In January of 2007, I went on a BMX trip as part of the 5050 BMX team. I was in the middle of making some major changes in my life and as always happens with change, there was quite a bit of learning for me, and also criticism from others. I was certainly to blame for a lot of the criticism (since I hadn't learned what I needed to learn yet). However, there was some criticism from some of my closest friends that I didn't feel was justified.
I was talking to my friend Tim Thompson about all of this while I was on this trip. In this conversation, he taught me one of the most valuable lessons I've ever learned. I explained how I felt about the criticism and judgement of some of my friends and his response was, "is it true? Their criticisms, are they based on truth?". I told him they weren't and explained why. Then he said "So if it isn't true, then why are you bothered by it?".
Maybe this wouldn't have affected other people like it did me, but for me, it BLEW my mind! It was so simple and so wise! I began practicing the habit of not being offended by false accusations. It took some time...and still sometimes I have to remind myself of this lesson because my natural inclination is to get defensive when I'm accused...regardless of truth.
Anyways, this morning I got some third hand information that there has been some criticism of my current situation... but it's being said behind my back. My first feeling was defensiveness, as is my natural inclination. Then I reminded myself of Tim's wise advice 8 years ago (I can't believe that was 8 years ago!).
So the criticism that I heard about this morning, is that I'm USING my wife's bad health as an excuse to get in shape and get on TV. As if I somehow planned my wifes genetic disorder...and then capitalized on the situation. It literally couldn't be further from the truth...in fact, it's the exact OPPOSITE of the truth, but that's beside the point. I'm going to explain the chain of events that led to me trying to get on American Ninja Warrior and if you're one of the people criticizing, I am asking you to set that aside for a moment, and assume I'm telling the truth so that you can try to understand what I'm saying. Here it goes:
March of 2013: Enedina started getting really dizzy and I couldn't go into the office as much because she didn't dare carry our newborn around and risk passing out with the baby in her arms
From there, symptoms progressed and more symptoms started revealing themselves.
August 2013: She gets diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. By this point, her joint pain was starting to get pretty bad.
December 2013: Things had progressed to the point that Enedina needed to be in a wheelchair to go anywhere outside of the house, and sometimes in the house.
March 2014: My list of responsibilities had grown as a result of Enedina being unable to do as much in addition to her having more needs. Because of this, I was still in a position to be the breadwinner, only now I had more parental responsibilities and the added stress of being a caregiver spouse.
By that point, I had MUCH more that needed to be done than I had the energy or strength to accomplish. I would be SO burnt out by about 5 or 6 pm that I felt like a slave without the strength to go on..every day. My body didn't have the physical strength to carry my wife around when necessary. My mind was being beaten up BECAUSE the physical side wasn't there so I felt like I wasn't "man enough" to do what needed to be done. Our marriage was weakening because the tension was building and I was in a position where I felt hopeless. I started doubting my ability to do anything successfully and I found myself in a state of depression that I had never experienced before. The world seemed like a very dark place with lots of misery and a lot less happiness than I had previously felt.
I thought about it for a long time and determined that taking my life back and getting some control began with my physical well-being. I figured, if I had more energy, I could be better in all other areas. There is only one healthy way to get more energy...getting in better physical condition.
The story about how I got in better shape is in a different blog post. If you want to read that, click here.
So I took that step. I got in better shape. Then I started to see exactly HOW MUCH of a difference that step made in my life! EVERYTHING improved! Every aspect of life felt better.
I had been sharing our story with people because I've always had a desire to help others and I thought that maybe our story could help someone in some way. After getting in shape, I started sharing it more because with all the positive changes that occurred, I felt like THAT could help others change their lives in a positive way too! The one story led DIRECTLY to the other. I can't explain one without the other. That would be like trying to describe where chickens come from without mentioning eggs. In that case, which came first? I'm not even going to try to figure that out for you. lol.
Fast forward a few months, I'm watching TV with my wife and American Ninja Warrior comes on. I think to myself "that course would be SO fun!". Then a few days later, I see a video of a pro BMX rider attempting the course. I thought to myself, "If he can try it then why can't I?". My logic was that I was in the best shape of my life and I wanted to try it, so why not?
I did a google search and found that you have to send in a video and an application to the producers and then they call you if they want to have you on the show. It specifically said to share your story and WHY you want to be on American Ninja Warrior. Naturally, in the video, I shared my story...and that includes the majority of which was my "why" to get in shape in the first place. If it weren't for my wifes condition, I would have never gotten in shape. If I never got in shape, I would have never even considered american ninja warrior. How could I leave that out?
I'm not writing this because I'm offended by the chisme I heard. I simply want to clarify what happened and how it happened, and if what I've said DID sound like I was taking advantage of my wifes situation, I want to find out why and apologize for giving the wrong impression.
If at any time, you have thought that I was trying to capitalize on my wifes misfortune, I'd appreciate you telling me what I said or did so I can avoid doing that again in the future. Thank you for reading this long blog post!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Principles that changed my life!
All of the beachbody programs have a time frame that they're designed for. For example, P90X is 90 days. 21 Day Fix is 21 days. Focus T25, Insanity, and Insanity Max:30 are 60 days. These programs are designed for these time frames for various reasons but what I want to focus on, is the LONG term goal.
Every single program comes with a nutrition guide. My best guess is that most people get a program with the best of intentions, but most people don't take a lot of time looking at the nutrition guide. The exercise programs work...but NOT if you only do HALF of the program! By that, I mean only the exercise part. The exercise is great and will definitely improve your health, don't get me wrong...but there is one sentence that needs to be emphasized...YOU CAN'T OUT WORKOUT A BAD DIET! In a REALLY good workout you'll burn between 500-1,000 calories. That's in an intense workout. There are other things that happen to your body other than burning calories...but my point is easy to demonstrate with numbers. So let's say you do a super good workout and you just burned 700 calories. Then, because you're working out so hard, you justify a big dessert at dinner. Let's say it's a piece of chocolate cake. That ONE piece probably has somewhere between 300 to 600 calories, depending on the size and the amount of frosting. What about the rest of the food you ate that day. Was it good fuel? Maybe you had some fries at lunch too. That doesn't seem like a big deal right? Well there goes the calories you burned in your workout. The problem though, isn't in eating ONE piece of cake occasionally, or ONE serving of fries occasionally. The problem lies in consistent small decisions made every day.
There are 2 books that I LOVE that go into detail about this concept and how it applies in all areas of life, not just health. One is called "The Slight Edge" and the other is called "The Compound Effect". Success is not an event. Let's use Michael Jordan as an example. You might say that he won the title of MVP in the NBA finals on the days that he was voted MVP (multiple times). The truth though, is that he started winning that title as a little boy. His lifetime of small consistent daily decisions led him to that point. Every time he made a good decision, he was earning that title. Every time he woke up early to practice basketball or get an extra workout in. Every time he chose to eat healthy instead of eating crappy fried foods. Every time he did ANYTHING that improved his athletic ability, he was earning that title. The actual day he got the title was just the RESULT of all of his daily, seemingly insignificant decisions made over the course of a lifetime!
In health and fitness, this is easy to demonstrate. I'll use my own situation to demonstrate it. I spent 7 or 8 years complaining about being out of shape but I never did anything to fix it. In 2014, I started doing Focus T25 but I decided that it would be pointless to do the workout if I don't follow the diet plan. So I did it...and got AMAZING results! Here's the thing though; I didn't lose 30 pounds on day 60 of the program. I didn't lose it in day 1. I lost a little bit every single day through a combination of proper portions of healthy food, and exercise. Every time I chose to eat baked fish instead of fried chicken, or to eat an orange instead of a cookie, I was earning the result. I didn't skip a day of exercise...but if I had, it wouldn't have destroyed all of my work. It would have set me back a little but not that much. However, if I had skipped a day 30 times in a row, well then the result would have been a LOT different! The same principle applies to me now. I'm in the best shape of my life and if I skip a day of working out, I'm still going to be in the best shape of my life tomorrow. Or if I eat a piece of cake, I'm still going to be healthy tomorrow (although it may make me feel sick if it's as much as I used to eat). But if I start skipping workouts regularly and making poor eating decisions every day, well, then I'll get right back to where I was a year ago REALLY QUICK! It's the small things that we do that lead to big things.
Ok, now to get back on track...
All of the beachbody programs are designed for a specific time frame. That does NOT mean that after you do the 21 Day Fix for 21 days that you can just go back to your old habits that created the problem in the first place! It's intended to be a tool you can use to jumpstart your results and a guide to follow for the rest of your life! I finished Focus T25 on a Friday. I started P90X3 the following Monday. Then I finished that and started with Body Beast the following week. Then the same with P90X2. Now I'm doing Insanity Max:30. My point is, I made a LIFESTYLE change. Once I finish with Insanity Max:30 I might go back to one of the other programs I've already done. If I only had Focus T25, I'd be doing the entire program over and over again every 60 days and adding in other activities like running and cycling and rock climbing, etc...All of these small decisions are really easy to do every day. Losing 30 pounds in a day without cutting part of your body off is impossible. Losing a few ounces a day, totally possible. It's easy to do...but it's just as easy NOT to do!
It took a lot of discipline to follow the T25 nutrition guide and do all the workouts for the whole 2 months! I had never done anything like that before so it was a big shift! Why would I do that and then go back to my old habits just to ruin all the hard work I had put in? It makes no sense!
Sure the programs work great for someone that wants to just lose weight for a wedding or some other event...but they're intended to help people TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES!
That is who I'm looking for! I'm looking to help anybody that wants help, but more specifically, anybody that wants to change their lifestyle LONG TERM!
Every single program comes with a nutrition guide. My best guess is that most people get a program with the best of intentions, but most people don't take a lot of time looking at the nutrition guide. The exercise programs work...but NOT if you only do HALF of the program! By that, I mean only the exercise part. The exercise is great and will definitely improve your health, don't get me wrong...but there is one sentence that needs to be emphasized...YOU CAN'T OUT WORKOUT A BAD DIET! In a REALLY good workout you'll burn between 500-1,000 calories. That's in an intense workout. There are other things that happen to your body other than burning calories...but my point is easy to demonstrate with numbers. So let's say you do a super good workout and you just burned 700 calories. Then, because you're working out so hard, you justify a big dessert at dinner. Let's say it's a piece of chocolate cake. That ONE piece probably has somewhere between 300 to 600 calories, depending on the size and the amount of frosting. What about the rest of the food you ate that day. Was it good fuel? Maybe you had some fries at lunch too. That doesn't seem like a big deal right? Well there goes the calories you burned in your workout. The problem though, isn't in eating ONE piece of cake occasionally, or ONE serving of fries occasionally. The problem lies in consistent small decisions made every day.
There are 2 books that I LOVE that go into detail about this concept and how it applies in all areas of life, not just health. One is called "The Slight Edge" and the other is called "The Compound Effect". Success is not an event. Let's use Michael Jordan as an example. You might say that he won the title of MVP in the NBA finals on the days that he was voted MVP (multiple times). The truth though, is that he started winning that title as a little boy. His lifetime of small consistent daily decisions led him to that point. Every time he made a good decision, he was earning that title. Every time he woke up early to practice basketball or get an extra workout in. Every time he chose to eat healthy instead of eating crappy fried foods. Every time he did ANYTHING that improved his athletic ability, he was earning that title. The actual day he got the title was just the RESULT of all of his daily, seemingly insignificant decisions made over the course of a lifetime!
In health and fitness, this is easy to demonstrate. I'll use my own situation to demonstrate it. I spent 7 or 8 years complaining about being out of shape but I never did anything to fix it. In 2014, I started doing Focus T25 but I decided that it would be pointless to do the workout if I don't follow the diet plan. So I did it...and got AMAZING results! Here's the thing though; I didn't lose 30 pounds on day 60 of the program. I didn't lose it in day 1. I lost a little bit every single day through a combination of proper portions of healthy food, and exercise. Every time I chose to eat baked fish instead of fried chicken, or to eat an orange instead of a cookie, I was earning the result. I didn't skip a day of exercise...but if I had, it wouldn't have destroyed all of my work. It would have set me back a little but not that much. However, if I had skipped a day 30 times in a row, well then the result would have been a LOT different! The same principle applies to me now. I'm in the best shape of my life and if I skip a day of working out, I'm still going to be in the best shape of my life tomorrow. Or if I eat a piece of cake, I'm still going to be healthy tomorrow (although it may make me feel sick if it's as much as I used to eat). But if I start skipping workouts regularly and making poor eating decisions every day, well, then I'll get right back to where I was a year ago REALLY QUICK! It's the small things that we do that lead to big things.
Ok, now to get back on track...
All of the beachbody programs are designed for a specific time frame. That does NOT mean that after you do the 21 Day Fix for 21 days that you can just go back to your old habits that created the problem in the first place! It's intended to be a tool you can use to jumpstart your results and a guide to follow for the rest of your life! I finished Focus T25 on a Friday. I started P90X3 the following Monday. Then I finished that and started with Body Beast the following week. Then the same with P90X2. Now I'm doing Insanity Max:30. My point is, I made a LIFESTYLE change. Once I finish with Insanity Max:30 I might go back to one of the other programs I've already done. If I only had Focus T25, I'd be doing the entire program over and over again every 60 days and adding in other activities like running and cycling and rock climbing, etc...All of these small decisions are really easy to do every day. Losing 30 pounds in a day without cutting part of your body off is impossible. Losing a few ounces a day, totally possible. It's easy to do...but it's just as easy NOT to do!
It took a lot of discipline to follow the T25 nutrition guide and do all the workouts for the whole 2 months! I had never done anything like that before so it was a big shift! Why would I do that and then go back to my old habits just to ruin all the hard work I had put in? It makes no sense!
Sure the programs work great for someone that wants to just lose weight for a wedding or some other event...but they're intended to help people TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES!
That is who I'm looking for! I'm looking to help anybody that wants help, but more specifically, anybody that wants to change their lifestyle LONG TERM!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Physical and Spiritual Connection
This blog post is probably not going to interest everybody. Some people don't like hearing about faith. Well here's a disclaimer: This post involves info about my faith. Here is another disclaimer: I am not trying to chastise ANYBODY! I just want to present some information that you may or may not have ever thought of and you can do with it what you want.
Anyways, I've been thinking about the connection between the physical well being and the spiritual well being of ones self. I could be wrong, but I've come to the conclusion that you can't neglect either one if you want to be your best version of yourself in either. Neglect your physical well being and it'll affect your spiritual well being and visa versa.
Let's compare it to a high performance vehicle. A high performance vehicle needs different types of fuel. Higher quality oil and gasoline. Now let's pretend that gas=spiritual fuel and oil=physical fuel. If you take a Lamborghini, and you fill it up with high octane gas but then you put cheap low grade oil in it, it is going to perform MUCH worse than if you were to give it what it's designed to have. Not only that, it's going to wear out much quicker and you'll need to be replacing parts much sooner. Same goes if you give it good oil but crappy gas. Our souls are EXACTLY the same in comparison. I can study the scriptures and try to help others all day long but if I'm neglecting my own physical well being, then it DIRECTLY affects my spiritual well being. How many other ways could I help others if I were physically fit (to the best of my ability)? How much of an effect would my physical health have on my confidence and sense of well being. Don't you think that would have an impact on the type of energy I send out into the world? Wouldn't my general attitude change? If so, how much more of a positive impact could I have on the world if I were sending out positive loving energy to the world? On the other hand, what if all I ever do is exercise and eat healthy food but I never try to feed my spiritual self? Can I really grow spiritually if the only thing I am doing is something that only affects me? My only focus in that case would be me! How can I help others if I'm only focused on helping me?
The truth is, if I want to be MY BEST SELF, I need to feed BOTH sides of my health (among other things). I need to strengthen my understanding of all things spiritual but I ALSO need to strengthen my body (to whatever capacity I'm able). In a lot of personal development books, they talk about the situation in an airplane that is going to crash. The oxygen masks drop out of the ceiling and you're directed to FIRST get your OWN mask on before helping the people sitting next to you...even if it is your own children! Why? Because what good in helping others survive are you if you are unconscious and dying? We need to take care of ourselves so we can better help others!
There is a talk by Jorg Klabingat that was given in the October 2014 general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that I'm going to paste into this blog...not the whole thing, just the part that pertains to what I'm talking about. The link to the entire talk is here. I highly recommend everyone listen to it...it's amazing. Here is the part I'm talking about:
I love that last sentence! Learning to control your "natural man or woman" is one of the MOST IMPORTANT AND DIFFICTULT things to do in this life!
Also, there is a commandment that LDS people are commanded to follow called "The Word Of Wisdom". Click on that link to read the entire section of scripture that gives the commandment. You'll read about different things to abstain from, and also you'll read about what we SHOULD consume. As a missionary and in just about every sunday school class that I've attended, lessons about the Word Of Wisdom almost always focus on the "What not to do" part. Why? The other part is just as important! It basically spells out how to eat in accordance with the food pyramid! That is JUST AS IMPORTANT!
Anyways, I've been thinking about the connection between the physical well being and the spiritual well being of ones self. I could be wrong, but I've come to the conclusion that you can't neglect either one if you want to be your best version of yourself in either. Neglect your physical well being and it'll affect your spiritual well being and visa versa.
Let's compare it to a high performance vehicle. A high performance vehicle needs different types of fuel. Higher quality oil and gasoline. Now let's pretend that gas=spiritual fuel and oil=physical fuel. If you take a Lamborghini, and you fill it up with high octane gas but then you put cheap low grade oil in it, it is going to perform MUCH worse than if you were to give it what it's designed to have. Not only that, it's going to wear out much quicker and you'll need to be replacing parts much sooner. Same goes if you give it good oil but crappy gas. Our souls are EXACTLY the same in comparison. I can study the scriptures and try to help others all day long but if I'm neglecting my own physical well being, then it DIRECTLY affects my spiritual well being. How many other ways could I help others if I were physically fit (to the best of my ability)? How much of an effect would my physical health have on my confidence and sense of well being. Don't you think that would have an impact on the type of energy I send out into the world? Wouldn't my general attitude change? If so, how much more of a positive impact could I have on the world if I were sending out positive loving energy to the world? On the other hand, what if all I ever do is exercise and eat healthy food but I never try to feed my spiritual self? Can I really grow spiritually if the only thing I am doing is something that only affects me? My only focus in that case would be me! How can I help others if I'm only focused on helping me?
The truth is, if I want to be MY BEST SELF, I need to feed BOTH sides of my health (among other things). I need to strengthen my understanding of all things spiritual but I ALSO need to strengthen my body (to whatever capacity I'm able). In a lot of personal development books, they talk about the situation in an airplane that is going to crash. The oxygen masks drop out of the ceiling and you're directed to FIRST get your OWN mask on before helping the people sitting next to you...even if it is your own children! Why? Because what good in helping others survive are you if you are unconscious and dying? We need to take care of ourselves so we can better help others!
There is a talk by Jorg Klabingat that was given in the October 2014 general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that I'm going to paste into this blog...not the whole thing, just the part that pertains to what I'm talking about. The link to the entire talk is here. I highly recommend everyone listen to it...it's amazing. Here is the part I'm talking about:
1. Take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being. Stop blaming others or your circumstances, stop justifying, and stop making excuses for why you may not be fully striving to be obedient. Accept that you are “free according to the flesh” and “free to choose liberty and eternal life” (2 Nephi 2:27). The Lord knows your circumstances perfectly, but He also knows perfectly well whether you simply choose not to fully live the gospel. If that is the case, be honest enough to admit it, and strive to be perfect within your own sphere of circumstances. Spiritual confidence increases when you take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily.
2. Take responsibility for your own physical well-being. Your soul consists of your body and spirit (see D&C 88:15). Feeding the spirit while neglecting the body, which is a temple, usually leads to spiritual dissonance and lowered self-esteem. If you are out of shape, if you are uncomfortable in your own body and can do something about it, then do it! Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should “regard our body as a temple of our very own” and that we should “control our diet and exercise for physical fitness” (“We Are Children of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 87; Liahona, Jan. 1999, 103).
President Boyd K. Packer has taught “that our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character” (“The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character” [Church Educational System fireside, Feb. 2, 2003], 2; speeches.byu.edu). Therefore, please use good judgment in what and especially how much you eat, and regularly give your body the exercise it needs and deserves. If you are physically able, decide today to be the master of your own house and begin a regular, long-term exercise program, suited to your abilities, combined with a healthier diet. Spiritual confidence increases when your spirit, with the help of the Savior, is truly in charge of your natural man or woman.
I love that last sentence! Learning to control your "natural man or woman" is one of the MOST IMPORTANT AND DIFFICTULT things to do in this life!
I believe whole heartedly in the gospel of Jesus Christ. All of it. I'm not perfect. I'm trying to make myself better in every way just like everyone else. This whole blog post isn't an attempt to act like I know better than anyone else or that I'm better than anyone else. I just wanted to point out some things that I rarely hear discussed among people...LDS or not, religious or not. These are things that I think are VERY important! I also want to clarify that there are people that aren't able to do as much because of physical conditions. I have intended for this entire post to be applied only to your PERSONAL situation and to your best ability. Everyone is different and some people (like my wife) aren't able to do a lot of the things that others can to take care of themselves. My wife however, still does everything (probably more than she should) to take care of herself both spiritually and physically that she can. She is the example to me that has brought about my current level of understanding on this topic.
If you feel like you need to make a change in your spiritual well being, I'd love to help you but I suggest you talk to the missionaries in your area. They're totally devoted to that. You can contact them here. If you feel like you need to make a change in your physical well being, I'd LOVE to help you! My contact info is found here. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!
Friday, February 13, 2015
My opinion on shakeology vs. competitors
The following is my response to the question "What makes Shakeology better than Herbalife and Whey Protein shakes....." that I received on facebook. I didn't intend for it to be so long but since it was, I decided to put it in as a blog post and add a few graphics and whatnot...Anyways, here it is:
I am not going to try and prove anything to you. I just want to share my experience. I don't like talking down other products either. There are a lot of companies with a lot of good products and you'll find die-hard fans of just about every product there is. Plus, products like herbalife have helped a lot of people so why would I try to talk bad about it? I do believe that right now shakeology is the best product in the shake market and I'll explain why.
So what I'll do, is I'll show you the facts and I'll give you my opinion of the facts and leave it to you to decide for yourself, based on what you know.
I think Carl Deikeler pretty much says it all in this video but I'll put some of the facts up here anyways because he didn't really go into the specifics. I'm attaching a side by side comparison of the two product labels so you can see the ingredients.
You'll see that both of them have a lot of good ingredients. The difference: shakeology has more "super food" ingredients and zero artificial ingredients. All of the vitamins and minerals are naturally occurring as a result of the incredible ingredients. No added vitamins. No added nutrients. Just super healthy whole food ingredients condensed into a shake. Herbalife has good ingredients, but they also have added vitamins that aren't naturally occurring (makes it harder for the body to absorb if it's not naturally occurring) and what appears to me (I could be wrong) to be some artificial ingredients on the last half of the list. You can see in the nutritional facts that shakeology clearly beats herbalife in most of the vitamins and nutrients but the biggest difference isn't in those numbers, it's in the amount of those vitamins and nutrients that are absorbed by your body. Besides being all naturally occurring, shakeology has a lot of phytonutrients that help the body absorb the nutrition even better than it would have otherwise. But like I said, herbalife has helped a lot of people and I'm happy for them! My goal isn't to sell this product to everyone I know. My goal is to help people get healthy and if they want to use herbalife, well that's awesome! I just use shakeology and share it because I know how much it has helped me!
As far as comparing it to a whey protein, well that's like comparing oranges to apples. There is protein in shakeology but it's not designed to just be a protein shake. They call it "a dense daily dose of nutrition" for a very good reason. Whey proteins serve their purpose. In fact, I use an extra whey protein at night to give my body extra protein in addition to my diet and shakeology to build muscle since that is my goal right now. I don't need it for nutrients...I just use it because I'm training super hard and need more protein than an average person to try and rebuild the muscle damage at night while I sleep. I don't take shakeology for that purpose though.
When I started taking shakeology, I was overweight. I took it to replace a meal to help me lose weight...and it definitely helped. I don't have any more weight to lose now though. I'm at about 10% body fat and that's where I want to be. I don't use it for building muscle (even though it does help) because it's not the highest protein content shake that you'll find. Now, I use it everday because it is full of so much nutrition that I feel a huge difference if I don't drink it vs when I do. I eat REALLY healthy most of the time but my body still can feel a difference. There is really no way I could EAT that much nutrition in one meal otherwise. My stomach isn't big enough to contain that many vegetables and fruits. So I just use it to help me have more energy and for my overall sense of well-being. If I had the time and resources to make all of my own meals and grow all of my own food and never eat anything but superior healthy food at every meal, then I probably wouldn't take shakeology. As it is, I eat as healthy as my life permits and I use shakeology to pick up the slack since realistically, I'm going to eat at restaurants sometimes and sometimes, I will be eating processed food that isn't the best thing I could ingest. These are the reasons that I PERSONALLY believe that shakeology is the best and worth the money. It's up to you to decide what is best for you though.
I am not going to try and prove anything to you. I just want to share my experience. I don't like talking down other products either. There are a lot of companies with a lot of good products and you'll find die-hard fans of just about every product there is. Plus, products like herbalife have helped a lot of people so why would I try to talk bad about it? I do believe that right now shakeology is the best product in the shake market and I'll explain why.
So what I'll do, is I'll show you the facts and I'll give you my opinion of the facts and leave it to you to decide for yourself, based on what you know.
I think Carl Deikeler pretty much says it all in this video but I'll put some of the facts up here anyways because he didn't really go into the specifics. I'm attaching a side by side comparison of the two product labels so you can see the ingredients.
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| Here is a side by side comparison. You may have to zoom in to be able to read it |
As far as comparing it to a whey protein, well that's like comparing oranges to apples. There is protein in shakeology but it's not designed to just be a protein shake. They call it "a dense daily dose of nutrition" for a very good reason. Whey proteins serve their purpose. In fact, I use an extra whey protein at night to give my body extra protein in addition to my diet and shakeology to build muscle since that is my goal right now. I don't need it for nutrients...I just use it because I'm training super hard and need more protein than an average person to try and rebuild the muscle damage at night while I sleep. I don't take shakeology for that purpose though.
When I started taking shakeology, I was overweight. I took it to replace a meal to help me lose weight...and it definitely helped. I don't have any more weight to lose now though. I'm at about 10% body fat and that's where I want to be. I don't use it for building muscle (even though it does help) because it's not the highest protein content shake that you'll find. Now, I use it everday because it is full of so much nutrition that I feel a huge difference if I don't drink it vs when I do. I eat REALLY healthy most of the time but my body still can feel a difference. There is really no way I could EAT that much nutrition in one meal otherwise. My stomach isn't big enough to contain that many vegetables and fruits. So I just use it to help me have more energy and for my overall sense of well-being. If I had the time and resources to make all of my own meals and grow all of my own food and never eat anything but superior healthy food at every meal, then I probably wouldn't take shakeology. As it is, I eat as healthy as my life permits and I use shakeology to pick up the slack since realistically, I'm going to eat at restaurants sometimes and sometimes, I will be eating processed food that isn't the best thing I could ingest. These are the reasons that I PERSONALLY believe that shakeology is the best and worth the money. It's up to you to decide what is best for you though.
If you want to check out my shakeology website, go here
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
My "Why". What's yours?
Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of that and got caught up in the party life and developed a lot of selfish habits.
When I was 23 I changed my life around, got baptized, and ended up serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. While there, I was certain that helping others was my destiny and I was determined to make it happen...but then I got home and ended up selling insurance with money being my only "why".
It wasn't (isn't) fulfilling for me and I felt like I was living someone elses life, not the one I was supposed to be in. I lived for my time off. I met a LOT of really good people and I learned a LOT of good info. Going out and prospecting clients was fun. I loved that part because I love talking to people. There are just a lot of aspects of the job that are really hard for me to stay motivated with. I FULLY believe in the need for insurance and for good insurance agents. They are critical to sustaining any good society and they DO change lives in the case of covered tragedies, but that's a subject for another blog. I just don't feel fulfilled. I haven't been able to find a deep enough passion for it to really drive my success. Anyways, I've done this since 2005 and in the process I think I let my dreams of changing the world fade. They slowly faded...at about the same pace that my weight slowly increased...at a pace that I didn't even notice...
Then came along Beachbody. Using it TOTALLY improved my health and in so doing, changed my ENTIRE life! Once I saw how much better my life had become, I realized that THIS IS WHAT I WAS MADE TO DO!!! Beachbody coaching is ALL about bringing value to others and lifting people up. It's obviously about health and fitness but it's much more than that. One of the "3 vital behaviors" that coaches are supposed to do if they want to be successful is read 10 pages out of a personal development book every day. This habit has changed my life probably in more ways than getting in shape has helped me! I'm constantly evaluating myself to see where I can improve and how I can help others better. This is all a result of the combination of the results I got for myself, the books I'm reading, and my lifelong desire to do good. Once I realized that I could make this my FULL TIME JOB through consistent part time work (without giving up my current paycheck) and I could devote more of myself to helping others, for me it was a no brainer! I hope to be able to do this full time by some point in 2015! I've started dreaming again! I've auditioned for the reality tv show American Ninja Warrior! I have aspirations to change the world again! I watch shows like Extreme Weight Loss and The Biggest Loser and I come to tears every time because I want to help people like that. I want to travel. I want to build relationships. I want to help people win their lives back. I want to help people save their marriages. I want to help people create financial freedom. I DEFINITELY want to be at all of my kids activities and have the time freedom and financial freedom to afford all those activities. Basically, I want EXACTLY what beachbody coaching can provide through consistent positive efforts!
There is my "Why". I'd LOVE to hear why you do what you do! Please tell me in the comments!
If you want to see more about what types of things I'm talking about, go to my website by clicking HERE and take a look!
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Dreams? What's that?
When I was a kid I had some BIG dreams! I thought for SURE I'd be in the world cup at least a few times by this point in my life. I didn't just dream. I spent every single spare moment I could practicing and training. I was 12 years old and out running somewhere between 6 and 9 miles at least 3 or 4 times a week at 6 in the morning in the summer! Who does that at the age of 12? I was determined. I thought I was on my way once I got in the Olympic development program and playing in tournaments like the USA cup. We did pretty good there too! I think I was on the right path until I changed directions...
In my teens, I changed my focus from soccer to BMX. Then I had the same aspirations and determination to ride as a professional bmx rider. I had dreams and I did everything in my power to make them happen. My parents had a giant shed in the back yard and they were cool enough to let me build a bunch of ramps in it. We'd ride out in the shed all winter regardless of how cold it was. I'd seriously ride somewhere around 5 or 6 hours minimum every day. With BMX, I got to the point where I was getting in magazines and I was sponsored. I was talking to a couple companies about a paycheck when I changed my focus again and decided that my bmx life was too intertwined with partying so I made a major shift.
My point is, when I was young, I had dreams and I pursued them. I don't think I am alone in this. I had a lot of friends that spent a LOT of time pursuing their dreams as kids.
So what happened? I became an insurance agent. My best friends work for the government or for some employer that they don't particularly enjoy. I wouldn't say we're unhappy. We're just not pursuing our dreams. We've all accepted some harsh realities that not everybody is going to accomplish everything they dreamed of as kids. Some of the dreams we had may have been a little far-fetched...some not so much...but at least we pursued them.
So here's reality: Very few adults even ATTEMPT to pursue their dreams. WHY? We get so preoccupied with paying bills and running the rat race that we don't even hardily think about our dreams as adults.
I've been thinking about this a lot the last few months. My dreams aren't the same as they were 20 years ago but I have come up with a couple new dreams. I've spent the majority of the last decade running the rat race and NOT following my dreams at all. That has changed.
In some of my other blog posts I've written about why I got in shape. I'm not going into that but as a result of that, it's opened up the doors to a lot of new opportunities! Last summer I saw another bmx rider that I know try the course on American Ninja Warrior. It got me thinking..."I'm in shape now...if he can try it, why can't I?". A new dream started to develop. I looked into it and found out that you have to submit a video to the producers and they pick people from those videos to go try the course. Well my BMX past gave me some video editing skills so I decided to go for it! I'm done accepting this idea that following dreams is a childish notion! Why? I'm MORE able now than ever to follow my dreams!
Also, as a result of beachbody being so effective for me, I became a beachbody coach. One of the main things that beachbody encourages their coaches to do is to read personal development books every day. I've been doing that for about 6 months now and it has changed my perspective on life entirely! There is a podcast that I listen to almost every day called amplified network marketing. It focuses on the reasons that network marketing (like being a beachbody coach) can be so life changing with the right tools and motivation. Every day I feel a little more inspired to make a difference in the world instead of just survive the rat race. Making enough money to live on as a beachbody coach isn't easy at first. It takes a lot of work and consistency and dedication. The difference is, it's ENJOYABLE WORK! I look forward to my daily tasks because everything is centered on bringing value to others lives! That has become another dream for me! I just want to make the world a better place! Sometimes, it's accomplished through small acts of kindness. Sometimes, through helping somebody lose a lot of weight to save their life. Sometimes, the domino effect of getting in shape physically can save marriages and other relationships. Sometimes people dig themselves out of a
giant hole of debt and find financial freedom through network marketing! All of those things make peoples lives better!
So why don't we pursue our dreams as adults? Well my answer to that is that I don't think I even realized it was the case until last year. Just like the extra weight that I hadn't noticed that came on so slowly it was unnoticeable, my dreams faded just as slowly. Once I realized it, I decided to make the necessary changes to at least ATTEMPT to follow my dreams. They say that at the end of most peoples lives, the things they regret most are the things they DIDN'T do! I don't want that to be my destiny. I want to come to the end of my life feeling like I followed my passions and feeling fulfilled as a result. Feeling like I accomplished my purpose in this life and brought joy to the world instead of being another black dot in the static on the tv screen. I want to be a light to the world and do as the scriptures teach! I WANT TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS!
Are you following your dreams or are you just running the race like most people? I challenge everyone to evaluate themselves and make any necessary (and smart) changes to live a fulfilling life. Will you do it?
In my teens, I changed my focus from soccer to BMX. Then I had the same aspirations and determination to ride as a professional bmx rider. I had dreams and I did everything in my power to make them happen. My parents had a giant shed in the back yard and they were cool enough to let me build a bunch of ramps in it. We'd ride out in the shed all winter regardless of how cold it was. I'd seriously ride somewhere around 5 or 6 hours minimum every day. With BMX, I got to the point where I was getting in magazines and I was sponsored. I was talking to a couple companies about a paycheck when I changed my focus again and decided that my bmx life was too intertwined with partying so I made a major shift.
My point is, when I was young, I had dreams and I pursued them. I don't think I am alone in this. I had a lot of friends that spent a LOT of time pursuing their dreams as kids.
So what happened? I became an insurance agent. My best friends work for the government or for some employer that they don't particularly enjoy. I wouldn't say we're unhappy. We're just not pursuing our dreams. We've all accepted some harsh realities that not everybody is going to accomplish everything they dreamed of as kids. Some of the dreams we had may have been a little far-fetched...some not so much...but at least we pursued them.
So here's reality: Very few adults even ATTEMPT to pursue their dreams. WHY? We get so preoccupied with paying bills and running the rat race that we don't even hardily think about our dreams as adults.
I've been thinking about this a lot the last few months. My dreams aren't the same as they were 20 years ago but I have come up with a couple new dreams. I've spent the majority of the last decade running the rat race and NOT following my dreams at all. That has changed.
In some of my other blog posts I've written about why I got in shape. I'm not going into that but as a result of that, it's opened up the doors to a lot of new opportunities! Last summer I saw another bmx rider that I know try the course on American Ninja Warrior. It got me thinking..."I'm in shape now...if he can try it, why can't I?". A new dream started to develop. I looked into it and found out that you have to submit a video to the producers and they pick people from those videos to go try the course. Well my BMX past gave me some video editing skills so I decided to go for it! I'm done accepting this idea that following dreams is a childish notion! Why? I'm MORE able now than ever to follow my dreams!
Also, as a result of beachbody being so effective for me, I became a beachbody coach. One of the main things that beachbody encourages their coaches to do is to read personal development books every day. I've been doing that for about 6 months now and it has changed my perspective on life entirely! There is a podcast that I listen to almost every day called amplified network marketing. It focuses on the reasons that network marketing (like being a beachbody coach) can be so life changing with the right tools and motivation. Every day I feel a little more inspired to make a difference in the world instead of just survive the rat race. Making enough money to live on as a beachbody coach isn't easy at first. It takes a lot of work and consistency and dedication. The difference is, it's ENJOYABLE WORK! I look forward to my daily tasks because everything is centered on bringing value to others lives! That has become another dream for me! I just want to make the world a better place! Sometimes, it's accomplished through small acts of kindness. Sometimes, through helping somebody lose a lot of weight to save their life. Sometimes, the domino effect of getting in shape physically can save marriages and other relationships. Sometimes people dig themselves out of a
giant hole of debt and find financial freedom through network marketing! All of those things make peoples lives better!
Are you following your dreams or are you just running the race like most people? I challenge everyone to evaluate themselves and make any necessary (and smart) changes to live a fulfilling life. Will you do it?
Thursday, January 29, 2015
What the heck is shakeology?!
Well Let me tell ya!
SHAKEOLOGY is designed to help you lose weight, increase energy, improve digestion/regularity and support your overall health combined with exercise program. Don't fall for those diet shakes that tells you you'll lose weight and keep it off if you just drink them. Eventually it'll all come back and haunt you more or you'll have a illness that you can't even stop, plus all the side effects. Bottom-line, You need to workout and eat a healthy diet no matter what and adding shakeology will help you meet your goal easier since it gives you abundant energy and nutrition for you to go on through the day.
{ALWAYS RESEARCH, COMPARE AND TRY PRODUCTs THAT DOCTORS RECOMMEND, SHAKEOLOGY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DOCTORS RECOMMEND WITHOUT ANY SIDE EFFECTS.}
*The SHAKEOLOGY program is simple : it consists of drinking this patented, superfood-enriched protein shake, combined with a well-balanced diet and three days of exercise per week with a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular or strength training per workout.*
so with that said.
This is what SHAKEOLOGY has done for me...
SHAKEOLOGY HAS
1. Helped me with my 35 lbs weight loss
2. Helped me get off the path to obesity that I was on (due to the following things listed)
3. Helped me with lack of energy due to over exercising
4. Helped me with overall attitude toward living a healthier lifestyle
5. Helped me with craving junk foods
6. Helped me with saving grocery money (all sorts of other supplements that I'd have to take to get the same nutrition)
7. Helped me with finance because sharing really does send you into financial freedom, but that's another topic.
8. Helped me with having my daily serving of vegetables and fruits
9. Helped me save time making breakfast period.
10. Helped me to experience what a great feeling it is to help others and be thanked everytime my challengers achieve their goals. It's a great feeling!
Nutrition facts per bag:
1. calories are about 130-170 (varies by flavor)
2. 16-17 grams per serving of high-quality protein (sources , amounts vary by formula)
3. No more than 250 mg of sodium per serving
4. No artificial sweetners, colors, preservatives or flavors
5. No hydrogenated vegetable oils
6. Whey-based formulas fortified with 23 vitamins and minerals
7. Vegan versions (non-fortified) have a blend of high quality protein sources to deliver a complete protein with the proper amino acid profile, available for those who seek an alternative to animal protein.
8. Whey formulas contain 1.5 g- 2 g of fat per serving. Vegan formulas: 2g - 5g of fat per serving
9. Good source of fiber, with probiatics, prebiotics & digestive enzymes support healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients
10. Antioxidants and phytonutrients derived from whole plant and fruit sources.
Shakeology REALLY IS THE HEALTHIEST MEAL OF THE DAY! I eat WAYYYYY healthier than I used to eat...and probably healthier than most people, but I still feel a big difference in my energy level and all around well being if I don't have my shakeology. If you're interested in it, you should talk to me before buying it though! Beachbody does a different challenge pack (a combo that includes shakeology and a workout program) each month and most months you can get an exercise program WITH shakeology for way cheaper than if you bought them seperate.
Watch this video of the CEO of beachbody talking about shakeology! He makes a TON of good points here!
Click on the link right below to go to my shakeology website. There are TONS of success stories and other info if you want to find out more!
SHAKEOLOGY is designed to help you lose weight, increase energy, improve digestion/regularity and support your overall health combined with exercise program. Don't fall for those diet shakes that tells you you'll lose weight and keep it off if you just drink them. Eventually it'll all come back and haunt you more or you'll have a illness that you can't even stop, plus all the side effects. Bottom-line, You need to workout and eat a healthy diet no matter what and adding shakeology will help you meet your goal easier since it gives you abundant energy and nutrition for you to go on through the day.
{ALWAYS RESEARCH, COMPARE AND TRY PRODUCTs THAT DOCTORS RECOMMEND, SHAKEOLOGY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DOCTORS RECOMMEND WITHOUT ANY SIDE EFFECTS.}
*The SHAKEOLOGY program is simple : it consists of drinking this patented, superfood-enriched protein shake, combined with a well-balanced diet and three days of exercise per week with a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular or strength training per workout.*
so with that said.
This is what SHAKEOLOGY has done for me...
SHAKEOLOGY HAS
1. Helped me with my 35 lbs weight loss
2. Helped me get off the path to obesity that I was on (due to the following things listed)
3. Helped me with lack of energy due to over exercising
4. Helped me with overall attitude toward living a healthier lifestyle
5. Helped me with craving junk foods
6. Helped me with saving grocery money (all sorts of other supplements that I'd have to take to get the same nutrition)
7. Helped me with finance because sharing really does send you into financial freedom, but that's another topic.
8. Helped me with having my daily serving of vegetables and fruits
9. Helped me save time making breakfast period.
10. Helped me to experience what a great feeling it is to help others and be thanked everytime my challengers achieve their goals. It's a great feeling!
Nutrition facts per bag:
1. calories are about 130-170 (varies by flavor)
2. 16-17 grams per serving of high-quality protein (sources , amounts vary by formula)
3. No more than 250 mg of sodium per serving
4. No artificial sweetners, colors, preservatives or flavors
5. No hydrogenated vegetable oils
6. Whey-based formulas fortified with 23 vitamins and minerals
7. Vegan versions (non-fortified) have a blend of high quality protein sources to deliver a complete protein with the proper amino acid profile, available for those who seek an alternative to animal protein.
8. Whey formulas contain 1.5 g- 2 g of fat per serving. Vegan formulas: 2g - 5g of fat per serving
9. Good source of fiber, with probiatics, prebiotics & digestive enzymes support healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients
10. Antioxidants and phytonutrients derived from whole plant and fruit sources.
Shakeology REALLY IS THE HEALTHIEST MEAL OF THE DAY! I eat WAYYYYY healthier than I used to eat...and probably healthier than most people, but I still feel a big difference in my energy level and all around well being if I don't have my shakeology. If you're interested in it, you should talk to me before buying it though! Beachbody does a different challenge pack (a combo that includes shakeology and a workout program) each month and most months you can get an exercise program WITH shakeology for way cheaper than if you bought them seperate.
Watch this video of the CEO of beachbody talking about shakeology! He makes a TON of good points here!
Click on the link right below to go to my shakeology website. There are TONS of success stories and other info if you want to find out more!
Click here to go to my shakeology website!
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Why Exercise?
If you've read my other posts then you probably already know more details about my life than I'm going to share in this post. I just need to use my own life as a reference to get the point across that I'm trying to make. So here it goes...
Why does health and fitness always get put on the back burner? I can't tell you how many times I decided that I'd start exercising and eating right...only to never start. Every time I'd make the decision I'd always tell my wife "tomorrow I'm going to start eating healthy and exercising". Every time I'd find an excuse to not start the next day. Life is busy. Your priority list is always having things added to it. Believe me, I get it. How in the world does one find the time to exercise? Well the simple answer is this...they don't. If you wait to find time, you'll keep on waiting and waiting until you're so old that you're incapable of exercise and the only reason you have found time, is because you're physically incapable of doing anything else too. You'll never FIND time to exercise. You have to MAKE time to exercise. Stephen Covey explains it in great detail in the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". He says that you have to split up your to do list into 4 quadrants. The 1st quadrant is for things that are urgent and important. Quadrant 2 is for things that are urgent but not important. Quadrant 3 is for things that are important but not urgent. Quadrant 4 is for things that are neither urgent or important. Most people pretty much live in quadrant 1 and 2...you know, doing the emergency things that have to be done right then. Then because they're so stressed out, they just want to escape and they go to quadrant 4 doing things that are neither urgent or important. What people don't realize though, is that quadrant 3 is where we should strive to stay as much as possible. If we are consistently doing the things that are important but not urgent, then most of the urgent things will never exist because we avoided it in the first place. Let me give you an example and how it relates to fitness. If you go eat a 2,000 calorie plate of food that is fried and empty of nutrition, you aren't going to instantly become obese. If you skip working out for a day, a week, even a month, you aren't instantly going to develop a ton of diseases and become obese. It doesn't work that way. However, eating healthy and exercising are both quadrant 3 activities. They're important but not urgent. So if you consistently eat horrible meals and don't exercise, you will develop health issues that become emergencies and put you in quadrant 1 where the stress is...which further develops into more health issues and is a downward spiral. If you consistently eat healthy and exercise regularly, you'll be avoiding a lot of that emergency activity and you'll have more time to enjoy life.
I think that whole point is crucial to understanding why health and fitness is procrastinated. It doesn't create immediate results one way or the other. It does however, create very life changing results. Obviously, there are a lot of conditions and diseases that we can get regardless of our habits and that is out of our control. I'm not suggesting that every disease is a result of bad habits. There are a lot of things though, that can be avoided, and that's what I'm referring to.
Another point that I believe is worth mentioning, is that people are afraid of commitment and failure. I know it took me 7 years to take my health back due to this. It probably has a lot to do with not getting immediate results as I already explained but because I knew it would take a lot of commitment, I avoided it. Plus, if I committed to it and then didn't do really well and saw myself as a failure, then I'd probably never try to start again. So I just kept on procrastinating...just wasting time. A fear of failure is a hinderance to life in general. I've learned that failure is actually a really good thing though. Failure is how we grow. Building muscle is done through reaching the point of muscle failure. Then the fibers tear and have to be rebuilt and they're rebuilt stronger than before. Why are we so afraid of failure? Every failure is another step towards success! Everybody wants success but every successful person got their success through failing over and over again until they were successful. It's just the way it works.
I always hear people say things like "life's too short to worry about eating healthy". I used to say the same thing and I believed it. The purpose of food is to give us energy and nutrients. In other words, the purpose of food is to live. Too many people live to eat instead of eat to live. I used to live to eat. Now I eat to live. I can live life so much more fully when I'm energized and feeling great! It's crazy to me that I ever lived otherwise by choice now that I've experienced life like this.
Health has become a top priority in my life because it affects literally every other aspect of life. It affects my social and family life by my ability level and energy level. It affects my spiritual life because I can think more clearly with proper nutrition. It affects my emotional well-being because of physiological changes that occur during exercise and proper diet. It affects my ability at work because I'm energized and motivated instead of tired and sluggish. There is no corner of my life that isn't made better because of the good health choices that I've made this year. I live by the 90/10 rule. 90% of my food is for health and nutrition. 10% can be whatever else I want. I usually use that 10% for chocolate chip cookies. Or sometimes a holiday becomes that 10%. This way, I can still enjoy the things that I used to live for and not feel like I'm depriving myself, and also get the benefits of eating healthy. It's a great feeling to take control of your health. I am 100% committed to helping those around me reach their goals if there is anything that I can do. I just want to spread the love!
Why does health and fitness always get put on the back burner? I can't tell you how many times I decided that I'd start exercising and eating right...only to never start. Every time I'd make the decision I'd always tell my wife "tomorrow I'm going to start eating healthy and exercising". Every time I'd find an excuse to not start the next day. Life is busy. Your priority list is always having things added to it. Believe me, I get it. How in the world does one find the time to exercise? Well the simple answer is this...they don't. If you wait to find time, you'll keep on waiting and waiting until you're so old that you're incapable of exercise and the only reason you have found time, is because you're physically incapable of doing anything else too. You'll never FIND time to exercise. You have to MAKE time to exercise. Stephen Covey explains it in great detail in the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". He says that you have to split up your to do list into 4 quadrants. The 1st quadrant is for things that are urgent and important. Quadrant 2 is for things that are urgent but not important. Quadrant 3 is for things that are important but not urgent. Quadrant 4 is for things that are neither urgent or important. Most people pretty much live in quadrant 1 and 2...you know, doing the emergency things that have to be done right then. Then because they're so stressed out, they just want to escape and they go to quadrant 4 doing things that are neither urgent or important. What people don't realize though, is that quadrant 3 is where we should strive to stay as much as possible. If we are consistently doing the things that are important but not urgent, then most of the urgent things will never exist because we avoided it in the first place. Let me give you an example and how it relates to fitness. If you go eat a 2,000 calorie plate of food that is fried and empty of nutrition, you aren't going to instantly become obese. If you skip working out for a day, a week, even a month, you aren't instantly going to develop a ton of diseases and become obese. It doesn't work that way. However, eating healthy and exercising are both quadrant 3 activities. They're important but not urgent. So if you consistently eat horrible meals and don't exercise, you will develop health issues that become emergencies and put you in quadrant 1 where the stress is...which further develops into more health issues and is a downward spiral. If you consistently eat healthy and exercise regularly, you'll be avoiding a lot of that emergency activity and you'll have more time to enjoy life.
I think that whole point is crucial to understanding why health and fitness is procrastinated. It doesn't create immediate results one way or the other. It does however, create very life changing results. Obviously, there are a lot of conditions and diseases that we can get regardless of our habits and that is out of our control. I'm not suggesting that every disease is a result of bad habits. There are a lot of things though, that can be avoided, and that's what I'm referring to.
Another point that I believe is worth mentioning, is that people are afraid of commitment and failure. I know it took me 7 years to take my health back due to this. It probably has a lot to do with not getting immediate results as I already explained but because I knew it would take a lot of commitment, I avoided it. Plus, if I committed to it and then didn't do really well and saw myself as a failure, then I'd probably never try to start again. So I just kept on procrastinating...just wasting time. A fear of failure is a hinderance to life in general. I've learned that failure is actually a really good thing though. Failure is how we grow. Building muscle is done through reaching the point of muscle failure. Then the fibers tear and have to be rebuilt and they're rebuilt stronger than before. Why are we so afraid of failure? Every failure is another step towards success! Everybody wants success but every successful person got their success through failing over and over again until they were successful. It's just the way it works.
I always hear people say things like "life's too short to worry about eating healthy". I used to say the same thing and I believed it. The purpose of food is to give us energy and nutrients. In other words, the purpose of food is to live. Too many people live to eat instead of eat to live. I used to live to eat. Now I eat to live. I can live life so much more fully when I'm energized and feeling great! It's crazy to me that I ever lived otherwise by choice now that I've experienced life like this.
Health has become a top priority in my life because it affects literally every other aspect of life. It affects my social and family life by my ability level and energy level. It affects my spiritual life because I can think more clearly with proper nutrition. It affects my emotional well-being because of physiological changes that occur during exercise and proper diet. It affects my ability at work because I'm energized and motivated instead of tired and sluggish. There is no corner of my life that isn't made better because of the good health choices that I've made this year. I live by the 90/10 rule. 90% of my food is for health and nutrition. 10% can be whatever else I want. I usually use that 10% for chocolate chip cookies. Or sometimes a holiday becomes that 10%. This way, I can still enjoy the things that I used to live for and not feel like I'm depriving myself, and also get the benefits of eating healthy. It's a great feeling to take control of your health. I am 100% committed to helping those around me reach their goals if there is anything that I can do. I just want to spread the love!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Why I became a beachbody coach
So I wrote a little about the reason that I became a beachbody coach in my transformation story but I want to elaborate on it. I was out running last week and it dawned on me (as things so often do during exercise, particularly running) that my "why" is much deeper than I had realized.
I grew up with the belief that I wouldn't ever allow myself to get into a career that I didn't enjoy. I wanted to do something exciting like professional soccer or professional BMX. I wasn't too far from the BMX dream when I decided that I needed to change my lifestyle so that I didn't become a wastoid that lived for nothing more than booze and drugs and partying. In order for me to get away from that path that I was on, I needed to do a full 180 degree turn. I can't just kind of do anything. It's all or nothing for me. So I gave up on that dream and I just sort of accepted this new reality of living in a career that wasn't necessarily fulfilling or exciting. I sell insurance. Kind of the the other extreme of the "excitement" scale. I have done insurance for a long time and I still ride my bike but it's really hard for me to find time to fulfill that passion of mine.
So that was my life for multiple years and being so, I gradually gained weight. Before I knew it, I was 30 pounds over weight (not obese, just overweight). I didn't really have much motivation and I certainly didn't have much energy. I ate about 2 or 3 dozen cookies per week...because I make the best cookies on earth. I wasn't sleeping very good. I was struggling to really get myself to do anything productive. Every time I looked in the mirror I was a little bit embarrassed for myself. Not because of being superficial, but because I was ashamed that I had once claimed (and truly believed) that I'd never let myself get a gut and I didn't live up to that claim. I used to always complain about how I was fat and I felt so old. I'd try to play basketball and half the time was spent making comments about how I'm too old for this and I wish I could just be younger...blah blah blah. I always wanted to get in shape. I was envious of people that were really active. I saw people that were in good shape and I'd always think "I wish I had their energy" or "I wish I looked like that, I'll bet I'd feel better about myself".
In April of 2013, my 25 year old active wife who was an avid runner and did P90X regularly, started having symptoms that were very hard to diagnose. After about 8,000 doctor visits and months of speculation, she was finally diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. There are many many forms of it and she got the lottery pick of it, meaning that if it's associated with the disorder, you can bet that she has it. Most people with it will experience a few of the symptoms. She experiences them all. She has autonomic nervous system problems like a lack of a body thermostat, or like the sudden and uncontrollable muscle spasms that cause a lot of pain and sometimes almost death (when the muscles spasming are the ones in your neck or tongue). She gets a lot of dizziness because it affects her blood pressure a lot. She can dislocate joints like it's no big deal and then relocate them by herself many times because it's just a part of daily life now. These, and other symptoms, have gradually taken over our lives. She was a stay at home mom and I would work all day up until this started. So I started having to stay home a lot and try to work at home but it was usually futile because being a caregiver and a father of 2 young kids is pretty time consuming. I had about 20 hours of combined work to get done in any given day but only had energy for about 10 of that.
I would try to get as much work done as possible and take care of the girls and my wife and the house and yard and all the other normal daddy duties...and by about 5 or 6pm, I'd be totally drained. I just didn't have it in me. Enedina would ask me to grab a drink for her or something like that, and I'd feel like she was asking me to run a marathon for her. The kids would want to play and I'd try to force myself to do it but I just simply couldn't enjoy it. I was burning out quick and I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't really have an oulet that I had time for so I just had all this pressure building up with no outlet. The bills were piling up, the income was decreasing, the workload was getting bigger, my energy was depleting, and I felt like I was in a never ending uphill race that I couldn't ever compete but always had to try. It was horrible. I could go on for pages and pages about the difficulties that I was feeling but I think this will suffice.
One night when I couldn't sleep, I watched a paid program about a beachbody program called Focus T25. It is only 25 minutes of exercise a day and it looked pretty intense. I thought that it would be a great idea but it seemed expensive at $120. I didn't buy it right then. I talked to Enedina about it and she made fun of me because she says that I'm a sucker for paid programs. lol. Then I told her that it was a beachbody program and she changed her opinion because she LOVED P90X. After a few nights of deliberation, I got it. I had it for a couple weeks but I was a little scared to actually start it. I knew that once I started it, I'd have to go all in and it'd be a big life change so I hesitated a little.
After a few weeks, I decided that I had no choice but to do something about it. If I wanted to have the energy I needed, then I needed to take control of my situation and actually do something about it. I was at that point where I pretty much had no other option.
So I started the program. There is a pamphlet that came with it that is called the "5 day fast track". It is a diet plan for the first week of the program and it's supposed to boost the results from the start. Since I can't just sort of do anything, obviously I had to do that part of it too. So I started losing weight quick. I lost 7 pounds the first week. Second week I lost 5 more. Then 3. Then 2. Then I lost a couple pounds each week after that for a few more weeks. More than that, I started seeing muscles that I had never had before. The biggest change though, was my energy level. All of a sudden things started seeming easier. I had more energy and I had it for longer in the day than I'd had in years. I was able to play with my daughters and actually enjoy it because I wasn't just thinking about the couch or the bed...I was thinking about playing with the girls! I was able to do more around the house to make my wife happy. I was able to help my wife get around when necessary without it seeming like such a daunting task! Sleep started improving. I used to wake up every hour or so and never feel rested. All of a sudden, I could go to sleep and get at least 5 or 6 straight hours of sleep and actually wake up feeling rested! That in itself was a life changer! All of these changes led to a general feeling of well-being that I hadn't experienced in about a decade. So I was a happier person all around!
It was such an improvement that I just couldn't keep it to myself. I realized that there are people all around me that don't realize how much their diet and exercise could improve everything in their lives! So at that point, the only logical course of action seemed to be become a coach. So I signed up! I have been a coach for about 1 month now and I have already felt such a sense of peace and happiness from helping others! When I was a missionary, the feeling that I would get when someone told me about how much of an impact I had had on them was something that I have longed for ever since finishing the mission. For the first time in almost 5 years, I have been able to feel that feeling again! There is nothing I could do for myself that would feel better than doing something for other people. Helping others in whatever capacity I can gives me the greatest sense of purpose and happiness that I've ever felt...other than taking care of my family...The family trumps all.
Since becoming a coach I have realized why exercise has become such an obsession of mine but I'll save that for a different blog post because this post is already super long.
In the beginning of this whole post, I told you about my ambitions as a child and how insurance wasn't fulfilling that ambition. I'm not going to be quitting insurance anytime. I'm just really excited that I've found a new course that I can follow as a part time thing that is SUPER fulfilling and fun AND can make some money on the side. There are people that turn their beachbody business into a fulltime job but for now, it is just my new passion. I love being a beachbody coach! I try not to come off to people as a salesman for beachbody because I don't feel like I'm selling it...I feel like I'm spreading good news. It's like I just discovered fire and I'm trying to show others how much it can help them. I suppose it's ingrained in my behavior to sound salesman-like because of all my time I've spent selling insurance but that really isn't the intent. I just want to help people improve their lives. I want others to feel the difference that I've felt. I want to spread the joy!
I grew up with the belief that I wouldn't ever allow myself to get into a career that I didn't enjoy. I wanted to do something exciting like professional soccer or professional BMX. I wasn't too far from the BMX dream when I decided that I needed to change my lifestyle so that I didn't become a wastoid that lived for nothing more than booze and drugs and partying. In order for me to get away from that path that I was on, I needed to do a full 180 degree turn. I can't just kind of do anything. It's all or nothing for me. So I gave up on that dream and I just sort of accepted this new reality of living in a career that wasn't necessarily fulfilling or exciting. I sell insurance. Kind of the the other extreme of the "excitement" scale. I have done insurance for a long time and I still ride my bike but it's really hard for me to find time to fulfill that passion of mine.
So that was my life for multiple years and being so, I gradually gained weight. Before I knew it, I was 30 pounds over weight (not obese, just overweight). I didn't really have much motivation and I certainly didn't have much energy. I ate about 2 or 3 dozen cookies per week...because I make the best cookies on earth. I wasn't sleeping very good. I was struggling to really get myself to do anything productive. Every time I looked in the mirror I was a little bit embarrassed for myself. Not because of being superficial, but because I was ashamed that I had once claimed (and truly believed) that I'd never let myself get a gut and I didn't live up to that claim. I used to always complain about how I was fat and I felt so old. I'd try to play basketball and half the time was spent making comments about how I'm too old for this and I wish I could just be younger...blah blah blah. I always wanted to get in shape. I was envious of people that were really active. I saw people that were in good shape and I'd always think "I wish I had their energy" or "I wish I looked like that, I'll bet I'd feel better about myself".
In April of 2013, my 25 year old active wife who was an avid runner and did P90X regularly, started having symptoms that were very hard to diagnose. After about 8,000 doctor visits and months of speculation, she was finally diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. There are many many forms of it and she got the lottery pick of it, meaning that if it's associated with the disorder, you can bet that she has it. Most people with it will experience a few of the symptoms. She experiences them all. She has autonomic nervous system problems like a lack of a body thermostat, or like the sudden and uncontrollable muscle spasms that cause a lot of pain and sometimes almost death (when the muscles spasming are the ones in your neck or tongue). She gets a lot of dizziness because it affects her blood pressure a lot. She can dislocate joints like it's no big deal and then relocate them by herself many times because it's just a part of daily life now. These, and other symptoms, have gradually taken over our lives. She was a stay at home mom and I would work all day up until this started. So I started having to stay home a lot and try to work at home but it was usually futile because being a caregiver and a father of 2 young kids is pretty time consuming. I had about 20 hours of combined work to get done in any given day but only had energy for about 10 of that.
I would try to get as much work done as possible and take care of the girls and my wife and the house and yard and all the other normal daddy duties...and by about 5 or 6pm, I'd be totally drained. I just didn't have it in me. Enedina would ask me to grab a drink for her or something like that, and I'd feel like she was asking me to run a marathon for her. The kids would want to play and I'd try to force myself to do it but I just simply couldn't enjoy it. I was burning out quick and I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't really have an oulet that I had time for so I just had all this pressure building up with no outlet. The bills were piling up, the income was decreasing, the workload was getting bigger, my energy was depleting, and I felt like I was in a never ending uphill race that I couldn't ever compete but always had to try. It was horrible. I could go on for pages and pages about the difficulties that I was feeling but I think this will suffice.
One night when I couldn't sleep, I watched a paid program about a beachbody program called Focus T25. It is only 25 minutes of exercise a day and it looked pretty intense. I thought that it would be a great idea but it seemed expensive at $120. I didn't buy it right then. I talked to Enedina about it and she made fun of me because she says that I'm a sucker for paid programs. lol. Then I told her that it was a beachbody program and she changed her opinion because she LOVED P90X. After a few nights of deliberation, I got it. I had it for a couple weeks but I was a little scared to actually start it. I knew that once I started it, I'd have to go all in and it'd be a big life change so I hesitated a little.
After a few weeks, I decided that I had no choice but to do something about it. If I wanted to have the energy I needed, then I needed to take control of my situation and actually do something about it. I was at that point where I pretty much had no other option.
So I started the program. There is a pamphlet that came with it that is called the "5 day fast track". It is a diet plan for the first week of the program and it's supposed to boost the results from the start. Since I can't just sort of do anything, obviously I had to do that part of it too. So I started losing weight quick. I lost 7 pounds the first week. Second week I lost 5 more. Then 3. Then 2. Then I lost a couple pounds each week after that for a few more weeks. More than that, I started seeing muscles that I had never had before. The biggest change though, was my energy level. All of a sudden things started seeming easier. I had more energy and I had it for longer in the day than I'd had in years. I was able to play with my daughters and actually enjoy it because I wasn't just thinking about the couch or the bed...I was thinking about playing with the girls! I was able to do more around the house to make my wife happy. I was able to help my wife get around when necessary without it seeming like such a daunting task! Sleep started improving. I used to wake up every hour or so and never feel rested. All of a sudden, I could go to sleep and get at least 5 or 6 straight hours of sleep and actually wake up feeling rested! That in itself was a life changer! All of these changes led to a general feeling of well-being that I hadn't experienced in about a decade. So I was a happier person all around!
It was such an improvement that I just couldn't keep it to myself. I realized that there are people all around me that don't realize how much their diet and exercise could improve everything in their lives! So at that point, the only logical course of action seemed to be become a coach. So I signed up! I have been a coach for about 1 month now and I have already felt such a sense of peace and happiness from helping others! When I was a missionary, the feeling that I would get when someone told me about how much of an impact I had had on them was something that I have longed for ever since finishing the mission. For the first time in almost 5 years, I have been able to feel that feeling again! There is nothing I could do for myself that would feel better than doing something for other people. Helping others in whatever capacity I can gives me the greatest sense of purpose and happiness that I've ever felt...other than taking care of my family...The family trumps all.
Since becoming a coach I have realized why exercise has become such an obsession of mine but I'll save that for a different blog post because this post is already super long.
In the beginning of this whole post, I told you about my ambitions as a child and how insurance wasn't fulfilling that ambition. I'm not going to be quitting insurance anytime. I'm just really excited that I've found a new course that I can follow as a part time thing that is SUPER fulfilling and fun AND can make some money on the side. There are people that turn their beachbody business into a fulltime job but for now, it is just my new passion. I love being a beachbody coach! I try not to come off to people as a salesman for beachbody because I don't feel like I'm selling it...I feel like I'm spreading good news. It's like I just discovered fire and I'm trying to show others how much it can help them. I suppose it's ingrained in my behavior to sound salesman-like because of all my time I've spent selling insurance but that really isn't the intent. I just want to help people improve their lives. I want others to feel the difference that I've felt. I want to spread the joy!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Is soda really that bad? I daresay yes!
This is an article that I got from the beachbody website that I think everyone should read and consider. ESPECIALLY the diet soda drinkers because they are the ones that get sneak attacked...
There are countless reasons to stop drinking soda, immediately. Soda consumption has been linked to a host of diseases, including a dramatic increase in the risk for developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The phosphoric acid that gives soda it's "refreshing" zing, is caustic enough to remove rust from the hulls of ships and dissolve acid build-up from car batteries. Tooth enamel and bones suffer that same erosion. Yet, people continue to guzzle the stuff in massive quantities. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Americans drink more than 50 gallons per capita of carbonated soft drinks each year, the most in the world.
To add insult to injury, people who drink one or more soft drinks a day have a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese. In his article about the Top 10 Reasons to Give Up Soda, our Fitness and Nutrition Expert, Steve Edwards says, "If you're looking for a scapegoat in the obesity epidemic, look no further than soda. It's the single greatest caloric source in the world, accounting for somewhere between 11 and 19 percent of all the calories consumed worldwide. It's cheap, addictive, and readily available, which generally means that it will take some willpower to avoid."
Diet soda is just as bad. Research shows that overweight people who choose diet beverages eat about the same number of total calories as those who choose sugar sweetened sodas. Their drinks may be calorie-free, but they make up for that by eating 88-194 more calories per day! What's more, when they snack, diet soda drinkers get more of their calories from sweets, which suggests that artificial sweeteners do something to cause an even stronger sweet tooth.
We know that eliminating soda from your diet is easier said than done. If you have to, ease into it. If you drink two sodas (or two liters of soda) cut that amount by half, and replace it with something from the list below:
1. Water. Learn to love it.
2. Need flavor? Add crushed berries, cucumber, lemon, or mint to water. Try these recipes.
3. Like it fizzy? Carbonated water is your friend.
4. Skip flavored syrups&madsh;try flavored bitters instead.
5. Crave caffeine? Try unsweetened iced tea or green tea.
Follow our 60 Days 'Til Summer Countdown and we'll help get you swimsuit ready with mini-workouts, healthy eating tips, fitness tips, and more! Each morning we'll post a new tip, so check our homepage or this post to find out what it is. And, make sure to follow the hashtag #SummerCountdown on Twitter for more motivation and to tell us how your #SummerCountdown is going!
Do you drink soda? Which of these tactics will you use to help you quit?
There are countless reasons to stop drinking soda, immediately. Soda consumption has been linked to a host of diseases, including a dramatic increase in the risk for developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The phosphoric acid that gives soda it's "refreshing" zing, is caustic enough to remove rust from the hulls of ships and dissolve acid build-up from car batteries. Tooth enamel and bones suffer that same erosion. Yet, people continue to guzzle the stuff in massive quantities. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Americans drink more than 50 gallons per capita of carbonated soft drinks each year, the most in the world.
To add insult to injury, people who drink one or more soft drinks a day have a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese. In his article about the Top 10 Reasons to Give Up Soda, our Fitness and Nutrition Expert, Steve Edwards says, "If you're looking for a scapegoat in the obesity epidemic, look no further than soda. It's the single greatest caloric source in the world, accounting for somewhere between 11 and 19 percent of all the calories consumed worldwide. It's cheap, addictive, and readily available, which generally means that it will take some willpower to avoid."
Diet soda is just as bad. Research shows that overweight people who choose diet beverages eat about the same number of total calories as those who choose sugar sweetened sodas. Their drinks may be calorie-free, but they make up for that by eating 88-194 more calories per day! What's more, when they snack, diet soda drinkers get more of their calories from sweets, which suggests that artificial sweeteners do something to cause an even stronger sweet tooth.
We know that eliminating soda from your diet is easier said than done. If you have to, ease into it. If you drink two sodas (or two liters of soda) cut that amount by half, and replace it with something from the list below:
1. Water. Learn to love it.
2. Need flavor? Add crushed berries, cucumber, lemon, or mint to water. Try these recipes.
3. Like it fizzy? Carbonated water is your friend.
4. Skip flavored syrups&madsh;try flavored bitters instead.
5. Crave caffeine? Try unsweetened iced tea or green tea.
Follow our 60 Days 'Til Summer Countdown and we'll help get you swimsuit ready with mini-workouts, healthy eating tips, fitness tips, and more! Each morning we'll post a new tip, so check our homepage or this post to find out what it is. And, make sure to follow the hashtag #SummerCountdown on Twitter for more motivation and to tell us how your #SummerCountdown is going!
Do you drink soda? Which of these tactics will you use to help you quit?
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