Ever wonder why diets eventually fail and we go back to our old ways? Maybe it’s because there’s too much to remember. If so, here’s something you’ll never forget:
- 5 minutes hunger
- 5 minutes concentration
- 5 minutes sweat
Welcome to the never-ending diet. It’s easy, and you’re officially on the program. Feel hunger for 5 minutes a day, focus on health 5 minutes a day, and do some form of daily exercise. Once in the habit, you’ll be doing two or three at the same time.
Hunger
People think hunger means to get food; that pangs are telling us to eat. Well, that’s only part of the story. Hunger is also the feeling of fat being burned. No different than a dentist working on a tooth, your body needs to feel discomfort while being repaired. So yes, pangs do message to get food, but they’re also saying, “In the meantime, I’ll eat this.”
And everyone knows excess calories get stored. So when do they have a chance to burn off? Big eaters like me have meat on our thighs from things we ate back in kindergarten. Bottom line: it’s good to feel hunger. Let your body heal for 5 minutes a day. (Smoking is the same sort of thing. Cravings for nicotine are just the feeling of lungs being cleared, so allow yourself to feel them.)
Concentration
Ever wonder why some religions pray five times a day? It’s to maintain focus. Believers repeat objectives over and over until they become ingrained into their mind. Maintaining focus is a big part of success and you really can change the world by what you think. So ponder personal health for 5 minutes a day. Not unreasonable, given we get 24 hours.
And start early. When opening your eyes in the morning, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? It should be health. What good-for-me things will I be doing today? Once going, you’ll become an annoying health nut in no time.
Sweat
My personal trainer used to say, “It doesn’t matter how long you stretch; I want to see water coming from your head.” And that’s what it takes. Feel your body exert itself every day. Not for a long time, but for some time.
Pumping a Bowflex, running on the spot, or chasing around the cat, all work to help your body make moisture. And believe it or not, you’ll become a snob in a flash – making fun of those sitting around doing nothing.
Summary
Health has to be part of every day. No way around it. The components of eating right are already well known—lots of protein, not too much sugar—and daily exercise really is medicine for the body. The trick is to maintain focus. That’s why health always slips away. But not anymore. Because no matter how lazy you feel, one can always think.