Tip # 74    Let’s get physical…

You’ve complained enough about your weight.  Your parents are tired of listening to you, and so are your friends.  It’s been a yo-yo, on and off, touch and go affair with the scale. 

You’re only 23 but you’re overweight by twice that number.  The doctor just said that you’re a likely candidate of diabetes if you don’t do something.  See which of these statements apply to you.
“I’d feel better if I lost weight because:

• I would like myself better.  I’d be happier about my physical appearance.
• If I learn to like myself, my friends and family would like me better too.  I’d be more positive about life, and I’d slowly build up my self-confidence.  These qualities attract people.
• I’d be more comfortable in my relationships with the opposite sex.  I would stop agonizing about what they’re thinking of me being such a fat slob.  I want them to think of me as attractive, and pleasant to be with.
• My doctor would stop nagging me.  My blood pressure, my cholesterol, and my blood sugar levels would be lower, and with some effort, I’d probably regain that old energy I had in my teens.
• My friends would respect me more and seek my opinion about their own problems.

The benefits are immeasurable.  If you stop procrastinating, you can enjoy these benefits today. 

Tip # 75    The gym can be a scary place

If you go to the gym frequently enough, you get used to seeing certain types: the fanatics, the confident and the driven. 

Then there are those who can’t look you in the eye – they’re attired in clothes that camouflage their size and their demeanor suggests they’re embarrassed about being in the gym at all.  They look miserable, move awkwardly, and are terrified of the machines. 

You were there once.  Don’t delay about giving them encouragement.  A simple, sincere smile would go a long way.  Don’t give advice; don’t offer to show them how a particular machine can be adjusted.  If you smile at them everyday, chances are by next week, they shall have mustered enough courage to ask you to help them figure out their fitness routine.  It works all the time!