What got you here will NOT get you THERE!!!!

Question:


Coach, I’ve been training for over 4 months at the gym and seem to have hit a plateau we in regards to my weight loss. I attend training 2 and sometimes 3 times per week and have cleaned up my diet, kinda. It’s better than before is what I mean. So, what can I do to lose more weight, like 10-15 pounds?

Thanks, G.

Answer:

Well G., I have many, many people ask me this every same question nearly each week and here is what I tell them (and you) “what got you here will NOT get you THERE.” You body has reached a certain level of fitness and has developed a tolerance to the level of stress you’re placing on it each week. Basically you’re doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result- which is the definition of insanity by the way. To achieve something different, you’ll need to DO something different. So, to reach the next level here is what you’ll need to do:

1. Attend more training sessions. Coming twice a week will not cut it!! What happens if something unexpected comes up and you have to work late, give someone a ride home who’s car broke down, or whatever- you get the idea. Then you’ll only be at one training session per week. And just FYI: that sucks. Pick up your training session to at least 4 times per week and 5 if possible. Yes G, that is the number one thing you’ll have to do. You have to train more to burn more calories- bottom line. (Get it?? “bottom” line??) Whatever you have to do to rearrange your weekly schedule to get in 5 times each week, do it!

2. DO NOT diet! When people go on a “diet”, it implies a temporary way of eating. So what happens when you’ve finished your 4 weeks of dieting? That’s right, you go back to eating the same way you’ve always eaten and you’ll get the same results that you’ve always gotten. (Which you need to remember that you do not want.) The best thing to do is create a way of eating for the rest of your life. Here’s what I do: I eat clean Sunday through Friday and then on Saturday I allow myself to eat what I want. I enjoy pizza and ice cream the most. Then I get back to it on Sunday- for the most part. Every so often I’ll have another bad meal on Sunday, like when the Redskins are playing. Along with that, I eat 5-6 clean meals each day making sure I get 150-200 grams of protein. I pack my meals each day and bring them to work making it easier to control what goes into my body and when. So again G, I implore you- DO NOT diet!! Create a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life because once you get used to it after just a few short months, you’ll have many, many years of health in front of you!

3. DON’T “lose weight”! Everyone wants to “lose weight”, but they really don’t understand what that means. I have people who train with me and gain weight! BUT, their clothes fit completely differently and many have to go shopping to get a whole new wardrobe! The shirts are tighter in the chest and arms and looser at the bottom. The pants fit snug in the thighs yet are much looser in the butt and waist. They have gained 5, 10 and sometimes even up to 20 pounds of muscle and have burned off 5, 10 and sometimes even 40 pounds or more of body fat. On the scale that translates to 10 pounds of weight loss sometimes. So my question to you is this: “is how much you weigh as important as how much fat you burn and how much lean, functional and sexy muscle you put on?” Think about it, then get off you damn scale for at least one year!

G, one more thing I want to leave you with: it’s not how bad you want it, it’s what you actually DO that will make the difference. Everyone “wants” to achieve something, but the people who actually accomplish their goals are the ones who DO something about it.

How to Achieve Physical Success

How do you define the word "success"? Most people will use money as the means of defining success. Well I happen to know many people who have a ton of money, but are 50 pounds or more over weight, cannot stay off drugs or alcohol, or they simply cannot maintain a loving, healthy relationship with another person. None of those people feel like a success.

To change that, here is one simple method- Achieve Physical Success!!
(Printed version is below if you don't want to listen to a crazy 6th Degree Black Belt, Certified Coach babble on and on and on and on...)



1. Physical Success: I truly believe that THE most important are of life that every single person needs to reach success in is Physical Fitness. When you make exercise and eating right your lifestyle, then the principles of both self-discipline and self-confidence are cultivated and will strengthen and grow over time. The positive results of developing these two characteristics is that your self-discipline will carry over into your work place, allowing you to accomplish more on a daily basis and reach your goals faster. By increasing your self-confidence, you’ll also be more inclined to take calculated risks to help you further your achievements both personally and professionally.


In order to achieve and maintain Physical Success, make sure that you set up a workout schedule that will challenge you physically and mentally, otherwise, if it’s too easy, you’ll be left unmotivated and achieve nothing. Set up a weekly training schedule that has you training 5 or 6 times for at least 45 minutes each day. This way, you’ll make physical fitness so much a part of your life that if you miss a day or two, you’ll feel lazy, lethargic and even guilty. And when you feel that way, you’ll be much more inclined to get back into the gym and work even harder to reach your Physical Success!

Have a question for Coach John? Contact him here: john@blackbeltliving.com

3.5 Ways to Get Motivated- FAST!

On any given day your attitude gets down from time to time, doesn’t it? Not all the time of course, but on occasion it happens. On a day-to-day basis, you deal with many different personalities and situations that challenge your mental and emotional well being. And many times, depending on the degree of intensity of each, the wind can be sucked right out of your sails and your normal level of motivation flattened like a pancake by the end of any given week. The situations that deflate your motivation could range anywhere from the dog puking on the carpet, to losing your job due to the economy, or someone breaking up with you.

But the real questions here are these: How do you handle that sudden decrease in motivation? What do you do when you’d rather dig your eyes out with spoon than go to work and deal with your seemingly evil and demanding boss or brainless coworkers? How can you manage to get yourself back into a frame of mind that allows you to handle the current challenges while still being able to be successful and productive in your daily endeavors?

Well, you just may find your answers here in my 3.5 Ways To Get Motivated- FAST!!

1. Create Your Own Personal Mantra: Definition: Mantras date back thousands of years and are traditionally syllables and poems in the Sanskrit language created through a complex numerical system based on date and time of birth.(Huh?) Today, mantras are more widely recognized (and easier to create) as personal chants, affirmations and/or declarations that are used to change or transform aspects of our lives. Mantras can be amazingly powerful, but they can also be detrimental too if you pick the wrong one. By developing and using a mantra – one that stimulates and inspires you – getting motivated becomes much easier and a heck of a lot quicker too. Here is the mantra I use in the gym when I’m getting tired, “keep going.” Simple right? Yup, but there is a lot behind those two words. “Keep Going” to me means that I’m not weak or a quitter, that I do not give up because champions do not give up. I could say “don’t give up” right? But for me that phrase keeps me focused on how I might give up. It may sound subtle to you, but when I am pushing 100 pound dumbbells in each hand over my head several times, I do not want to think about quitting- I want to stay focused on moving the weight!!

Another mantra that my girlfriend Mary and I use at the gym is “Finish Strong.” We use this phrase at the end of a set and most definitely at the end of the workout when we are tired. This mantra motivates us to continue to push ourselves as best we can because neither one of us likes to walk out of the gym knowing that we didn’t give our all that night. The members here at Clearwater Boxing Center use a Mantra too. I yell out “Last Set!!” and they yell back “Best Set!!” This works great because it helps them to stay mentally focused and give that extra effort that they might not have given otherwise.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when Creating Your Own Personal Mantra:

· Keep it simple
· It should be easy to repeat and remember
· It can represent an entire range of values
· It can be motivational
· It can be instructional
· It can be humorous
· It should not be pessimistic
· It should not be corny or stupid (or you won’t take it seriously)
· It should be personal to you and your goals

2. Get Physical: Losing your motivation can take its toll on you not just mentally but physically as well, because when you’re down in the dumps, not only are you lacking mental motivation, but there is a distinct lack of physical energy as well. For instance, it may take you more effort to get out of bed and get ready for work. It might require more energy for you to stay awake and focused while on the job. It will take more energy to get to the gym much less have a good work out. You may also have to make more of an effort to do simple household chores as well. Try this: for about one minute, get depressed. How do you do this? Well, you slump your shoulders, tuck your chin, you let out a deep sigh, etc. In order for you to get depressed, there are certain physical actions that you need to take to help you become depressed.

Well the opposite is true as well- there are certain actions that you need to take to get yourself motivated. Most of these are very simple to do of course, but they have such strong results that I encourage you to try each one. For instance, if you were to laugh out loud for no particular reason, let’s say in your car as you drive down the road, and do it several times in succession, you’ll most likely end up laughing hysterically for real. (Try it. Laugh like Jack Nicholson when he played the Joker. Or laugh like a mad scientist.) Once you’ve taken that particular action to that degree, your body will be filled with new and more positive emotions and endorphins (see next step), and simultaneously it will require another concerted effort on your part to get back to being depressed!

Here are a few ways to Get Physical:

· Sit-up straight
· Stand up straight
· Take 5 deep breaths
· Smile REALLY big
· Laugh out loud and crazy
· Tell yourself a really bad joke
· Play a practical joke on a buddy
· Take a short but brisk walk
· Work out at Clearwater Boxing Center
· Create your own

3. Keep Your Eyes on the Future: Another great way to get motivated fast is to think about what your life will be like once you’ve achieved your goals and reached that level of success you’re striving towards. Think about how you’ll look in that new dress or new suit after losing all of that body fat. Consider how you’ll feel once your first book or manuscript is sold. Imagine how excited you’ll be once you purchase that special car or truck you’ve always wanted. By looking towards the future, you will literally create positive emotions that will affect you physiologically in the here and now- yes, physiologically.

Scientists have discovered that each emotion has a certain chemical make up to it that once it hits your bloodstream it creates a particular response- just like drugs and alcohol would. (Which is why many people say they are addicted to adrenaline, or anger, etc. Very close to the truth!) Knowing that emotions can affect you in such a way, allowing yourself to create healthy positive ones only serves you better in your day-to-day journey of personal success. When you do look to the future, try to create positive sensations/emotions such as excitement, happiness, enthusiasm, joy, etc.

Here a few ways to Keep Your Eyes on the Future and get motivated FAST!

· See that bonus check for xx amount of dollars in your hand
· Imagine yourself with six pack abs
· Visualize yourself driving that new car
· Picture yourself in that new dress or suit
· Create a poster board with magazine clippings representing your goals
· Create your own future visualization

3.5 Keep Your Feet in the Present: While it is always helpful to picture the future as you would like it to be and get excited about it, the only way to actually get there is by staying in the here and now and taking action towards your goals. Basically, staying in the here and now means: taking at least one action towards one of your most important goals (whether that be financial, physical health, career, etc.) at the time you’re feeling the most down or depressed. By taking an action or two now towards one of those goals you’ll get motivated fast because you’ll realize that you’re one step closer towards achieving it. And if that doesn’t help to begin to change your state and get you motivated fast, then try again! Keep doing this over and over, along with reciting your mantra (step 1), sitting up straight and breathing deep (step 2) and thinking about the future results you want (step 3). This is as simple as it gets folks! You can literally be walking down the sidewalk towards your next sales call with your back straight/head high, chanting your mantra with a big smile, thinking about how this one sale will put you ahead and then just walk through the door!

Here a few ways to Keep Your Feet in the Present:

* Make that sales call that you’ve been putting off
* Work out (always comes back to that huh?)
* Call someone in your net working group and run an idea past them
* Help someone less fortunate than yourself
* Brainstorm ideas on possible solutions to various problems
*Eat pizza (always helps me I have to say)
* Create your own way to stay in the present


FREE OFFER: Staying motivated is definitely not the be-all or end-all of achieving your goals or living a life of personal success, but it does help! If you’re finding yourself getting down, shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can’t get you headed in a better direction. John@BlackBeltLiving.com