I always find it odd how a small statement or question from a stranger can bring up so many thoughts and ideas.  Like this seemingly simple introductory post by a #SwoleFam member.

Some people will tell Matt that he has his whole life ahead of him. He is only 20 years old, after all. 

Others will tell him to focus on his career, as he seems very passionate about it.  Yet a different person may tell him he is 5’11” and 235 isn’t a heavy weight for him and he is young enough not to worry about it.

I, however, want to tell Matt that he is absolutely right to start focusing on his future health NOW.  Creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle when you are young that will carry over into your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond, is much easier than living most of your adult life reckless with your nutrition, training, and health, then trying to make up for it on the back 9 when you are running out of time and energy.

It’s no mistake that the 7 Pillars of Swolenormous , which are the foundation blocks of the #SwoleFam, include Nutrition and Training.

Unlearning a lifetime of unhealthy habits is difficult at best.  By best I mean, assuming you have a perfect stress-free life, no unhealthy relationships with food or family, no financial struggles.  Assuming all of that describes your life, it would still be extremely difficult for you to do a complete 180 and restructure your mindset when it comes to nutrition and training.  Years of doing the same thing makes it a habit.  A habit is ingrained in us, and reversing it is so difficult that most people choose not to and continue living with being unhealthy and all the obstacles that it creates because that’s EASIER.

And let’s face it, there is probably not a single person on the planet who can say the above applies to their lives.  We all have stressors that are out of our control and make us feel helpless.  The one thing that we CAN control is the last thing we ever focus on controlling: nutrition and strength training.

So, my advice to Matt is to start NOW. 

Lock down his nutrition NOW. 

Lock down consistency in his strength training and recovery NOW.  

It will allow him to fulfill his dream of making a good career and living a happy, healthy retirement.  

As a matter of fact, the fulfillment of his dream demands that he do this now. 

Quite honestly, at 20 years old, he has more energy and stamina to create those healthy habits now to allow them to become ingrained in him, then he will at 50 years old with no energy to change the bad habits he allowed to have control for years.

You can put off a phone call to a relative that you dislike.  You can put off filling up the gas tank in your car if you like living dangerously.  But the one thing that you cannot put off is your health and the habits needed to keep it thriving. 

You can only borrow from your health for so long until it calls in what you owe.  And when it does, you will have no choice but to pay up.

Author: Christy Mayberry