Most of you have heard this before. The KISS principle is an acronym that stands for “Keep it simple, stupid!” When I first heard that saying, I was sitting in a recovery group meeting in Wichita Kansas. I arrived at that meeting in a white hospital van and  we were all wearing  green bracelets that had our names, allergies and dates of birth on them. As you can probably tell, I was not in a situation that I had always hoped would happen!

In fact, as though he was reading my mind, an older gentleman in the back of the room, who had obviously been sober a long time, said, “You know, I never wanted to be an alcoholic when I grew up, but I have come to actually think of this as a great gift. All you have to do to really enjoy life is stay sober, come to meetings, and work the KISS principle.” I got more from that off-handed statement than that man could ever have imagined. In fact, it eventually became the very roadmap for success in my life, too. I found that to stay happy and free, all I had to do was stay sober, go to meetings and keep it simple, stupid. I also realized that the reverse was true, that if I didn’t go to meetings, and if I allowed my life to get complicated, then I wanted to drink. I never did drink, but it sure made life miserable when I left those bedrock principles that guy gave me.

So what? Well, these principles apply to body for life as well. All you have to do to make body for life your operating system, and to stay happy and free, is to stay sober as far as food is concerned, go to some meetings, and keep it simple.

1. Staying sober with food is basically eating 6 small meals of carbs and proteins that are good for you, rather than munching on the wrong stuff or sneaking sweets and fatty snacks and lying about it.

2. Going to meetings is going to the gym, and staying in touch with your communities of support as well. Yes, you can do BFL as a lone ranger, but it gets harder with each passing day, whereas if you do it with a group that supports each other, it gets easier and more fun every day.

3. And the KISS principle is the real key. KISS means doing cardio vigorously just three times a week, always early in the morning, and always on a fasted stomach. KISS is doing resistance training 3 or 4 days a week, hitting all the muscles hard at least once a week, and getting plenty of rest. KISS also is being somewhat frugal with myself, so I can be generous to others, knowing this means God will treat me extravagantly. KISS means quickly apologizing when I have wronged someone, being even quicker to forgive when I’ve been wronged, and keeping no record of offenses against me.  Most importantly, KISS is remembering every day that being a BFL champion is an honor and a privilege that comes with a duty to be the BEST you can be in helping others to grab hold of this lifestyle and experience the true freedom and power that comes with living a life under control.

How about you? Is KISS one of your keys to better living?