LEINSTER'S Heineken Cup success in Cardiff was a truly inspiring victory. When things aren't going well during a game, it's common to see some teams fold. But Leinster are made of different stock these days.

They have built solid foundations in their youth programme and this investment is paying off with a stream of younger players who are being bred on success. They are getting used to winning, and winning, just like losing, is a habit.

In adversity, it is important to have belief as you may be required to lead and inspire those around you. One such young player who displayed admirable leadership ability in times of adversity was Johnny Sexton.

When the Leinster front row were under serious pressure and the team was on the back foot, a number of things happened. Sexton cajoled his teammates and took the try opportunities that presented themselves.

In addition, the coaching staff on the sidelines recognised what the players could feel on the pitch, yet couldn't find a solution to.

The best in every field, business, sports or in the gym, have coaches.

A coach has outside eyes that can see where you are struggling, identify the problem and provide a solution that can put you on the road to victory in a much shorter time.

Shoulders

If you want to be a winner, you will see further if you sit on someone else's shoulders, someone who has gone on the journey before you. But do you want to win badly enough?

You see it takes a lot to win, and even more to lose. To win, you have to stretch way outside your comfort zone. You have to take risks. You almost always fail in some way during the process.

On a journey to health and fat loss, you are bound to get frustrated, confused, stuck, and discouraged.

You might test a new training program or diet and have it fall flat. You might invest in some fat-loss products and not lose even a pound of weight.

That's not good. But it's life. It's the way things work. You have to get up, dust yourself off, and get back in the game.

But let me tell you something -- winning is tough, but losing is even tougher. Sure, it can be difficult getting to grips with a new fitness regime.

And when things don't go well for you, its tempting to throw in the towel.

I see some people who cheat with their meals on a Friday and then write off the rest of the weekend all because of one blemish.

It's much like getting a puncture in your car -- would you feel compelled to get out and also puncture the other three tyres?

What will your life be like five years from now if you don't tough it out?

Where will you be? Same body shape? Same energy levels? Same health complaints?

It's easy to be out of shape and to blend in with the crowds rather than stand out from them. Yes, it takes a lot to win. But you have no choice but to win.

The cost of losing in the game of health is almost immeasurable: the cost of losing a life unfulfilled, the cost of being trapped in a body you don't embrace.

The cost of losing is looking into your loved ones' eyes, or at your children's youthful smiles and saying, "I can't be bothered to improve my energy levels or my health to give you what you want. . . or even worse, what you need."

So what path will you choose? Will you choose to roll over when the time comes to improve your health and change your body, or will you step up to the plate and become a leader like Johnny Sexton did at Cardiff?

Change

This knowledge and the willingness to embrace and act can really change your life. It can also better the lives of your loved ones and positively influence others.

At BFit4Life I ask our clients -- are you prepared to be a human billboard for health? As one person achieves weight-loss success, they become a role model for others also looking to lose weight.

Martin Luther King said that "the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy".

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