 It's February now, which is when many New Year’s resolutions start to trail off (if not stopped already). Whether that’s happened to one of your 2019 goals or you’re still going strong, now is a great chance to reflect on how your first month of the year went. Today’s new GetFitFormula resource is a podcast episode about 5 things to quit doing in 2019. And if any of these 5 things is what got in your way (or might be threatening your goals), this resource is packed with practical tips on how to overcome the obstacle and take back control! Check out the 5 Things to Quit Doing in 2019 by The Model Health Show.
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 Let’s talk about prison escapes. Here’s a classic: Andy Dufrense in the The Shawshank Redemption. In that story, Dufrense uses a small rock hammer daily for nearly 17 years to tunnel a path out of his cell and get outside the prison walls. To make that happen he developed a process:
What would someone else think if they were told up front that it would take that many days? It might be too overwhelming for them and they give up before they even get started. But Dufresne knew that his desired outcome was there: freedom. The only path to freedom was to dig that tunnel (despite how long it would take). The only way for the tunnel to be completed was by removing a little bit at a time. A crucial thing to focus on is that he extracted only a little bit at a time because that’s what was sustainable for that environment. If he made it too obvious, like trying to dump out a bucket of dirt at a time, he was more likely to get caught and that would end his dreams of freedom. I’m sharing this thought process with you because Dufresne’s approach can work for your own health & fitness goals. The bigger the changes you want for your body and health, the more effort will have to go into it. Think of it as the tunnel needed is that much longer. So, your ideal body = Dufresne’s tunnel to freedom. You need to create a process for yourself that’s sustainable long-term - just like he did. When you adopt crash diets, overdoing it at the gym, cutting short on sleep to work out more, pills or crazy supplements, etc. it’s the equivalent of Dufresne trying to extract a bucket of dirt every day instead of that handful at a time. A more extreme example is if he used a stick of dynamite. He would get caught, hurt, or worse. The result either way is no freedom. Don’t worry too much on how many hours or days it's going to take, just know that the outcome is there if you really want it to be. Focus on finding a sustainable process that's going to push you toward your goal a little bit more each day. Get started, test out a variety of methods, and repeat what works. At first progress will be slow. It probably took Dufresne a year to just make what seemed like a small dent in that tunnel. But after three, then five, then 10 years the tunnel was much farther along and the progress was obvious. He eventually got to a point where there was no turning back. Freedom was inevitable, he just had to trust the process and keep going. Thats what will happen to you when you get started on your own freedom journey. The first few months it might not feel like much is happening or the visible progress will not match your expectations. But after just six months, then 12, and then many years down the line you will look back and clearly see all the progress you’ve made. That early stage when you swore that nothing seemed to work becomes a laughable afterthought. One last key point is that Dufrense only had to dig his way out of prison once. Use this same attitude for your health and your body. You just have to get to a sustainable process once and the results will keep on coming. No matter how long of a “tunnel” you need. As you change your goals you just tweak various parts of the process. It becomes more trivial to figure out what you need to do because you are a professional tunnel-digger! Some practical tips, or “handfuls,” to get going - pick one to build up a habit before taking on another:
 Did you know that your heart will beat multiple BILLION times in your lifetime? I had never really thought about how many times my heart will beat during my life - but it’s something I do keep track of on a much shorter scale (ex. my resting heart rate, heart rate while working out). Knowing exactly how much the heart gets used makes you a bit more aware of how critical it is for your body to function properly for a long, healthy life. It’s only natural then if you become more interested now in how to take better care of it. The heart is so important you can even find it in the GetFitFormula logo. :) So, I present to you The Heart Masterclass podcast by The Model Health Show! This podcast series is one of my favorites and has greatly influenced my life ever since I came across it - and I’m hoping it will do the same for you. As the name of this episode implies, it’s all about the heart. Some of the key takeaways you will get from this episode:
This podcast episode could be the most important hour and ten minutes you spend all week, which then turns into another couple BILLION better heart beats for the rest of your life. If you enjoyed this resource be sure to check out the GetFitFormula resources page to see what else is available!  Assuming that you’ve been on an airplane before, you know there is a lot of coordination involved to make the flight happen safely and on-schedule. The same can be said with how you approach getting the body that you want. Here’s how that works: You need a destination Airplanes don’t just get a bunch of people to buy tickets and say “Hey, want to go for a ride!?” There is a destination lined up that the passengers want to get to, and they trust the airline to get them there. Taking control of your body and achieving the best self possible also requires you to come up with a “destination” of sorts. I’m not referring to a high-level “I want to lose 20 pounds”. Destinations that are more like this:
All of those destinations are great examples of big targets that require a lot of smaller things to happen along the way. Just like how an airplane trip needs a crew, a plane, passengers, food & drinks, mechanics, airports, and so forth to complete the trip. Create a flight plan Similarly, the pilots don’t just takeoff and then point the front of the airplane towards the place they’re flying towards - they have a detailed plan first. So does the rest of the flight crew. And you may have noticed, if you fly regularly, many of the routines you see are the same flight-to-flight. Having a plan and a routine for your body works the same - it gives you a path to follow and make adjustments from. Repeating what works will allow you to continue towards that initial destination, and then move on to the next one. Think of the GetFitFormula as your “flight plan” for the body that you want. Rather than summarize it here check out this handy manual I created just for you. Trust the instruments Pilots have a plethora of gauges, needles, displays, and other instruments in front of them. The pilots rely on them to figure out what is going on with the plane at a given time. I’m not saying you need to surround yourself with a wall of instrument panels, but picking some key stats to monitor for your body beyond the “mirror test” will let you know if you are on the right path. Things like:
Start with a few and then continue to add more along the way. What's key is that you measure consistently and educate yourself on what the numbers mean. If you get a reading that troubles you then you will want to course correct! Make adjustments Unpredictable weather is just one of the many things that causes a plane to change its flight path. How the pilot gets the plane to its destination may not be as originally planned, but thanks to the adjustments made during the trip the passengers still get to where they need to be. You’re going to face the same reality as you continue to work on yourself. Sometimes you will get to the state you desire just as planned, and then you will move on to the next destination. Other times you will check your “instruments” and see things are not going as planned (i.e. have not shed as much body fat as you wanted to, or hit the 5k time you planned to) and that’s totally normal. There will always be a need to adjust your workout routine, nutrition plan, sleep schedule, etc. Getting a handle on the previous points above will point you in the right direction. Don’t go it alone Just like there are different people involved in making a plane trip happen, the same can be said for your own body’s journey. You are your own pilot, first and foremost. But having a solid flight crew, such as a co-pilot, flight attendant, grounds crew, etc. will make the ride that much smoother. Getting a coach, reading books & articles, listening to podcasts or watching videos, having an accountability buddy, even a support system through your friends and family are all key to taking control of your body and getting to where you want to go. To reiterate a previous point, having a plan to begin with is also a way to not go it alone. Even if you are the only physical person involved with the plan, it can serve as a trusted “advisor” for your journey. Autopilot is your friend Cross-country or international air travel can take a long time. Luckily for the pilots, they have an automated system in place that can do most of the work for them! The pilots are ultimately still in control, and can jump in to make adjustments as needed, but i bet it sure feels good to them to have a way to hand off most of the decisions on what the plane should do. This is where systems and structure, in addition to a plan, works the same for you. Things like:
It may seem like a lot of work, but you will quickly realize that having these systems and structure in place actually reduce the need to make decisions in the future - because your health and fitness routines are running on autopilot! The learning never stops Before the pilots ever step into the cockpit for a real flight, they go through some rigorous learning and training programs. You don’t need put in that same level of effort for your own journey, but the more you do the more confident you will feel. Like with flying, safety is important as you want to avoid injuries, allergies, malnutrition, and so forth by knowing what you are doing (or about to) with your body. That’s exactly what the GetFitFormula resources page is for - a starting point for your ongoing self-education in everything health and wellness. It’s structured to go along with the layout of the GetFitFormula itself. Why gliding through this won’t work (as effectively) Yes, there are such things as gliders (light airplanes that are designed to fly for periods without an engine). Basically, it’s the glider’s momentum and aerodynamics vs gravity - we know which force will win out in the long run. Gliding through life in terms of taking care of yourself can work if you’re fine maintaining the “status quo” for yourself or dealing with minor changes (for better or for worse). In a glider you can change directions but you don’t have the ability to throttle faster and slower, go up to a higher altitude, fly really long distances, or pull off some crazy stunts. But to really have full control over your situation in the air you need a high-powered aircraft with the proper controls and instruments. That’s exactly what taking full control of your body means - you can go anywhere you want, at your own speed, and not worry about other forces trying to pull you down. So, to recap how you can take full control of your body, think of what it takes to fly an airplane:
Want to fast-track your way through this list? The GetFitFormula is here to help!  This website resource is for part #4 of the GetFitFormula: Nutrition
Tracking nutrition is likely the most difficult part of the GetFitFormula for most people. What’s worse is that you will come across many different “best ways” to handle this part of your lifestyle. You really want to know what’s the best nutrition plan for you? It’s the one you can actually follow. How do you figure out which nutrition plan you can actually follow? You need to try out different ones. That’s the only way to know what works for you. Also, your nutrition plan will need to change according to your goals. For example, if you want to aggressively lose weight, you will need an aggressive (but safe) plan. To maintain your body composition, your plan will have more room for flexibility. Like the times you need a break from work (or other parts of life) with a vacation or some other adventure, you will no doubt need a break from a given nutrition plan. That’s exactly why getting experience with a variety of methods for planning and tracking your nutrition will provide the flexibility you need to change things up while still feeling like you are in control. This website about The Dietary Tracking Continuum is a brief yet thorough walkthrough of 13 ways to track your nutrition. There are two key concepts:
In the GetFitFormula eBook I provide an example of my own nutrition tracking system. It’s mostly based on the “macro ranges” approach described in the Dietary Tracking Continuum. There have been periods where I attempted the most extreme approach (exact macros). That required the most planning and preparation, and was also the most restrictive when it came to being more social. Very effective, but not sustainable long term for me. However, I know what it's like and can draw upon that approach when needed. When I am looking more to just maintain my body composition, the “semi track” comes in handy where I focus on protein intake and keep an eye on my body measurements. The better nutrition habits I picked up during the more detailed tracking phases are what ultimately lead me to be successful at maintaining body composition when I’m lower on the continuum. If you enjoyed this resource be sure to check out the GetFitFormula resources page to see what else is available!  Welcome to the FIRST official blog post for the GetFitFormula website! Since I feel that the GetFitFormula is unique compared to many of the other health and fitness resources out there, this first blog post should be unique in its own regard.
So, rather than write out a typical blog post I created a FAQ for the GetFitFormula instead. Perhaps in the future it will evolve into a standalone FAQ page on the website. I guess that depends on how effective it really is. If you have a question about the GetFitFormula that you don’t see answered here, please sign up for the newsletter and simply reply back to the welcome email. I’ll be more than happy to respond to you personally, and may even add your specific question to this post! What is the GetFitFormula? The GetFitFormula is your plan to take control of your body. It will set you up for a full lifestyle change through the five key areas that matter the most: Breathing - Hydration - Sleep - Nutrition - Fitness/Activity Best of all, the GetFitFornula will get you to the state where you can sustain the progress you make and charge forward to the next level when you are ready. It’s not about quick wins or shortcuts. The GetFitFormula is meant to help you set the tone for your personal health and wellness for the rest of your life. Why read the eBook? Going through a “full lifestyle change” is not easy. Neither is sustaining one, but there are ways you can make it feel easy. Thats through building habits. After a short 30-45 minute read of the eBook you will be armed with the most important knowledge of what goes into that lifestyle change, why you need to work on the five areas listed above, and perhaps most importantly, a plan for how to start building better habits in those areas today. What’s the resources page for? Think of the GetFitFormula eBook as the foundation for a house. To build a full house that’s actually live-able however, you need to add a lot of things on top of that. Even when the house is complete, and you’ve moved in, there will be maintenance work, repairs, renovations, additions, etc. for the rest of the house’s life. Your body is your house. The GetFitFormula itself and the eBook are your body’s foundation. The resources you will find here will empower you to work on your body’s maintenance, renovations, and repairs. The changes your body goes through are very much in your control. Without knowing why, or how, is what makes someone feel like they don’t have control of your body. Use the GetFitFormula resources to learn, get actionable examples, tips, and access to other resources to shape your body to exactly what you want it to be. Why sign up for the newsletter? Two reasons:
Who is the GetFitFormula for? It’s for anyone who wants to take control of their body, regardless of what that means to them, and maintain that control for the rest of their life. Lose weight, gain muscle, stay the course - it doesn’t matter. This excerpt from a “The GetFitFormula Explained” chapter of the eBook explains it best: The GetFitFormula is simply five areas of your lifestyle for you to continuously improve. I say continuously because you are never going to stop working on these. And for good reasons. For example:
How do I get started with the GetFitFormula? Simple:
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AuthorHey! Thanks for checking out my blog. I put a bit of information about myself in the first chapter of the GetFitFormula eBook. Sign up for the newsletter to read it. Archives |
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