Doing it for the Right Reasons

You get to when you want to hear from me and when you’ve had
enough, but my beautiful wife Anita has to live with me all the time! My
'round-the-clock involvement in the fit­ness industry has created some extra
pressures for the people who are closest to me, and they've had to work a
little harder to figure out why it's really good for them to exercise and eat
right. But I'll let Anita tell you all about it herself:

"Just because I'm married to Clark it doesn't mean that
keeping fit is any easier for me. In fact, it can be even harder sometimes.

"Some of the people Clark runs into in his line of work
can be pretty superficial, and for some reason they hold me to a higher
standard. They have this preconceived notion that I must be this perfect,
flawless creature, and I often find myself thinking that I'm supposed to live
up to their false standards.

"And then there are all the women Clark works with. I
admit I have a hard time with that sometimes. Not because I don't trust Clark,
but because I tend to compare myself to the "perfect" images these
girls convey in their photographs. That can be a lot of pressure!

"To top it all off, I seem to be a living example of
the old adage that says familiarity breeds contempt.

I know Clark's an expert who can get any­one in the best
shape possible - I've seen it happen countless times with his clients and fans
who tell him how he's been an inspiration to them. But I often find myself not
wanting advice from him. I guess I just take it too personally. Even if I ask
him a question and he inno­cently says something like 'maybe those chips aren't
such a great idea,' I hear 'you're fat and out of shape!'

"Clark doesn't put any pressure on me, but I sure put
pressure on myself! It's something I've had to work through, and as challenging
as it's been it's helped me grow. I'm not out of shape, but I could do better.
I may indulge in a snack from time to time (by the way, so does Clark, but
don't tell him I told you that!) but I try not to overdo it. And let me tell
you, when you're surrounded by people who are paid to stay super-fit all the
time, you tend to get a little self-conscious no matter how good a shape you're
in!

"For me, fitness isn't a profession, but it's important
in my life. When I stop comparing myself to others, when I keep things in the
right per­spective, I find great pleasure and joy in exercise and good
nutrition. I exercise and eat right because it feels good, and also because I
want to set a good example for my children. My kids love to exercise because
they see how much fun Clark and I have being active.

"I love being married to Clark, and our relationship
has stood the test of time because it has many dimensions - physical as well as
spiritual. I may get frustrated or intimidated by his profession sometimes, but
I know that's an illusion that isn't real. Maybe you've had the same pres­sures
from images you've seen on TV or in magazines.

Believe me, all those people aren't perfect (I've met a lot
of them and they don't even pretend to be!) and if you can relax, try not be so
hard on yourself, and get in shape for the right reasons for you, I think your
fitness endeavors will be a lot more fun and a lot easier, too."