Change the wiring

So, I was talking to a good friend this morning and he was lamenting how he had "let himself go" after starting a new job that took a lot of time. He said he couldn't even think about eating healthy much less getting to the gym. The others in the room nodded in agreement, saying that life made it to hard to be healthy. 

Let that sink in. Life made it too hard to be healthy. 

Now it's not to poke fun at them because this isn't the first time and won't be the last I've heard this. It seems as a society, a good portion are wired to revert to less than stellar behavior under stress. 

Where do we learn this? Are we raised this way? Why do some find it easier to grab a Twinkie or a beer than a dumbbell?

I think at least partially is because it's easier. Way easier to order a pizza after a 16 hour day than cooking in the kitchen. Way easier to catch Seinfeld than getting to the gym. We work hard dammit and we need downtime. Well...........

I understand the mindset because I totally embraced it. I got bad with it and it led to a whole lot of issues. Because, and this is a key, it's easy to make an occasional indulgence an everyday habit. 

And it's cumulative. And then after months or years, you end up breathing heavy on the stairs, you can't do the activities you used to, and your quality of life decreases. 

Time to alter the wiring. If you are at that point,  you need to step back and look at your behaviors. It's shouldn't be too hard to see where improvement is needed. 

And you can find time. Yes you can. Stop shaking your head and look at your calendar sport. They won't stop showing Law and Order marathons if you miss one to go for a walk or get an extra hour sleep. 

Get the people around you involved. Invest in yourself as a viable human. 

As much as these behaviors may be ingrained, they can be changed. 

When you wake up next morning, try examining your day ahead as a chance to make some strides to get feeling better as opposed to be resigned to another day of drudgery. 

We can do better.