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"Wanna be fit? Prioritize!"

By Jason Goggans

While the following information can be useful for almost anybody, it will ring especially true for busy parents and those who have jobs that demand crazy hours every week. We are all looking for that magic bullet or that one single thing that will guarantee our long term health and fitness success. I hate to burst your bubble, but that magic bullet does not exist. Just because there is no magic bullet does not mean that there are not certain tricks, that if followed, will go a long way in ensuring your triumph.

One of the most important things you must do to ensure your success in improving your body is also one of the hardest. You must MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY! In my 13 years in the fitness industry this is the most common thing I?ve seen that causes clients to fail in their fitness endeavors.

Let's face it, making yourself a priority is a very difficult thing. This is especially true for parents. Being a parent of two beautiful little boys, I can attest to the time and energy they require. My two boys are, without a doubt, my NUMBER ONE priority, and nothing will ever change that. That does not mean, however, that my wife and I are not allowed to make ourselves a priority at least some of the time. The day we had our first child was not the day that our needs became completely irrelevant.

All too often I see parents who are completely afraid to put themselves first even though they know they need it and would be better parents and spouses for doing so. I can think of nothing more important in life than you and your family's health. Most parents would go to the ends of the earth to ensure the health and safety of their children, but completely ignore their own.

I believe that you can and should accomplish both. Let?s do some math. There are 168 hours in every week. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you only need to dedicate 6 hours per week to your health. SIX HOURS, that's it! That leaves 162 hours a week to spend with your family or doing all the other things that make up your week.

Those six hours include three hours of resistance training, one and half hours of cardio, and one and half hours on nutrition (planning and cooking meals). If you commit to doing this, and nothing else, you will drastically change your body, health, and life.

We all want to life happier, richer lives. Looking how you want to look, feeling how you want to feel is a huge step in accomplishing that. This may be a controversial statement to some but it is one that I deeply believe. When we are healthy, possess energy, sleep better at night, feel happier, have more self-confidence, it is then that we are able to be the best parents and spouses that we can possibly be. Not to mention the example you are setting for your children. These are the benefits of a proper fitness and nutrition routine. And believe me, your family will understand, and most likely encourage every bit of it.

In closing, I implore you; no I beg of you, make yourself a priority; if for only six hours a week. Every aspect of your life will change. You want it, you need it, and most importantly, you deserve it.

About the Author:

Jason Goggans is a certified personal trainer located in Alpharetta, GA. He ownes a Fitness Together personal training studio in Alpharetta, GA. His website is http://www.FTalpharetta.com