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As a child I was always the overweight kid who wore “husky jeans” [1] so fitness is very important to me. However for most of my life it’s been impossible to be healthy for more than a few months at a time.

There are many reasons for this, but the biggest one is a lack of understanding about what fitness actually means.

Like many of you I take good things that are part of true fitness, and make them my primary goal.

1. The yearly motivation to get in shape
2. Weight-Loss
3. Exercise 
4. And strengthening my will-power

The problem is these good things BY THEMSELVES won’t lead to true fitness

1. My motivation will eventually become weak
2. Most diets aren’t eating plans that can be continued for the rest of your life (or are too difficult to continue), so they set you up for future weight gain
3. Exercise makes us believe that we can indulge in junk food more because of the calories burned, but that isn’t true
4. And it’s impossible to reach fitness alone (you will eventually start eating the wrong thing again)

This is why in most cases the first step towards fitness is creating a definition that includes all four of these aspects (along with some others) instead of isolating only one.

For everyone that consolidated fitness definition will look different, but here’s mine.

Fitness is a lifestyle that provides the energy and motivation necessary to be productive.

In other words, “I will have the energy to accomplish all my goals in a focused way, and still have some left over.”

This definition came from the realization most days I simply wasn’t being productive (focused on my work) because I either didn’t have the energy to do it, or lacked motivation.

Oh I didn’t come out and just refuse to work, instead my lack of productivity showed itself in smaller ways

1. Ten minute Facebook breaks (that usually took longer)
2. Putting off reading that book till tomorrow [2]
3. Not planning out my day with a to-do list so my mind forgets important tasks
4. The dreaded 3:00 energy crash (which can result in a ten-minute nap)
5. The inability to do any productive work after 6:00 pm (it’s seriously as if my brain shuts down)

Actually for me productivity isn’t so much about getting stuff done for as much a living a purposeful life, or being an individual who displays discipline.

The Apostle Paul nearing death was able to say these words

II Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

To me that’s a picture of productivity.

On my deathbed I want to be able to say that with the Lord’s help I completed (finished) the purpose (race) He had for my life.

It’s my belief that God is looking for people who will be insanely focused on the plan that He has for our lives. Individuals who will give sacrificially of their time, energy, and commitment for His Glory.

It’s impossible to live that way when I need a nap after lunch.

A big problem with fitness is our goals are too small…we must allow our hearts to become consumed with something bigger than “I want to lose weight.”  For that larger purpose will call us towards a life filled with healthy-eating, exercise, self-control, and productivity.

Almost every summer I find myself around ten pounds overweight after starting the year very well [1] so June usually finds me asking myself “how did this happen again?”

The weird thing is most years I can look back at one moment or act that started the downward spiral or bad eating habits.

A few years ago I was part of a volunteer group that picked up donations for a food bank. Of course this also gave me permission to eat a donation every once in a while 🙂

One morning a store donated individual pieces of carrot cake (a personal favorite of mine). One of the volunteers noticed me struggling with the idea of whether to eat the cake, and said, “hey go ahead and eat that man, your really skinny!”

Encouraged by his noticing my weight loss I ate the cake…and it was amazing.

About a month later while loading boxes into a van that same volunteer lovingly pointed out that I had put on five or six pounds.

I don’t blame him for this because I had put on some extra weight (that’s what happens when you have access to free junk food). However it’s amazing that all the trouble started with one piece of cake.

My point is it’s impossible to eat healthy all of the time. Eventually you will eat the piece of cake, and be reminded of just how awesome it is. Of course this will lead to (you guessed it) more pieces of cake.

And this is why fitness cannot be about your determination, or will-power

There is a sense were these things help (especially with exercise) but there will be a moment when all the strength in the world won’t keep you from devouring that piece of carrot cake. And before you know it, the same person who was complimenting your looks is making jokes about your weight.

Okay so if fitness isn’t about will-power what is it about?

Community

We will get into this in a few days, but a true lifestyle of fitness [2] cannot be accomplished on our own since we all have moments of weakness.

So instead there should be training partners who walk along the fitness journey with us.

People who when we are asking “should I eat this cake?” will respond with;

Hey you can eat that cake if you want, but it may not be a good idea, remember what happened last time? [3]

Or make clear if you do eat it then exercise will be necessary

Or offer you a healthy alternative

Yes there will still be moments when you eat the carrot cake (and that’s okay) but after remembering how awesome it tastes, we need training partners who point out what that cake does to us definitely isn’t awesome.

On a mantle in my parents home sits a picture of me immediately after crossing the finish line at the Richmond marathon [1].

I both love and hate that picture at the same time

I love it because that photo captures the excitement of a moment four months (and hundreds of miles) in the making as my right arm was raised in victory after finishing (actually it wasn’t raised victoriously so much as lifted slightly in exhaustion)

Then I notice the fact that I’m around five pounds overweight (maybe closer to ten)

The reason I’m thankful this picture takes such a prominent place at my parent’s home is it clearly teaches an important truth:

There is no such thing as the runners diet

The runners diet is basically an idea that you can eat whatever you want on training days (or immediately after strenuous exercise) since you’ve already burned lots of calories.

There is some truth to this since our bodies will crave food after a hard workout or run and there is a need for extra calories. However what we use to refuel our bodies must still be healthy.

I learned this lesson the hard way as marathon training that began in July started to end in November. The last six long runs on Saturdays looked like this

1. Twenty Miles
2. Fourteen Miles (a rest week)
3. Twenty-Miles
4. Twenty-Two Miles
5. Fourteen Miles (in the pouring rain)
6. And Eight Miles (Resting for Marathon)

So during the last month and a half I ran ninety-eight miles on Saturdays alone…but was still overweight.

How in the world did this happen?

It actually started with something quite innocent

“I deserve to eat a Mcdonald’s biscuit on Saturday morning because I ran twenty-two miles today.”

The thing is that’s true, I even ate it within thirty minutes after the workout which is recommended. The problem arose when the statement started changing ever so slightly.

“I can eat a Mcdonals biscuit because I ran twenty-two miles Saturday” or “I can eat junk food since I ran eight miles today [2]

Now instead of putting back calories I burned a half-hour earlier, I’m putting back calories I burned two days ago. Or in the case of running eight-miles I’m putting back calories I haven’t even burned yet!

But wait, it gets worse

As the marathon training come to an end (particularly during the last five weeks) I developed a sense of accomplishment.

This was quite understandable…after all I ran almost 100 miles on Saturdays leading up to the Richmond Marathon alone!

So the phrase became “I can eat a Mcdonalds biscuit (or other junk food) since I ran over 100 miles this month including all training runs!”

Does running that much give a person permission to indulge themselves more than usual? You better believe it! However if this excuse is used often enough it results in extra pounds.

I wish I could tell you the runners diet works but it doesn’t

Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way that the only path to true fitness uses both exercise, and a healthy eating plan.

Along my fitness journey I’ve been able to learn many lessons (most of them the hard way) about being in shape. At the top of the list is one I learn just about every January.

Fitness isn’t about a diet

Now of course weight loss is a part of fitness. But unfortunately many of us (myself included) believe that skinny=fit and that creates a serious problem.

From a physical standpoint losing weight is just one part of fitness. There is also a need for strength training, exercise, and a healthy eating plan [1]. In other words true fitness is a lifestyle that continues to keep that weight off for months or years at a time.

My First Real Run from John Wilburn on Vimeo.

For many years my belief that fitness was all about weight loss led to a cycle of extreme dieting that would usually begin in January

At the beginning of the year I would always go on what’s called a VLC (very low-calorie) diet. Basically this is one of those diets that involves drinking shakes for breakfast and lunch every day, along with some healthy snacks.

There is some good news, and bad news about a VLC diet

1. The good news is you will lose lots of weight in two weeks
2. The bad news is that weight will be gained right back almost immediately

A VLC diet usually only lasts two-weeks since it’s goal is quick weight loss, and more importantly breaking the old eating habits. Unfortunately it’s very easy to fall back into those habits, and gain all of our weight back.

My point is most diets don’t lead to health because they can’t be continued for an extended period of time [2]. But there is a deeper problem with dieting that affects more than just physical fitness.

Most diet’s cut down our calorie intake or make drastic eating changes in the first three weeks. This will normally result in loss of energy, or strength.

Which harms us mentally:

1. It’s very difficult for us to concentrate
2. We struggle focusing on something for long periods of time
3. Inability to be as effective at work
4. Often leads to our crashing in the afternoon (needing a short nap) in order to focus

Which harms us socially:

1. We lack patience
2. Lots of anger over small or unimportant things [3]
3. Not enough energy for social activities (crash at night instead of meeting with friends)
4. At times we isolate ourselves from others (just don’t feel like being around anyone)

Which harms us spiritually:

1. Instead of having a Christian testimony we are going around angry all the time
2. Can become very apathetic and lazy [4]
3. Relationships become very selfish (only care about me)

I know that all these are true because I’ve experienced them countless times while on a VLC diet.

Some of you may be thinking “Okay if we aren’t supposed to go on a diet how do we lose weight?

The answer is actually simple…make small changes, and think long-term.

Eat a carrot instead of a cupcake
Drink water instead of a Pepsi
Have a smoothie as your snack

These smaller changes won’t lead to massive weight loss right away (sorry guys) but the good news is it will lead towards true fitness, and won’t turn you into someone who you hate.