I wouldn't get that money back [Like you don't get that time and energy back]

The two coaching programmes I’m part of come to a fair financial investment between them.

When other FitPros ask me about them and I tell them how much they cost, their immediate response is “I can’t afford that”.

Which I get.

But I know, if I wasn’t to do them, I wouldn’t get that money back.

They contribute to my ability to make the business successful to a degree greater than their own cost.

I know that, without the value they bring to me and what we do, the turnover of the business would be less.

We’d be impacting less lives.

I wouldn’t get that money back – I’d be down on the deal if anything.

But it can be tempting to look at as a ‘cost’ that can be saved.

Like exercise and better food choices can be.

It’s tempting to think we don’t have the energy to workout.

To consider ‘saving’ that energy ‘cost’.

But we don’t get it back.

Energy here creates more energy.

We’re down on the deal if we don’t invest.

Same with time.

We’re more focussed and productive and in a better mood when we exercise and eat better.

To the point where our productivity and actual output elsewhere means we end up up on the deal.

I get more work done on the weeks I spend more time exercising than the weeks I spend less time exercising – counter intuitive as that is.

The time, energy and focus that go into looking after our minds and bodies isn’t a ‘cost’.

It’s an investment.

Much love,

Jon ‘In a rich man’s world’ Hall

DIYing it doesn't work [We should've learnt this by now]

I mentioned yesterday about the insights I get into being part of a coaching based programme, by being part of one myself.

Here’s another one.

It’s easy to start doing your ‘own version’ of what’s recommended………

And then get frustrated when the results aren’t what you expect.

I did this a few months ago.

Was recommended a specific marketing strategy as part of one of the programmes I’m on.

And did my own version.

Partly to save subscribing to yet another bit of online software (I have loads)……..

Partly as I didn’t like some of the wording.

It didn’t work very well.

I was a bit annoyed.

Got frustrated with my coach.

That it wasn’t working as well as he’d promised.

Until he pointed out I wasn’t actually doing what he’d recommended.

I changed it to exactly what he’d suggested.

And it worked much better.

Which is daft really.

I get frustrated when people start doing their own version of what we recommend and then complain about lack of results.

We have flexibility in our approach.

But just going ‘off piste’ and not being happy when we don’t reach the destination we want, is daft ultimately.

Book sessions at the start of the week (worst case scenario we have to rearrange or do the home versions).

Set a RISE Plan for the week that is worthwhile but also realistic and takes into account our current circumstances.

Track our food for a few days if we’re not sure what adjustments we could most easily make to create that deficit (or maintenance).

Or…….. do something else and be annoyed by the lack of results.

I know (from experience) which makes more sense.

Much love,

Jon ‘Gargano & Ciampa’ Hall

Lessons from having my own coaches #1

The other week I ventured out of the same relatively small radius of locations I’ve been to over the last 15 months.

I had a day in Newcastle and a day in Liverpool.

Coincidentally sequential days for two coaching programmes that I’m part of.

One for all areas of life, one specific to running a fitness business.

People are sometimes surprised that I’m in such programmes.

But, as I’ve said before, beware the coach who doesn’t haven’t a coach.

Either;

A – Every single aspect of their life is consistently perfect, or

B – They don’t believe in coaching as much as they tell you. They’re happy to take your money to coach you on something you’d like to get better results at, but aren’t willing to do the same themselves.

I’ll give you a clue – it’s B.

Anyway, I’ve got some insights for you from being in the programmes I’m in.

(Another advantage for me – the coach who has no experience of being in a coached programme surely has less understanding of their client experience?)

7 insights actually.

Enough, happily, for one each day of this week.

So, here’s the first:

*** It’s easier to go all quiet and lone wolf ***

I’ve been there.

I get it.

We tell ourselves “I know what I need to do, I just need to do it”.

And then don’t.

At least not enough.

We disengage from the group somewhat.

Stop setting goals and intentions (RISE Plan innit?).

Stop doing just the basics (booking in for sessions).

Stop interacting and engaging in the group.

Tell ourselves that we’ll “get back to it next week”.

It’s easier that way.

I know from experience.

I also know I regret it every single time I do it.

I know the lone wolf always starves.

I know when I stay engaged everything else comes more easily.

I know that coaching is a two way process.

I can’t just sit at home and expect someone to come and save me.

I have to ask for help where it’s needed / would be beneficial.

Swallow my pride.

For the benefit it will bring.

To me and all those around me.

Knowing that and not asking for help because I’m too proud is actually selfish.

Doing less well at the things that are important to me because my ego gets a little bruised by reaching out.

I get it.

I’ve done it many times.

We all do.

The quicker we can realise and re-engage though, the better for everyone.

Much love,

Jon ‘nWo Wolfpac’ Hall

“I would’ve gotten away with it if it wasn’t for you peksy kids…..” [Do you ever see these together?]

I was doing the ironing the other day.

You know a blog is going to be good when it starts like that, don’t you?

My youngest son Charlie asked to watch something.

He usually wants to watch YouTube on his mum’s phone.

Which bothers me when he holds it about an inch from his face.

I know it’s no different to watching TV really, but I don’t like it.

So I said he could watch the TV and put Scooby Doo on.

It was nearing the end of the episode.

Where the gang were figuring out who dunnit.

As usually happens, Daphne was explaining her deductions.

There was the standard costumed figure (let’s call that X, mainly because I didn’t catch the name).

And an old man (who we’ll call Y).

“Have you ever noticed you never see X and Y together at the same time?” Daphne asked.

And, you guessed it, she was right.

Often how they figure out what’s happened isn’t it?

X and Y not been seen together doesn’t automatically mean they are the same thing, of course.

Or that there’s some connection between the two.

But them being seen together probably means there isn’t a connection.

Like you never see weight gain or maintenance and a calorie deficit together.

We might feel we do sometimes, sure.

But it’s those other ‘characters’ confusing us.

Until it happens in controlled, test circumstances, it’s safe to assume they aren’t seen together.

Same with how you don’t see lasting changes to people’s body and energy levels without some sort of change to the mindsets and ways of thinking that underpin that.

Just “trying again” with the same thoughts behind it is like jamming the accelerator down………

While the handbrake is still on.

And I’ve not seen lasting continued improvements to fitness……..

Without people finding a form of exercise that they find sufficiently enjoyable (or, at least, tolerable).

Much love,

Jon ‘ny Donny Doo’ Hall

Most of the transformation comes not in the knowledge you impart [But the belief you instil]

When people first start with us, they’re often surprised by the simplicity of our recommendations.

Book in for, and turn up, for 3 sessions a week.

Eat in a calorie deficit.

They, perhaps, expected more.

Because probably everywhere they’ve been to before has given them more.

Loads of complicated stuff.

That they haven’t done.

On average, consistently over time.

The answer when we’re struggling with more isn’t even more.

It’s less.

Simplicity.

Simple and done always beats………

Hands down…….

Complicated and not done.

Sure, there’s more advanced stuff we can get to with time.

When we’re doing the basics consistently.

And there’s plenty of support in HOW to actually consistently eat in deficit or maintenance.

But, from our experience………

Most of the transformation comes not from the knowledge we impart…….

But the belief we instil.

An approach people believe they can follow consistently.

With flexibility within it.

A challenging of mindsets and habits along the way.

But, again;

Done > Complicated

Much love,

Jon ‘R Kelly’ Hall

It’s not the day you eat the fruit [When is it then?]

You ever grown your own fruit or veg?

In your garden or an allotment?

If you haven’t, I’m sure you can imagine the process.

Plant seeds.

Give water and sunlight.

Wait for the growth over time.

Pick them.

Eat them.

Pretty much covers it, no?

The day you plant the seeds is not the day you eat the fruit.

Much like most results in life.

We trust the process.

We don’t stop watering them because they haven’t grown yet.

We know that’ll come with time.

When we take care of the ‘lead indicators’ of water and sunlight…….

We know the ‘lag indicator’ of fruit growth will come with time.

So why is exercise and eating better any different?

Those lag indicators take time.

The weight loss, the improved fitness and energy, etc.

But if we keep ‘ticking off’ those lead indicators, they’ll come.

The day you plant the seeds is not the day you eat the fruit.

Much love,

Jon ‘Juice’ Hall

The real reason people cancel [It’s not really the money]

We’ve mentioned before many times that people leave us.

As always, people leave every fitness facility on the planet.

Most just pretend otherwise.

Probably the most commonly given reason for leaving is money.

“We need to cut back on outgoings”

“Need to save for a house, holiday, wedding, etc”

And we get that.

We’ve all found ourselves in the position where more is going out than coming in.

And we need to do something about that.

But……….

From my experience (nearly 20 years)……..

In the vast majority of cases, the money is only part of it.

When people are achieving amazing life changing results they’ve never got anywhere else………

When energy levels, mood, mental health, fitness, endurance, sex and / or sleep are up………

And weight, aches and pains and the like are down…….

We normally find financial adjustments we can make elsewhere.

So………

Is it worth considering…….

That when we’re tempted to cut back on this particular expense……….

It’s just because we’re not getting the results we want?

At that point we’ve got two choices;

1. Stop spending the money and get even less results

2. Get better results

Sure, the second is harder.

But that’s the one we really want, isn’t it?

Just because it’s “easier said than done”……

Doesn’t mean it can’t be done!

And, as always, we’re here to help with that.

Hit us up if your results aren’t where you’d like them to be 🙂

Much love,

Jon ‘It’s still real to me, dammit’ Hall

We have a buffet of happiness [But only a menu of unhappiness]

The human brain is very good at seeking out and focusing on the negative.

Served us well when we were cavemen and avoiding stuff that could kill us all day.

Not so much nowadays.

We naturally veer towards negativity and unhappiness……..

Unless we train ourselves in the opposite direction.

We feel that, for us to be happy, all these different things need to happen.

Lots of things need to change.

The planets need to align.

A virtual buffet.

But it only takes one thing to make us unhappy.

One bad experience.

One thing not going as we’d like.

A single item.

A menu, if you will.

10 really hard things needed to make us happy.

One really easy thing to make us sad.

Or, from another angle, loads of things that could make us unhappy.

Relatively few that could make us happy.

Changing that, like any skill, takes practice.

A concerted effort to change.

Feeling somewhat forced to begin with.

Becoming more natural over time.

Some choose to frame this as “a lowering of standards”.

But, if our expectations are consistently not being met and leading to our mood being less than it could be……..

And, therefore, us showing up in the world as a lesser version of ourselves…….

Then who benefits from those unrealistic expectations?

Not us.

Not those around us.

Often our brain is guilty of taking for granted the good things in our life.

The successes.

The things that went exactly as planned.

Pretty much forgetting them and moving on to the next thing immediately.

Getting to the end of the day or week and struggling to remember anything that went well.

And having a long list of things what weren’t so good.

Practicing appreciation is an invaluable skill.

Recognising what’s good in our life.

And building on it.

What we appreciate appreciates (increases).

Setting plans and goals which are worthwhile……

But realistic.

Breaking them down into steps we can achieve each day.

Generating confidence and momentum from success.

Rather than perceived failure from not having completed the whole goal.

Much love,

Jon ‘Do like a good buffet’ Hall

What’s the easiest way to tell if you’re training hard enough to build muscle? [Just as simple]

Similar blog to yesterday’s this.

Stick with it though – I’ll make it a bit quicker.

People sometimes ask why they’re not building lean mass when they feel they’re training hard enough to.

Short answer is, they’re not training hard enough.

They’d be building lean mass if they were.

It’s really hard to build lean mass.

Good news if you’re worried about getting “too muscley” – it’s not going to happen.

Bad news if you would like to get a bit more so.

I say this as someone who wouldn’t be averse to a bit more lean mass here and there.

But I clearly haven’t trained hard enough for that over the last few years.

As it hasn’t happened.

If you’d like to put on some lean mass, then ask a coach in the next session your in.

They’ll advise what sort of intensity you need to work at for that to happen.

If you don’t, you’re good as you are.

Much love,

Jon ‘on me, when you’re not strong’ Hall

What’s the easiest way to tell if you’re in a calorie deficit? [Want to know?]

I had a question the other day.

Well, I probably had hundreds.

Most of them from my oldest son.

But I’ll have had a fair number from members to.

This one was “What’s the easiest way to tell if you’re in a calorie deficit?”

It’s a pretty easy one to answer.

“You’ll be losing weight”.

Variations in our resting metabolic rate (what we mean when we say “metabolism” – how much energy our body uses at rest) are minimal when people are matched for body size.

+/- 80 calories per day the research shows.

But, whatever our metabolic rate is……..

Weight loss occurs when we’re in a deficit.

In every controlled study ever done.

When everything is monitored so tightly that energy in versus energy out……..

Is controlled to within 20 calories…….

Everyone ever tested lost weight.

At very similar rates.

Maybe variations in the composition – water, body fat, lean tissues, etc.

But everyone lost weight and everyone lost fat.

If we could show that we didn’t lose weight in a verified, sustained, average deficit……..

We would be the first person ever.

Knowing that is powerful.

Changes the conversation in our head.

From one of being a victim of our metabolism and genetics……..

To just realising we haven’t been in a calorie deficit.

Even if we thought we were.

Maybe we’d calculated we were.

But, again, unless we’re that first person ever, there’s something missing in those calculations.

The easiest way to tell if you’re in a calorie deficit…….

Is to see if you’re losing weight or not!

Much love,

Jon ‘Quick maths’ Hall