Because sometimes we all just get stuck! Personal experience, combined with our work with several clients over the years has shown a pretty common trend that show you may not be as fit as you want, but that may only require a small change. We will discuss the five main things that we see people struggle with in this episode. Some of these you may have already experienced or may hit you in the coming weeks, months or years, depending on what stage you are in your life/fitness journey. There are many of us who can also attest that we have encountered each and every one of these.

Today we will tackle each of these areas and hopefully provide some takeaway tips for you to take that next step forward.

* Changing Your Environment

* Food

* Sleep

* Soreness

* Life Events

* Kids

* Celebrations

* Death

* Illness

* Job Changes

* Plateaus

* Effort is there, but not the results

* Not just about the numbers

* Time spent vs Days spent (20 min x 6 days vs. 4 days at 45 mins)

* Motivation

* “The grind…”

* Boring – Fitness Attention Deficit Disorder

* Healthy habits becoming a chore

* Injuries

* Working out

* Waiting too long or not being properly diagnosed

* Nutrition

* Bonus: Striving for Perfection

* 80-90%

* Accountability

Our minds; 100% reliable…98% unpredictable. How many times have you read a quote, had a thought, saw a post on social media and instantly your mind believes that may be impossible for you? At what stage of our lives did we flip from being innocent kids with no cares in the world, to caring about how many followers on Instagram or that bottom line dollar in our bank accounts? Maybe some days, even some weeks it seems like we have it together and we look at the world in a positive light only to have one small setback derail all progress that we made…

How do we overcome this stereotype? It’s not something that will change on its own. Like a muscle, left unworked, it is not going to grow itself. But like that muscle; change is possible. It take work, time, commitment, challenges; but you can flip that script and battle through. In this episode, we are going to chat about how to stay positive, how you can overcome, and how you can sustain a more positive approach to all aspects of your life.

* Negative Self-Talk / Positive self talk

* Thought vs Beliefs

* Actions v Reality

* Overcoming

* How do we change our thinking?

* Won’t just change overnight

* Stepping out of comfort zone

* Personal Development

* Sustaining

* Continuing that belief

* Not thinking it was a fluke

* Work/Fitness/Family and how they boost each other

* Staying Motivated

* How goals can sometime derail us

* Let down when we reach them

* Sharing your journey to inspire others

* Coaching opportunity

* Personal Development

* Willpower

* Inspiration – Motivation – Dedication – Willpower

At some point in the past we have all said something similar to the following; “I want to lose weight!” or “I need to get in myself shape!”. It is also likely you have taking steps in the right direction to begin that process. After a couple of weeks, you may find yourself in a situation where you just aren’t making the progress you were expecting. You are staying true to the nutrition plan, you’ve been consistent with your workouts, but the progress just isn’t there…So what’s going on here?

While there are a number of factors other than those that Matt and I discuss in this episode, these are some of the most common situations/reasons that we have encountered with people that we work with. It’s also worth noting that in some cases more than one of these may describe what you are experiencing. If that happens to be the case, start by addressing only one factor at a time. While there are some of you that may be able to manage multiple at the same time, taking on a single change will ensure that you don’t get too overwhelmed with trying to juggle several changes at once. This will also allow you to more accurately determine which situation you fall into and when corrected, has the greatest impact on your progress.

* Weight Loss

* You Are Focused Only On The Scale

* How are you feeling? – more energetic, higher self-confidence

* How are your clothes fitting?

* 30 Day Challenge of not stepping on the scale

* Are you sleeping better?

* Have you incorporated better sleep habits also

* How do you look in the mirror?

* Has anyone commented on the changes?

* You Aren’t Really Tracking Your Intake

* Don’t guess – we are awful at estimating

* Your TDEE Is Not Your TDEE

* Total Daily Energy Expenditure

* “Healthy Foods” are over-utilized

* Too many calorically dense foods

* Read the label…is it really healthy?

* A Cheat Meal Turns Into a Cheat Day…Weekend

* A weekend can kill a week’s effort

* Constantly following “fad” diets

* Strength Training

* You aren’t tracking your reps/weight

* Progressive overload

* Sleep is undervalued

* You don’t grow in the gym…

* You are dehydrated

* Also impacts weight loss

* You never go to failure

* You skip leg day

* Catalyst for overall strength gains

Occasionally, you encounter someone who is just doing everything right and their positivity and passion are clearly visible in their actions. Jerome Hill is someone who falls into that category. An incredibly busy guy, with lots of roles and responsibilities from day to day, he still makes health and fitness a priority. Even at the age of 47. Jerome shares his journey with us and provides some insight into how he maintains a balance with everything he juggles.

* Tell us about yourself

* who you are, what you do for a living, etc

* What is your intro to fitness story growing up / early adulthood ?

* What has been one of your biggest challenges along the way

* Fitness after 40

* What has changed in your 40’s

* Goals

* Physical / Nutritional

* BFR Bands – Explain to our listeners the idea behind them and impact they have had on your training

* Mindset

* How has it changed

* Advice for those to stay with it as they hit 40’s and onward

* Leadership and Passion

* What does Leadership mean to you, who were/are your leaders in all aspects of life.

* Your passion is evident in everything you do

* Can passion be taught?

* Qualities/Characteristics you value and strive for.

Got a question for Cam or want to reach out to him? Here’s how:

* Facebook: fb.com/jerome.hill.14

* Instagram: @fit_dad_of_twins

A special shout out to Jerome – we really grateful to have you as a member of our group!

The smartphone has changed everyday life in a number of ways; some good and some not. In the health and fitness space, huge efforts have been made to create apps for your smartphone that try and accommodate some of the things we used to do on spreadsheets or with pen and paper. But with so many of these apps in existence, it can be tough to find one that does what it promises well.

Matt and I are going to give you some suggestions on a few apps that we have found to provide the most bang for your buck. Most of apps we cover are actually free or they have some form of a free trial allowing you to purchase after a varying length of time or through a reduced set of features. We will cover 3 main categories of apps in this episode; fitness, nutrition and running and hopefully you’ll learn about an app that you can leverage in your fitness journey.

* Impact Apps can have on your fitness and Nutrition

* Tracking, Education, Quick workouts on the Go, Accountability, Community, Meals, Free v Paid Apps

* Fitness Apps

* Keelo ( free preview and workouts 11.99 month)

* Full Body Workouts, Combine Strength, Cardio, and Conditioning into one program.

* AI-based algorithm examines your entire workout history to ensure you’re working all parts of the body and getting the most out of your workouts.

* Leaderboard

* Free email coaching, Premium offers live chat with a coach

* https://keelo.com

* The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout (free)

* 72 exercises and 22 additional workouts that can be customized and modified to create more than 1,000 variations to help keep you motivated and moving.

* Multiple circuits. Go from 7-32 minutes

* Inactivity reminders

* https://7minuteworkout.jnj.com

* 6-Pack Promise (Free + $2.99 full unlock)

* Jeff Cavaliere – Athlean-X

* 4-8 minutes

* https://www.6packpromise.com

* FitBod ($5/month – $59.99 billed annually or $9.99/month)

* Highly customizable workouts

* Select available equipment

* Choose workout style/goals

* https://www.fitbod.me

* Beachbody Apps

* On Demand

* All Access, Guides, Exclusives, Download

* http://www.yourfitnesspath.com/30DayTrial

* Challenge Tracker

* Coach Lead, Track, Safe Community. Measurements

* Shaun T App

* Workouts, Playlists, Podcast, Articles

* 21 Day Fix Tracker App

* Track your Nutrition and Workout Plan with this easy to use app. Add colored containers for each meal while seeing the remaining portions for each container you have left. Also track the amount of water you’ve consumed for the day.

* Food List

* Running Apps

* C25K – Couch To 5 Km  (free)

* Jamie reference from last episode

* Walking and running to build strength and endurance

* 3 days a week plan, great for intro runners

* Have similar apps for pull-ups, push-ups, squats, longer distance running

* http://www.c25kfree.com

* Nike Run Club

* Speed, Endurance, Intervals,

Our member spotlight episodes are a chance for us to introduce you to a member of the Fit Men Movement group that is active on Facebook. In this spotlight, you are introduced to Jamie Bracegirdle. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because he’s the older brother of a co-host of this show, Matt Bracegirdle. Jamie has made incredible strides in his fitness journey, both literally and metaphorically. I think that a lot of you will resonate with Jamie’s story with all of his ups and downs and that moment when it just “clicked” for him.

* Tell us about yourself

* who you are, what you do for a living, etc…

* What is your fitness story?

* Where are you now compared to 6 months/1 year ago?

* What has been one of your biggest challenges along the way?

* How did you get started with the Fit Men Movement?

* What has it meant to you being a member of the Facebook group?

* Family, Education, Motivation, Inspiration, Accountability?

* Would you recommend the Fit Men Movement to others?

* What are your immediate and long terms goals?

Despite this being the Fit “Men” Movement podcast, Matt and I have several women as clients that we work with. And, we have noticed that women have a preconceived notion that weightlifting/strength training will automatically pack on muscle. Fortunately, this could not be further from the truth! Strength training along won’t cut it. Nutrition is, as most of your already know, is the biggest factor when one wants to add muscle to their frame. You would have to consume A LOT of calories; and not just calories…proper calories, in order to look like the women that you see in body building magazine or up on a stage with bulging muscles. The fact is that strength training is one of THE BEST ways for both women AND men to lose body fat and get that “fit” look that so many are looking for.

In this episode of the Fit Men Movement Podcast, we are going to briefly chat about some of the common myths and misconceptions that women have about lifting weights and explain the true benefits that women (and men for that matter…) can experience by incorporating strength training into their workout routines.

* Myths

* Women Will Bulk Up With Strength Training

* Spot “Toning”

* Men and Women should train differently

* Benefits

* Develop strong bones

* Fat Loss

* Improve posture

* Get stronger

* Improve elsewhere

Communication is one of the most important aspects of a relationship, perhaps the most important… This episode of the Fit Men Movement will mostly focus on how communicating your needs when it comes to nutrition and health and fitness, but there are some concepts that we discuss that can be implemented in many other areas of your relationships.

* Why it’s important

* Who to communicate with (family, friends co-workers)

* How you word your message to avoid confrontation on food or fitness .

* “Dieting, YOU shouldn’t eat that, One track mindset on your preferences for workouts,  etc, ”

* Ask for their support

* Explain clear reasoning and goals

* Explain what will be required (Time, financial, routine changes)

* Do it Together

* Invite them to try it

* Ask for them to choose something and you try it

* Lead by example

* Always be learning

* Be sure to make exceptions and balance priorities

* Never 100% the same all the time

* Be open to change

* Handling Friends vs. Significant Others

* Honesty, Honesty, Honesty

* Handling Kids

The average person eats out approximately five times a week. While restaurant eating is often enjoyable and convenient, the downside is that you give up a certain amount of control over the food you eat (large portions, hidden fats, salt and calories).

Of course, one option is to simply eat out less often. For example, bringing a lunch or snacks to work lets you control what you eat at those times. Assuming that there are times when you want or need to eat out, you can do so healthfully by planning ahead, watching your food budget and making wise choices.

That’s the topic of this episode of the Fit Men Movement podcast. We are going to try and give you some ways that you can make better decisions while dining out that won’t set you back and still allow for enjoyment.

* Avoiding The Trap

* Ways they fool you on the menu

* Frequency of visits based on Family Lifestyle / Career

* Pre-planning rest of your days intake

* Calling Ahead

* Enjoying yourself

* Peer Pressure/Will Power

* Ways to avoid scrutiny from other guests

* What To look for

* Focus on protein (lean)

* Substitutions

* ½ portions

* Stick to water

* Avoid Soda / Sparkling Water alternatives

* Limit Alcohol

Additional Resource: The Insider’s Guide to Dining Out

Do you have some ideas to help stick to your goals while dining out? Share them in the comments section below!

Cam Hall is a nutrition coach, husband, father of two and he is also the creator of the “Fight the Dad Bod” community; where the goal is to leading dads and families in living fit, healthy, and fulfilled lives!

Cam shares how he had to overcome his battle with an unhealthy relationship with food, which combined with the ups and downs of everyday life (work, family, stress, etc…) lead him to gain over 25 lb.

* Tell us a bit about yourself?

* Fight The Dad Bod

* How did it get started?

* What is the mission?

* Making health a priority for dads

* Strategies to plan their time so they can do that

* The reason why diets fail

* How a nutritional plan differs from a diet

* The power of PFC Every 3 (Protein, Fats, and Carbs)

* Blood sugar stabilization – why it is so important

* Progress over Perfection…the 1% mindset

Got a question for Cam or want to reach out to him? Here’s how:

* Web: fightthedadbod.com

* camhall.net

* Facebook: fb.com/Fightthedadbod

* Instagram: @fightthedadbod

* Twitter: @fightthedadbod

A special thanks out to Cam – we really appreciate you coming on the podcast and sharing some awesome content!