I Walk Five Steps Ahead; She Still Keeps Me Honest

A single proverb changed how we chase health: go fast alone, go far together. Jay opens up about trading the lone-wolf mindset for a shared mission, and how walking with his wife transformed a 3 million step goal into a source of strength, connection, and real weight loss. The story is honest and practical—8,500 steps on the couch, the nudge to finish together, and the running joke about walking five steps ahead. Different strides, same direction becomes the metaphor that guides everything from late-night choices to long-term commitment.

We dig into the quiet mechanics of partnership: how motivation rotates so someone always has the spark, why accountability works when steps and meals are shared, and the emotional support that catches you on days when progress feels invisible. Food becomes a team sport—meal planning, batch cooking, and yes, vegetable days—so willpower isn’t your only strategy. Movement becomes glue for the relationship, cooling down conflict with playlists and miles, turning small wins into trust, and building habits that stick.

If you don’t have a ready partner, you’re not shut out. Jay shares how Weight Watchers meetings, local groups, and online challenges became a tribe, proving that transformation grows in connection. The big takeaway: you don’t need to match every pace to move in the same direction. Some days you lead, some days you follow, but you keep stepping together. Subscribe, share this with someone you want on your team, and leave a review with the one habit you’re ready to build this week.

Chapters

• 0:00 From Solo Sports To Shared Goals
• 0:59 Go Fast Alone, Go Far Together
• 2:34 Partnership Over Willpower
• 4:37 Different Strides, One Direction
• 5:38 Food Choices And Shared Discipline
• 6:45 Working Out As Relationship Glue
• 6:56 Three Pillars Of Partnership
• 7:56 Find Your Tribe And Keep Asking
• 10:44 Together We Keep Stepping

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:04

Hello my friends. Today's subject is one of the most powerful things that has gotten me through this weight loss journey. I've been used to doing things on my own, especially when I play sports. I like playing sports when I'm the only one that can take the blame. So when I was in tennis, I loved being a singles player because if I made a mistake, it was on me, not on anybody else. But what I've learned in this weight loss journey is that having a teammate by my side has made me stronger. Stronger than I ever was as a single player in tennis. And that's what I want to talk about today. Having someone in your life walking with you and doing the journey with you, whether it's health, a goal, or anything in life, marriage, anything, having a partner can make you stronger. I want to start today's podcast with a quote. It's an African proverb. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. This is the 3 Million Step Awakening Podcast. I'm your host, Jay Medina. And I just want to thank you for walking with me today. Remember, every step counts. Every choice matters. And every time you walk with someone else, you bring a little more love, strength, and accountability into your journey. That quote has been sitting with me lately, especially as I've been reflecting on this journey to three million steps. Because I used to think doing big things in my life meant doing them alone. That real strength meant carrying all the weight yourself. That independence was the ultimate sign of power. But what I've learned through this journey, through every mile, through every sore foot, every late night step, is that when it comes to transforming your life, it's not about going fast. It's about going together. You know, there are sports where being solo just makes sense. When I played basketball, if I had a bad game, I'd take the blame. When I played tennis and missed a shot, I can only be mad at myself. There's a certain comfort in that. Because when you're the only one in control, you're the only one to blame. But weight loss, health, and self-transformation, that's not a solo sport. You can't out willpower loneliness. You can't out-discipline exhaustion. You need that person or that group who reminds you why you started in the first place. For me, that person is my wife. And let me tell you, she's not just a cheerleader. She's been my co-pilot, my motivator, and my gentle voice of accountability when I'm ready to quit. There's been nights where I've been sitting on the couch, clocked in at 8,500 steps, convincing myself, eh, close enough, I'll make it up tomorrow. And she'll look at me and say, Come on, let's finish it together. And every time she gets me up. Because when you're doing something hard, it's not that you'll never want to quit. It's just harder to quit when someone's counting on you. The funny truth about walking together, now I'll be honest, walking with her isn't always perfect. We joke that one of her biggest pet peeves is how I walk five steps ahead of her. She's like, babe, you have these long legs, slow down. And I'm over here saying, I'm just getting my steps in. But over time, she's come to understand, and so have I, that even if we're not walking side by side, we're still walking together. Our strides might be different, but our direction is the same. And that to me is a perfect metaphor for what partnership really is. Because in any relationship, whether it's health, love, or life, you're not always perfectly aligned. Sometimes one of you moves faster, sometimes one of you needs to slow down. But as long as you're both moving forward, you're still on the same journey. And that's why I'm really proud of us. Because combined, we've lost over 110 pounds. I mean, that's amazing. And I don't think it would have happened if we didn't align ourselves in our activity, in our food, and everything that it takes to lose weight and to just keep on moving when we don't want to. Now, let's talk about the food because that's where this partnership really gets tested. If I were doing this on my own, I'll be real with you. Late night fast food would have won the battle many times. It's easy to convince yourself that one drive-through meal doesn't matter. But when you're doing this with a partner, it changes everything. You start realizing that your choices affect someone else's momentum. If I come home with a burger and fries while she's eating a salad, I can feel the guilt before I even open up the bag. So we plan meals together, we cook and eat together, and yes, we even suffer through those vegetable days together. We try to find recipes that work, that stretch into lunch the next day, and we've learned that eating the same healthy thing isn't just about discipline, it's about unity. We're building habits that hold us up both. When one of us starts to slip, working out together has become the foundation of this journey. At first, it felt like something small, just walking side by side, but over time it became symbolic. Because when you're in sync with someone on your health journey, it's not just your body that gets stronger, it's your relationship. There's something beautiful about sweating together, laughing at your own soreness, and sharing the little victories, like hitting 10,000 steps or saying no to late night snacks. Those little moments of teamwork have turned into big moments of connection. And yeah, we fight sometimes, we get on each other's nerves, but this shared mission has turned even our disagreements into opportunities to grow together. Because when we argue, we walk it out, literally. Nothing cools down a fight like a two-mile walk and a good playlist. Here are the three strengths of partnership. If I had to break it down, there are three main reasons why doing a health journey with someone is stronger than doing it alone. Number one, motivation. You might not always feel like getting up, but chances are they will. And when one person gets up, it pulls the other along. You take turns carrying the drive when the other is tired. Number two, accountability. When you're both tracking your steps, sharing your meals, and checking in, it keeps you honest because consistency loves company. And last, number three, emotional support. There will be days you don't feel strong, days when the progress feels invisible. But having someone say, Hey, I see you, I know this is hard, can lift you right back up. Now, if you're listening to this, my friends, and thinking, I don't have a partner by my side right now, don't worry. You can still find your tribe. Go to a Weight Watcher meeting in your area, find a local group, join an online fitness challenge, or find a community of people chasing their own version of better. When I started this journey, I didn't know anyone doing the same thing. But I started connecting with people at Weight Watchers meetings, sharing progress, swapping stories, and before I knew it, those strangers became a part of my support system. More importantly, family. Because it's not about having the perfect partner. It's about finding people who want to rise alongside of you. People who remind you that the road is long, but worth every single step. Let me tell you something, my friends, that surprised me. This journey didn't just change my health. It changed my marriage. It gave us something to fight for together. We've had tough moments in life, times when we've been hurt, doubted, or questioned by others. But now, no matter what happens, we got this thing that's ours. This movement, this rhythm, this us against the world energy. And that is powerful. Because when you learn to grow together physically, you start growing together emotionally, spiritually, and mentally too. So, my friends, if you take one thing from today's episode, let it be this. Don't be afraid to invite people into your journey. Don't let ego or pride make you think you have to do this all alone. If you're married and your partner doesn't want to do it, don't give up on them. Get in their face. Tell them how much you love them and care about them and what it means to have someone do this with you. You don't have to be alone. All you have to do is ask. And if you get turned down 99 times, well, that hundredth time might be the one. It didn't take us on their first time to do it, but we finally did it together when we were both ready. And if you're ready and that person's not ready, you just gotta keep on fighting because that person will be ready just by your actions and by you not quitting on them. Because transformation doesn't happen in isolation, it happens in connection. You don't have to walk side by side every step of the way. Sometimes your partner might be ahead of you. Sometimes they'll be behind you. But as long as you're both moving in the same direction, you're walking together. And when you do that, my friends, when you find your person, your friend, your tribe, you'll realize something beautiful. The more you lift others, the lighter your own steps become. And I want to leave you with this, my friends. Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much. That quote by Helen Keller has been a big part of my health journey. That's why I'm asking you to keep walking with me, keep believing with me. Cuz together we'll get through everything. Alone, we might sink, but together we can do this. Until next time, my friends, keep stepping, keep stepping forward, and keep stepping together.