Do You Need Better Border Patrol on Your Fitness Journey

“ID Please.”
“Are you American?”
“What is your business here? “
“Where are you headed?”

We may think of Border Patrol as a bother, but we know it’s necessary to keep our country safe, as well as our surrounding countries. Not only does it keep the bad people out, it helps keep the good stuff in, protecting our assets and making certain people don’t take valuables out of our country illegally.

In many ways, I believe WE need better personal border patrol when it comes to our fitness journey. We need specific boundaries and rules in place that help protect our assets while we “travel”, as well as road blocks in place to prevent us from harm on our way to our destination.

Unfortunately, while we live in the land of the free in a nation that pretty much allows you the right to do just about anything, we get comfortable without rules, without borders. Borders are helpful and necessary – especially when you are trying to live healthy.

Think of how much better off we’d be if we were to ask these questions every time we encountered a new friend or yummy temptation.

“ID Please“

Are you who you really say you are? How many foods out there are not really what they say they are? Low-fat foods often still are packed with fat and no-sugar added foods can still be loaded with natural sugar or other high-calorie ingredients. This is why we should read labels as closely as a Border Patrol Officer studies your driver’s license and passport.

 “Are you Healthy?”

Just like you are either American or you are not, something is either healthy or it is not. It’s more black and white than you think. Vegetables are healthy, but as soon as you deep fry them they instantly turn unhealthy. Even salads can appear healthy, but after you add 1,000 calories of fattening cheese, nuts, dried fruit and dressings, you officially made something healthy unhealthy.

“What is your business here?” 

Food has business to conduct too – and it can either be good for you, or it can be bad for you. When you eat something healthy, it continues working for you long after it hits your tongue. The same goes with unhealthy food. It continues wreaking havoc on the body after it’s eaten and forgotten. Besides the weight we may gain from eating too much food, most of the damage caused by letting unhealthy food in goes undetected for years. Like a fugitive on the run, you must catch it before it causes more harm and stop it in it’s tracks. The only way to do that, is to put up better borders and keep the bad stuff out of your precious territory.

Where are you headed?

Every decision you make determines where you’re headed. If you want to be in control of your destination, YOU have to make those decisions. If you let anything in, then food and people will make those decisions for you, and THEY are in control of your destination.

If you want to succeed, you need to realize every decision and every friendship can either help you reach your goal, or prevent you from reaching your goal. If you ask these questions to yourself, you will likely reveal what friends and foods shouldn’t cross your border.

Happy Trails!