The 10 Commandments Of Fitness

MichaeI Jarosky is a personal trainer from sunny Australia who’s not afraid to tell it like it is. We like him, so we thought we’d bring you his 10 Commandments of Fitness:

‘Walking down the street I still notice plenty of flabby bellies, and beefy paws clutching super-size takeaway treats and soft drink cups by the litre. They’re exactly the people I created Droptober for, because you can change your life in one month.

So let there be a bit of “thou shalt” and more importantly, plenty of “thou shalt not”, as we present my 10 Commandments of Health and Fitness.

1. Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbour’s Cake

Control your portions and stop eating so much. You don’t need more. You had yours, and you don’t need another serving. Portion control is key to a healthy life. Eat less.

2. Thou Shalt Not Seek Out Shortcuts

Pills, powders, diets, and Ab Dominators for $49.95 over three easy payments? Please. You might be sent to Health and Fitness Hell.

3. Thou Shalt Listen to Thine Body

Missing work ’cause you’re sick? Got gout? Scatter bombing the toilet, and your skin is unsightly? Your body speaks to you. These are signs, the small jabs to the chin. The next messages are uppercuts like diabetes and heart disease. And they hurt. Listen early, and make changes as soon as possible, or the knockout punch is coming.

4. Thou Shalt Drink Water

Energy drinks, fruit juices, fizzy and sports drinks – you drink them because marketing has you in its grasp. You. Are. Weak. Toughen up by turning on the tap and get some water in your body. Water works.

5. Thou Shalt Lose Weight

Fourteen million Australians (and a lot more Brits) are overweight. Obesity costs Australia $120 billion per year. By 2025, 80% of Aussies will be overweight. Are you kidding? We have sun, water, fresh fish, and too much land. Lose some weight before diabetes becomes the common cold. It’s coming, so start tomorrow.

6. Thou Shalt Not Seek Perfection

Stop waiting for Hollywood to call. None of us will make next month’s glossy mag cover. Be healthy and be happy – aim to look good in your best pair of jeans and a t-shirt. That’s the goal, and we can all get there.

7. Thou Shalt Control Your Booze

Be classy, not a drunk idiot. Men, be gentlemen. Ladies, be ladies.

8. Thou Shalt Exercise

In the gym, bedroom, on the beach and playground…our bodies were meant to move. With aggression. Strength. Passion. Sweat, swear, laugh, and get moving. You must exercise.

9. Thou Shalt Be a Man, Not a Boy … a Woman, Not a Girl

A man should be able to drop and give 20 push-ups, and all parties should stop grocery shopping like kids with credit cards. You built it, you live in it; so you own it – change your body.

10. Thou Shalt Not Make Excuses

‘I don’t have time. I don’t have the energy. Nothing works for me.’ Excuses are cliché and boring. Move your body. Feed your body with healthy food. Find a way to get it done.

And a bonus commandment:

11. Thou Shalt Cut the BS

If you forget 1-10, just focus on 11. Turn off the television. Stop sleeping outside queuing for the next phone. Video games? Please. Teach your children a healthy lifestyle. Don’t be an obesity statistic. Be better than all that BS timewasting. You know exactly what you should do.’

So there you go. Like we said, Michael’s a pretty straight talker, but sometimes that’s a good thing. Go for it!