One of the most difficult things to navigate when it comes to improving our health via getting stronger or getting leaner is understanding how the inherent stress of dieting or training adds (or takes away) from the stress of our lives.
The last two months of my life have been some of the most stressful of recent memory. Between my side of the family and my wife’s, we’ve seen multiple health issues come up which not only have an emotional impact on us but require us to spread our time around to help every family member in need.
In the midst of that is parenting, running a business and trying to keep enough in the tank to focus on the marriage.
Stress is a constant. Sometimes we have more of it, sometimes we have less of it, but it’s just as much a part of our lives as oxygen.
Just last week, I was only able to work two full days at my studio because I needed to be out of town for a family health procedure.
On the days I was able to make it in to work, I knew I needed to focus on getting as much work done as I could, still try and fit in my own training and keep myself well nourished so I didn’t run out of steam.
It’s days like that where I have to remind myself: Don’t push too hard, you don’t have it in the tank.
You probably know the feeling.
For some people, they use stress in their lives as a reason to not focus on themselves. They’re pulled in too many different directions and they forget to prioritize themselves.
I try not to make that mistake.
If I don’t care for myself, everything else suffers: work, training, sleep, family dynamics, etc.
But I do have to keep a constant conversation with myself over what I can realistically handle and where I have to pump the brakes.
It’s not an open invitation to do nothing, it’s an invitation to lay all of my priorities in front of me and determine what needs the most of my energy right then and there.
It’s one of the main reasons why progress is rarely linear.
Life happens.
And we have to figure out:
Where do our goals fit into the picture?
How do our values line up with our decision making?
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel where things invariably slow down so that we have the energy to fill our cups?
Fortunately, things are starting to slow down for us over the next week or so. That may not mean “calm” but it does mean “calmer”.
You have to take those opportunities when they come.
And if you have goals that matter to you, keep up that mental conversation: Is it time to press the gas or do I need to pump the brakes?
It’s common in the health/wellness world to hear about a 90-day timeline for progress.
If you want a stronger, fitter body, you stay consistent with a 90 day training plan.
If you’re trying to succeed with fat loss, you work a 90-day nutrition/training program.
Many coaches (myself included for my online clients) may offer services with a 90 day minimum commitment.
The goal being: that you can develop a foundation of trends and patterns to plot a path towards success.
The funny thing is, there’s nothing magical about 90 days.
Within the research of forming habits, you can form habits in less time and sometimes it takes much longer than 90 days for a habit to stick.
However, 90 days is a measurable and realistic timeline for most people to envision, rationalize, and plan for.
I recently invested in a 90 day program myself. This one is aimed at social media growth specifically for Instagram.
I’ve been spending the last couple of years consistently posting content on Instagram and have been trying to learn and navigate the ever-changing algorithms and understand how I can best serve my followers and position my online services.
That being said, I’m no expert and while I never have a shortage of content ideas, that doesn’t mean that I’m posting the right content for the platform.
So, just as any of my clients might hire me for coaching strength training or nutrition, I knew when I was out of my depth and it was time to learn more for myself.
What I find interesting is that many of the same tics of human nature in fat loss and exercise are also in social media growth.
You see, I’m in a group coaching program and many of my fellow colleagues are also service providers. Some are just getting started and have very few followers. Some are more tenured and experienced and have many more followers but are trying to scale higher.
Our leader has grown her platform by leaps and bounds and we’re all following her guidance to see what works best for us.
And, as you can appreciate, we’ve all been asked to embark on a 90-day reels challenge.
In other words, we have to post a reel a day for 90 days and continue to tweak the way the message is delivered to see what resonates with our audience, our avatar, and our communication styles.
It’s still in its early stages (we’re not even two weeks in) and you can sense the frustration, impatience, and wonder that happens when things work as expected, worse than expected, and when nothing makes sense at all.
Suffice to say, we don’t have control over how the algorithm operates. We only have control over our consistency and how we deliver our message.
Our fearless leader reminds us to stay focused on the goal, don’t get too caught up in the numbers, and be patient!
Sound familiar?
Fat loss is not much different.
You can be doing all the right things and the scale will go up.
You can take a dietary detour and shockingly, the scale might go down.
Fat loss is one area (and not exclusively) where effort doesn’t always equate to desired results…but you have to put forth the effort anyway.
And my 90 day experiment is similar.
It’s easy to be impatient. It’s easy to doubt the process. It’s easy to want instant gratification.
But there are too many variables that are out of my control.
What I can do: is learn the trends, craft better hooks, be attuned to my audience, engage where I can, improve on my communication skills and be genuinely myself.
If you’re struggling with your plan, there’s a lesson here for you too.
Stay consistent, stay curious, change what you need, be patient, control what you can, and stay the course.
We’re all trying to improve what we can in our personal and professional lives. Don’t get too lost in the minutiae that you forget about the big picture.
And if you want to watch my 90 day journey, you can find me at: jasonleenaarts
In 1993, I was in Kent, Ohio recording my first album with a high school friend at Electro-Sound Studios led by an engineer named Greg Feezel.
Greg had recorded the sessions for many local musicians and Sean Carlin’s band Dink was one of them.
If you paid attention to alternative music in the early 90s, you might recognize Dink by the hit that made the waves on MTV, “Green Mind.” You see, back in the 90s, Dink achieved what nearly every person in a band ever dreamed of: they signed to a major label and toured everywhere. Sadly, the band only lasted a handful of years.
It would be 16 years later that I would finally meet Sean, long after Dink disbanded.
In 2009, I was opening my business and there was a commercial/residential glass company in my plaza owned Al and Amanda Montigney. As I was introducing myself to each of my neighbors, Amanda was the first client to sign up with me.
It worked out well for me, because I wanted mirrors in my studio and Al and his crew were able to help me with that. One of those installers was none other than Sean himself, coincidentally Amanda’s older brother.
When installation began, Sean was one of the staff members who came to help
We got to talking about our lives and interests and it didn’t take long before I found out what band he used to be a part of.
I chuckled and said: You and I recorded at the same studio! Greg Feezel recorded my first album.
From there on out, Sean and I always had music as a common interest.
Those who know the story well, know that I would go on to start a relationship with Al and Amanda’s daughter, Marissa, who I’m now married to and we have our son Sebastian.
And even though Sean and I didn’t have a great deal of contact throughout the years, he was actually involved in mirror installation every time I expanded my business.
As Sebastian has grown up and come to love music just as much as I do, it’s been a constant conversation about his “Uncle” Sean and the time he spent in Dink.
A couple of years ago, Sean was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer. When we found out, we knew the news wasn’t good.
Sean still passionately performed music and had a house full to the brim with instruments, many of which were synthesizers used to make layers of droning, instrumental music that was far removed from the work of Dink.
A small concert was held last year bringing many fans of Sean and Dink together to hear him play and it was Sebastian’s first introduction to what Sean was capable of.
Not long ago, Marissa told me that Sean was a big fan of Depeche Mode and I thought I’d play a cover of one of their songs to post on Facebook so he could hear it. I thought it might give him at least a few moments of happiness.
Sean’s condition worsened and the last few months saw his health take a dramatic turn. Marissa and I were able to visit him in a nursing home a few weeks ago when he was still coherent and we brought him lunch so he wasn’t relying on the food where he was staying. He was appreciative and loving and only had plans to get better and go back home.
That day wouldn’t come.
Last week, Marissa asked if I wanted to meet her at the hospital to see him. I had a break during my work day and met her there. Sean was fading but was still aware of the people in the room who were there to see him: his girlfriend Cheryl, Marissa, Amanda, longtime family friend (Donna)and myself.
When Donna left, I came to Sean’s side and thought I’d offer him the same token of love I offered my father in his final days: You want to listen to some music?
He looked over at me and nodded.
I pulled up YouTube and found the video for “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode. I hit play, turned the volume up slightly and laid my phone against his chest.
We were holding hands and I asked him: Does it sound okay?
He nodded, squeezed my hand, and just listened.
When the song ended, we held hands a bit longer and I knew it was time for me to say goodbye so I could get back to work.
I told him I loved him and that I’d see him again.
Sebastian, Marissa and Amanda saw him on the day that he passed, August 10.
Sean, I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to know each other better. I’m sure we would have gotten along famously. It’s hard for music fanatics to not have a lot of respect for one another. Rest assured, I’ll never listen to Depeche Mode the same way again and I’ve been a fan of that band since the mid-80s.
You’ll be happy to know that your little guy, Sebastian, is probably going to have a lot of your DNA in him. He’s young, but he’s got potential when it comes to music.
I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to cover “Never Let Me Down Again” for you in your memory. It’s not that it’s a hard song to sing or play, I just don’t want to fuck it up. I figure, you deserve a good cover song and I will ALWAYS remember you when I hear it.
As Sebastian gets older, I promise we’ll keep your memory alive. He needs to know how much you cared about him and, had time allowed, what you could have taught him.
The good thing about music is that it outlives all of us.
And know that every time I walk into my studio, I’ll have a little piece of you there every time I see my mirror.
We’re flying high We’re watching the world pass us by Never want to come down Never want to put my feet back down on the ground
See the stars, they’re shining bright Everything’s alright tonight
Last week, some news broke out in my little microcosm of the fitness industry where a certain “doctor” was exposed for stealing the content of a coach.
And when I say stealing, what I mean, is that either the doctor himself or whoever he has handling his Instagram account completely swiped the content of a coach in the industry with little to no change in the sentences or wording and posted it as if it were his own.
According to the coach, it’s happened several times and the doctor in reference has blocked him so as not to have to answer for his actions.
I’ve never understood this.
Yes, I understand the ease with which you can swipe someone else’s content.
Yes, I understand that creating content can be time consuming.
Yes, I understand that some people aren’t terribly creative and would rather someone else handle that work for them.
What I struggle to understand is that every day we (as health professionals of all kinds) are in countless situations where we might have to share wisdom about health, nutrition, medications, mindset, emotions, injuries, sets, reps, calories, bloodwork and more and we have to do it with the knowledge in our head at that moment in time.
Say for instance, a client comes up to me and asks: Jason, how much protein should I be eating in a day?
My reponse to that client is the perfect solution to creating content: How do I express a way that a given person can estimate their protein intake?
That answer can come in the form of a Tweet, a video, a blog, an Instagram reel, a Facebook post, a podcast episode, etc.
Done correctly, that answer can provide content for all of those platforms so that the creator can use and reuse content over and over again.
So, while it’s unfortunate that a doctor with a following of 2.1 million people on Instagram alone has chosen to rip off the work of someone who’s followed by a fraction as many people (but who nonetheless can speak and create content in a way that resonates with many), there is no legitimate reason why they can’t take a few moments to be original.
Yeah, it’s time consuming.
And maybe, said doctor wouldn’t have landed so many followers if they had been creating content with their own voice.
But in a world that’s increasingly creating content with the use of artificial intelligence, maybe I’m just a purist because the only voice you’ll ever get from me is mine alone.
Be original and if you can’t be original, at least give credit to people who make great content by sharing it, not stealing it.
Some day, you may read these words. Some day, when you’re much older, you can look back at the years of your life and laugh or reminisce about your childhood.
These words are written days before you turn six.
Each year that passes brings another evolution of your world and how your mother and I weave through it.
You are full of energy and endless wonder.
You are intensely curious, asking questions about the weather, storm clouds, tornadoes, video games and Legos.
You absolutely love being around other children. Their age relative to yours matters very little, you’re just a social butterfly.
You still love music, and, through the wonders and algorithms of YouTube, you’ve drifted somewhat further from the rock and punk that I exposed you to and the pop and show tunes that you hear from your mother, into some form of techno that isn’t quite danceable but is suitable for the video games you play.
You love fishing with your Papa Al.
You love amusement parks that you get to see with your mother and your Nana.
You love playing in the sink at your Mula’s flower shop where you can concoct your next science experiments.
You love puppy dogs, kitty cats and any animal that you’re allowed to pet.
You still love to play your drum set, and despite not having a single lesson, you’re learning how to find a beat.
You have an insatiable sweet tooth and it’s not uncommon for you to ask for a meal that we make and you barely eat.
You’ve gone from just being a spectator at Dad’s gym to a little boy with big strength when it comes to lifting weights.
You still love your “big brother” Jackson more than probably any child has ever loved a sibling.
You’re only weeks away from starting kindergarten, a journey that neither your mother or I are mentally prepared for.
You are fascinated by science and space and you have your father’s tendency to obsess over things that interest you.
There are times that your mother and I look at you and say: He’s getting so big…because you are, but you’re still our little boy.
Some day, I hope you look back and see all that is done to give you a good life. You don’t really see that now, but someday you might.
Your mother moves heaven and earth for you as any child deserves.
Dad just works and works because it puts food on the table and a roof over our head.
Some day, you may do the same for a family of your own.
But I have to remind myself, you’re only about to be six, not sixteen, and that I’m getting ahead of myself.
So, as we lean in to this next chapter of your life and your childhood, it’s with the hope that starting school where you’ll be away from your mother for more time than you’ve ever experienced, will be a life changing experience.
As these things go, you’ve certainly changed ours.
And in keeping this current with the times, as all of your pet names have changed, I’ll finish this by saying:
Throughout my years as a coach, I’ve connected with hundreds of fellow coaches and health professionals who are looking to expand their reach and serve more people.
Social media gives us platforms to be able to connect with potential clients all across the globe and sell our services and products.
When I was still actively hosting my podcast, many of those same professionals took time out of their day to come on as guests and share their wisdom with my audience (and theirs).
And with each passing year, I find myself continuing to learn more about areas of nutrition and health that I feel would best serve the demographic who seek my help.
As of my last look, the majority of my clients (approximately 70%) identify as female. Within that majority, the age range I serve the most is between 35 and 55.
As a result, I have tried to tailor much of my content (especially on platforms like Instagram) to appeal to that demographic without completely turning away the remaining 30 or so percent male followers or anyone outside of the age range mentioned above.
My fellow coaches who utilize social media are no different. They have an avatar that they want to focus on and their content reflects that focus.
Which is why I’ve been starting to unfollow some of these coaches recently.
It’s not because I don’t trust their information.
It’s not because I don’t like them on a personal or professional level.
It’s because the content they’re promoting does not serve the same people I do, or it may not be helping me grow as a coach.
They have their audience, I have mine, and we each have a place to thrive and create.
Mind you, there are some people I will continue to follow because I like the way they deliver information. I find that there are things I can learn from them.
And, I have always advocated for people to unfollow anyone who makes them feel as if they are a lesser person.
The space you curate on social media should (in my opinion) be a safe place; a place where you feel welcome, where you feel accepted and where you feel you can achieve the best version of yourself.
Curate that space with care.
Unfollow anyone who makes you feel like you cannot achieve the best version of yourself.
Life is too short to waste seconds, minutes, or hours digesting content that no longer serves the person you are today.
It’s also my open invitation to you that if my message and content, in its ever evolving state, is not helping you, I won’t take any offense at all if you unfollow my work as well.
We’re all trying to get a little bit better, in every way we can, every day.
While this list is not comprehensive or exhaustive, here are ten reasons you may have trouble consistently adhering to your diet:
1.Your Deficit Is Too Aggressive. Let’s assume that your body needs 2000 calories a day to maintain current weight. Theoretically, anything you consume that totals less than 2000 calories, done consistently, will result in fat loss (I’m not taking into consideration calories expended which will be another topic). You may be very motivated to drop fat quickly so you aim for an aggressive deficit (let’s say 30%) to achieve results faster. That takes you from 2000 calories of intake to 1400. While the scale does reward your efforts, you also may find that you are more irritable, your workouts aren’t as effective as normal, your recovery from workouts is not what it used to be, your sleep quality is suffering, and you can only manage to hit 1400 calories a day during the work week. By time the weekend rolls around, you’re consuming close to 3000 calories on Friday and Saturday because you feel like you need a break from the diet train. These are some indicators that perhaps 1400 calories is too low and you need to push the number higher. In doing so, it may slow down your rate of fat loss but it’s easier to adhere to in scope of your current lifestyle demands.
2. Your Deficit Is Too Conservative. On the flip side, a similar individual also needs 2000 calories a day to maintain current weight. This person has tried aggressive dieting and was unhappy with how the plan went (see above). They elect to go for a smaller deficit (let’s say 10%) and that has them shooting for 1800 calories a day. While they don’t have any of the negative effects of the aggressive diet approach, the scale is moving at a snail’s pace and they need a bit more instant gratification to make the journey seem “worth it”. A small reduction below the 1800 calories may be enough to do the trick.
3. You’re Not Getting In Enough Protein. It is arguably the most satiating macronutrient plus it has the added benefit of helping you build, recover and maintain muscle after working out. If you’d like some very loose ranges, smaller indviduals may benefit from a range of 100-120g per day and those in larger bodies may benefit from a range of 130-150g per day. If you can’t quite reach the lower end, just aim for “close enough”. As you’re dieting, hunger tends to be the factor that can make or break dietary adherence. Consuming adequate protein may help. Bear in mind that sources do matter. In other words, you may find consuming 30g of protein from a grilled chicken breast more satisfying than 30g of a premixed protein drink. Both give you quality protein but one may help reduce hunger pangs better than another.
4. You’re Not Getting In Enough Fiber. Similar to protein intake, improving your fiber consumption can also help with reducing feelings of hunger and improving feelings of satiety. Also, like protein, sources do matter. The goal with fiber is to not only to get enough of it (think 10-15g for every 1000 calories you consume on a daily basis), but to keep the sources diverse. That can mean fibrous vegetables (leafy greens and cruciferous veggies) and fruits (berries are a good choice) as well as legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. If your current fiber intake is low, go slowly with increasing it to minimize GI distress. Drinking enough water to move waste through the system can help.
5. Your Sleep Quality Is Suffering. There is a strong correlation to a poor night’s sleep and increased food cravings the next day. If you’re struggling to stick to your diet plan, improving your sleep quality, sleep habits and overall sleep hygiene can be a big help. This may include reducing caffeine intake and reducing alcohol intake to help the process. Women in the menopause transition may struggle with sleep quality due to night sweats so if you’re one of these women, talk to your endocrinologist or trusted OB/GYN to see if they can make recommendations to help.
6. You’re Training With Too Much Intensity. While not everyone has the same reaction to exercise, for many, an increase in expenditure may also be met with an increase in hunger. As you turn up the intensity of your training, you may also find yourself ravenous after workouts. This may play into the fact that your deficit is too aggressive (see point 1) and can be a recipe for dietary disaster. Try reducing the intensity of your training and see if that makes a difference in hitting your intake for the day.
7. You’re Not Being Patient Enough. No one has a perfect diet and if you play the numbers as closely as you can, you stand to lose one pound of fat per week “IF” you create a deficit of 500 calories per day. Not everyone can do that. As a result, fat loss may occur at a slower rate than you’d like and that can be discouraging for many people. Remember to listen to your body, to the best of your ability, and manage your intake based on the demands of your life. If you have a higher stress lifestyle, a more conservative approach to diet and exercise (see points 2 and 6) may be a more strategic route.
8. You’re Comparing Your Results To Someone Else’s. Your neighbor Karen stops over and tells you she’s lost 20 pounds in 3 months by following such and such diet. You like Karen, and you’re somewhat envious of her results so you try the same diet to find that you only lost 6 pounds in 3 months because the diet was either a) too restrictive b) contained too many options that you don’t like to eat c) didn’t make you feel great during the process. As a result, you abandoned the diet because you couldn’t replicate Karen’s results. The fact is, we are all very different and different approaches to eating food affect each person in very different ways. My wife can’t eat dairy or gluten but I can. If we were both trying to lose fat, our diets would likely be very different in appearance (not to mention serving size). Focus on what works for YOU and not how diets affect others.
9. Your Expectations Are Not Aligned With Your Efforts. Every person I know who wants to lose some degree of fat wants the weight off yesterday. They know what to do, they know how to do it, they just don’t do it. This can be for a host of reasons, many of which are listed above, but the fact remains that for a lot of individuals they are either not consistently eating in a way that complements their goals or they are not training consistently in a way that complements their goals. Just showing up at the gym doesn’t mean you’re doing the right things and just switching from pizza to salads doesn’t mean you’re consuming fewer calories.
10.You Have Too Many Competing Interests. Consider that you may have a full-time job, you may be a parent, you may have challenges in your marriage/long term relationship, and/or you may be a caregiver for an ailing family member. Fat loss may be more of a stressor than you can handle right at this moment. On the flipside, some people use those stressful situations as motivation to focus on what they can: diet and exercise being a couple of those scenarios. As always, know thyself. You know what you can manage and what you can’t. You have to determine when/if it’s appropriate to put your foot on the gas or to pump the brakes.
If you’re trying to make steps towards polishing up your diet to either A) feel/perform better or B) change your physique, here are five simple-ish things you can do immediately to help.
1-Aim for 20-30g of protein in each meal. Protein is not only the macronutrient that helps you build and recover your muscles but it tends to be the most satiating macronutrient as well. It can help reduce feelings of hunger throughout the day regardless of whether you’re mostly sedentary or you have a more active lifestyle. If you’re not sure what that amount of protein looks like, consider that the average Greek or Icelandic yogurt in those 5oz cups has approximately 15g of protein in them. Some brands boast even more per serving. If you open up the palm of your hand, that’s also a relatively close approximation of 25-30g of protein when looking at meat products such as chicken breast or steak. If you need more exact numbers, a food scale can be helpful for weighing meats/seafood. Bear in mind, that some sources of protein can be significant sources of fat as well so that will need to be considered against your personal needs/goals.
2-Add one fruit or one veggie to each meal. While one could make the argument that many of us are “plant-based” by definition, if you live in the domestic U.S., those plants may be unevenly weighted in starchy carbs: breads, rice, potatoes, etc. You can upgrade the vitamins and minerals in your diet by reducing some of those starchy carbs and picking at least one fruit or vegetable to have in its place. There’s a reason why you hear people say that you want to build a rainbow with your plate: The more color you see, the better off you’re likely to be. You don’t have to go overboard. A breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon can be upgraded by reducing the portion of toast and adding some spinach or mushrooms to your eggs.
3-Add 8-10oz of water to each meal. Many of my clients struggle to get enough water in their day. Use your meals as a cue to add 8-10oz of water as well. If you’re not sure if you drink enough water, try using the urine test: You’ll know if you’re getting enough when your urine is somewhere between clear and light yellow in color. Try not to add too much water to the end of your day. This may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night to pee, disrupting your sleep quality.
4-Having a treat? If you’ve followed me long enough, you’ll know that I don’t demonize foods. There is no good or bad food. There are, however, foods that you may have an allergic reaction to or foods your body doesn’t tolerate well. If you’re electing to have a tasty treat, consider sharing it with someone. I don’t know what it is for me personally, but I get far more joy sharing a dessert with my sons or with my wife than if I just eat it by myself.
5-What about alcohol? If you’re someone who chooses to imbibe, feel free. As we continue to learn more about alcohol and its effects on the body, studies show that there are little to no health benefits in its use. It’s still a known toxin so the least amount you can use, the better. My wife and I are both bourbon fans and we’ve curtailed our use from 3 oz an evening down to 1.5 oz. The adage still applies: drink responsibly if you choose to include alcohol in your diet.
None of this information is sexy and it won’t make the headlines of your newspaper. That being said, the basics still work incredibly well…
One of the upsides to raising a child in a gym (and around the gym environment) is that they see it as a given norm.
That it’s normal to move your body, that it’s normal to make it routine and part of life just like going to school, brushing your teeth, etc.
Our son, Sebastian, has been completely exposed to the gym since he was born.
It’s the only job he’s ever seen me work and, on a given week, Marissa brings him with her for her own workouts: This is how Mama takes care of her body.
And ever since he was old enough to walk, Sebastian has played with dumbbells, kettlebells, weight plates, battle ropes, push sleds, you name it.
On a handful of occasions, he’s seen other children in the gym lifting weights as well. This, of course, sparks the interest that if they’re doing it, he wants to be involved too.
It is fascinating to watch children lift weights, even without cues of how it should be done.
Children are inquisitive, intuitive, and they’re learning how to move their body in space to run, jump, climb, fall, etc.
As Sebastian has grown, he’s tried lifting heavier weights on his own: from a 15lb kettlebell to a 30lb, and a 30lb to a 40lb.
Last week, when he was at the studio, he walked into our hex bar (we call it a trapbar) which, as it was loaded was 105 pounds, didn’t get it off the ground but he did get some play out of the right hand side.
I told him to step outside of it, so I could replace the 25lb plates with 10lb plates and he could give it another try.
After the switch, Sebastian stepped right in, wrapped his hands around the knurled grips, got himself set and pulled the bar straight up.
He was shocked.
I was shocked.
I grabbed my phone and opened up the camera: Sebastian, do it again.
We got footage on that one.
I’ve rarely seen him that impressed with himself. After that, he wanted to conquer every weight in the gym.
There’s a lesson I’d love for you to take from this.
Stay curious about how your body moves.
Find ways to move it.
Stay patient with weights you’ve never been able to lift before and start small to build your strength up.
This applies to how you approach your relationship with food as well.
Make small changes and watch them compound into big movers in your food plan.
Remain curious.
If something works, understand why it works so you can replicate it.
Shortly after Sebastian lifted 75 pounds (as pictured below), I loaded the bar back up to it’s normal 105 and he gave it another try. This time he nailed it.
There’s a lesson there about momentum and motivation too.
So, when you have motivation and you have momentum, stay the course.
Now, Sebastian can’t wait to get back to the gym. He knows what his body can do and he wants to repeat it.
Routinely, I’m reminded by my clients that lifting weights has more to do with what happens outside the gym than what happens inside of it.
I will forever be inspired by clients who get closer to their fat loss goals.
Or, clients who gain the muscle they hope to.
Or, clients who break their previous records on heavier lifts.
In the midst of that inspiration, it can be easy for me to forget that other areas of life improve when we get stronger:
-Going up and down stairs with a load of laundry gets easier
-Carrying bags of groceries from the car to the house isn’t tiring
-Getting up and down off the floor takes less time (or isn’t painful)
-Being able to push yourself up and out of the bathtub is possible
-Playing with your children/grandchildren doesn’t wreck your body
Part of this is because the confidence you gain from lifting weights transfers to confidence in other areas of life.
And, one of my favorite fitness industry quotes, normally attributed to Mark Rippetoe: Stronger people are harder to kill.
I have a client who has been with me for several years and this client has always been, pound for pound, one of the strongest in our gym.
Recently, we were discussing that strength and the journey we’ve been on together and I know that there’s something far more important to that client than what we do in these four walls.
Their spouse struggles with an illness that will continue to affect their physical and mental health.
And my client realizes that the strength they gain in here will have a direct benefit in helping to take care of their spouse as the illness progresses.
At my personal strongest (based on the heaviest weight my body has ever lifted), it wasn’t that particular weight that mattered.
It was the fact that I could lift my father’s dying body after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Mind you, by that point, his body was a fraction of the weight I lifted in the gym.
But one area of strength had a direct correlation to strength elsewhere.
Look around you…
There is no area of your life: personal, professional, emotional, spiritual, and social where you have the luxury of being weak. Every area of your life which matters most to you requires strength.
How much strength you gain is up to you, your preferences and your genetics.
I recognize, after 20+ years of lifting weights, that for all of the benefit that being strong gives me, it’s a gift to be able to hold my sons, it’s a gift to be able to hold my wife, it’s a gift to be able to perform a physically demanding job.
And somehow, my clients give me a daily gift, in not only seeing them increase their personal strength but to hear their testimony of how that strength carries them through life.
You’ve got one body.
Use the gift.
(Pictured below, our Richard B., 83 years young, making easy work of 245 pounds)
Jason Leenaarts 