She rang my phone off the hook. I was out and about so I couldn’t take her to call immediately. When I finally did, she didn’t have anything new to say to me. After the pleasantries and a preamble, I heard the phrase:
“…but I am busy Coach”
As if that is not enough, the other night, just before sleep came calling, a Fitness Coach and friend, Bukola sent me a message about a conversation she had with a young client. In the client’s words: “but you must know Coach, I am extremely busy.”
In the past, I would have found such phrases irritating. I mean, who isn’t busy these days. Today, however, I am amused when I hear it. Amused because millennials appear to be super busy!
A way of life
Being busy is our way of life. But being busy is no excuse to neglect your health because that is the way we are going now. We are all waiting for that perfect time when we suddenly will have this free and convenient time that would allow us to lead a healthy lifestyle. Well newsflash: You won’t. If anything, you are even going to get busier, so you are going to have to take a good long look at your schedule and be brutal about yanking off whatever needs to go and make time for your health. Those people you see who have joined a weight loss program and are actively losing weight are not jobless with a ton of free hours. They are just finding time to put their health on their already packed schedule.
Let me share some stories
Ijeoma used to be my client. She joined my coaching program and was so committed. Only that I noticed she logged in her workouts super early or very late – midnight late. One day, we got into a conversation and I realised that she was a branch manager of one of the leading banks. She also had a toddler and no domestic help. She was however committed to rising a little earlier to meal prep and pack for the day, and no matter what, work out almost every night. I was impressed, because at the time, her branch and team members had won a major National award too, so it meant she wasn’t playing with her leadership and work.
Then there’s this other client
I knew she had twins who were not even one, so I already had made some wiggle room for her to not bring her 100percent. If she was to give me 50%, I would have taken it because… Twin boys. But no, she seemed to be hitting 80percent with me. Then one day, I heard the shocker. She also had an older son and worked too in a bank. Wow. How was she this committed despite?
You see, these two ladies lead busy lifestyles, but I love that they constantly bring their best to the table. Consequently, they are no longer where they used to be. They are wearing old and hitherto abandoned dresses. Their health and quality of life have both improved and life is looking better.
Give it your 100%
I love the quote that says whatever your 100% looks like, give it.
With your absolutely busy lifestyle, your 100% may be working out just twice in the week and having to deal with a highly monotonous but healthy diet because that is what your time can allow. It counts for something. It may yield the result of only 2kg lost in a month but if you stay consistent with that, you are looking at 24kg in one year at least.
And the good thing about your 100% is that as you start to see results, you start to give even more and then see more results. That schedule that looked impossible to change suddenly starts to be malleable enough to include a healthy lifestyle.