It’s not resolution time anymore guys

 Lame resolution attempts are over but you still have clock ticking down to bikini season and excuses are running out.

Do you feel like you’ve stalled?   Still feeling spring break?

“I want this year to be different; I want to get back into shape!”

Well good for you, you CAN do it, let me help.

So let’s tackle this – LETS GET FIT.

Many of you know me personally –  I’m the guy that wants to simplify my life.  I want to work easier and reap greater results.  I’m busy, I run a business, have a clinic and have 4 crazy active kids.   I love my wife and want to spend more time with her and my family.

So how do I hack life to stay in shape and even get better each year?  Because my version of eating and workouts can’t be tough or time consuming.  If its too much I’m out.

I recently finished an 8 week Whole Life Challenge  pushed on me by my gym.  It was awesome – changed so much of my life especially the stuff I wasn’t really looking for.   The things like Mindfulness, lifestyle changes mobility is more than eating and workouts – but it all added up to a new me.  Laser Beam focused program took the struggle out.

RULE 1 – you need to spend a day just figuring out what direction to go and you’ll save yourself a ton of misery and stress.

Q1 – “what type of fit do you want to be?”  -One of my favorite lectures I put on it “what is your fit?”   this is paramount to your change.

              Are you looking to gain muscle? Win the state wrestling championship?

              Lose 100 lbs?     Crossfit?             Bike Europe?

              Lift heavy things?            Be able to get out of Bed?   Pose your sculpted body on stage?

              Climb a mountain?         Fight in the cage? 

              Compete in a 5K or ½ marathon?    Surf the Pacific?

               -how about a goal of looking better naked when you walk out of the shower.  Probably it is a combo of these.

Just this one question will get you on a much more direct route, because let’s face it guys, almost all of these would be considered fit.  All of them. 

They are also ALL great directions.  They are however, drastically different in their approach and in that the HUGE time saver.  Focus and direct.

 Be fluid if that’s you.  You can have a little bit of all of these goals and mix and match as your desires change but when I’m training for a strongman competition, the training, food I eat and way I lift if so much different than when I’m training for a triathlon.

The world has a great base of professionals that are fantastic at helping you reach your goals and getting you on the right track so ask around. 

But you have to ask the right question.

 “Do you know a good trainer?” is tough and bland.  There are a whole bunch and they all fall into the same category in the yellow pages and google and yet are strikingly different in their specializations and skills and techniques.  

“Do you know a trainer that specializes in helping me get in bikini shape and can show me how to pose?” is much more directed and is definitely not the same professional that would help you train for hiking Kilimanjaro .   So focus.  Figure out what YOU want.

“I sucked it up and got a trainer this year.”   I hear this all the time and 99% it ends in failure and money down the drain.   99% it’s not the trainers fault, there was no direction.

 

Rule 2 – DIET is the secret.  Yep it’s tough, it’s hard to swallow, it’s been shoved down your throat by everyone.  You know why?  It’s real.  You need to eat right.   You know by now what’s crap and what’s not, so don’t lie to yourself.   Tricks like the proper timing and amounts are dependent on what your version of fit is, but for starters, just eat better. 

Want a super simple step – no sugars –    yep – that simple and easy to change your world – of course that includes all things that are sugar based like milk, alcohol, a lot of fruits, chips, rice – basically anything white or light brown not named cauliflower.

Sugar foods taste good but see what you feel like a week after cutting them – its invigorating!!  

Three months ago I remember telling my dad that the thing I was the most nervous about going sugar fee was that I was nervous it was all going to be true.  The energy surge, the body feeling cleaned out, faster running, stronger in the gym all of it – and dammit, I love pizza – girl scout cookies were everywhere!!

 I just didn’t want to give it all up.   Personally, I hate the talk about sugar being a drug and all that but honestly – it’s crazy how amazing you feel when you’re off.  Not so much that you feel like crap when you’re on it but a noticeable improvement when you’re not.

Rule 3 – Lift something.  Run.  Workout.   It’s human.  Our evolution was running, climbing things, swimming and lifting things  (look at your thumbs…those weren’t meant just for driving a mouse) – 4 basic elements to being a HUMAN.  The research is undeniable on this fact, lifting things makes you fitter, healthier and helps you live a better more productive life.  As in life, there are so many different facets on this topic, I can’t cover it in this post – but trust me – your body doesn’t want to be puny and weak – fix this!  Especially if you run or swim or bike – make the chassis as strong as the engine – you need it.

Rule 4 – Something is better than nothing.  Just do something – you only have a lunch break, fine – give yourself 10 minutes of work prior to eating.  Include you kids – Go more intense – whatever works for you, just get up and move – you need this.

Rule 5 – take the time factor out of the equation.

You want to see your abs now?  That’s tough.  What if you had a year?  Very Do-able and much easier to accomplish.  Heck in a year, I could grow a sweet beard, learn a new language and move to a different country.  I could be virtually unrecognizable as a person.  But all you need is to lose 15 lbs?   Yep, it the “I want to see results tomorrow” time factor that causes stress and makes us miserable.  It’s not the work – Start the experiment!  Heed the challenge!

 Bits and chunks of work over a year wields HUGE results without the anguish and stress.   Where could you be a year from now?

There you go – 5 simple, low effort rules to laser beam focus you and allow you to enjoy your life to the max – Be Awesome 365 guys.