The world has changed over the last 30 years and it's changed at an AMAZING rate. Most people would agree that, while the world has always changed, the rate of change has expanded exponentially as of late.
This is both positive and negative.
On the positive side there are so many more opportunities now it's unbelievable. Information is right at our fingertips via the internet. Pretty much anyone can do anything now because knowledge is no longer a barrier.
We can get anything that we want in a matter of seconds.
There is a flip side to the positive though. The negative side of our "get in NOW" world is affecting our health and most of us don't even know it.
It's actually the main cause of our deteriorating health.
Virtually every health marker you can look at has gotten worse over the last 30 years.
That fact seems counterintuitive. Why would our health be getting worse if we have all this knowledge about our health and about how to get healthy and it's all at our fingertips?
It just doesn't make sense.
Obviously this is a very complex issue and I can't cover all the details of in a 5 minute blog post. This topic could be a book in itself.
I want to break it down to one idea. One concept. One mindset decision. It's about instant gratification.
What our world has done to us is that we expect everything NOW. We expect to have a cure to all ailments right now. We expect to get fit in a matter of weeks. We expect the weight to fall off. We expect an instant result.
Because of the media, we have been brainwashed to believe that EVERYTHING can be made easier, cheaper, faster and better. We have been so bombarded with these ideas that we now believe them.
Don't get me wrong. Some technology that we have now is pretty cool. We have an app for the weather. We have books on demand. TV shows at our fingertips. Better cars. Better homes.
Much of life has been made easier by technological advances and the media has informed us. These are good things.
Here is the heart of the problem though: When is comes to true health and wellness there is still very little that other people or technological advances can do for you.
Nobody has come up with a magic pill or a magic exercise and the key to health and wellness.
YOU still need to take action each and every day to get fit and to look fit.
30 years ago we went to a store and rented a VHS tape if we wanted to see a movie at home. It took an hour or so to go to the store, pick the movie and come home to watch it. The VCR to watch the movie wasn't cheap and I think the movie cost like $2 to rent.
15 years ago you went online with Netflix, picked a movie out, waited for it to come, watched it and returned it. The quality and selection were better and it was cheaper.
Now we stream an endless selection of movies and TV shows right to our TV. We never have to even leave our bed, never mind leaving the house.
See the progression? It's cheaper. It's more convenient. We have to move less
.
This is the type of instant gratification that we are used to and this is what we expect is all areas of our lives; sadly, fitness included.
We have a national chain gym that sells memberships for just $10 that leads you to believe that fitness isn't expensive.
We have diets and that tell you that you simple stop eating carbohydrates and you will lose weight.
We have doctors marketing programs that guarantee weight loss "without diet and exercise".
Instant gratification. We are bombarded via the media each and everyday with "proof" that there is an easier and a better way.
With health and fitness there just isn't a better way.
If you want to look, feel and perform better in life then you still need to take action and it needs to be massive action. There are always going to be ways to help the process but know this: YOU STILL NEED TO DO ALL THE WORK.
I feel that I am a bit of a health and fitness "noticer". I see things that most others don't. I see things in a way that most overs don't. I understand what is going on with most people and why they aren't getting healthy. I feel that I know the truth while most people just don't see it.
The truth is that there is no quick fix and there is no instant gratification when it comes to your health.
It takes hard work and it always will.
Now ignore all the people that tell you there are shortcuts and take control of your health.
You got this. I have faith in you.