Be a Fitness Leader

I'm not inclined to believe a lot of fitness studies because I know biases will take over fact when the results are announced. Still, I didn't doubt for a moment the study from the New England Journal of Medicine that proved that people who hang out with fat friends and family are more likely to be fat. Food is a social event as well as a biological necessity. If everyone around you eats chips and beer, it's likely that you'll do the same. Most people function on group mentality. So it leaves the nagging question: How do you get fit if the fat people around you sabotage you?

The answer goes back to what I discussed in, "Is it Fanaticism?" This situation of social circles collectively killing themselves slowly demands a thick-skinned leader to take charge of the situation and deciding for themselves to make their health a top priority. This one person has to eat right, exercise, and take their health seriously. They have to ignore the taunts about their efforts. They have to eat right when everyone around them isn't. They have to make the time for exercise. No preaching, that is an important part. Answer questions only when asked. Give advice only to those who are serious.

How do I know this will work? I went through it. My family collectively thinks that I'm a fitness nazi. I take it too seriously, I'm too extreme, I do too much , I'm too strict with my diet, blah, blah, blah. Even if I'm all of that, I kept going, doing my thing. Slowly, they've all started to follow suit. They are all doing some sort of regular exercise. They're all making an effort to eat better. I'm not saying that the agree with me or that they are doing what I'm doing. I still hear the same remarks but I got through by example. Eventually, they'll come around. They've come farther than I thought that they would have come even a few months ago.

Be ready and go it alone. Eventually, others will follow.