The Crazy Cycle

What he said made absolute sense.   He was tired, out of shape and stressed. And when you’re feeling that way, exercise is obsolete and eating poorly is easy because, well, it’s easy. So, more convenience eating and less real exercise leads to wider hips, a bigger belly, slower metabolism, less energy and more stress. What’s the mathematical principle? Two negatives added together equals a negative.  That’s the crazy cycle.

At some point, the crazy cycle needed to be turned around. And it was.

In high school I became addicted. That’s right, I had an addiction. It was running. I got to the point that running daily was like brushing my teeth. It was just something I did. A real habit. Eating, on the other hand, was not stellar, but it didn’t matter then. Being 16 with high metabolism, I could get away with it.

This man is not in high school anymore. He’s married, has kids and a very demanding job…you know the equation. Most of us live it. And if we’re not careful, all of those reasons can become excellent excuses to stay in the crazy cycle.  I say reasons because that’s what they should be. To the extent that we can influence our physical and mental condition, our families, friends and careers are good reasons to be healthy. Aren’t they? To me the goal is not just living; it’s living with vitality, energy and passion, with more to give to those we love – now and long term.

So let’s go there – it’s the energizing cycle.

Back to my friend. Here’s something I knew about him: he’ll meet a challenge if he truly commits to it and respects the person to whom he’s accountable. It’s how he’s wired. His integrity – say what you mean, mean what you say – rules his decisions. He committed to me and said he’d do the same with his wife – to exercise 3 times a week for a minimum of 15 minutes. And he decided to start that day. And he did.

What he’ll eventually experience, I hope, is the energizing cycle. When you exercise consistently, you’ll want to eat better. And when you eat better, you’ll significantly jump-start the effects of your exercise – you’ll look and feel much better, inside and out. And when you look and feel better, you want to keep it that way, so you… You get the picture. The energizing cycle.

In case you’re wondering, my friend is several weeks in now and continues to be true to his word. He chose to be accountable, and his integrity is stronger than his temporary emotion. He sees how he can, not why he can’t. And soon, he won’t need the accountability because when the energizing cycle hits, he’ll naturally feed his own motivation.

What’s the mathematical principle? Two positives added together equals a positive.

Go for the energizing cycle. It’s a fabulous ride!