Redefining Strength Podcast

New Year, Same old you

Well I’m about to give you a dose of reality.

It’s a new year…but it’s still the same old YOU.

So often I know we go in feeling like everything is just going to change because it’s this magical new year.

And then…well…nothing does.

Because we are still us.

We’re still looking at the same thing from the same angle. We’re still expecting dramatic results while often falling back into the same old habits we repeat each year…

It’s a cycle I’ve seen happen time and time again…it’s one of extreme restriction…followed by rebellion…followed by little habits sliding until we are not only back where we started and frustrated or even worse off than were we were coming into the New Year.

It’s why slowly over the years the weight creeps on (or the injuries add up) and we then wonder why it’s so hard to dig ourselves out of the hole.

And then we blame our “age” when it really isn’t that number that makes the difference…

Let's face it...

A. We get less active often as we get older. Desk jobs, car commutes...too many of us don't move enough during the day, especially now with so many of us working from home.

And B. We repeat this horrible holiday weight gain cycle that creates metabolic adaptions that make it harder and harder to lose the weight we gain over the years.

That's why I wanted to highlight exactly how the weight gain happens with this cycle...

I HATE Goal Setting

I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of traditional goal setting as I feel like it can make us very rigid in our thinking.

And the second we feel like we won’t hit a goal, we stop trying.

Or we realize halfway through our goals aren’t…well, aren’t what we really need or want to accomplish so we give up on doing anything.

Or we then don’t hold ourselves accountable toward the goals we should actually be working toward.

I remember one year Ryan and I said we would make a new course each month because we thought this would add value.

I quickly realized this just led to me rushing through things and didn’t actually help my clients, nor my business, more than slowing down.

More than not doing as much.

I realized I’d, yes, set a “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based) goal but it wasn’t very well thought out.  

The WHY wasn’t there.

It’s why I think it’s key we know the end goal we want to reach, but also find ways to be flexible in how we get there.

We need to remember the true WHY even if we sometimes aren’t even sure how we will ultimately reach that end.

We need to find ways to accept that certain experiments won’t pan out as we give ourselves some flexibility in our goals.

So while I’m all for setting goals, I think the key more than specifics is really understanding the WHY behind things.
 Because so often we fail in reaching our goal because we don’t make it a priority.

We have to remember though, we prioritize what matters most to us.

If we want to reach our goals, we have to make them matter. And then, we’ll prioritize doing the things we need even when times get busy or we’re stressed out and tired.

So instead of focusing on how you’re going to even measure your goal, the timeline to complete it or even how “specific” you make it, instead focus on really diving in to why you want to accomplish this goal enough to be uncomfortable and sacrifice…and even what those obstacles will be.

If you’re looking to set some goals this year, here’s some things to consider….

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

We all nod in agreement when we hear this.

We all know change requires change.

Yet for some reason, all too often we keep doing more of the same.

And not only repeating the same habits, but often literally trying to do MORE of them!!!

So we are doing the thing that isn’t working and doing more of it, and expecting a different result…should we question our own sanity?!

How does it seem so obvious looking in from the outside, yet we all truly do this.

I know I’m guilty of it.

And I think it is because there are certain habits that just feel safe. They’ve wormed their way into our comfort zone.

And they are based on a piece of the puzzle that, yes, is correct.

However, they aren’t working.

Whether it’s the fully system that is missing, improper implementation…whatever…we are doing something, and keep doing something that isn’t getting us results, especially long term results.

And so often, it isn’t only not working now, BUT it’s setting us up to fail long term.

But it’s hard to take that step back and see this.

It’s hard to even stop the immediate gratification of FEELING like we’re doing something now or seeing instant results that often backfire, for long-term thinking.

It’s hard to accept even two steps back NOW for 10 steps forward in a future…at a date we can’t fully predict.

But again…Change requires change.

So a few things I’ve used to help myself, and my clients embrace the discomfort of something new and stop the insanity it is so easy to trap ourselves in.

#1: You can always go back.

Set an end date to assess, but commit to the time to truly see if it works. We can’t half do something and then say it doesn’t work. We’ve got to truly embrace the changes.

#2: Remind yourself of why you wanted the change.

Remind yourself that you aren’t happy with where you are current. Remind yourself that change requires change.

Too often we forget that what we have done in the past, what we want to continue to do is why we are where we are. Why we’re trapped in a horrible yo-yo dieting cycle.

Honestly, even write a list of the habits you’ve done and the cycle they created. Post that somewhere to remind yourself when you want to fall back into them.

#3: Step back to step forward.

I get it. We all want instant gratification.

But if your foundation is flawed, and you just try to build a house on it because you want the house to be done? Well it will end up a disaster.

If you notice a crack, an issue, a flaw, the sooner you go back to fix it the better, EVEN if it sets you back to start.

Sometimes, we have to realize that progress may not mean moving forward instantly.

It’s why setting even an end date and having something specifically we are tracking is key in terms of habit changes.

Because it may feel like you go backward before you go forward so seeing those habit changes as wins can help you see the positives building!

#4: Life doesn’t pause. You can’t start over.

Life doesn’t pause. You can’t erase what you’ve done prior. All you can do is build for the future.

Remember it’s a constant learning experience and that in life we should always be seeking to improve.

But that means letting go of old things and realizing that we may have to be uncomfortable.

And the more you do, the more you do.

The more you jump into the discomfort, the more comfortable you get with it because it’s now oddly familiar to be uncomfortable!

If you're ready to make a change and break through those old habits holding you back, learn more about the 3-Part RS Formula...

--> The RS Formula

There will ALWAYS be ups and downs.

That includes cycles in our leanness.

I do NOT stay one weight, one exact leanness all year around.

Have the ups and downs gotten smaller over the years?

YUP!

But that is due to constantly learning, creating that new set point and finding a BALANCE aka focusing more on consistency.

It’s from the YEARS adding up.

The longer we are at the weight we want to be at, the easier it becomes to maintain.

It’s why when you first lose it can feel like you gain just looking at a cookie.

It takes time to create that new set point, that new normal.

But it’s key we even then still realize we will always fluctuate as our motivation and goals shift.

I say this because of the lean physiques we see year around.

I think instagram and social media can lead us to feeling weird we can’t achieve this ridiculously lean look and not maintain it long term.

It’s part of why I try to share photos and videos when I’ve just rolled out of bed, post workout, traveling in random mirrors with not ideal light….

Because we don’t always look perfectly primped with the perfect lighting.

We have to remember that social media IS a highlight reel.

And that often let’s face it, we all share our favorite photos and angles.

Also, there is a big difference from looking lean and being essential body fat like the fitness competitors.

I don’t say all this to make you feel like it is hopeless, but to make you realize we all have ups and downs.
 Times we are more or less dedicated.

Times we hone in on specific goals.

And then to show you how much can be accomplished with consistency over time.

Yup CONSISTENCY!

That comes from focusing on these key tips.…

1: Accept motivation fades and sometimes you just need to do the minimum to maintain your results.

This can actually help results continue to build. AND it can help you create that new set point so you don’t regain the weight and can actually stay leaner once you’re motivated to move forward again.

2: Put less pressure on yourself to be perfect.

We derail ourselves by expecting perfection. This desire to be perfect makes us often give up instead of continuing to move forward however we can.

3: Take everything as a learning opportunity.

There will be times you don’t do what you should. That you do things that don’t workout and make you gain weight. But the key is learning from each experience to be a little bit better next time.

Progress not perfection!

4: Results snowball - your current situation is the result of your previous action.

What we did last year, the year before and the year before that are part of why we are where we are. The more we seek out quick fixes in the moment, the more we often pay for them years later!

And as you focus on these tips and getting in it for the long haul….and see far too many perfect images constantly on social media…

Remember….social media IS a highlight reel.

That even when we are lean, there may be angles or lighting we don’t like.

EVERYONE takes a bad photo.

There will always be times we deviate. 
Times we have inflammation or bloating and don’t feel perfect.

Perfect doesn’t exist.

But there is beauty in our flaws.

So embrace who and what you are.

Shoot to constantly learn and grow.

Shoot to make your highs higher and your lows less low.

But realize there will ALWAYS be ups and downs.

We are what we tell ourselves we are.

I wrote that line above and sat here for a bit really thinking on that because so much of who and what I've believed I am has changed massively over the years.

And much by CHOICE.

Many of you have heard me tell the story of starting my first blog and how I refused to take photos of myself or be on video.

I wanted to write stuff. Not be a "person."

But as I started sharing more and more and really wanting to help more people, Ryan pointed out that the only way to reach more people and actually grow was to suck it up and become the "face" of my own business.

That was so against who and what I thought I was.

I was a behind the scenes nerd. Not someone in front of the camera.

I didn't think I had the skills or personality.

But I wanted to help more people and share what I believed was a great perspective on things.

So I told myself I could do it. I told myself I could present things in a way that would resonate.

I told myself I could become confident and comfortable in front of the camera.

And guess what?

I really sucked at it to start.

But I kept at it. I kept learning and growing and being receptive to feedback.

And I kept telling myself that, not only could I do it, but that I was the person MEANT to do it.

I still speak really fast and my bumble bee brain takes me on all of the tangents possible.

I still refuse to brush my hair when I roll out of bed to do Coffee with Cori, but I 100% have become exactly the person I feel I need to be.

But it wasn't because I was born this way.

I told myself I was this way.

And we really do become what we tell ourselves we are.

Soooo.....

Who will you be?

As you ponder this thought…here are some questions to ask yourself to help yourself ACT AS IF.

I say “ACT AS IF” over “fake it till you make it because actions without the mindset change behind them will never last.

#1: Why do you want the change?

#2: Are you ready to SUCK at something? Practice makes better but often we have to start something we are really not good at.

#3: Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone? No? Good do it anyway!

#4: Why are these actions so key? Why do you believe in them?

#5: How is this person you want to become already who you are?

SUMMARY:

We truly are who we choose to be. We are what we tell ourselves we are and our actions follow.

What changes will you make today to live the life you want?

I’ve gotten a ton of questions about eating out and traveling and sticking with your macros.
 It’s funny how much we LOOOOOVE to overcomplicate this situation.

That’s why I wanted to chat through some strategies to help you stay on track even when you travel, especially if you’re traveling frequently for work.

Because we have to remember that it isn’t necessarily perfection but that accountability and consistency that adds up.

Sure, it may mean we aren’t as “perfect” as we would like, but we have to remember those small changes add up.

So what are some tips I share with clients who are working to achieve amazing body recomposition results while traveling frequently?

rate portions are for you. But the hand portion guide is a great reminder and visual when eating out for you to help estimate your consumption.

Sure this may not be as perfect, but something is better than nothing.

And this consistency in knowing what you’re eating still gives you more ability to tweak and adjust on subsequent trips!

I don’t know about you all, but I love Ted Lasso.

In the episode Ryan and I were watching last night, he talked about people underestimating him his entire life.

And how he didn’t understand it, but then saw a quote by Walt Whitman “Be curious not judgmental.”

After seeing that quote, he realized that everyone was judging and no one was curious and that is why they constantly underestimated him.

I won’t spoil the outcome of the scene for those of you who haven’t seen it.

But that whole scene I thought was so powerful for so many reasons.

Too often we hold ourselves back in our lives because we AREN’T curious.

We simply judge.

We judge people and situations over wondering why they are occurring.

I so often even see it in the troll comments I get.

In the way people only accept one “right way” of doing a move or of approaching nutrition.
 They aren’t curious, they WANT to judge.
 And because of that, they’ll always stay stuck.

We need to be open to opportunities if we want to grow and improve.

We need to even recognize that often we are looking at things from only our own perspective and being open to other viewpoints can actually help us get results faster.

We need to realize that one size doesn’t fit all and by not allowing others to find their own way we hold them back.

So much of life operates on a continuum and we need to recognize that.

However, I also know that even if we aren’t trying to, each of us can fall victim to judging over being curious.

It’s why now I so push clients and my trainers to seek out new perspectives and find the opportunities in them.

When COULD something work over just writing it off?

Because it is easy to get stuck looking at things from only one way.

The Best Training Schedule In The History Of The World

I often get asked what the best training schedule is. And I’m generally getting asked because we are worried we aren’t doing enough.

We definitely have the mindset of more is better.

If we aren’t spending enough time in the gym, we can’t get results.

But often this mindset is what holds us back.

We design for the “ideal” over designing for what is realistic for us.

But the real secret to results is designing for the time we have.

The BEST training schedule is the one focused on a schedule you can actually do consistently.

Because if you design with your schedule in mind, you can create an appropriate volume and use the right workout designs and moves to get results in the time you have.

You can also stay consistent. And consistency is key.

We don’t realize how much actually inconsistency can not only be a results killer but also be what leads to injury.

We aren’t doing things consistently to build up and that inconsistency makes us FEEL like we can push harder than we actually should. And then we end up with compensating and overloading areas, which leads to injury.
 We need that consistency to build up and create that strong foundation.

So instead of focusing on some ideal and designing for say 6 days a week when you can only get in 3, focus on designing for 3 with even a bonus option if you have time.

That way you don’t “miss out” on something in a workout you don’t get to and you can create a volume that challenges you over the 3 days. You can make sure every area is worked and you actually do what you need to reach your goals.

If you’d designed for 6 days and only got 3, you could have missed out on something that week.

And same goes for time. If you realistically have 30 minutes. Design for that. Using different workout designs we can optimize the time we have to get results.

The more we design for the time we have, the more consistent we will be. And the MENTAL victory of that even pays off.

Because we keep wanting to train and can even want to do MORE. Versus if we feel like we’re failing because we’re not doing everything we set out to do, we can often ultimately give up on our plan.

When we feel like a failure we are less likely to keep pushing!

Set yourself up for a win and even wanting to do more ESPECIALLY as you build back.

And then don’t be afraid to adjust based on changes in your routine. Sometimes 4 workouts may be more doable. Sometimes 3 or 6. Sometimes you may have an hour, sometimes only 20 minutes.

Focus on designing based on that realistic schedule.

Here are some key things to consider when deciding on the BEST training schedule for you….

I’d love to tell you there was a way to be happy 24/7.

But that’s just not the reality of being human.

Negative emotions are a part of life and a VALUABLE part at that.

I think too often we just try to avoid or ignore them, but they are going to be there regardless.

And actually often the more we “fight them” over owning up to them, the more they hold us back and drag us down.

I saw a great equation that was suffering = pain x resistance

And the point of it was the more we resist the negative emotion over embracing it and recognizing it, the more we actually suffer.

So how can you start to recognize negative emotions as a good thing?

#1: Recognize they’re normal. That you’re GOING to have them no matter how freaking amazing your life is.

Life is going to be full of ups and downs.

And honestly, you can only truly know the good by having experienced the bad.

I love the mindset even of setbacks can only happen BECAUSE there has been progress.

Negative feeling and emotions are part of life and they can even be a key component to helping us move forward and be happier long-term.

They can help us see when situations in our life and circumstances are off. They can help us realize a change is needed for us to truly move forward and be happier.

#2: Don’t just bury the seed. (Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away)

I think often we try to just ignore negative emotions and feelings. We even try to stamp them down to not have to deal with them.

The thing is that doesn’t truly get rid of them.

Often the more we ignore those emotions, the more they come back to bite us later.

It’s like burying a seed…it’s not gone…it’s actually going to GROW INTO SOMETHING MORE.

The question is, what is it going to grow into?

You want to control what comes of those negative emotions.

So just burying them hoping they grow into something good, or maybe don’t grow at all, is a recipe for disaster.

Instead you want to tend to those seeds and groom them to grow into something positive.

Face what is going on. It gives you control to shape how it impacts you in the future.

#3: See them as a learning experience - Assess and learn!

Negative emotions are showing us things we aren’t happy with. Things we are uncomfortable with. Situations we’d like to avoid in the future.

Experiencing those negative emotions can be a powerful learning tool so we don’t repeat the things that lead to those negative feelings.

Of course we don’t want to fear those negative emotions so much we don’t take risks, BUT we do always want to assess what we can learn from those situations to help yourselves avoid those negative feelings in the future…and even make them POSITIVE experience.

And not only can these negative emotions help us learn to create better outcomes for ourselves in the future, but they can also teach us to better embrace situations and CHOOSE how we perceive and use them.

Stuff is going to happen outside of our control. We just need to recognize we have a choice in how we perceive things.

So if you’ve always taken a negative perspective, maybe it’s time to even see if you can see the situation as an opportunity over an obstacle.

But don’t let negative emotions lead to simply avoidance. Assess the situation. Learn from and even recognize if it is simply the downside to another upside.

Because sometimes the negatives are part of getting something new and good!

It's YOUR Choice

Things in our life are going to happen. Things outside of our control.

There’s no denying that.

But we also have to stop blaming these events for our successes or our failures and realize that ultimately we are in control.

And this is actually a good thing.

Yes, it stinks accepting full control because it also means you’re responsible for your failures, BUT it also gives you the power to make a change at any time.

While we can’t control everything that happens in our life, we can control our perspective and how we respond ultimately to events.

We have to realize that we always have a CHOICE in what path we take.

And this responsibility and power can be scary.

It means we ultimately get the blame whether things work out or they don’t.

But that acknowledgement of our own control of the ultimate outcome is key if we truly want amazing results.

If we don’t believe we are in control of things, if we don’t believe we have a choice in the matter, we are constantly relying on outside things.

It means we can never really move forward on our own. It also means we never have to accept responsibility, to some extent, for our failures.

But the more we CHOOSE to accept control, the more we can ultimately steer our own car and head in the right direction even more quickly.

Recognizing that you have a CHOICE in how you perceive things can help you see even failures and setbacks as a learning experience.

Life is going to happen, but we can ultimately let those situations derail us because we couldn’t stop them from happening, OR we could choose to control our perspective and learn from the events and find opportunity in the new situation.

Whether something happens or not isn’t really what matters. What matters again is the choice we make in how we use those events to make or break us.

We have the CHOICE each and every day to believe we will be conquered by an event or that we will conquer any situation that comes our way.

I know it’s cliche but there is that oh so true line of “Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right.”

But we have the CHOICE to believe, or not believe, in ourselves.

No one can make that decision for us.

Just like we have to make the CHOICE to be motivated. To want to move forward. To take action.

Our mindset is of our own making.

No amount of outside belief in us, or pushing, can force us to move forward. We have to make the decision to believe in ourselves and take action.

We have to make the CHOICE to go against what is instinctual and natural to make a change. We have to CHOOSE to step outside our own comfort zone.

Basically we have to recognize that so much of our success or failure is based on the mindset and actions we choose to take.

As scary as it is to take responsibility, the simple fact is, ultimately we are in control. And that, through our choices, we can improve our life, our results, at any time.

Embrace the power that mindset brings with it.

Today make one small decision to move you forward. Realize you can CHOOSE to succeed.

So make that your CHOICE and move forward!