JUST SAY NO

Just Say No

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage -- pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically -- to say 'no' to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside."
-- Stephen Covey

I’m sorry but I received this quote from the facebook group ‘Inspirational Yoga’ and couldn’t help but take up on it! I have heard of the just say NO tactic in time management but never found the actual quote! Thanks ‘Inspirational Yoga’.

Now this quote does not only relate to time management! It relates to your body too! I know it sounds cheesy but in order to attain and/or maintain a lean physique you must say NO to a few things along the way. Things that hold you back!

Society – The number one thing you need to say no to is society itself! Now I am not saying you sit on your own in your room and eat broccoli and do push ups all day, I am simply saying that you need to say NO to the everyday ‘socially acceptable’ things that, well shouldn’t be socially acceptable! I’m going to get a little bit antagonistic here now so relax on the hate mail!

During my recent stay in Las Vegas I saw a lot of gluttony, stagnation and LAZINESS. I saw people in restaurants eating WAY TOO MUCH! I saw people getting taxi’s from one hotel to the adjacent hotel! But the thing that stood out most of all was; I saw these people on these little motorised bike ‘things’ I don’t know what they are called but they are NOT wheelchairs. I am not taking a cheap shot at people that are restricted to wheelchairs! But I am taking a shot at people who aren’t restricted to wheel chairs and STILL use them! Personally I think THEY are mocking the wheelchair users! They are ‘able’ to walk yet they don’t! They’d rather eat a load of nonsense and get fatter day by day! I seen this a lot in Walmart actually but this one instance stands out in my mind! A woman who WAS overweight but by no means obese was in front of me at the till. Now in my innocence I merely thought she was unable to walk and was actually sympathising with her (and thinking how cool it would be to have a go of her motorised bike-thingy) but when she was loading the conveyor belt thing at the till she dropped one of the products. Now I, thinking she couldn’t get the object (a tin of whipped cream if you’re wondering), moved in to help her but before I could she JUMPED out of the motorised thing and fairly proficiently SQUATTED down (technically perfect squat) and got the can of whipped cream! Now I have to admit I was ASTOUNDED! What the HELL was she doing in the motorised thingy?! She had no problems walking or jumping even SQUATTING! I just didn’t get it. I went silent for while, paid for my RIDICULOUSLY cheap bag of broccoli and canned mushrooms (I was on a budget ok?!) and headed back to the apartment. I don’t know. . I really don’t. She didn’t need the ‘thingy’ she was well able to move and she perfectly mobile. No visible limitations! Since when did this become acceptable? This woman was able to use this ‘thingy’ and not one other person in the queue batted an eyelid!?

I guess what I’m getting at is that society is accepting laziness and obesity as ‘OK’ and what you have to do is REJECT it with all your might!

Peers

Now let’s discuss your peers! You need to keep a close eye on these! I’m sorry and I know this prospect seems a little bleak but they love to see you fail. The abhor the fact you are dedicated to your training and nutrition (are you? or your at least trying aren’t you!?) and it drives them crazy that they don’t have the discipline. To them when you resist them fries and that ‘super size’ it OUTRAGES THEM inside. They would never EVER admit this! But to them every time they see you slip up or get a little injury they secretly (perhaps even subconsciously) love it! They love the fact, for that ‘split second’ you were no better than they are! Say NO to the fries, Say NO to the sugary cocktail, say NO to the CAKE! Haha ok you can have a bit of cake (only if its your birthday though).



‘Other half’ i.e. girlfriend, husband etc

Ah the other half, just think of all the positive talk you get from the other half ‘ehh you belly’s getting bigger’, or ‘oh, you used to fit in them jeans’ these sort of things can actually be motivational . . I’m not giving out about these! But the popular; ‘you’ll only last a week in the gym, you quit again’ is one to watch! It’s cruel but it’s TRUE. I’m not trying to split anyone up here, I’m merely trying to point out that sometimes you have to say NO, maybe just say it to yourself not out loud (to avoid an argument), but say ‘Yes, maybe my belly is bigger, and my jeans are tighter but not for long and NO, I will not quit’

Food

Here’s the good one! Food being placed on front of you, at parties or functions or whatever, the server knows no better but you do! Let’s take the baskets of complimentary bread that is dumped on your table before a meal? NO! Do not give in! Even if company says ‘ooo its still warm’ or ‘its soo fresh’ NOOO don’t give in! They know you don’t want it! They are saboteurs! In fact my friend told me recently that after he started the new nutritional programme I prescribed (similar to that in www.athleticbodysystem.com) His own mother (now I know she meant well) was trying to FORCE FEED HIM CAKE. Despite his repeated objections, she persisted! And when he continually refused she actually told him ‘your not eating right, come on eat the cake’ Ha, so now cake is right!? Ok I’m getting a little psychotic here but you ALL have been in that situation! Just say NO! Your abs will thank you!

Yourself

Your biggest enemy is yourself! It’s REALLY hard to say no to yourself! YOU are the hardest person to convince! ‘ah ill be training later so I can afford to have this big smelly take-away’ NO. Or ‘ah dark chocolate is good for you’ NO. ‘Ah few more drinks can’t hurt’ NO. ‘Maybe just a small desert, ill start the diet tomorrow’ NO. You will try convince yourself that the negative behaviour you are about to undertake is ‘OK’ for you. . use your common sense and say NO.

Ok only 16 capital letter ‘NO’s. I thought I had more, I’m actually disappointed in myself!

If you want to learn more about lifestyle management log on to

www.athleticbodysystem.com