Ken Blanchard - Fit at Last: Look and Feel Better Once and for All

Fit at Last

LOOK AND FEEL BETTER ONCE AND FOR ALL

Ken Blanchard

Tim Kearin

Copyright 2014 by Polvera Publishing and Tim Kearin
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First Edition
Hardcover print edition ISBN 978-1-62656-060-4
PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-62656-061-1
IDPF e-book ISBN 978-1-62656-062-8

2013-1

Production Management: Michael Bass Associates

Cover Design: Irene Morris Design

SLII is a registered trademark of The Ken Blanchard Companies.

This book contains the opinions and ideas of its authors, who are not medical professionals. The contents are strictly for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before you begin any exercise or nutrition program or if you have questions about your health.

We dedicate this book to all of you who struggle to be as healthy as possible but run into occasional trouble behaving on your good intentions.

Have you ever made New Years resolutions that you didnt keep? My experience is that all of us have had good intentions to do things over the years, yet we didnt follow through. We usually start out enthusiastic about the change, and then after a while our enthusiasm goes by the wayside. Why is that?

Its my contention that the old adage The road to nowhere is paved with good intentions is probably more true than we want to admit. My friend and colleague Art Turock, author of many booksincluding a classic on health and fitness entitled Getting Physicalargues that the problem stems from the difference between interest and commitment. For example, when interested exercisers who have started a jogging or walking program wake up and find it is raining outside, they lie back down and say to themselves, I think Ill exercise tomorrow. However, when committed exercisers wake up and find its raining, they get out of bed and say to themselves, I think Ill exercise inside today. People who are interested in doing something will do it if all goes as plannedbut give them a hiccup or two and they dont follow through. People who are committed to do something will continue to do it, no matter what. In other words:

So lets get real. What have you been wanting to do for a long time but just havent been able to accomplish? Maybe it has to do with fitnessphysical activity and weight controlwhich I had procrastinated about for a long time. Or perhaps its more about improving yourself on the inside or other aspects of a healthy lifestyle, and youd like to focus on becoming more resilient, creative, generous, or empathetic. You might want to push yourself to improve your communication skills, get organized, do volunteer work, or spend more time with your family. Maybe youve been making excuses for years instead of sitting down and writing that novel or learning to speak French. This book may help you move from being interested in doing it to being committed to doing itno matter what.

Beginning January 1, 2011, the Boomer generation began turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day. This rate will continue for 19 years. Research shows that many in this generation intend not to retire but to continue to work and play hard. Many others cant afford to retire because of unfortunate circumstances or poor retirement planning. Either way, it is imperative that adults maintain their optimal health and fitness no matter what their age.

Every year in January following a New Years resolution, thousands of people begin an exercise program with the idea that it will change their lives forever. By the end of March, about 90 percent of those who started are no longer participatingnot because they have changed their minds about the importance of exercise, but because exercise is hard work and they are not seeing the immediate results they had hoped for. Whatever the reason, they dont follow through.

This book follows my journey from interest to commitment about my fitness. The western heroic legend of the lone wolf who succeeds at lofty goals based solely on strength of will and sharp wit is strong with many people. This John Wayne myth isnt deadits just not effective. As youll learn, I could not keep my commitment to an effective fitness plan alone. I needed help. That help came from my coauthor Tim Kearin, a health and fitness coach who had been patient with me for many years.

Each year Tim listened to me make an announcement about what I was going to do about my fitness that year, and then he watched me not keep my commitment. Year after year we went through the same routine: Tim would receive a call from me early in the yearusually February, since I didnt want to join the New Years resolution crowdto begin a fitness program. I would get underway with enthusiasm, but after a month or so I would gradually become too busy to keep my commitment to my commitment. The process would start again at the beginning of the next year.

So follow along and see how Tim and I broke this ineffective cycle. I know Fit at Last will help you behave on your good intentions and keep your commitment to your commitment, no matter what issue you are working on.

Ken Blanchard
Coauthor, The One Minute Manager

Kens Story

Think about an exciting story. Doesnt it always have an interesting character who wants to make something important happen in their life, but first has to overcome conflict to accomplish the goal? Well, the interesting character in this story is me. What I want to accomplish that is important is to become fit again so I will feel better and live longer. To do that, I have to overcome conflictmy past patterns of behavior and how I dealt with the ups and downs of life.