The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change; until we notice failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds." Stephen Covey, The 8th Habit.

As I read another spam email concerning losing weight and ridding oneself of obesity this quote from Stephen Covey rings so true. These companies and weight loss programs that focus on weight loss are really failing to notice what is important.

Pounds on a scale or speed of weight loss are so far from the determinant success factor in an exercise/fitness program that they should not be allowed to be used in the same sentence.

Is the purpose of exercise to lose weight?

That is like saying the purpose of attending church is to "be seen and make contacts" and to get doughnuts and coffee after the service.

Is there any question as to why people hate to exercise or never stay with their programs? Their marker of success and reason/purpose for exercising is to lose weight!

Exercise gurus and the fitness public at large are failing to notice the focus of getting fit; hence, the plethora of ways to attain physique stardom. Things such as pills, potions, "butt and ab blaster" series and the fad diets toting they are the "only and best ways to be fit."

Stephen Covey also gives us this quote from the 8th Habit, "Between stimulus and response lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness."

The idea is to improve oneself mentally, physically, and spiritually, thus enlarging our "space." This gives us better and more educated responses, to the point of even creating our response or outcomes.

In the It's Hip To Be Fit! Program we talk about finding your "why." Your "why" as to why you do what you do (work, family, health and fitness). We talk about focusing on things other than weight loss and social status when it comes to getting fit; such as changing your mindset or developing a new blueprint for an exercise lifestyle.

If our stimulus is a scientifically formulated exercise routine, what will our response to that stimulus be? If our why is to have more energy, be more productive and to enjoy a healthy and successful life, what will our outcome be? If our focus is in the right place, i.e. we are noticing what we need to notice, then it seems a more successful outcome is imminent - one that can be repeated.

A "would be" exercise enthusiast, lets call her Amy, begins a new fitness program (stimulus). Her focus is on weight loss in 6 weeks (this is her "choice" or "space" between stimulus and response; it is what she notices). The response is going to be based on losing weight, thus her success is determined by the weight loss.

If Amy fails to lose weight and feels she has not succeeded in her quest, she may now give up on the program, get discouraged and look for other avenues to lose weight. If she does lose weight, does this make her successful? Does she now have a bigger "space" in which to base her fitness decisions between stimulus and response? Is this program repeatable? What are the chances she is "fit" because she has lost weight in a certain time period? Was the program even healthy due to the outcome she was trying to achieve? Now that she has lost weight…now what?