We all want to be rich and lean. Admit it! Unless you already are rich and lean, you probably wish you were one or both. Since this is a business magazine, I’m going to take a leap of faith that you own or work for a business of some sort. This assumption will help with the comprehension of my approach to weight loss. In order to become wealthy, you must have a plan, make a budget, put forth some effort (lots of effort), track progress, put forth MORE effort and then continue the pursuit of this mission — even once a particular state of wealth has been achieved. Fitness and weight management are exactly the same.
In order to achieve your goal weight, you must start with a plan. How much would you like to weigh? Once you have this number in mind, I recommend you create a caloric budget. To do this, throw a zero on the end of your goal weight and plan to consume no more than that amount of calories each day. Want to weight 160 pounds? Your caloric budget will be 1,600 calories per day. Trust me, this works. Track this on your phone or computer with an app like My Fitness Pal daily. Now that you’ve made your budget, you’re going to have to learn about eating healthy and not going over budget. With money, if you spend more than you make, you go into debt and become poor. With calories, if you consume more than you burn, you gain weight. Stick to your budget; add exercise, and your caloric deficit for the day will help you drop the pounds.
Exercising and eating wisely isn’t always going to feel easy. It’s not SUPPOSED to be easy! Just as money doesn’t fall from the sky, a fantastic physique you can feel great about doesn’t come without some sort of sweat and discipline. This is where our effort comes into play. You work for financial reward, you must do the same for physical achievements. Spending on lavish vacations on a private jet with butler service is equivalent to downing alcohol, sodas and a nacho supreme on the weekend. Both are fairly foolish moves for goal-oriented people like you.
I know a lot of folks don’t like counting calories. Too bad! You count your money; you should count your calories. Not neurotically, just with diligence. You may not like the scale either. I assure you, you’ll like it once you start doing what I’m telling you to do. The scale is how we track progress. Unlike pants, friends and mirrors, a scale will always tell you the truth. It lays down facts — good, bad or ugly. Go to a big box store and invest $20 on one; it’s well worth it. Imagine if you never knew how much money was in your bank account! How would you know whether you were in the black or red? You wouldn’t know, and that’s my point. You need this tracking device to tell you if you’re losing weight, which means you should stay the course. It’ll also tell you if you’re gaining weight, which means you need to buckle down to make real change.
As time goes on, and you continue to eat healthy and exercise, you’ll eventually achieve your goal of having that lean body. This, I can promise you. Because unlike the stock market and the economy, you are actually always in complete charge of what you put in your mouth and how you move your body. Wealth, I don’t know if anyone can truly guarantee that. A lean, athletic body is a sure thing though, if you’re willing to work for it. In fact, if you treat that body of yours like it’s your second job, I know you’ll make great things happen. Just remember to use your top-notch business skills. Make a plan, set a budget, work, track progress, and work some more! What will you do with yourself when, if fact, you are both rich and lean? I can’t wait to find out!
Fitz Koehler, M.S.E.S.S, is a fitness expert who has taught around the globe for more than two decades. She is president of Fitzness International, which specializes in fitness education via mass media and fitness programming for children, MorningMile.com. Fitz has taught millions via TV, radio, books, magazines, seminars, corporate fitness presentations and through her online health and fitness magazine Fitzness.com. Email [email protected] to inquire about having Fitz speak at your next corporate event or implement a full-blown fitness challenge.