thinking, I put on five pounds overnight! Your towel doesn't seem to quite wrap all the way around you after your shower.  Then you see it - the scale staring you down,  taunting you, daring you step on.  You're browsing your closet for your 'looser' fitting dress pants and flowing shirt.  It doesn't make sense, you've been working your butt off, sticking to your meal plan and still you are faced with these fat days.

It's fine.  No need to worry and get discouraged as long as you are being honest about the effort you have put forth.  Have you cheated on your food,  have you skipped out on one too many workouts or skimping on your sleep?  Fat days will happen.  Not a big deal.  It's a mind game. Guess what?!  You are in charge so take a deep breath and remember it's only a day or two.  If it becomes a week or two, then you may want to be concerned.  Chances are you are not being honest with yourself.

Our bodies are complex.  Not every day can be a great body day.  Your body may react differently to food choices, sodium, menstrual cycle, climate, stress, etc.  So cherish the phat days and take the fat days in stride.  

Being Healthy is a lot of Damn Work!

I know why people chose to be unhealthy. And it is a choice.  Don't kid yourself. It's a pain in the ass sometimes and living healthy takes up a lot of time.  Time that you could be spending with family, friends, relaxing, eating, drinking, and a million other things.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that everyone who choses a healthy lifestyle loves it all the of the time.  Sometimes it just plain sucks.  But that is when it counts the most. You need to dig deep and fight that inner demon that wants to drag you over to the dark side -"everyone is doing it" mentality.

It is a lifestyle. It is not a diet, a weight loss program or a competition prep phase.  You are destined to fail if you don't view it as a lifestyle, unless of course you want to have a temporary weight loss or temporary good health.  In order to be fit and healthy, you must work at it everyday. You are human, you will have bad days or slip-ups but if you chose to let that de-rail your progress and give up - it's your choice.  A choice you have made to be unhealthy.

It takes time to prepare healthy food.  It takes time to select healthy, unprocessed food, wash it, cut it, weigh it, cook it and package it up. It doesn't always taste good.  Sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you're too tired to make the food that is good for you because it takes too long when that tub of ice cream is just sitting there calling your name.  It's dairy you tell yourself.  Then there is that pizza too. Hey, it's grains, veggies and protein- right?  It is a slippery slope and it becomes steeper and faster with each step you take in the wrong direction.

It's hard to get up early in the morning for a workout or drag your butt to the gym late at night.  You're bed is so soft.  You'll fit your workout in later. It's no big deal that you popped the button off your jeans.  They are old, worn out, you need a new pair anyways. And it's not your fault you have to buy one size larger because they aren't true to size anymore - it's all a game the designers are playing.  You can still wear that cute dress to the graduation party and it will hide your waistline. But will it hide those wings you got going on?

Don't get mad at me for saying these things.  You think them but just don't say them out loud.  I do.  You are your own worst enemy.  But you are also you own best friend.  No one knows you better than you.  You know your weaknesses and your strengths.  If you can' t be honest with yourself, how do you expect anyone else to be honest with you?

So don't be a hater and think that those of us who CHOOSE to be healthy have a great gene pool or a gift of dedication.  We work hard, train hard, and makes sacrifices to be fit and healthy.  It is a choice we have made for ourselves. We cannot make the choice for you and you cannot make it for someone else. You must want it.  You must realize it will be hard sometimes and just plain old suck.  You must realize it will also be great. You will feel an amazing sense of accomplishment with each milestone you reach no matter how big or small.

So quit making excuses and get off you butt. It's summer.  What better time to begin!  The weather is great, the kids are out of school, the sun is out longer, you have a wide variety of outdoor activities to try and could even sign up for a 5K, marathon or a triathlon. Get going!  Don't fail before you ever even begin.