Take The Stress Out Of Blogging

That's my new flatter stomach!

Most of you know my background:

• 30-year career in IT working for large corporate companies

• Starting my own online business 4 years ago

• 18 months ago left the corporate world to run my on-line business from home

• Last year, put on over 30 lbs in weight while working from home

That’s right…30 lbs.

Even though I danced ballroom and Latin twice a week, played badminton and went for daily walks.

I know I can’t believe it either!

It creeps up…the weight. You don’t really notice it – well I didn’t.

I knew some of my clothes no longer fitted me but it didn’t matter – I was in denial.

A few chocolate biscuits here, a hamburger there. You think, “Just one more…what can one more piece of cake do?”

Then I saw myself on video and boy, did I look overweight!

It wasn’t like looking in the mirror. The mirror stares back and you see what you want to see. It seemed different on video. In the mirror you seem just a face or a static body. In video, you see movement…you see how the shirt buttons are being stretched.

The video was the turning point.

I had to do something.

I had to take positive action.

I did.

I weighed myself and measured the size of my chest, stomach and arms.

I weighed 196 lbs.

My stomach was 39 inches.

My chest: 39 inches.

My arms/biceps: 15 inches.

For the past 12 weeks, I’ve been following an exercise plan.

Each day I exercise, I get up at 6am and drive to the gym. Complete the exercise, shower and back home by 8am – already for the working day ahead.

The first few days were exciting. Something new. Something different. The first week, I lost 4 lbs.

WOW!

That motivated me to go the second week.

The second week I lost 2 lbs.

By now, I had changed my eating habits as well. No more biscuits or cake. I was eating fruit for snacks and cooking with fresh ingredients.

My 12-week plan finished this weekend and overall I am pleased. I must admit, I did expect to lose more weight than I have but I did set some specific hard targets.

My current weight/measurements:

I weigh 175 lbs (lost 21 lbs).

Stomach: 35 inches (4 inches smaller).

Chest: 40 inches (1 inch bigger).

Arms/biceps: 16 inches (1 inch bigger).

Why am I telling you all this?

No matter what you want to change you have to take action…positive action.

Don’t get me wrong it has been hard work to get some shape and fitness back.

There have been many a time when I wanted to go back to sleep rather than get up at 6am.

There have been many times when I wanted ice cream or a big fat juicy hamburger.

It’s a huge challenge just like blogging.

During my 12-week fitness plan, I needed:

• To work hard. There is no quick and easy way to make money via blogging. It takes hard work. Just like you cannot take a pill and you suddenly lose 6 lbs…you cannot buy a $27 blogging e-book and expect to be earning thousands of dollars by this time next week.

• Targets. I had targets for weight loss, weight lifted, running times, etc. You need targets for your blogging business as well. Number of visitors, blog posts, backlinks, etc.

• A daily plan. I know exactly what I am going to do each day I enter that gym door. It’s planned out. Your blogging business should be also. What are you going to do today to hit your targets?

• Someone to turn to. When I need help on a particular exercise I asked the personal trainers at the gym. They were always willing to help. When you get stuck on your blogging business, make sure you have someone who you can ask. NEVER be afraid to ask.

So what now for my fitness plan?

I’m starting again. I start my 12-week training plan again…only this time I shall jog a bit faster. I shall lift heavier weights. I shall train harder.

What about you? What positive action are you going to take to make your blogging business even better?

Please share your comments below. Thanks.

P.S. Did you see the photo? That really is me. I had to have several pairs of trousers made smaller!

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