When I market at RxFIT, I try to find former high school athletes turned couch potatoes. More specifically, I want to find the mom and dad that like exercising, but have fallen out of the habit of working out every day.

The external problem these “leads” express when they first inquire about the gym is that they want “to get in shape.” Internally, however, I’ve learned that these parents have heavy feelings of insecurity surrounding their body: they are generally frustrated about their back pain, energy-levels, and flabby waists.

But it wasn’t until this week that I uncovered the foundational issue; the problem beneath everything else that becomes almost philosophical… And that philosophical problem is that these couch potato adults believe that their children deserve fit parents–and they unfortunately carry guilt around because they aren’t providing that to their kids.

Let me give you an example.

In December of last year, someone challenged me that I couldn’t go all of 2022 without sweets (if you know me well, you know that you can get me to do most almost anything by saying, “I bet you can’t do this…”).

I went all of January without sweets. But last week I hit a moment of weakness… I pulled back-to-back 20-hour days on a project in South Jordan with little food. The only thing on the table from the contractors were Oreos. Sleep deprived and hungry, I ate two sleeves of that Oreo box…

I felt bad for a moment, but then proceeded to eat junk food every night for the next seven days!

Finally, last night after we put our kids to bed, I started making a bowl of ice cream. Karli said from the family room, “So because you slipped up once, you’re just going to give up on the rest of the year?”

She has a way of gently stabbing me in the side with a question… “Well I failed on the challenge, so what’s the point?” I said. “I don’t have anything to train for right now, anyway.”

Notice my response to Karli, “I don’t have anything to train for…” It was enlightening as it came out of my mouth.

So I went and signed up for the RxFIT Open. It’s only $20 and will keep me from spending that in the candy aisle for at least the next month…

With that realization, I want to encourage more of you (and myself as well) to become an athlete. Athletes always have an event or competition that they’re getting ready for. And as a result, they eat better and sleep more often. They also consistently show up to the gym to train.

The benefits to becoming an athlete are incredible. Joint pain finds a way of going away. Energy-levels get boosted. And toner bodies begin to form.

And as a result of all of that, you build confidence.

But events alone are simply a means to an end. I’ve been doing this for years now and I’m no different than the first-timers. Ultimately, I choose to be an athlete because my kids deserve it. They deserve a fit, energetic, and fun dad.

So I’ll end on this question for the weekend:

I’m in the Open. Are you?

Sign up HERE.

Tyler