Originally posted March 8, 2011.

Warning: Metaphor Alert

Ok Imagine for a second that you’re a kid again….

And on your 16th birthday you get given the car of your dreams by your parents. Naturally, you’re ecstatic and you are ready to get behind the wheel of that thing.

But you’re stopped momentarily by your parents who let you know of “the rules.”

They of course tell you to be safe and that they want you to drive carefully, but in addition, they tell you that this is going to be the only car you will ever have as there is now an ecological law stating that each human can only have one car for life – no trade-ins, or anyway of getting another one. They also go on to tell you that this law covers the parts of the car as well, and that although you would be able to get replacements, it would be rather expensive to obtain these parts and that they would be applicable to all models and thus your car would not get the same performance as it did with the originals.

Ya, you would still be able to drive, but the car would handle stiff and sluggish, and fuel consumption would be sh!#.

So my question to you is……Knowing what you know, how would you look after that car of yours?

I imagine that you would take great care of it, performing all the necessary maintenance, keeping it clean, and using only the best fuel and mechanics to work on it because, it is the only car you will ever have.

In my theoretical example, I would like to think you were in agreement of how you would take care of that one car, the only car you will ever have.

So why the heck would you treat your body any differently?

We do after all, only get one. There are no trade-ins, no reset buttons, and until the clock hits the year 2157, this is unquestionable. Sure, we have surgery, but it’s a hard road after any injury to ever have the same performance we once had.

(I do apologize for everyone that has incurred an injury, while being active or even inactive like a car accident, and I do appreciate the effort you put in, as it is a struggle, and it takes guts, and you rock!)

Let’s not forget that the majority of us are also running around with stiff joints, sluggish movements, and “poor handling” aka coordination. Sometimes over filling the “gas tank” and gettin’ rusty.

So, when you started reading this, maybe you thought to yourself, man… I would treat that car like my prized possession. Only techron supreme 94 for my baby!

Oh wait… eating healthy for your body is too expensive? I don’t think so. I don’t care if those coupons for pizza and fast food came in the mail today. And please stop stockpiling that other crap in your cupboards – you will eat it if it is there!

And you know what our bodies run on right?………..Water, not tea, coffee, coke, or snack sized apple juice boxes.

You know what our bodies need right? Exercise, that “rust” is inactivity, that muscle and mobility is speed and quality brakes to avoid those traffic jams, accidents, and injuries.

We know what to do. We know what to do with our 1 engine (heart). We know the fuel to put in our vehicle, we know the maintenance that needs to be done, we know the mechanic we should go see (shameful plug ;))

Unfortunately the price of health isn’t free. It’s how it is, you have to pay more for the fresh garden greens and the fresh chicken from the market, while the frozen stuff remains affordable and ever so tempting and convenient.

Here’s the secret, the money you save now, may be payed later in the form of prescription meds, lipitor, and advil!!! I think you know where I am going…. Save a buck now, pay 20 later…

Your body and your health is the most precious piece of anything you got. More precious than that diamond ring, more precious than that sports car, more precious than _______. Without health and wellness you are sub par at everything you do. You won’t be as good as an employee, you won’t be as good as a boss, as good as a parent, as good as a lover, as good as a grandparent. So………I hope that this rant struck a chord with you or resonated with you on some level, and I appreciate you taking the time to put your well being and fitness first.

Many of you reading this are members of BEFIT., for that I applaud your dedication, and commitment and hope you took from this post a reminder of why you are doing what you are doing. For those reading this that are not following a healthier lifestyle, this is your wake up call.

Josh Saunders, BSc, CSCS
Founder
The Bootcamp Effect & BEFIT.