Number 10 of 10 tips to transition to a healthy lifestyle and weight

10. It's a Marathon, not a Sprint. To transition to a healthier lifestyle and weight, approach getting healthy as you would train for a marathon, by incorporating principles into your life slowly that will ultimately produce long term health and endurance.

Here are some thoughts on the transition:

A. Don't Compare Yourself to Others:

I was at the gym the other day, running on the indoor track because it's way too hot in August to run outside. There were two other women and they were walking at a quick pace. I found myself running past them and I had the opportunity to feel cocky if I wanted to; but I happen to know that no matter where you are in life somebody is always further along than you, so don't compare yourself to someone else, compare your progress instead.

As if to confirm this thought, a young woman came on the track as the other two left. She started to run at full speed. She swept passed me while I was still in what quickly became obvious was a slow run. I could have become insecure about my pace but again I've come to a place where I refuse to compare myself with others. Instead I compared my progress to a year ago. Now my workouts are longer and much more intense than before; and I don't feel like I'm going to die at the end of them (ha ha), so I took pride in my own progress and refused  to compare. I did admittedly push the pace up a little on my run.

Comparisons doom you to failure. They breed jealous insecurity or prideful arrogance. There will always be somebody further along the journey or just beginning. For those who are further along I choose to be excited for them and glean what wisdom I can from them and for those who are just beginning I encourage and offer support.

B. Baby Steps:

The other thing I noticed that day is the young woman who was running on the track was actually doing sprints. So, she would run as fast as she could and then drop to a slow walking pace. She did this repeatedly. Sprinting is actually great for burning fat, increasing your metabolism and gaining muscle. However sprinting does not help you if you are trying to go for long distances. I noticed that even though the woman who was sprinting was zooming past me, ultimately she wasn't taking as much ground as I was at my slower pace.  She also left the track about 20 minutes after she had begun while I was on the track for about an hour. I'm sure she had different fitness goals, that's not the point. The point is when we decide to get healthier in our bodies, emotions and spirit, we need to think more like a marathon then a sprint.

Try thinking this is for life, not just until I get back in my skinny clothes, or you're doomed to repeat the yo-yo diet routine. This pattern consists of a realization that I need to get healthy, so I generally starve myself and go for a 5 mile run and then the next day after I wake up dizzy from hunger and sore head to toe, I give up and go back to my regular lifestyle routine of bad habits. Don't get me wrong, yo-yo dieting is way better than just continuing to gain weight. You always hear about how bad yo-yo dieting is for you, which it is, but if I hadn't yo-yoed in my weight in the past I would be at a dangerously unhealthy weight. There is however a better way. Renew the way you think about health and incorporate principles into your life that produce positive results long term. Over time you will see huge beneficial changes that will last a lifetime. Become a student of health, so that you can fully enjoy your life, relationships and ultimately finish this journey strong.

C. Choose to Commit: 

I've talked to people who tell me they just can't put the time in to work out or prepare healthy food, so then I ask them to add up the hours of TV they watch a week. This is always the moment of truth. How much is your health worth? Are you willing to sacrifice something to become healthier? The reality is there is a cost and at times it's painful but it's worth it. There are things in my life I am just devoted to. I am devoted to my faith, my family and loved ones and my health. It takes sacrifice in areas of my life to be devoted to all of these things. You will not see results in areas you're not devoted too.

Make the decision to do whatever you need to to become healthier right now no matter if you're battling  with sickness or you feel fine. Choose to invest in yourself, which may come off as selfish to some but it's the best gift you can give anybody.

Begin by Incorporating the Other 9 Tips:

1. Upgrade what you drink (take the empty calories, processed sugars and artificial sweeteners out of what you drink)
2. Get Moving (start exercising and make it fun)
3. Get Real (start eating real foods and eliminate processed foods)
4. Supplement yourself (supplement your diet with vitamins, minerals, essential oils, and herbs)
5. Stress way less (learn to relax)
6. Get our of denial (find out your important numbers: BMI, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, etc.)
7. Make meals sacred (eat to live, don't live to eat)
8. Invest in relationships (relationships will determine your level of joy and health in your life)
9. Make new habits (exchange unhealthy habits for healthy ones)

Other thoughts to help in this quest for health: 

• Try a personnel trainer if you can afford it or get a group of friends to meet up and walk after work. 
• Check out Dr. Oz (Mehmet Oz, M.D). He is great. I love, love love him. Renew the way you think on health. He is an active cardiothoracic surgeon and also embraces alternative medicines. http://www.doctoroz.com/ 
• Check out Jordin Rubin, he is amazing. His diet, The Maker's Diet, helped cure him from Crohns disease which is considered incurable. I live pretty much on this diet and totally feel the difference from any other diet I've been on. It is completely livable and produces great health in your life.  http://www.jordanrubin.com/
• Look into support groups such as Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery and others. Support is so important to success in changing habits. 

Have faith that you can accomplish your goals and endure the process that takes you there because if you don't no one else will. Don't forget you are building a destiny. Build a great one.