Cause And Effect

I just returned home from food shopping at Costco. When you eat as much as I do (along with

three more members of the family plus our neighbor's kid who is an honorary member of the family) Costco becomes the regular grocery store.

I was just there three days ago, but hadn't realized I ran out of Metamucil (those of you over the age of 40, I highly recommend adding a high-fiber drink to your diet) along with almond milk because I'm allergic to dairy. The list seemed to build itself...watermelon, corn on the cob, baby spinach, etc.

And I also needed to pick up some snacks. My youngest kid loves Pirate Booty but we hate giving her unhealthy snacks to bring to school so I was on a quest to find a somewhat healthy snack that doesn't need to be refrigerated.

As I was picking up various healthy-looking (but not really) snacks an older woman approached me and with a smile (I'm assuming since we were wearing masks) said:

"Look at you! You don't need to eat that healthy stuff!"

Sweet. Yet what I didn't say to her (but was thinking) was, "yeah, but how do you think I got this way?"

And it got me thinking, as pretty much every interaction does. What if I were to go around and take out of each person's shopping cart one item that isn't healthy? What if their instructions were to go without that food for just one week and then go without it (or another unhealthy item) the next time they go grocery shopping?

But why stop there? What if they were to cut out of their diet one ingredient (perhaps High Fructose Corn Syrup) for a month? Or two? Or an entire year?

And what if they did that while continuing or beginning to exercise?

How would that person's life change?

Remember these two things:

• 30% gym, 70% kitchen.

• The minute you walk through the gym door (or work out at home), you've won.

Win every day, Muscle-Nation. You can do it.