Keith JonesJune 20, 2016

We all know that being healthy and fit comes down to exercising and eating right. Some people can do both for short periods of time. However, making optimal health and fitness a lifestyle change for the long-term can be a lot more challenging. I’ve learned that there are two things that keep people for doing this. It’s how they view and experience exercise and nutrition.

A lot of people don’t exercise or are inconsistent because they see it as painful, a lot of work and boring. While I acknowledge their sentiments, my mind is on other aspects of exercise. I focus on the results I want to produce, not the pain or discomfort that comes with an intense workout. People are often surprised when I tell them I don’t particularly enjoy exercising, but it’s true. What I do appreciate is how I feel and look. Working out daily requires commitment and discipline. Every time I train, I strengthen these mental traits. Both of these are transferable to other areas of my life. They help me in business and relationships.

I have a different take on nutrition than most people too. For a lot of people, they will choose foods that taste good over foods that may not be good for them or support their goals. As a southern boy growing up in a region where unhealthy choices were abound, I can relate. I grew up on fried foods, breads and junk food. Any vegetables I ate had their nutritional benefits nullified by all the salt and fat added to them to change the taste. This changed when I went to the Marines where flavor was at the bottom of the list of priorities, if there at all. After four years of service, flavor became a non-factor in whether I would eat certain foods. It came down to whether or not it was healthy, good for me and supported my fitness goals. If it did, I ate it. If not, I didn’t. And if it happened to taste good, that was a bonus. I encourage you to shift how you view the foods you choose to eat.

I understand that I am a different kind of cat. I exercise and eat right because it’s good for me. So why listen to me? Well, over the last ten years, I’ve been a part of a community that’s worked with people who aren’t like me. To help them make being healthy a sustainable lifestyle change, we had to find solutions. We came up with one that is a game changer. It’s our community. We were strangers who formed friendships and bonds that are rooted in helping each other be our personal best. We encourage and support each other in being happy and healthy for life. So when it comes to our intense exercise sessions, we create an encouraging, supportive and fun environment to train in. And for the nutrition piece, we challenged ourselves to create recipes that are both healthy and delicious. Just try our Quinoa Lasagna and Long Run Brownies and you’ll know we are succeeding here.

To make living healthy sustainable, shift the way you view exercise and nutrition. Then surround yourself with people who see it the same way. When you do, you will be healthy and happy for the rest of your life.

Be Healthy and Happy for Life!

Keith