How To Get in Shape

by Ken Matesz

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”                      John C. Maxwell

Do you want to be in better shape? Are you thinking about joining a gym or fitness club? Do you feel a little flabby around the middle? Do you wish there was an easier way to tone your body?

Zillions of people join the gym in January each year.

Most of them don’t stick with it.

Why does their resolve dissolve?

How can you be different?

How can you really get in shape?

It’s easier than you think.

What’s Your Routine?

You wake up, take a shower, get dressed, drink your coffee, go to work, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, brush your teeth, and go to bed.

Sound familiar?

Why is it you do all these things every day, but you aren’t exercising regularly?

This question is its own answer: You don’t exercise regularly because it’s not part of your routine.

Period.

Don’t Do This:

The zillions who join a gym in January are doomed to fail because they burden their routine with an inconvenient anomaly.

The routine is all set. Then, suddenly, they introduce an extra drive to the gym, changing into their special workout clothes, a half-hour workout, a shower, changing, then driving home.

Next day, they’re sore, maybe tired, and the anomaly just sounds like a burden.

And they’re thinking, “Well, maybe I don’t really have to go to the gym today. Besides, I need to . . . .”

Their actual routine is calling them.

Loudly.

A few weeks or a month later, they’ve quit and are back to their regular routine:

Wake up, shower, dress, coffee, work, TV, brush teeth, bed.

Are you really ready to get into shape?

Let’s do it.

Grow Up and Brush Your Teeth

Every day – maybe even twice per day – you brush your teeth.

It’s so automatic, you don’t even think about it.

How much time does that take? Just a few minutes.

And your mouth feels clean and fresh afterward, right?

When you were 5 years old, your mom told you to brush your teeth every night. She had to tell you every night for a long time.

Eventually, it became your routine and no one told you anymore.

Now you just do it, and it feels good.

Mom’s not around anymore and you need to grow up.

Starting today, you will exercise.

Pick a time that you like. I, personally like the time right after I get up.

Do ten push-ups; ten sit-ups.

If you can’t do ten, just do as many as you can of each.

Then, stop.

How much time does that take? Just a few minutes.

And you will feel energized.

Do that every day at the same time.

Yes. I said, “Every day.”

Do it. Every day.

I know. It’s hard. Mom’s not there to nag you.

But, you’re a grown up. You can tell yourself.

Put a note on your mirror or an alarm on your phone.

Then, do it. Every day.

Your New Routine

If you have the balls to do this every day for six weeks, then you can do it the rest of your life.

You don’t have to pay a gym.

You don’t have to drive to the gym.

You don’t need any equipment.

You just have to spend a few minutes.

After awhile, ten pushups and ten sit-ups will seem really easy.

You’ll do extras. Then you’ll add other exercises like pull-ups and squats.

Why? Because it feels good.

And, because you will see real results from the little time you spent.

Small time spent + real results = positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement + Doing it every day = New routine.

It’s that simple.

Make it happen.