To Lose, Give

One of my goals each day is to be a philanthropist. I mean that each day I try to give away my most valuable possessions. The funny thing about it is the more I give away, the more I seem to receive. Oh, and by the way, I don’t mean money, not by a long shot. And no, not a big diamond ring or a Lexus either! I believe that our most prized possessions are far more valuable than even those. Think I’ve had one protein shake too many? Well. Maybe so, but I stand by my belief anyways.

“So what are my most valuable possessions?” you may be asking.  Well, your most valuable possessions aren’t tangible.  You can’t touch them, hold them, or put them in a box.  And, sadly, not everyone realizes that they even have these treasures. But, if you do, they likely exist in vast quantities and are limitless in their depth. So what are they? Well, - love is the greatest, but there are others such as compassion, kindness and respect. Each of these are like gold coins that you should freely give away each and every day of your life. Certainly, if you have lived at all, you understand this.

Interestingly, one of the other great gifts that you have can often get lost in the treasure chest. In fact, it is usually seen as having lesser value than the rest. But, the fact is that your “word” or your “promise” is one of the most valuable coins in the chest. You see, when you give someone your word, the value attached to it is directly related to your own personal value. Remember when they used to say that you are only as good as your word? Well, it’s true.

So, why does all of this matter to you? Because, health and fitness are about more than just what’s on the outside. In fact, I believe that a complete and fulfilled life can only be achieved when you are healthy both internally and externally. There simply aren’t enough push ups, sit ups and dieting that can be done to transform you into the best version of yourself that has ever been.

So how do you make this transformation and become an amazing, life influencing, world changing person? Start by realizing that you have these internal gifts and use them –on yourself! First, give yourself your word, a promise, that you are going to change. That you are going to get healthy and ultimately, happy. Next, love yourself enough to follow through. Be forgiving when you make mistakes and respect yourself for your daily efforts. Soon, you will see the transformation taking place and you will start feeling alive again. Along with this, eat healthy and exercise often.  Life can be lived many ways, -all of them are up to you.

Want to become truly rich in life? Be a philanthropist. Give your word and hold true to it. Love without limits. Be kind to everyone, even those who deserve it least and in the end, you will find that your own life has become rich beyond belief!

 

Ron

The Moon Is Yours

On September 12^th, 1962 President John F. Kennedy spoke words to me that forever changed the way I see the pursuit of health and fitness. Mind you, I am too young to have heard the words in person; in fact, it was some 20 years after his famous speech that I first heard the words that would profoundly impact the rest of my life.

You see, President Kennedy was talking about going to the moon. He asked “Why choose this as our goal -And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain?” to which he responds “We choose to go to the moon and do the other things…not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” It is these very words that have motivated me for many years and which have also served to differentiate between those who would be wildly successful in their journey and those who never will.

Nearly every day I meet people who are at the beginning of their weight loss and fitness journey. I listen very carefully to their words. Most say “I need to do this.” Few say ‘I want to do this.” And, as it goes, I rarely choose to work with those who only claim to “need” to do this. That may seem harsh, but I think my reasoning becomes clearer when you look deeper into President Kennedy’s words.

At the time the President gave his speech, the Soviets had already made great strides in the “space race’ and were nearly four years ahead of us. Clearly the President could have made the case that we “need” to go to the moon, but he didn’t. His words reflected an attitude in our country that was greater than that. Nowhere in his speech do you hear that we “need” to go to the moon, but rather  we “choose” to go to the moon.

Perhaps an even greater treasure found in President Kennedy’s words is the reason behind “choosing” to go to the moon. Plain and simply put, he said we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy –but because it is hard. Think about that for a moment. When was the last time you chose to do ANYTHING because it was the harder thing to do? Perhaps now is your time.

Make the choice today to do something great for yourself for two basic reasons: because you CHOOSE to and because it is the HARD thing to do.  Oh, and one more thing. If you truly read this and get it, you will discover that these words apply to more than health and fitness. These are words to apply to life! Here is a part of the President’s speech. Read it then get ready to launch on your journey!

"It's hazards are hostile to us all. It's conquest deserves the best of all mankind and it's opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again. But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And many may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago fly the Atlantic? Why does rice play Texas? We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one we are willing to accept, unwilling to postpone and one which we intend to win..."

Fall In Love Again

If you weren't a close friend of hers, you wouldn't have known of the hours and hours she had spent getting ready to meet someone special. The truth is her friends suspected that something was going on for months because she was just not acting like herself. You know how it goes, when you have someone new in your life you hardly eat, you seem to live everyday distracted by your thoughts, -we've all been there.

To many, she seemed so distracted, so occupied. Even her appetite seemed to have changed. Several months back she was the life of the party, drinking and eating like everyone else, complaining about life and well, just normal. Now, she seems to only want to eat salads and lean meats, and she rarely ever has dessert anymore. One thing we all noticed though, she seems to be happier. That was the dead giveaway. Anyone who seems preoccupied, eats less and yet still seems happy obviously has someone new in her life!

One day she asked me to join her at the gym. Now, I may not be Mr. Unhealthy but I am also not a gym rat. In fact, it’s been years since I have really worked out with any consistency. You know, busy life, work, all that! But, I had a hunch that if I were to join her, I might see and even meet this special new person in her life. So, reluctantly I agreed and showed up at 5:30 am tired and weary to go.

We walked on the treadmill, lifted weights and just generally sweated! And, as much as I wanted to be done and leave, I also had a burning desire to see this person that makes her smile more every day. Finally, the torture was over and we headed to the water fountains. I have to say I was disappointed that “Special” didn't show. Maybe another time, I thought.

Then it happened. I saw an amazing smile break across her face. Standing right there in front of her was the person I had been hoping so much to meet, their eyes locked on one another. I have to admit, “Special” was stunning! Her special person was lean, healthy and just looked so happy! In a word, “Special” had the things we all look for in a person we want in our lives.

In just a moment, the meeting was over. My friend and I stepped away from the mirror and I knew that my friend had discovered someone really special, -herself. The “her” she had wanted so desperately to be. Lean, healthy and above all, happy! She had been eating clean and working out regularly knowing that there was someone special within herself just waiting for her to open the doors!

If you have been looking for that someone “special” within yourself, today is your day. Make the decision to start eating healthy and exercising. I assure you that there is someone special just waiting to meet you! By joining the Ultimate Body Program, we can have you back in love in about 20 weeks.  Fall in love again with yourself and see what life has to offer. You won’t be disappointed. Call me at 214-783-5440 to discuss how we can help you get there!

The Greatest Discovery

Years ago, when I went through my own body transformation, I believed I knew myself. I was the son to my mom and the brother to my brother, etc. However, I knew nothing about what I was truly made of.  There was always this belief that I was strong and that I had resolve. In a word, I believed that I could handle anything that life threw at me, but this theory was yet untested and unproven.

As I went through the process of losing weight, I found myself many, many times exercising alone, pushing the cardio machine through countless drops of sweat. There were many unhealthy meals that went uneaten. At times, I felt like I was completely alone on my mission and wondered if I would succeed. I remember many times just having to lose myself in my music in order to make it through each workout. To make matters worse, the results seemed to come so slowly.  But, I pushed on, every day, meal by meal, workout by workout.

In the end, after a collection of many workouts and multiple meals of clean healthy eating, I discovered myself in the mirror. There I stood, lean and fit and smiling. But, looking back, I realize that the true transformation had occurred on the inside. Sure, the outside looked completely different, but the inside reflected the real changes. No longer did I just believe I was strong, instead I KNEW I was strong. There was no longer any doubt in my mind that I had what it took to succeed, at anything. For me, all of those countless hours of workouts and healthy meals helped me discover myself.

How well do you know yourself?  I believe that you may be so tied up in your daily life and the routine of it all that perhaps you have completely lost touch with who you really are. Sure, you may be called mom, brother, husband or wife, but who are you to YOU?

I would like to challenge you right now to find out. Yes, I am asking you to start working out and eating healthy. And, at the same time I am hopeful that in those most difficult moments, when you just want to give up and throw in the towel, that you instead reach deep and find your strength. My hope is that you will hate always eating healthy and yet do it anyways. In the end, I am certain that not only will you have a whole new, healthy body and better quality of life, but you will also discover (or rediscover) yourself -The real you, stripped of all of life’s nonsense and instead standing there transformed and proven.

Get started today. Make a decision to be different. Make the hard choices and ultimately make this about a personal journey to discover something amazing… yourself!

Choices

I nearly choked on my turkey burger as the man walked up to the table beside us. He was a big guy with huge muscles nearly ripping through his tight fitting suit. If I were to guess, he looked like a guy named Guido. And I would tell you what color his eyes were, except that he had sunglasses on. Honestly, this guy was intimidating! So cautiously I watched. It seemed as if “Guido” had found who he was looking for. 

She was a middle aged woman, dressed in work out clothes as if she had just come from a spin class or something.  I remember her because she had been sitting next to me in the restaurant for the last 20 minutes or so with another friend who also looked like one of those work out people. I will never forget what happened next.  

You see, sitting right there in the middle of the table was a small basket of bread. Beside the bread was a small plate of butter. The whole time I had been sitting there, I noticed that neither of the ladies had touched the bread. But, clearly that was not the desire of Mr. Guido. With a stern face and a deep sigh, Guido carefully picked up a piece of the bread and spread butter on it with precision. He paused for a moment, then, with a sigh, handed the bread to one of the ladies. She looked almost helpless as she took a bite of the bread. Guido then cracked his knuckles and the lady ate faster. In fact, Guido didn’t even have to butter her next two pieces of bread; she did that herself.

I noticed that Guido hung around until dessert time when he also forced the lady to have a piece of cheesecake.  After the cheesecake was gone, Guido walked away with a sly smile on his face, stating ‘I’ll see you for dinner.”

Thankfully, this didn’t really happen; however, every single day we are faced with choices. We can choose to eat healthy, or not -it’s all up to us! Usually when we do make the bad choices, we say to ourselves “I just had to have that cheesecake…or those cookies…or that such and such” as if Guido himself were standing there forcing us to eat unhealthy. The simple truth is that the only Guido around is the one within us, not FORCING us to eat badly, but rather ALLOWING it.

So do this. Next time you are faced with an unhealthy food option, realize that there is no one forcing you to eat it. Make the healthy food choice instead and watch as Guido gets a puzzled look on his face and quietly slips away. Oh, and don’t forget to tell him he’s not invited to dinner! Success in health comes one meal at a time so make each one count!

If you see me around town eating, pull up the empty chair and join me. Guido doesn’t need it anymore.

Time to Grow Up

“A Powice Man” I replied when my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Of course, that was over forty years ago. Crazy how time flies by, isn’t it? So let’s do this. Let’s pause time for just a moment and take a look at ourselves. How? Like this. Stop. Reread this very sentence slowly three times then move on. Now, breathe. Breathe slow and deep. Slow your mind down. Pause again here. Ok. Now, here we are. You might ask where. –“In front of the mirror” I would reply. Sure, it’s an imaginary mirror, but what it shows you isn’t imaginary at all.

Take a good look. What do you see? A face, eyes, what? Look closer. See all of the wrinkles? That’s not something we want to see, but they are there. What else do you see? How about the gray hair? Remember when gray hair was just something that your grandparents had? It seems like life is moving so fast; in fact, maybe too fast.

Look a little deeper. In fact, look into your own eyes. What do you see there? Lots and lots of life lived. Sure, your eyes may look tired and even a bit bloodshot, but look past that. Look into the years of life that those eyes have witnessed. There was a time when you were younger that some in your family really wondered if you would ever make it. Guess what? Here you are. You made it. Take another breath and think about that. Here you are in the midst of your day, all grown up and living life. Yes, you did make it.

What else do you see when you look deep into your own eyes? Let me tell you what I see in you. First, you are unique. There is no one else like you, anywhere! You are an amazing collection of life experiences, wisdom and emotions. You have seen pain, and joy. You’ve experienced life and death. You have been deep in the valleys and you’ve kissed the sun from the summit of life’s mountains. In a word, you are amazing. Yes, amazing!

All too often we define ourselves by what we see on the outside when, in fact, the real “us” is on the inside. We are even known to determine our self-value by what we look like on the outside. For example, if you are overweight, you feel like you are flawed in some way and often live depressed and unhappy. Because we don’t see our true inner selves, we can never fix our outer selves and so weight loss, joy, happiness and all good things seem impossible.

Do this instead: Stop judging yourself by what you see on the outside. Look within at the amazing person that you are. That beautiful, loving and amazing person within you really IS you. Once you believe and accept that, then and only then will you be unchained and able to change the outside. Learning to see the real you “within” is what I call “growing up” and it’s NEVER too late to do that.

What do you want to be when YOU grow up? Remember, Powice Man is already taken! 

Perfect

When I was five years old, my kindergarten teacher told my mom that she (my mom) must be a perfectionist. Curiously, my mom asked “Why?’ to which Ms. Lawyer replied, “Because your son is.” Apparently, in everything I did, from coloring to cutting construction paper, it HAD to be perfect! In fact, if it wasn’t perfect, I would just give up and stop trying altogether. While every other kid proudly displayed projects scribbled in crayon and looking like they had been cut out with a butter knife, I had nothing. At five, perfection didn't get you much.

About ten years ago, I decided that it was time for me to go talk to someone very close to me about being a perfectionist. I was going to share my own life experiences with him and see if I could get him to understand how much he needed to change; to stop being such a perfectionist. So, on that day, I went home, found a mirror and started the conversation. Wow, not easy.

   

Fast forward to today and you would discover, oddly enough, that I still believe in perfectionism. But, I’ve modified the definition. In fact, you might say that my new definition of perfection is PERFECT. First, the old definition: Perfection (n) -the quality or state of being perfect. Now, my new definition: Perfection (n) -the quality or state of being perfect ENOUGH. How’s that?  

If you apply the old definition to your life, it’s easy to see that you end up without a job, without someone to live life with, without a home, without a car, without anything important. You see, perfectionism STILL gets you nothing. So how does this apply to you? Easy! Stop searching for PERFECT and instead search for PERFECT ENOUGH. How? Let me tell you.

First, stop searching for perfection in what you wear. Throw on some flip flops and a t-shirt and be seen in public! It’s ok. And you know that yard you work so hard on making perfect? Let it go some. It’s ok if you have a few wilted flowers now and then. Oh, and then your better half. PLEASE stop looking for perfection there. I mean it. You won’t find it. But guess what. THEY LOVE YOU. Isn't that perfect enough?

And you know what else? Stop striving for perfection in your health and fitness goals. You will NEVER achieve it for any length of time. But, you can achieve “perfect enough” for a lifetime. Yes, you should set goals and eat healthy. Just don’t stress out and fail when you end up eating something less than perfect. Try to exercise daily. But, if you miss a work out, it’s OK. 

Imagine the possibilities this new key can open up for you. Endless best describes them.

Think about this a while and see how it works for you. Remember, not perfect, perfect enough. Got it? Perfect! Now hand me another sheet of that construction paper. I have some projects to do!

Ron

Back To The Pool

Spring -her first day at the pool this year. Her heart was pounding. She could feel the sweat starting to collect across her face. Maybe she shouldn't do this. “Maybe I should just turn around and go back home” she thought to herself. Slowly she pushed open the ornate iron gate that surrounded the pool. For just a moment she paused and looked around. In each area, people were sitting in small groups, some laughing, and some soaking up the sun. “I can do this” she thought.

Even though the sun was blasting down and the concrete was uncomfortably hot, she noticed that sweet smell of springtime honeysuckle in the air. The sweet smell and cool spring breeze took her back in time to when she was a little girl and the pool simply meant one thing: fun.  As the gate slammed shut behind her though, she was brought right back to the present and the reality that the pool had not been fun for many years! The pool is a place where only the brave dare go out. It’s a place filled with one-piece swim suits, cover ups, sarongs, wraps and many other creative ways to hide the reality of a poor diet and lack of exercise.

But, there she was. Many, many times in the past she had avoided going to the pool. Each time a friend invited her, she had a conflict. “Oh, I’m so sorry; I’ve already got something planned for that afternoon.” Yes, like sitting at home in front of the TV eating unhealthy food and “wishing” things were different. It had been many, many years since she had actually enjoyed going to the pool -or on dates, or shopping for clothes, or you know, living life.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As she stood there, she began to replay all of the last five months in the gym, sweating it out on the treadmill, pushing around the weights and doing lots and lots of crunches. She recalled all of the healthy food choices she had made over the last five months. Cookies and wine had given way to strawberries and protein shakes. Enchiladas and margaritas had been replaced with grilled chicken and water. “Wow. Did I do this?” she asked herself.

Opening her eyes, a beautiful, well-earned smile broke across her face. “YES, I did this!” she exclaimed. As she walked, the glow of her brand new swimsuit only seemed to enhance the flat, toned stomach she now had. With each confident step, legs that most women would kill for carried her through the pool area. As she walked, people noticed. In fact, many of the girls at the pool just wished they could look like her. Well, actually ALL of the girls wished they could look like her.

Once on her lounger, she sat back with a smile and a cold bottle of water. Oh, and confidence, happiness and excellent health. What was in store for her as the summer unfolds? Who knows? But, who wouldn’t want to find out? If you want a better life, make the decision like she did to eat healthy and get regular exercise. There simply are NO limits to what you can do. This reminds me of a quote one of our UB'ers just shared on Facebook: “She believed she could, so she did.” Guess what, your turn!  

Chasing Goals

I used to know this runner who was SO fast. Every day he ran down my road. He was faster than me, smarter than me and everyone liked him, well, except me of course! You see, for years and years I had been trying to catch up to him. However, every single time I tried, I failed. Once I dug a big hole right in the middle of the road waiting on him to come running and fall right in. But, in the heat of the moment, I gave pursuit and forgot all about the hole. He stopped, I didn’t, and for a moment I was suspended right there in thin air. Next thing I knew, I was in the bottom of the hole looking up and he was gone.

Another time I decided to get serious. I called the ACME Supply Company and bought a rocket that would allow me to catch him. All I had to do was wait until he came running, then hop on the rocket and fire it up. Sure enough, he came sprinting along. I hopped onboard and lit the fuse. Within seconds I was right there beside him. Overwhelmed with satisfaction from my pending success, I began to smile. But, then, BANG! My rocket blew up and I tumbled down the road all black from the explosion and smoke! Looking back I realize that everything I ever tried would have worked except for one thing that kept getting in the way: me.

Ya, you know me. My name is Wile E. Coyote. Do you remember me? Or, perhaps you don’t remember me; instead, maybe you ARE ME!  What I mean is this:  you are in constant pursuit of the Roadrunner (weight loss, good health), constantly trying new gizmos and gadgets (work outs and diets) but ALWAYS end up failing!  I see this cartoon played out all too often out there in the real world. We all want success and we find some excellent ways to accomplish it, but, in the end, we fail –usually due to ourselves.

So, how about it? Do you want success? Do you spend more time jumping from this gym to that, this diet to that one and so forth? Is your only true exercise one of futility, always chasing, never catching? Then it’s time to change Mr. or Mrs. Coyote!

First, call up ACME and order a plan for success. We can call it clean eating and exercise. Next, get started! But, be smart as you go this time. Learn from past mistakes and don’t fall into your own traps. Don’t get prideful when you feel success is close and most of all, be consistent this time. In the end, you will have success instead of one more entry on a long resume of failed efforts. Take some time and think about this. The cartoon can end today with your decision to succeed and a little hard work!

It’s almost summertime. Will you be ready? Beep beep.

Running With Apollo

Many any years ago I was a boxer. I had won many fights in my career but eventually I became lazy and let life get the better of me. I was overweight, out of shape and depressed. Then, a buddy of mine named Apollo Creed offered to help me get back in the game. Not just the boxing game but the game of life. I remember my buddy Apollo taking me out to the sandy beach day after day to race him, but, I just couldn’t beat him. Sure, I was capable of beating him, I had everything it took, except one thing: motivation.

Then one day it happened. We were on the beach racing, in the background trumpets blasted a song and it seemed as though I was running in slow motion. Somehow, in that moment, MOTIVATION caught up to me and I beat Apollo! It was amazing; in fact, they should make a movie about me. Wait. They did that already; well, except that it wasn’t me… ok, never mind, I digress.

So I’m not Rocky and I never raced Apollo on the beach, but the part about how motivation will catch up to you is VERY true. Unfortunately, I meet people all the time who are waiting for motivation to come along as they sit on the couch, eat unhealthy foods and ultimately entrench themselves in a very unhealthy lifestyle. Typically we think that one day, somehow, if the planets all align and the wind is blowing just right, that we will be overtaken by motivation. When this happens we will eat perfect, work out like champions and amaze the world with our new body. But, that just isn’t how it works.

What I have discovered is that if you lack motivation, yet want it desperately, you have to get out on the beach and run. Well, not literally, but you do have to start going through the motions. Here’s what I mean: start working out and eating right every day. You say “But I’m just not motivated to do that” to which I reply, “My point exactly.” You see, motivation is tricky. When you wait for it, expect it to hide from you. However, if you just get started without it, soon it will RUN to you. It’s true, in fact it’s so true that they SHOULD make a movie about me just for sharing this with you!

So, how about it? Tired of being ringside and watching life play out? Ready to get into the fight and show the world just what you can do? Then do this. Stand up, put on your gloves and step back in the ring. At first it will just be you facing your challenges and obstacles. However, soon you will be joined in your fight by motivation. And, let me tell you this, when motivation joins you, nothing can stop you.

Please, give this serious thought and by this time next month you can be winning the fight to look and feel fantastic. In the meantime, if you see someone doing sit ups off the roof of the studio or running up the streets in old 1979 sweats, just ignore me; I’m fighting some guy named Drago next month and I AM motivated! You are up next...

I Just Can

“I just can’t do it” she said as she lay there sweating, breathing heavy and with furious tears in her eyes. You see, she had just tried to do a full sit up; not fifty, not twenty even, but just one. Granted, today was her first day in my program, but still, she believed that she should at least be able to do ONE sit up. Clearly the years of fast food, DVR’s, comfy couches, fad diets and missed work out opportunities had caught up with her.

I believe that her statement “I just can’t do it” probably fit so many other areas of her life… like the time she was invited to that pool party. She thought about the prospect of putting on a swim suit. “I just can’t do it.” Or that time when she wanted to go for that job promotion. She knew she would be looked upon as the big girl and possibly as lazy so she finally concluded “I just can’t do it.”

Sadly though, there’s been more. Vacation, shopping for fun clothes, taking up new hobbies, riding bikes with her son… all end with that same statement. And, it’s true. She can’t.

Does this sound familiar? Are you living a “limited” life too? Let me tell you this: the only real thing she couldn’t do was realize that she COULD do all of those things from sit ups to swim suits. How? It’s a simple process really. Be careful, I’m going to tell you how to succeed, to overcome and to change your life. If you are afraid of success you may want to move on to another article…if not, read on.

There is a beginning called DECIDE. In this case, decide to change your life through clean eating and exercise. Then there is the middle which is the most important part and it has to be done forwards and backwards. Here goes: BE PERSISTENTLY CONSISTENT and BE CONSISTENTLY PERSISTENT. Get it? Eat healthy meals. Not one here and there but as many as it takes to get you healthy and happy! And exercise. Often! Finally, there is an end called ENJOY. That part I’ll leave to you to figure out. Trust me, it is amazing!!!

Fast forward six weeks. I walked into my class and saw that I had an odd number of people so someone was going to have to do sit ups without a partner to hold their feet. I asked for volunteers. Guess who agreed to do it? I would never admit it to anyone except you, but each and every sit up that she did, without someone even holding her feet, first one then soon 25, repeated over and over until she had done over 300 made me just stand and cheer for her inside. All she saw was a smile on my face, but inside I marveled at how she had learned to knock that silly little “apostrophe T” off her statement.

Guess what. It’s your turn because now even you know how.

"Good" goodbyes...

It was a sad day indeed. All I could think about was the days running and playing in the sun; the smell of sweet summer honeysuckle in the air. Back in those days I hardly seemed to have a care in the world. Summers seemed long, the ice cream truck was always on time and life was good. As these memories flashed through my mind, I watched as they took box after box out to sell at a garage sale or to donate to charity…piece by piece they were emptying the house where I had grown up. Needless to say, I was blurry eyed and the lump in my throat was there to stay.

When it was all done, the buyers signed the papers and within days crews started showing up to put in new carpet, apply fresh paint and even remove my favorite tree out front. Amid all of the commotion of selling the house, finding closure after my grandmother’s funeral and such, I went back to the old house. No one was around and maybe that’s a good thing. I sat in my car and revisited those old memories one last time. It was amazing. What a fantastic childhood that house gave me. The best Christmases and family gatherings were held within her walls. After a short while, I smiled and said goodbye. I put the car in gear and slowly pulled away with such strong mixed feelings.

That’s been nearly 18 years ago now and even still I have moments where I flash back to that old house and those days. I have moved on though. In fact, as I write this, I am having a brand new house built and I am hopeful for many amazing memories there. I look so forward with anticipation to this Christmas…and summer…and new memories. Needless to say, that old house taught me a lot, but one thing in particular stands out. Oddly enough, it taught me the importance of ending things well, of having "good" goodbye's.

Looking back, I realize that sometimes, in order to move forward and truly live life well, you have to have “good” goodbyes. That’s right, you have to end things well. How does this relate to your health and fitness? Like this: you have to take the YOU that you are right now and spend a little time remembering the good times. Your life has been a measure of amazement to say the least. You’ve lived a unique, good, bad and everything-in-between kind of life. Most people, I believe, tend to hate themselves. While I understand this, I can't agree with it. You see, while you may hate aspects of who you are and what you have become, NEVER discount all of the good within you as well. I promise you, there is more good than bad! So now,  when you are ready to move forward, do so...but, do it well!

We are facing a new year and with that come amazing opportunities for you to live life on your own terms. Think about the possibilities. By simply eating healthy and exercising you can enjoy a super happy, super healthy life. Smaller clothes, tons of energy and just fantastic health can all be yours. But, remember, end each chapter of your life well. By doing so, you will be well served going into your new future!

If you happen to be out for a healthy walk soon and happen to see me in my new yard, stop and say hello and smell the honeysuckle!

Transformation Blueprint

A while back this lady came to the studio to "consider" joining. When she came in, she seemed so fearful and worried. She looked at the machines in a way that made me think they were about to bite her. In talking to her, she had a dozen reasons for being overweight, none of them her own fault. It was her husband, her job and her schedule. She had done Weight Watchers, several of the local fitness classes, hired a trainer and now she was in my studio. After finally getting her into the program she got focused on pounds lost. If she didn't lose a pound each day, she wasn't transforming. Once, she ate some candy and told me that she "deserved" it because she had come to work out three days in a row.

Every time I challenged her to do more weight or to face some new obstacle, she never, ever stepped up to the challenge. Now, mind you she was all "into" the whole workout thing. She bought all the gadgets, had all the apps and talked a great talk. I recall one time when her class was going for a cheat meal together, she refused to go saying that she was too committed to have a cheat meal. Every time that I spoke to her and tried to help her with anything, it was a MAJOR production. She could never just talk. Everything was connected to something from her past and had some major familial dysfunctional element to it. After 20 weeks, this lady had lost lots of weight. But, to me, she had not "transformed" herself. My concern was validated recently when I saw this lady again. She's bigger than ever, looked sad and avoided me like I was from the IRS.

Unfortunately, this was not the first time I've experienced this. You see, for years and years I have been training people in the gym. In every case there is a certain amount of teaching people to use machines, free weights, cardio equipment and such. Quite candidly, any trainer can do that. And, from the perspective of the trainee, there is a certainly a requirement of performing sets of reps, grouped into workouts, mixed with cardio in order to get the job done.

To a particular point, this effort will produce results. Absolutely true. However, if you want to know the REAL truth of personal transformation, then here it is. Real transformation occurs in your head, or more specifically, your mindset. Transformation is not losing some pounds on the scale. It isn't pushing out some reps on the leg extension machine. Instead, transformation occurs on the inside. It has so little to do with how you work out, what method you follow etc. and EVERYTHING to do with your attitude towards all of it.

I’m certain that there are multitudes of psychologists and other "specialists" that can talk circles around me when it comes to this subject and clearly there are an unlimited number of books that claim to be able to "fix you", but I could care less about any of them. I know what I know and what I know is what it takes to transform yourself. If you are not interested, Dr. Phil comes on at 4:00 and Bob Greene has a new book coming out soon. If you ARE interested, keep reading.

First of all, get past the concept that there is some "special' combination of weights or some "special' DVD system or whatever that is magic. Not true. Almost all of them will work. I will agree that there are better and worse, but my point is that you should get passed the thought that there is only ONE way, better than all the rest. Even my UB program isn't the best there is (it's just way up the list.)

Next, get over yourself. The biggest obstacle that we all face is ourselves. How do you get over yourself? First, man or woman up. Take responsibility for being where & what you are and the fact that there is NO ONE else to blame for this. Every extra ounce of weight that you carry around, YOU put there. Also, stop blaming circumstances. I know people who to this very day are going through some hellacious situations, yet they fight on, day by day in spite of them. So, if you blame a lack of success on something as silly as "the schedule just didn't work' or "the front desk girl is just rude" then I am talking to you. Get over yourself. For some, that will be the toughest work out they have had in a long time!

Third on the list is developing a 'warrior' mindset. I don't mean that you have to be some tough guy and kick Chuck Norris's ass to be a warrior. What I mean is that you have to face your fears. I mean eye to eye, face to face, you vs. your fears. THAT is being a warrior. You see, when you are willing to face your fears, then nothing that comes against you will ever prevail. Sure, you will face some things and at times they will gain some ground on you. However, they will not win. Once you have that "warrior" mentality, donuts, chips, beer, laziness, depression...they haven't a chance against you.

Next, get out of your own head. Seriously, for the love of God, please get out of your own head. For some people, completely by choice, they over think and over-analyze even the most basic elements of personal transformation. For them, and maybe you, every step of the way has some PROFOUND meaning attached to it... "Well, my mom was overweight and she made me feel blah blah blah and therefore I've just always seen myself as a loser and so blah blah blah, now I'm overweight."  Just stop all that. Ya, your mom messed you up in some ways. Now flush that nonsense out of your head and get your butt to the gym and throw around some weights instead of all that mental weight. There is no re-do with your mom. It is what it is and it always will be, so you can choose to always be a victim of these things or you can choose to overcome them, and preferably without pie charts and graphs on how to do it.

Along with getting out of your own head comes divorcing every negative piece of self-perception that you hold on to right now. Here's what I mean: thoughts such as 'I'm fat," "I can never succeed," "I'm just not good at this or that" and so on. If you cannot accept the fact that you are an amazing creation of God, a complex and fantastic combination of intelligence and emotions and physiological miracles, then you simply don't get it and never likely will. The farthest that some people can see is to their own limitations. Their world is full of  "I can't" and that’s precisely where the whole show stops. "I can't" might as well be re-written to say: THE END. Open your mind. See what you truly are and accept THAT truth. Unlock this door. It is critical.

Next, be disciplined. What? BE disciplined? Yes, BE DISCIPLINED. We can all practice discipline and that certainly makes us better at it, but the fact is that discipline is a CHOICE for us in the matter of personal transformation. By now, you have lived enough life. You are not a child anymore. Therefore, the concept of "Well, I ate those Oreo's because I just don't have any discipline" holds zero water with me. You ate them because you CHOSE to. Period. How do I know that you already have discipline? Because, you don't shoplift, use drugs, recklessly damage other people's property, and assault people even when you are angry. You have discipline. You know better. Those of you who are the over-thinkers are busy RIGHT NOW over thinking that concept. Those of you who will likely succeed soon just read that statement, accepted it and are now moving on.

Finally, know when to let go. Not let go for good, but let go temporarily. Some people grip it so tight, hold on so hard that it's like the old fistful of sand...the harder you squeeze trying to hold onto it, the more of it you lose. Don't live your every single moment thinking or obsessing over your transformation. There are so many important things in your life that you will miss if you do. Family and friends will be overlooked. Experiences and opportunities will be passed up. So don't.

I often do something that many people would consider silly. Per my desire for even me to get over myself when needed, I will let my guard down and do just that. I love looking up at the "just before sunset" sky and seeing the amazing, blazing orange and purple and blue sky that God puts above us. It is simply breathtaking at times and there are never two alike. It's like a free masterpiece of art painted on the biggest canvas that's just given to us to enjoy. Sadly, I tend to point these out when I see them and most people, not all, but most, just glance up and say "ya, cool" and then put their mind right back into whatever was going on moments before. I do the same with rainbows. Want to see me get excited? Show me a rainbow. For a short time, anything in my life gets put on hold while I enjoy these life moments. This is one example of letting go, even if just for a short time.

In the end, transformation NEVER happens on the outside. It is ALWAYS on the inside. Your blueprint for success is here. Re-read it several times and honestly make the changes that you need to make. I'm not in the business of patting people on the back and telling them "good job" just to make them feel good. I am in the business of helping people succeed at one of life's hardest endeavors. So, please understand my desire. It is one of transformation. YOUR transformation, finally.

If you need more help or want to discuss, you know how to find me.

Buying Designer Jeans

“You are fat!” he said. Right there, right then! I couldn’t believe it. You see, me and a guy I’ve known for what seems like forever were at Stonebriar Mall shopping for new jeans. I found this really awesome pair at my favorite department store. “Just right” I thought. They were really cool: dark blue with some heavy stitching and an awesome design on the back pockets. Mind you, I own two fitness studios in the area and I’m no stranger to healthy eating and working out. Maybe that’s why his words hit me so hard.

As I stepped out of the dressing room and stood in front of the mirror looking at the jeans, the guy I was with all of a sudden says “You are fat!” Not only that but he went on to point out that I had a little extra here and there as well. I wondered to myself if what he had said was really true. Could it be? I didn’t argue with him. In fact, I just accepted what he said as fact. There were many more negative things that he threw in for good measure like how old I am looking these days.

I felt really hurt and depressed by his words. I walked over and put the jeans back on the rack and invited him to come join me for something unhealthy to eat, you know, to relieve some of the pain I was feeling. Surprisingly, he didn’t put up a fight. Instead, he just said hurled one more bad comment at me. “Go ahead” he said. “You’re not going to change anything anyways; you might as well eat that junk.”

You may wonder why I choose to hang out with this guy. Well, the simple truth is that I can’t shake him. He’s always there with me. In fact, he IS me. Get that? He is that “negative inner voice” that we all have and that we all listen to all too often. You and that negative inner person are like twins, but, not identical twins.

So how do you deal with this? Simple. What you may not realize is that YOU control this voice. It is up to YOU to decide whether this voice speaks negative un-truths or if it speaks positive, uplifting messages to you! Think about it.

I would recommend learning to do two things. First, when the negative voice speaks and starts pointing out every negative detail about you, respond to it in the nicest, most friendly way possible. It goes something like this: SHUT UP! Next, turn on the positive and listen closely. Those words go like this “You may not be perfect, but you are perfect enough. You are strong and capable and if you decide that you want to change something about yourself, you can and will!”

Listen friends, it’s all up to us. It always has been. There is simply not another single person in the world that can do it for you. But, if you decide to change yourself for the better, there isn’t another single person in the world that can stop you.  Need a little push start? Go find a mirror and read these words to yourself: You are awesome and capable of anything. You are unique and special. You have strength and determination to accomplish great things!
See you in the designer jean section soon!

Party Like This...

Years ago while I was still a police officer, I hosted a party with lots of good, good friends. Most all of my friends were cops too. The night was full of laughing, eating and telling stories that would make most people either sick or at least wince. There was great music and plenty of places to just sit around and relax with good company.

As I sat there, I noticed that there was a face I had never seen before. Someone new was at the party and let me tell you, he was no cop. You see, cops know when a cop walks in a room and cops definitely know when a bad guy walks in... so anyways, this dude walks thru my party with some really pretty girl in tow. No one seemed to know him but someone did mention that he was a "friend of a friend" so I didn't say anything...

A little later, there was a loud commotion in my house and all of a sudden this unknown face goes running through the backyard and heads towards my fence. Someone yelled that he had just assaulted his girlfriend inside and to stop him. Let me just tell you, you NEVER want to assault your girl at a cops house, during a party with a bunch of pumped up, beer drinking off duty cops! Definitely, definitely DO NOT SHOUT EXPLETIVES AND FLIP THEM OFF AS YOU RUN.

I'm pretty sure that he believed he was home free as he made the fence headed to the street. Long about the time that my buddy grabbed him he probably started doubting that whole home free concept. Once he met the ground face first, the concept of home free stood about the chance a ball of butter has dancing on the sun. All I know for sure is that at about .02 seconds later when the rest of us landed on him, he probably wished he was just on his own couch smoking a dube and listening to the Beastie Boys CD he stole the day before.

Within moments the somewhat grass covered, very silent and respectful bad guy was being placed in a Dallas Police car and on his way to where all good 'bad guys" go...and well, the party went on and life was good. The girlfriend left the party to go bond him out of jail and now they are probably married, divorced and God knows what else.

So what does this have to do with fitness and you? Everything. It goes like this...you are having a party. Life is good. You are surrounded by good things and people. You have a workout plan, you have eating under control and you have people who expect you to follow your plan everyday. Its all good! What is there to fear? How could anything go wrong?

Then it happens. Just as you lift that Syntha 6 shake for one more round, in walks someone you don't know. Well, you don't "know" him (or her), but just like cops know bad guys, you KNOW this dude ain't supposed to be there.  So who is this stranger? Well, a "friend of a friend" is who.  It's some variation of yourself that you don't like. Its old bad habits, it's eating foods that are not acceptable and not recording them...it's you when you've added 10 ponds. It's you feeling sorry for yourself or justifying eating some garbage that you shouldn't or missing a workout when you COULD have made it...

Look familiar? Let me say this. These creeps will show up to ruin your party, that's a fact. Accept it. The difference is that you can either choose to let them come in, ruin it then run away leaving you broken and defeated OR you can respond asap and WHIP THEIR ASS.

I still have parties and every so often some chump comes walking in to ruin it for me. My standard response is still the same. As soon as I identify the problem, I'm on it...I don't mess around. I don't pull my punches. I grab it, slam it to the ground and send it off so that I can get back to what I want to do...which is P-A-R-T-Y...

How about you? Had a few parties ruined? Let's see how the NEXT punk ends up. On to success baby!!! It's yours to get.

You, again.

There are multiple versions of you. Well, there are at least two that I know of. There are two of me too. Confusing isn't it? What you may not know right now is that one version of me is speaking very directly to one version of you. When I see you and speak to you in person, I tend to believe that there is just one of you...but that's not true...there's two. And when one of you speak to me in person, you have always thought that there was only one Ron Lyons. But, again, there's two. Scary huh?

So you think I'm nuts? or are you slightly intrigued and want to see where I go with this? Either way, keep reading...there's something here for you, or should I say, for "both" of you. Whomever of the two of you is reading right now, keep reading. I promise you, before you read the last words of this agglomeration, I will help set you free; both of you.

Have you ever noticed that you have the ability to do really well at something? Take, for instance, eating right and working out on a regular basis. Somehow, through the myriad of fantastical details that we call "life" you find your way into a healthy eating regimen. Amazing. But not only are you eating healthy -you are also working out consistently! Now that's even more amazing. Everyday you are mindful of what you are eating, you follow the plan and you see results! Soon you begin to believe that maybe this is it. Maybe this is the time that it sticks. Many times in the past you have started off well, only to crumble and fall back into old habits, but maybe, just maybe, you got it now!

The sad reality is that before long you find yourself eating food that just maybe a week before you would have sworn you would never eat again. Sometimes, it's not just a little bite of this or that, sometimes it's alot of this or that. Sometimes it's so much that you may wonder if you have an eating disorder or some major defect. Let me just tell you right now, you don't. You are not broken, you are not defective and you do not have an eating disorder. Just stop reading right now if you take offense to me "diagnosing" you like this. I know Dr. Oz told you different last Tuesday and a year ago Oprah disagreed with my diagnosis that you are NORMAL too. On the other hand, if you are open to the idea that maybe you are just like the rest of us, then keep on reading.

So here's the deal. When you are "on plan" and doing everything right with food and exercise, that's but ONE version of you. When life starts kicking your ass and Bluebell becomes your midnight best friend, that's another version of you. Don't you even start to deny that both of you exist now. I know you do. In fact, I spend my life trying to bring more of one of you into the light and push the other one back. But be clear about one thing. I do not and will not ever try to get rid of the Bluebell loving version of you. I can't, and, neither can you.

If you have children, I want you to think of them right now. If you do not have kids, then imagine a relationship with someone that you love deeply. As sure as I sit here typing this, the child or the person that you are thinking of will (and likely has) let you down before. Chances are beyond excellent that they have even hurt you before with their words or actions. At the same time, whomever you are thinking of has been a Godsend to you too. Happiness, joy, love, smiles...these are the things that this person has given you.

Let me ask you, if this person had to be perfect all the time, could they be? What would happen if the first time this person hurt your feelings, made a mistake or did something wrong, you had to forget all about them. No chance huh? Wouldn't happen. Thank you. You are right. Truth is, we all have people in our lives that hurt us or do us wrong at times. I'll tell you this much, if you are looking at me, you won't have to look far at all to find many faults. That's me, imperfect. Or, I should say, that's ONE of me. The other one of me gets it right fairly often.

Do you know that the greatest gift you have to give is love? Sounds silly coming from me, I know. But I'm doing you no service if I'm not straight on honest with you. Think about it. Love is what motivates us, love is what we live for. Love is an amazing, God made emotion that fuels life. You love people, you love food, you love sunsets and beaches...you love so many things except for that ONE thing. Well, except for that one OTHER thing. That other version of you, baby.

Wow. Let that sink in just a bit. If you missed it, reread it until you get it. If you still don't get it, call me. It's that important. I believe that you LOVE the you that does right...eats healthy, works out like a crazy person and gets results. But, I believe that you likely hate the you that drowns in a container of ice-cream or Whataburger or Crown Royal...or whatever. It's all nearly the same, isn't it?

If you would disown your own child the person you love for doing wrong then I say you are one hundred percent correct in hating the other version of yourself! But, if you would never do that...never walk away from those you love so much, then learn something from me now. Love yourself the same way. Did you just get that? Love yourself, the bad, Twinkee eating, Dr. Pepper drinking, Cheeto crunching version of you. It's time to make your peace. You have spent entirely too long hating yourself.

Start by acknowledging that there are two versions of you. One that's squared away and gets it right almost all the time and one that simply doesn't. One that makes you smile and one that makes you cry. One you are proud of and one that you are ashamed of. Just admitting that both exists brings major healing where you have needed it for a long, long time.

Next, make peace with yourself. It goes like this. Me, mirror, quiet. Long pause, deep breath, then "Hello." That's the start. Next is "It's good to finally acknowledge you. You know that I have always hated you, despised you and wished you were not a part of me. But, you are and therefore I will no longer hate you. In fact, I accept you. You are as much a part of me as my own breath is. But, know this. As much as I accept you, you are not ALL that I am. I am more. I am capable and I am strong. I am not defeated, nor will I ever be. I have grasped success today simply because I accept you and will no longer hate you."

Do it. When you make peace with yourself, YOU will succeed in ways that you never thought possible. Please take the time to learn to love yourself, -successes, failures, good, bad and everything in-between. I have faith in you and believe in you. Now do that for yourself and don't hesitate to ask me for help if you need it. It's what I do....

Writers note: I want to dedicate this to someone who has made a profound impact on my life with her own. Recently, this person whom I have known "of" for years but never truly taken the time to get to know has had a tremendous tragedy in her life. This person has faced something that no one should ever have to face. Every day I see her stand with strength and determination that is amazing and can only come from one thing, the love she has for God and for the man and children He blessed her with. Her family is one less now, but her impact on those of us who know her is undeniable. Thank you for reminding the rest of us what it means to love. God bless you W.

Still A Kid

I am 44 years old and to this day I still like to watch old cartoons, I still collect Star Wars toys, I would prefer to ride a $69 Huffy over some 23 oz. $6300 mountain bike and I still have the urge to buy those Snap-N-Pops that pop when you throw them on the ground every time I see them. And, if I’m being honest, I’d buy a pack of candy cigarettes in a heartbeat, if you could find them.

Truth is, I’m still very much like a kid, and so are you. Think about this. If you can remember back to your childhood, certainly you can recall all of the fun things you used to do. All of those warm summer days spent outdoors, running and playing with your friends. How about getting to buy a toy? Remember how fun that was? You probably had some limit, maybe a dollar or two. But, that never mattered. You didn’t let the fact that you could only buy a cheap toy stop you from excitedly choosing one and playing with it for a long time.

Now, it wasn’t all fun and games growing up though.  Remember having to clean your room? I remember hating cleaning so much that I would rather be doing almost anything else, including slamming my head in a sliding glass door. It wasn’t that it was so hard, just that it was not fun! Then there were other things too. I remember going shopping with my mom for her work outfits and such. There was no greater drain on a young boy’s life than being dragged from department store to department store. I still shudder thinking about Sanger Harris or Joske's.

Now that we’re all grown up, things have changed, right? I mean you just LOVE to clean house, don’t you? How about super exciting things like filing your taxes? Isn’t that just the best? I look forward to doing that each and every year. In fact, I like to meet with my CPA and file early.
Wait. That's not true. I STILL hate cleaning. And, sorry to all of my IRS friends and CPA buddies out there, but filing taxes just isn’t my idea of a great day. On the other hand, send me outside to play with my friends (we call them cook-outs and day’s at the pool now) and I am ALL IN! I love doing that. Or how about buying a toy (new car, computer, TV) –again, I’m ALL IN.

The bottom line is this: we are all still just like kids. We love doing what we enjoy and protest doing what we don’t enjoy. So let me ask you, when was the last time you “loved” to work out or eat healthy? -Probably not in a long time, if ever. Why? Simply stated, we just don’t “enjoy” it. Guess what? I think you may have just started to unlock the door to something great. Let’s call it Pandora’s Box. You know how that goes, open the box and everything comes out. The difference is that in YOUR Pandora’s Box awaits a whole new, healthy, happy, energetic and full-of-life version of you.

Think about it like this: If you want to change yourself, lose weight and get very healthy, learn to “enjoy” the process.  If you hate going to the gym then learn to love the sense of accomplishment you feel once done. Enjoy the friends that you will make at the gym and enjoy the process of change. Learn to love the flavors of truly healthy foods and more importantly, learn to love the great way they make you feel from the inside out. In the end, if you will work at “enjoying” the journey, you will in fact “complete” the journey.  Go grab a pack of “Big League Chew” and put way too much in your mouth. Then, sit there and figure out how you can make working out and eating clean just as fun. Soon, you will LOVE the new you!

Writer's Note: The above was written for people who live in Starwood in their local magazine. I would like to add that if you belong to UB now, then guess what, YOU HAVE ALREADY FIGURED THIS OUT! The teams (classes) are very strong and actually make working out FUN. I would encourage you to join the UB Facebook page then from there join the UB Food/Recipe Exchange, the UBChallenge page and the UB Team page. It's amazing where you will find yourself woven into the very thread of everything UB is and will be. Thank you to each and every UB'er for making this place ROCK!

Oversized Mirrors

What do you feel when you look at someone who is in horrible shape? You know the ones, so big, so overweight that they have multiple rolls of fat around their mid section. Or the ones who are so large that they literally "waddle" when they walk. Surely you have seen the people who are so morbidly obese that they have to buy their clothes in a specialty shop.

So what do you think? Be honest with yourself for a moment. Do you look at them in disgust? Do you feel deep sorrow for them? Maybe you even hate them? Strong word, hate. But, do you? Do you look at them and wonder with nothing but one word questions like "why?" or "how?"

Many times I have looked at folks like this and felt much like I'm sure you do. But here's what's interesting about these feelings. It's not that you have any personal negative feelings towards the people themselves, it's that you have these feelings towards what these people represent. You see, they are in many ways like large, over sized mirrors, reflecting everything that we hate or feel sorrow for within ourselves. When you see a person who is obese, you see a little bit of yourself. Not good huh? But true. Bottom line is these folks have had made the decision to get fit and lose weight many times over. Unfortunately, they didn't make the wrong decision, they made the decision wrong. Re-read that last sentence and "get it" before you read on.

In all of my years of training and helping people lose weight, I have met every possible situation, I have heard every possible story and I have seen every kind of success and, sadly, failure. In all these years, I have learned an awful lot of truths about weight loss and such. I was reminded of one of these truths the other day when my friend Paul Miller sent me some information on decision making.

When I read over his materials, I realized that someone had taken the time to detail and perfect what we have been seeing for years. I'll kind of boil it down for you. Basically, there are two different kinds of decisions. The kind that are not earth shattering and can be changed with ease. What you are going to have for dinner, what shoes you are going to wear today, what you are going to watch on TV, etc. are examples of these decisions. Unfortunately, many people make the decision to get healthy at this level.

"I'm starting P-90X with my friend Monday..." or "Well, I think I'm going to try Adkins again, that worked well for me before..." blah, blah, blah. I hear this nonsense all the time. And it is just that, nonsense. You're probably sitting there right now thinking I'm a little harsh for feeling this way and you are right, I am. Know why? Because PEOPLE DON'T FREAKING SUCCEED LIKE THIS. These casual namby pamby weak little "decisions" to change will never get the job done. Heck, they hardly are capable of helping you decide what you're having for dinner.

The other level of decision making is the one that IS life changing. It's the one that can't be easily changed. Decisions such as getting married, buying a house, changing careers, having kids, joining the military... these are big decisions that require a large dose of thought before diving into them. That doesn't mean that everyone DOES think, but we aren't wasting our time talking about those people. We are talking about people like you, good, honest, squared away people.

So the decision to get fit and lose weight is typically made at the "what's for dinner' level but should be made at the "do you want to marry me" level. Huge difference. Massive in fact.

So here's the deal. If you are in the midst of a fitness effort based on a decision made in a manner that can be easily changed yet is not life changing, you are on a path to fail. Yes, even in my own UB program, you are set to fail. Stop right now and reassess. Spend some serious time re-evaluating your decision. If you can bring it up to the level of life changing, yet not easily changed, then my words have not been wasted. You are likely to succeed. If you have already made the decision and it was a huge, can't be changed decision, thank you. You just made my life easier because now we can accomplish great things together.

If you are one of the ones who gets it and who has made the decision and who is committed, then you are special. You possess something that so many wish for but may never experience. You see, the Ultimate Body is not the great gift. The great gift, the one you have and the one they only wish for is the ability to create change for yourself within your life. Its the ABILITY to change that they long for. You, my friends, have it.

So here's what I would like to ask those of you who have it. Let's put it to good use. Good use for more than just ourselves that is. I would like to challenge you to make a goal of helping someone who doesn't get it, who hasn't got it and yet who desperately needs it. Real help made from real personal sacrifice on some level. Find someone who is suffering from being overweight and poor health and do something for them. Teach them something. Pay for them to come to UB for a month. Take them to dinner or lunch once a week and spend time getting to know them, then, when the time is right, teach them about healthy eating or exercise. Find a way. Spend some time. Mainly, just try.

Everything that we know and everything that we have experienced is wasted if used just for ourselves. Reach out to someone in need and try your hardest to help them. Don't be disappointed if you don't save them though. Some people don't want to be saved. Remember, my challenge to you is to go and try. You and I both know that success is up to them.

When you see a very overweight person in the future, I want you to do something. From now on, don't see the negative reflections of who you used to be. Instead, I want you to see who you truly are -the person that God created to be used as part of the change. You can make a difference, if you decide to... 

I'm Not Changing

So what if I never left the 80’s? The 80's were radical man. Or was it knarley. No, wait, it was "awesome, totally awesome." Anyways, as a holdover from that era, I still play video games. No more Pong or Space invaders, but Skyrim instead. So there I was, searching YouTube for some help with my game when I found a video called “Skyrim meets metal.” Metal as in “heavy metal” I wondered? I had to listen.

Within moments I was taken back to my younger days when I used to live on this stuff. Parachute pants, winged hair and loud heavy metal! Mind you, this is nothing like the 20 year older version of me now. These days I’m more KVIL than Motley Crue. So, clearly, things have changed, and change is good, right?

Fast forward to today. I attended a local bridal show as a vender for my Body Transformation studios and had a little booth set up. One sign offered “Free Body Fat Testing” and the other said “Enter to win 10 free personal training sessions.” So I sat there and watched dozens upon dozens of soon to be brides walking right past my booth and stopping instead at the cake booth, the coffee bar and such. Did you know that over 30 percent of Texans are literally obese? Let that word sink in a bit. Obese. Not over weight, not chubby but rather OBESE. From what I saw today, I think that number may be understated.

What I did see was absolutely disheartening. These overweight women would look at my table, see that it was nutrition and fitness then walk away as fast as they could. A few gave a really ugly look as if I were selling cow manure at the show. It just hurt me inside to see this happening over and over as if they were following a script or directions from someone in the hall.

So I began thinking, remember when it was a stigma to be overweight? Remember when you wanted to look good and feel good and being overweight was less “accepted” than it is now? Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that people who are overweight are flawed or bad people; Quite the contrary in fact. What I am saying is that because it is so “socially acceptable” to be overweight now, we are headed down a dead end road that ends with strokes, heart attacks and diabetes. And, don’t forget the fact that you feel horrible, have no energy and are generally prone to depression on the way!

So, maybe I am not “hip” by still believing that we should try to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. I’ll admit it. I hate this new change, and more importantly, I hate what it is doing to our kids. They are actually beating every generation before them in the race to be obese and that is OUR fault.

If you are like me and do not agree with being “PC” when it comes to your own health and that of your family, then make a commitment with me right now to be a leader in the fight to be healthy. You and I both grew up watching Rocky movies. We know what it takes. Get back in the fight and adopt your old mindset again. Turn up the Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It” on your jam box and let’s do this. Just leave the old Jordache in the closet, ok?

-Ron

Writers Note: All the above went into my article for Starwood Newsletter which is really a magazine for Starwood. Now, heres the rest: seeing those people today made me appreciate to a new, higher level the people that we have training at UB. Every single day I see people kicking serious A in the gym, making a HUGE difference. It is beyond me to think that there are really such lazy, un-motivated, overweight people out there as what I saw today. How do they do it? How do they wake up each day and face the mirror? How can you have roll upon roll of deady fat on your body and not want to do a single thing about it?

More importantly, how do I reach them? How can I help them? Maybe the better question is this. Since we GET IT, how can WE help them?

How To Fit In A Bikini

It might have been the perfect day at the pool. The temperature was in the mid 80’s, the sun was warm on her skin yet there was a touch of perfect coolness in the air. “I wish every day could be this good” she thought to herself. When she breathed in she smelled the sweetness of Honeysuckle, the kind that takes you back to when you were a kid on an amazing summer day. Her friends were all there too, laughing and taking turns sharing tidbits of their lives with each other. One of those little waterfalls was alive with the sounds of cascading water nearby and the husbands and boyfriends were all laughing and hanging out by the grill.

As she lay there stretched out on the lounge chair, she remembered spending nearly a whole Saturday at Stonebriar Mall shopping for a bikini. Luckily she had found the perfect one. Black, tasteful and super cute, it fit her better than she remembers them fitting back in the 80’s. The bikini might be better today than back then, but as she flips through her playlists on her iPhone, she stops on the 80’s music she has downloaded and begins to tap her fingers to Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.

“Perfect!” she thought.

Then the alarm went off. Slowly she rolled over and hit the snooze button as she does every morning. In her mind it’s just another day of stress just waiting to happen. Soon she will be up and trying like mad to get the kids to wake up. No real time for a healthy breakfast, she knows that there will be a donut (or three) along with a cup of coffee (or three) waiting for her at work. After avoiding the mirror while getting in the shower, she reluctantly searches through her closet for the one outfit that will make her “look” thinner, even though she knows she simply isn’t. Truth is, she hasn’t been thin for long time now.

Today she feels terrible. She may have a smile on the outside, at times, but on the inside, she’s depressed and hates what she looks like and how she feels about herself. Sadly, she even feels pretty hopeless to change it. So, like most people, she simply gives up on the possibility that she can ever have the life she has always wanted. Instead she spends her time chasing her kid’s homework assignments, sports practices and their messes all over the house. Her life is hectic and her best two friends are sweets and high fat foods these days.

“Not perfect” she thought. Not even close.

Let me explain something to you as you read this. I am a door opener. Granted, my title is Fitness Specialist, but in reality, I’m a door opener. Here’s what I mean. We all want something, something fantastic. We want to go to the pool and we want to look good. Not only that but we want to feel good. We want energy, focus and above all else, we want to be happy. Here’s what I know: all of those things that you want are there for you, waiting on the other side of a door. They aren’t far off, they aren’t far-fetched but they are one thing that is far, -far from impossible!

In your world you have been blessed with many abilities; the ability to think, the ability to love and the ability to change. That’s right, to change. Hold that thought and let me tell you something. Every single person who reads this from the editor to you yourself will be in one of three groups. One group is the ones who stay right where they are. No success, no change, lots of moo-moo’s at the pool and excuses for not enjoying life. The second group is those who make “some” effort and end up changing “some.” You know, half effort and half results. These folks will live a little better life, but not an amazing life -sometimes the pool sometimes Oreo’s and frustration. Then the final group: those of us who will not settle any longer, those who will reach out and take the life that we want so badly for. This group smiles, this group has hope, this group lives! The hard reality is that YOU WILL BE IN ONE OF THESE THREE GROUPS. You can’t avoid it. Even if you say “I’m not participating in your group thing” then guess what? Group one.

The good news is that you can change which group you are in. There are “doors” separating them to be sure. Remember me saying I’m a door opener? Hello. Want the key to open your door? I call it your mindset. Some would call it your attitude, but either way it’s the same thing, and, that my friend, is your key. It’s one of the greatest things you possess and it is uniquely and unmistakably yours to use.

Unlock the door with your positive, can win, won’t lose attitude. Decide right now that you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Decide that you are ready for change. Decide that the life you live is up to you and then simply reach out and get it. It’s nothing more complicated than healthy food and exercise. No pills, no surgeries, no fad or gimmicky shortcuts. Your journey won’t be perfect, but it will be perfect enough.

Pool time is soon at hand. Will you be there? I will. You bring the bikini and hot new body and I’ll bring “Journey’s Greatest Hits” and the Coppertone. See you there!