Fit for Life: Success Takes Time on All Levels

Fit for Life: Success Takes Time on All Levels

It's the small things that make a big difference not only positive but negative ways also. We all know that trying to live a healthy lifestyle is a big commitment. Overall it seems like an unattainable goal for most. You need to constantly be buying fresh food, paying attention to everything you eat, finding time to exercise, and when you do find time, it takes a lot of effort to make it through a workout.

The same goes with trying to be successful in your career. It's a big task.

Long hours, full schedules of work, emails, errands, etc. when you look at the whole picture, these are huge mountains to climb, but you can't get to the top in one giant step, it takes lots of smaller steps to get to the top.

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One of the first steps one needs to take is to start eliminating small negatives that effect your health or life in general. I was with my cousin the other day and she ordered an iced coffee with extra/extra of cream and sugar. She wants to lose some weight, so I informed her that cutting 4 of these drinks weekly will reduce her empty calorie consumption by 1000. Another small change you could make would be to pack your own lunch. You would be able to eat quality food, measure the proper amount and save about $8 a day.

Plus, you would save yourself 1/2 of your lunch break getting your food. Another small step in your quest for health would be to get to bed on time. The benefits of a good nights rest are invaluable, they are but not limited to increased energy, elevated mood, cellular repair, muscle growth, just to name a few, and this is a habit that is cost-free.

Eating breakfast is another small yet important habit to get into. When we sleep we basically fast, so to not have anything to eat before starting your day will not only lower your energy levels, it slows your metabolism, causing you to store more and burn less body fat. This can be avoided by eating 2 hard boiled eggs prepared the night before and some fruit and you have a quick healthy jump start to your day. Another small step that is time efficient is to crank up a couple short 15-30-minute workouts during the week. You could do a non-stop body weight /plyometric workout, just about anywhere and even if you already hit the gym, these workouts will torch body fat while maintaining muscle.

I am in an industry where I hear a lot of excuses, and reasons why someone "can't", and it is my job to make people believe that they can. If you pile a mound too big for someone to climb, they will most likely fail, but if you present this mound one stone at a time, the intimidation factor diminishes, and the success rate rises. I say to conquer your fitness and health goals one small positive change at a time, but you must initiate and take the first step.

Success takes time on all levels.

Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one.