If I put as much effort into my nutrition and health as I do my business over the last 20 years I would be the shining picture of health (and probably better looking) but the sad fact is despite many repeated and failed attempts throughout the years I have never cracked it.
Back in 2007, I was seriously obese. Pictures of me back then are depressing it was like i was wearing a fat suit. There was a good reason I was drinking way too much brandy and eating packs of minstrels like they were going out of fashion. That time of my life was when I was seriously stressed and starting a two-year prison sentence.
I started jogging in 2008 and although really difficult to start (I had to stop three times trying to run my first kilometer) I managed to build up to running 25 miles a week and lost 50 lbs. It’s true to say I was in the best shape of my life when I left HMP.
Then real life gets in the way again.
It’s a constant battle. I like food.
Fortunately, I’m not a big fan of alcohol and I don’t smoke. I used to smoke cigars and although I vape like a vaping machine I managed to knock the cigars on the head apart from very special occasions.
When I turned 40 I made a few decisions. Now we all have to do things we don’t like or don’t want to do. That’s life, but I made the decision during my 40th year that I wouldn’t do anything that bored me or I didn’t want to do if it didn’t affect anyone else.
During my time in HMP, I went to the gym but only for weight training. Outside in real life, I’ve tried to get addicted to the gym many times.
The harsh truth though is that it bores the fuck out of me.
I understand some people really do come to love it and I did manage to achieve that feeling with jogging when I was doing my 25 miles a week. Hard to believe I know but I did genuinely start to miss jogging if I didn’t do it 6 days a week. Now I’m a guy that would never think of doing more than a walk. I even used to take my dogs for a walk using a quad bike. I was that much of a lazy bastard.
So fast forward a good few years and jogging hasn’t continued and my weight and health have been up and down like a yo-yo.
When you are some one who sees themselves on video a lot you soon see when your face looks like a fat fucker.
One thing I have done which I feel has helped is only eating when I’m hungry but that’s not enough.
I’ve had everyone from my mum, my youngest son, my best friend tell me I don’t eat enough and don’t eat right. When you work 18 hours a day and get focused on things food slips to mind despite me being a real fan.
The idea of dieting bores me. I know it’s simple, energy in energy out, but it’s more than that. The gym, forget it.. never going to happen.
With that said, the harsh reality is I’m early 40’s and work and business dominate my life but whats the point in working your ass off to create what ever life you want if you’re going to end up fucked, ill and on your last legs or even worse dead before your time.
It’s been a real battle but a battle that I need to get around but on my terms.
The trouble is I’m an all or nothing type of guy and that’s a problem. Previously I’ve tried to go full on with health and dieting etc and got fed up real quick because I’ve not had any balance. What’s the point in being happy and not living life while trying to achieve this? There is none and it needs to be realistic.
So you get the picture. I’m shit at this side of my life.
So onto the point of this post.
It’s been an interesting weekend.
I attended a workshop called Fuck Dieting put on by a guy called Richard Enion. The name appealed to me right away. I was introduced to the workshop by a friend of mine and thought I would go along.
I always go to these kinds of things with an open mind and over the next 5 hours I experienced a shift in my thinking.
Richard is a passionate guy. He and his partner Natalia give it all they’ve got and the passion to share the message they have shines through.
Previously when someone says the word organic to me I haven’t really thought too much about it. if Im really honest I used to just associate it with ‘being more expensive’ Now I’m not going to go into the full contents of the workshop as I simply don’t have the time and you need to experience this yourself!
What I will say however is that I came out of it having a radical shift in my thinking.
As I have said before I know I have eaten shit, my standard ready meals at 10 pm because I have forgotten to eat have been a part of my life for too long.
Richards thing isn’t just about dieting though, it’s about your whole body which is something I need. Doing some of the exercises connected to breathing had an instant benefit to me. I’ve always known I don’t breathe right and much of the stress I carry in my shoulders and neck are not just connected to stress and posture.
After coming out of the workshop i found myself thinking of some of the info Rich shared during the whole of Saturday night.
It prompted me to go to the super market and buy some organic stuff he was talking about.
I’m not saying I’m going to eat completely healthily all the time, it’s just not going to happen and I don’t see me reaching the level of Rich anytime soon but I do know I’m knocking my diet coke habit on the head.
So I went out and bought some stuff. A small start but a start nonetheless..
If you’re like me and work too many hours and don’t have any balance you need to look into this stuff and you need to check out what Rich is doing. Like I said earlier I figure there is no point in feeling like shit all the time when you can help yourself and even more so there isn’t any point in being a successful unhealthy entrepreneur.
Check out Rich’s website here
Get on one of his workshops if it sounds like something that can help you and keep an eye out for his new book coming soon.
While you’re at it check out my friend Katy Garner’s website. Katy is responsible for turning me onto this and she helps a lot of people through hypnotherapy and here coaching stuff. You can see what she does here.
Keep It Real Folks and watch this space 🙂
Mark Lyford