The most important lesson I’ve learnt in my fitness journey

When is the best time to begin eating clean and exercising regularly? It is not after end month, not after the baby is weaned, not after that wedding or

birthday party, not after he has gone down on one knee making you feel the pressure to fit into your dream wedding gown and definitely not your

retirement from work when you have plenty of “free” time. The moment you decide to get a grip on your fitness and health, take action immediately.

Procrastination in this case will not only be a thief of time but ultimately steal your health and the opportunity to live a happy and satisfying life.

I recall vividly when I made the decision to lose weight and be healthier. It was a cold Monday morning in November 2015. I was interning at a PR agency in town and as I sat in the office that morning, I resolved to change my lifestyle. It was not an easy decision.

Tuskys Supermarket was right below our office and every morning, delicious aromas of freshly baked pastries would waft all the way up to our office and flood it.

I would instinctively reach for my purse and dash downstairs to get some cakes or donuts. That aroma was a genius marketing strategy.

As I sat there thinking about this huge step I was about to make, the rich aroma of warm cookies made their grand entry into the office. My mind got

jumbled up as the images of fruits and salads got swallowed up by images of thick donuts and chocolate-dripping cakes. A small voice whispered to me:

“It is midmonth, maybe I should start properly on  first December. That way I will be able to track my progress and even celebrate the anniversaries in full months”

That made a lot of sense and so I got my purse and pulled out a few notes to get myself some cake for ten o’clock tea and rose from my seat. However, cognitive dissonance was having a field day in my mind and a counter voice whispered:

“Celebrate anniversaries in full months? That is the dumbest excuse ever. Your birthday is on  the seventh day of January, not  January first. You need to start eating clean today. By first December you will have made such great progress you will be so glad you started out mid-month.”

I paused at the door feeling confused as the aroma got stronger. As I slowly made my way back to the seat, a still small voice whispered:

“It is wonderful that you are seeking to be healthier. Remember baby steps are crucial for success. Slow but sure. How about you take half of your usual order today and then take the stairs instead of the lift?”

BABY STEPS

I smiled to myself thinking that the baby steps argument was brilliant. I would make small changes leading up to a healthier fitter me. As I rose from

my seat a second time, I had a pop sound and a breeze cut through my tummy.  In horror, I looked down and there it was lying on the floor almost

smiling back at me with relief. The middle button of my blouse had given up the strenuous task of keeping my budging bellying in my blouse. I sat

down, powered up my computer and started downloading salad recipes oblivious to the thickening aroma of pastries and fries.

You may not have a dramatic event to prompt you onto your journey of fitness like I did. However, that is not a pass for you to stall the decision to

eat healthier and work out. I am so glad that on that fateful day I did not give in to the persuading voice of procrastination. Later that day, my boss

swung by with banana cake and I remember telling him that I had had a heavy breakfast. The more I gave power to the voice urging me to stay on

course, the more I withstood the temptation to give up. We had lunch on the same day with my boss and I ordered fish and greens without fries.

From the corner of my eyes I caught his look of surprise. I was on a roll.

Recently I embarked on a journey to attain my weight goal. I am 10kg away from it. I’m calling this phase the homestretch. Is it easier now that I have already lost a huge chunk of the weight? No it’s not.

The struggle is no longer whether to eat donuts or salad but whether to skip 500 counts or do a 30min aerobic session. However, it doesn’t really matter which one I opt for. The important thing is that I started. If you have been thinking of getting started on your journey, there is no perfect time to begin. Start today.

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Fit&Fab is a blog series by Marion Maina who lost 30kg during her weight loss journey that started two years ago and is now in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Do you have feedback on this story? E-mail: [email protected]