The hardest to learn...

is the least complicated. The lyrics to this Indigo girls' song involve first love and the life lessons associated with taking a chance. I think we can use it as a lesson on taking chances in general. Living a healthy lifestyle is not complicated, but it is a hard lesson to learn about ourselves.
We have look at ourselves and realize our frailties. If we don't accept and work on these issues they will never be conquered.
I have learned how important it is to make meals ahead of time. Dan John, a fitness expert, talks about dieting "free will" and how to utilize it. He states that you must prepare meals in advance while you are excited about the process, otherwise you will slip if you try to prepare daily meals. Cutting vegetables and cooking lean meats might seem easy but after a hard day at work it might be the last thing most of us want to do, but if the components are already prepared it makes our ability to diet that much easier.
Training does not have to be complicated. Hard circuit training, strength training, and smart interval cardio creates enough of response in the body to change its composition. The question is do we workout with enough intensity to reapt the benefits.
The picture above is hike a did several years ago in the superstitious mountains outside Phoenix....The golden dome at the top is the called the "flatirons" and that was the destination. At the time it was the hardest hike I had ever completed but I remember the feeling of looking out over the valley and the pride I felt. The funny thing was how many times I wanted to quit during that hike, but I decided i wasn't going to quit.
I will not quit on myself during this body challenge!