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MADISON CHASE FITNESS: Rewards and Consequences
(March 23, 2006)
1. The Doctor telling you that you will DIE from a stroke or heart attack?
2. A loved one passing from diabetes?
3. Amputating a limb?
4. Prescription medicine that often has unhealthy side affects?
Why do we wait till the very end to decide to make a change? Have you ever seen the anti-smoking campaign? The PSA shows an attractive woman smoking and she proudly says” If I quit smoking I’ll gain weight. “ The camera then focuses on a woman who is in the hospital, who looks like a skeleton with flesh over her bones, who is at death’s door saying “ Because of the last stages of emphysema, I can’t gain weight.
The picture is grim, but it is true. We procrastinate in all areas of our lives. My favorite saying is:
PROCRASTINATION IS AN ASSASINATION TO MY DESTINATION
Why do we wait till the very last minute for the very thing that can save your life? Is it because you have to work at getting in shape? Most people will start a program, but realize the work and effort you must put forth before you see visible results. It is at that very moment that they stop working out, just at the brink where they will see visual success. Working out is just that, it is WORK. If there were a pill you could take that will keep you fit for the rest of your life, I would be scared. There are no tricks to changing your lifestyle.
So, if you want the quick fixes or easy way to fitness, stop reading. I want to help you make a lasting change in your life and the lives of your children. I recently saw a special on 20/20. The special talked about how most people know intuitively how to loose weight, they just don’t see the immediate danger to change their habits. O.K, so the study took 6 women and 2 men. The participants were given a challenge to lose 15 pounds in 3 months. 15 pounds is a realistic goal. It is a little less than 2 pounds per week.
It doesn’t sound too complicated, right? Keep reading, we will get to the complicated part. Before the participants were given the challenge, each one put on a two -piece bathing suit, and the men of course wore swim trunks with no shirts. A professional photographer took pictures of all 8 participants form every single angle that you could possibly think of. The participants were horrified that they had to put on two-piece suits. All of the participants had not been in swim attire since they were toddlers. So the disbelief and shock of how their bodies actually looked in suits was an awkward and new experience for them. Some of them were embarrassed, ashamed, shocked, horrified, and amazed.
After the participants took off their swim attire, they put back on their own clothes. They gathered around the table with the host of the show, and the cameras were still rolling. Here comes the complicated part. The participants were told that if they DID NOT LOSE 15 POUNDS, THEIR EMBARRASSING PHOTOGRAPHS WOULD BE DISPLAYED ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
The study took 8 people whose weights ranged from 231 lbs to 336 pounds. They were all between the ages of 25-55 years old. Each one talked about the diseases that could potentially affect them if they did not lose weight. But because they were all fairly young and feeling fine they were not motivated to lose weight.
They were not given any workout programs or particular diets, just the threat of being on national television exposing a lot of flesh. They all tried various diets at one time in their lives, and probably made attempts at working out, but were not successful. During the study, each participant had a camera to journal and record what they were feeling. We saw how some of the participants fought cravings for cakes and cookies by the thought of being exposed on television. We saw the journal of someone else, who was so tired from her day at work that the thought of being on television being exposed motivated her to do her cardio.
90 Days rolled around. The cameras were on again. All 8 participants gathered with somber faces with the threat still looming. The host went around the room while holding the infamous pictures they took in swim attire in his hand. Guess how the participants did? If you guessed they all succeeded, you are right. Out of the 8 participants only 1 of them only lost 14 pounds. The other participants weight loss far exceeded 15 pounds. The most weight lost was 24 pounds. I was amazed at the results.
I described this television show because I think it is a perfect picture of what we intuitively choose to do. We all know what we NEED to do to lose weight; it is a matter of how we weigh our rewards and consequences.
1. Make a choice to eat healthier. (No fried foods, cakes, cookies, cream sauces or Cheese)
2. Drink more water (4-6 glasses per day)
3. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet. (Give yourself a goal to have a piece of Fruit, and or salad every day) If every day is too much shoot for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
4. Start moving! (Start walking 30-45 minutes per day, 2-3 times per week)
5. Plan your meals
6. Plan your workouts (Start with push-ups and a jump rope)
7. Find a partner
8. Set realistic Goals (2 pounds per week)
9. Post your Goals and Motivation
10. GET STARTED TODAY!
There are no excuses, only the excuses we continue to tell ourselves. But let’s start today with making a choice to live a healthier lives for our children and us.
Madison Chase is a certified personal lifestyle fitness and health coach. Her background in fitness began with classical ballet at Julliard, School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Fort Worth Ballet. She has a marketing degree from the University of Oklahoma and is currently working on her Masters in Exercise Physiology. This former NBC Fitness Expert and 3- Time ESPN fitness champion has worked with some of the best in the business. Her clients include celebrities from Jada and Will Smith hit show “All of US,” and professional athletes with many NFL teams including the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. She currently resides in Los Angeles and believes that everyday you should strive to be your best. For additional information on Madison, you may visit:
www.madisonchasefitness.com
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