This is one subject that we as salespeople hate to talk about. Sure we get all gung ho when we start but then it fizzles out because…we’ve got a lot of work to do at night, all the meals we take clients to, not to mention the beer, wine and liquor…I understand. It’s certainly not easy.

Seven years ago I found out that I had Type 2 Diabetes. What a shock for me. I wasn’t exactly your picture of health. Basically I ate too much and didn’t exercise at all. I do drink socially but not a lot. I like to have an occasional glass of wine or a cold beer every now and then, but that’s it. That doctor’s visit was a wake up call for me. Since then I’ve been a lot better but I still struggle. I manage to control it with diet, exercise and medication. My last set of labs, about 2 months ago was the best it’s been in 10 years.

Here’s how I’m doing it:

• I do aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week for 20-30 minutes each time depending on what kind of schedule I’m keeping that day.
• I’ve also been changing what I eat to a lot of organic foods. It’s amazing how well your system works when you give it food that’s not loaded down with chemicals and crap. That stuff really slows down everything in your body.
• I also cut down on my coffee consumption from about 6-8 cups a day to 2 in the morning. I’ve started drinking tea in the afternoon and I drink a lot of water – probably 6 or more bottles of water a day and then some with dinner.
• I also take a host of vitamins and garlic and Omega 3 oils twice a day. That alone dropped my cholesterol below 200 for the first time in years. It’s now in the 120s.
• I also lost 15 pounds just cutting out sugars and high fructose corn syrup from my diet. This one step also completely eliminated any acid reflux I was experiencing. I used to take antacids every night. Now I hardly ever do.

Listen, this isn’t easy. Like I said I still struggle on a daily basis. But one of my mentor’s said something to me about a year ago that changed my life. She said, "You have to nourish the machine that carries you." And that’s so true. It’s especially true for me at this point in my life because I’m a single dad raising 9 kids (my wife passed away a couple of years ago) and it’s now more important than ever for me to be on top of my health because I need to be there for my kids.

I’ve been making these changes now for the past 10-12 months. It takes time. If you’re looking for a quick fix, this isn’t it.

If you haven’t made this a priority in your life I suggest you do. If you just develop the awareness of what you’re putting into your body you’ll make some changes. As a result you’ll feel more vibrant, more positive, your significant other will be turned on by the changes and you’ll make more sales because you’ll have more energy and a better outlook. When you feel good, everything around you is good. That’s one positive change you can make for your new year. Not just for your sales but for your life.

I know you can do it and I definitely believe in you!