Well, my first post in well over a year. I honestly haven't much to blog about or even put on YouTube. I like to put my thoughts, as well as document my life, in snippets for people to look at. And as such, I use Instagram, Facebook and Twitter much more. Snapchat is a bit worthless to me to be quite honest, but I digress.
As I write this, the clock just turned over to midnight. It's now Christmas (but this blog was published today, so don't worry....you're not in the twilight zone) and folks worldwide are enjoying their gifts, families, friends, food and laughter. But guess what....it's now Tuesday and shit gets back to right where we left off last Thursday.
Yeah, yeah....I know some of you all are on vacation, but follow me here.
We're sitting a under a week from what could be a fresh start for many. January 1st....2017. There are many firsts in the year. But only one January 1st. Let me remind you of a sobering reality today.
You more than likely haven't accomplished your goals from 2016.
"Damn Larry, we you such a Debbie Downer?"
Because it's true. Long range goals are the things people keep in mind and work towards, however the short range or daily goals are where you more than likely fucked up.
Speaking from a fitness perspective.....being "in shape" (varying degrees of what this could be as it's totally individual) it's the small shit people don't see through on.
I myself am no exception....and just because it's about to be January 1st means nothing.
So how do we change this? How do we really push forward in what we want to accomplish in the gym (and life as these "guidelines" aren't exclusive to just fitness and all that jazz).
Well....from the warped mind of Larry Brown.....here you go!
Step One: Stop Bitching
This has to be the most fundamental thing in someone's quest to to where they want to go. I consistently hear "I can't because of (insert x,y,z and subsequent whining about exterior factors).
Look....work, kids, school. All that shit is a part of this huge ass game called life. It's not glamorous, nor is it oodles of fun. But bitching about every little thing will get you no fucking where and fast.
Complaining about the food you have to eat to lose fat and the workouts you have to do get nice and tight is nonsense.
It's a part of the process. Embrace it and relish in it.
Step Two: Become a Person of Action and Don't Sweat Making Mistakes
Inaction begets zero results. But action will get you movement. Life and Fitness is like the stock market. It's an ebb and flow. Not every decision will give you a positive movement. Sometimes you'll actually fall back. When I worked at the Chicago Board of Trade, a trader told me you always want movement. Stocks dropping is not preferred, but it's welcome if the market isn't doing anything. If you fall back, you can rebound.....and sometimes rebound big. Every action will net movement. You miss a meal....don't panic. Just deal with the hunger and find a suitable replacement later on. Miss a workout? Don't get upset...you just know you will need to line up your day better.
Step Three: Proper Planning Is Key
As you progress, you'll learn that step two can be fixed. Easily. It means you need to be better prepared so you don't get caught with your pant's down. Buy that packet of tuna and keep it in your drawer at work. Yes....there will be day's you will eat stuff plain, cold and it won't taste the greatest...but guess what...it's POSITIVE movement. Now obviously you want to have your meals prepped and ready to go, but if you plan for when you get thrown curveballs, you won't get hit hard when you're trying to make progress.
Step Four: Learn How to Reframe
An important part of progress, in my opinion, is reframing your problems. Instead of saying "I'm too busy to train and prep meals," ask yourself "What can I eliminate that's unnecessary to free up time?"
Now what needs to be sacrificed is a totally individual thing, but trust me, you don't need that extra tv time. You can perform on less than 8 hours of sleep. Shape up your questions to find solutions instead of problems.
Step Five: Enjoy
It's going to be tough. It's not going to be easy, but getting in shape is meant to be enjoyed. So don't dread your sessions. Make a playlist for different workouts. Experiment. See what works.
Embrace the challenge.
Now I'm not an authority on getting in shape. I'm just a guy who's been in the gym a long time and have made lifting a huge part of my life. This isn't an end all be all list....but if I can help a few people, then my job is done.
Happy Training!
