What It Takes

I always get some odd looks when I wear this shirt. "S", my hot crossfit mama friend knows what it really means, hardly anyone else will though. ha ha

Jokes on them

I do what it takes.

What does that mean? I was thinking about this on the way home from the gym. Not a day will go by that someone doesn't ask me how I manage to eat so clean, stay so lean, look so muscular, stay fit, go to the gym everyday, on and on and on.

They ask "how do I get ripped arms like yours?" "How do I lose bodyfat?" "How do I eat right?"

My answer is: You do what it takes. Simple as that. 

I have been married for almost 28 years, my in laws became second parents to me. My mother in law passed away in February. I think about her quite a bit these days. I remember when I would call her and ask "How long do I cook the roast?" and she would say "Till it's done".

I would ask "How much time does it take to set up the gelatin?" and she would say "As long as it takes".

She was a very smart woman (and a wonderful one too.)

She knew that everything has it's own time or process and it must have this to be complete.

So when you tell me you don't have time to train hard everyday, or to make healthy clean food everyday, or to not drink alcohol when you go out, I probably don't believe you. You see, you do what it takes.

What does it take? We are each different, but for me it takes all of this and more:

Desire to be the best I can be

Humility

Willingness to fail and try again

Passion

Interest in learning

Humor

Ability to ascertain progress

Strength

Yearning for more

Energy

Belief in oneself

Imagination in all aspects of life

Hunger

Willpower


So what does all of this translate to?


I get up at 4 in the morning even though I feel like sleeping in.


I run stairs and jump rope at lunch even though I would rather go sit in a restaurant with friends.


I eat fish and lean meats, buckets of vegetables and complex carbs when I sit and watch others each deep fried calamari.


I drink water when I want wine.


I go to bed early, even though everyone else is awake.


I cook, measure, weigh and freeze my food for hours every week.


I carry food and water with me everywhere, like I am a prisoner and it will be my last meal.


I spend way too much money on supplements.

Most people say they are too tired to train after work. So why don't they train before? 


They say they don't have time after work, yet they plop themselves down in front of the TV for hours and vegetate.

They don't have time, yet they go shopping or clubbing on a regular basis.

They say they don't have the willpower to pass up fattening foods.


My son recently suffered a very serious injury. He is supposed to take antibiotics every 6 hours. The antibiotics may determine if he every regains full use of his hand. So, I set the kitchen timer for 1:00 am every morning and get up, give him his pill and go to bed again, only to have the alarm sound at 4:00 am so I can get up to go to the gym. I am tired.


I do what it takes.


What do you do? What are you willing to do? What is important to you? Once you decide, you will do what it takes.