SCARED OR PREPARED

​Tipping  the scale weighing  a  whopping 260 pounds and only standing 5 feet 10 inches today is considered obese. That was me six years ago before I lost eighty-five pounds. Being 85 pounds overweight not only slowed me down physically, but it affected me professionally. One of my goals was to be a top sales performer within my sales career, but for some reason I always fell short. I had to try something different. Talking with a longtime friend who played in the NFL for 10 years helped me make that change. He said these words. “Damus, I’ve known you since High School and I’m just going to give it to you straight. The reason you’re not crushing it at work is because you’re fat. In the NFL every position requires you to be at a certain level of physical fitness. For a running back you have to be fast, strong, explosive and endure the physical energy the game demands of you. You have to be in shape to go 4 quarters. Ask yourself, this question for your position in your career do you have the physical energy required to work those long hours or be the road warrior needed to make those sales calls?” Well, I had to take a hard look at myself and the answer was no. That day I decided to make a change and improve my health so I could improve my performance.
 
Physical health boils down to physical activity, portions, protein, and produce. A moving body is a better body. Sitting too much can actually kill you. I know we may not be able to do the same thing in regards      
to physical activity, but we should do something. If it’s walking, jogging, or even marching in place, physical movement improves your overall health. A sedentary lifestyle is more prone to disease and even depression.
The second thing we must look at is our portions. This is one of my weaknesses, I love to eat. But in order to drop all those pounds I had to control my eating. I had to eat less and drink more…more water that is. I ate smaller portions of food, more frequently. I ate every 2 to 3 hours and drank lots of water which helped curb my appetite. The third thing we must master is produce. This refers to yummy fruits and vegetables. Eating healthy has many benefits. Produce provides antioxidants that help fight off cancer and other diseases, while also providing energy to help recharge your body. You would be amazed what a diet of fruits and veggies will do for you. To be a top performer you must make sure your human battery is recharged to give you the energy to perform at the level your position requires.