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Peter Baker and Layne Norton have just released a fascinating book that goes into exceptional detail for those looking to dive into physique and bodybuilding competitions. Peter joins me on this week’s bonus episode to discuss his work on the book. There is a great deal of excellent information that would apply to anyone looking to lose weight as well as there are diet tips galore and plenty of insight by two guys who have the clientele to back up their knowledge. You can purchase the guide at http://www.biolaynestore.com/collections/accessories To learn more about Peter’s work, visit http://www.peterdbaker.com To learn more about your host, check out http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friend and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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*The title of this post was inspired by the George Michael song of a similar name*

Julie first heard about me after hearing me on Heather Robertson’s podcast, Half Size Me. If you’d like to hear that episode, you can find it here.

Like Heather and myself, Julie also hosts a podcast of her own called The Julie Tussey Show which you can learn more about here.

After connecting and setting up a time for me to be a guest on her show, Julie inquired about my online training services. She had seen some of my posts on social media about working with clients remotely to help them see results. Since I am in Ohio and Julie is in Kentucky, this seemed like the most advantageous way to move forward.

We discussed some of her current injuries/impairments, her current fitness regimen and a short list of previous dietary attempts that worked to varied degrees of success. Julie is the epitome of “busy.” So, everything that we embarked to do together from diet to exercise had to fit that mold or it just wasn’t going to get done.

Julie affectionately calls herself the “Menopause Momma” and truly feels as if her body has been betraying her at this stage of her life. Like many women going through a similar event, menopause is one stage where the body can have a mind of its own.

However, of the few things I was able to work on from her prior dieting attempts, we had to re-establish a new calorie goal and a different expectation of what carbs, proteins and fats were likely doing for her.

She had already been through the aggressive low-carb/low-sugar plan and was miserable. She had also been through the very restrictive (less than 1000) calorie diet plan as well which proved to also be miserable.

And as can sometimes be the case with women who embark on cycles of Weight Watchers, there was a fair amount of conversation about good food/bad food, food shame, etc. I tend to call Weight Watchers out for this not because I think it’s a bad program but since it has been around for so long, there are some patterns I’ve seen with clients of mine who have worked with it that seem to repeat themselves.

The good news for Julie and myself was that she was already acclimated to counting calories, she just hadn’t previously been given much to work with. We discussed a new approach that had her eating a bit more than she thought she could. I also asked her to put a primary focus on protein intake within the new calorie goal.

As for carbohydrate and fat intake? She can do WHATEVER she wants as long as it fits within the calorie goal and she feels her best on it.

Giving Julie this protocol gave her a freedom she hadn’t previously known. And almost immediately, there was a shift in her voice, her attitude and her mindset to move forward.

That’s not to say her “rite of passage” will be easy. Eating below maintenance is not fun but you can make it tolerable. We also had to help her get creative with her protein sources since she professed to not being a big meat-eater.

I asked Julie to start finding some food trends on the days where she felt like she really nailed it with her intake. You don’t need a ton of food variety and I can definitely make a case for keeping the diet more conservative as opposed to adventurous. But, like me, Julie likes her spicy foods and definitely had to keep those in. Chips and salsa were going to be a staple which I am perfectly okay with as long as they fit within the parameters we discussed and she could determine that neither was a trigger food (something she couldn’t control.)

While our working relationship is still very new Julie has already reported several pounds of weight loss so far. I wanted to write this particular article to highlight how  a less judgmental view of food and a deeper understanding of how it works for you can change your path to progress.

Julie is off to an awesome start and I know she’s going to see more great things come at the rate she’s going.

I have the pleasure of turning the tables on fellow podcaster and personal trainer, Rafal Matuszewski, this week. He hosts the excellent show “Cut The S#!t, Get Fit”, which I hope you will tune in to as well. Rafal gets to share more of his personal story of adversity and what he overcame to break into this industry and make a mark for himself. To learn more about Rafal’s work, connect with him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/rmatuszewski and at http://www.empowerhp.ca To learn more about your host, check out http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friends and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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*The title of this post was taken from the Pearl Jam song of the same name*

When my son, Jackson, was about to be baptized in the Catholic church, I went to my Dad to get a better understanding of what that all meant.

For the record, I grew up as something of a denominational mutt. My mother was raised Southern Baptist. My father was Catholic, raised by a Catholic father and a mother who was born in a non-practicing German Jewish family. After she served in the camps in WWII, she changed to Catholic to marry my Opa. Since my mother opted to not switch from Baptist to Catholic, a Baptist church in my hometown of Tennessee recognized their marriage in 1974.

Since we moved around so much due to my father’s career trajectory with Goodyear, we would attend Sunday services at any church where my parents felt the most connection. This led us to everything between Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and non-denominational churches over the years. During college, I fell out with the traditional mold of churchgoers and felt the need to distance myself for the time being.

My father, who was always fascinated with different religions, beliefs and cultures would frequently read about how others viewed their faith. As a result, I was raised in a family who taught me tolerance and what I believe was a desire to want to appreciate other’s differences rather than stay at arms distance because they were different than me.

So, my Dad bought me a book called Rediscover Catholicism.

One of the greatest takeaways from it was the notion of becoming the best version of yourself. This was something that resonated deeply with me because prior to that time, I would have hardly said I was living that way.

My father resembled everything that was great to me. He was kind, loving, compassionate, interested in nearly everything and could easily have spoken to a stranger about a myriad of topics. He showed me how a gentleman should behave, how a husband should treat his wife and how a father should raise his child.

Looking back, there is hardly a lesson I could have learned that my father didn’t try to teach me. My biggest regret, was mostly being too stubborn or disinterested to learn them so that he could see more of the man he wanted me to be while he was still alive.

March 23 will be seven years since he passed away and I am still aching with this regret.

That the man who gave me so much, sacrificed so much, asked for so little in return was shown gratitude by a child who was often too self-absorbed, defiant and distracted to pay attention.

At the risk of painting too bleak a picture, I loved my father more than I know how to express. We had amazing times together, he was my biggest fan and all he ever wanted was to see me (and my mother) happy.

My father truly believed in the concept of being the best version of you. And I know that because he lived it every day.

So, while I kick myself frequently for not being enough or showing enough of that while he was alive, I know that my Dad left this world knowing how much I adored him and looked up to him and he got to see me with Marissa (who I would marry after his passing) and he got to see me as a father.

As for being the best me?

For whatever distance I put between myself and the church, I believe there is a Heaven that holds my Dad. I do everything I can to be the man he wanted me to be because there is a lingering feeling that he’s watching me and I desperately don’t want to let him down now. That has not been a faultless journey but I do continue to work on it.

If I’m wrong and there is no Heaven, then I can find comfort in the fact that I spent the rest of my days trying to fill and fulfill the role he wanted me to have in this world.

I’ll live in a way that is closer to what I believe I should be so that, maybe someday, when my time has come, I can join him up there.

My father remains my north star. And for my mother as well.

It is my hope that you don’t have to lose someone you love as much as I loved him to realize your best version of you. You can be that person on any day and for any reason.

Because you deserve that for yourself.

Your family deserves to see it.

Your friends deserve to experience it.

And you’ve got one life to accomplish it with.

I am happy to have Jeb Stuart Johnston join me this week for a special bonus episode so you can be among the first to hear about and purchase his new book “Becoming Brooklyn Strong” on Amazon.com We talk about his motivations for writing the book and why he felt now was the best time to release it. I was privy to an advance copy of this and really loved Jeb’s approach to not only how he wrote the book but his philosophies on diet and training. To learn more about Jeb’s work, visit http://www.jebjohnston.com To learn more about your host, visit http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friends and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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Behavioral scientist, Julie Slowiak, joins me in this week’s episode. She discusses her work as Associate Professor of Psychology at University of Minnesota Duluth and founder of InJewel LLC. We tackle the subject of aligning health goals to our values and why this is so important for the success we want to achieve. In spirit of many episodes of this show where the “deeper why” is covered, Julie has a fresh perspective on making sure that what resonates with us as individuals drives the actions we need to reach our goals. To learn more about Julie’s work, visit http://www.injewelcoaching.com To learn more about your host, visit http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friends and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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*The title of this post was taken from the Sam Cooke song of the same name*

Are your social gatherings and business trips getting in the way of your weight loss goals?

I can assure you, you are not alone.

Many of our clients are busy, working professionals. They attend charity events, business luncheons, and are frequently called upon to travel in-state and out-of-state to fulfill their job responsibilities. As you can imagine, this type of schedule can make it difficult to adhere to a diet plan.

Over the years, I’ve found a handful of strategies that can work well to keep you closer to your goals. These are by no means exhaustive but a place to start if you find that your work is getting in the way of your health.

–Pack calorie controlled snacks. This can include meal replacement bars, protein powders, fruits (apples, bananas, oranges), jerky (beef, turkey, seitan), etc. If you’re flying, you may have to purchase these types of items at the airport as opposed to bringing them through security in your carry-on luggage.

–Schedule your workouts. If you plan to get a workout in (strength training or endurance/cardio work), you may be less inclined to go off the grid with your diet. This applies whether you are at the mercy of a business luncheon or in a hotel. Making a commitment to your exercise can be a good mental cue to not let the diet get off track for the day either. As many of us are bound to our schedules and itineraries, if you see your workout scheduled for the day, it can be the positive reinforcement you need to keep priorities in place.

-Know Your Menu. You may have advance notice of the menu at any luncheon, dinner or charity event you attend. Start looking at it ahead of time so you know how to navigate the selections without letting hunger guide you once you arrive. Appetizers, alcoholic beverages, bread baskets, etc. can lead to excessive calories that weren’t previously budgeted for. If you can start telling yourself what you plan to have before you get to your destination, the decision making gets easier when you have to choose your meal.

-When In Doubt, Opt Out. Sometimes, the safest option you can go for is something heavy in lean proteins (chicken, turkey, fish, tofu) and heavy in vegetables that aren’t drowning in sauces, oils and dressings. This can include options like grilled chicken breasts with a side of steamed broccoli or a salad with dressing on the side and no cheese (which can add hundreds of calories alone.) Never be afraid to ask for substitutes of menu items or to see what preparation options are available for your meals. Just because something isn’t on the menu doesn’t mean it can’t be requested. Most importantly, if things like french fries are trigger foods for you, subbing out with something that is “safer” for you may be your best bet.

-Shrug Off The Saboteurs. It rarely fails, you’ll have the colleague or friend who sees your best efforts to eat right and teases you with questions like “Are you on a diet?” or “Are you sure you don’t want just ONE?” One of my favorite responses to this came from a former client, Mark who said “I’m not on a diet, I’m training.” To which his friends asked, “Training for what?” His response, “Training to get off my medications.” Reframing your mission so others understand where you’re coming from can keep you from making impulsive diet decisions because those around you aren’t on the same journey.

-If You Can’t Change The Circumstances, Change Your Actions. For many people, they just can’t escape the fact their jobs aren’t ideal environments for a healthy lifestyle. Rather than assume that the job will automatically require less travel or fewer luncheons someday, learn how to control your environment and behaviors so these job characteristics are less of a distraction. There will always be holidays, birthdays, and social gatherings to get in the way. Success comes from planning for, around and through them NOT by assuming they will adapt for us.

As with so many things regarding our health, fitness, nutrition and goals, change starts from within. Once we accept that, it becomes easier to plan accordingly with the external distractions that could otherwise derail us.

 

I am joined this week by Reactive Training Systems Coach and elite powerlifter, Ross Leppala. Ross and I discuss simple and effective strategies for harnessing your mindset and preparing for success. In this, you’ll hear his thoughts on the power of visualization, underestimated power of gratitude and more. To learn more about Ross’s work connect with him on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/ross_RTS To learn more about your host, visit http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friends and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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*The title of this post was taken from the Beatles song of the same name*

Are you simply showing up or are you improving?

Sometimes the act of progress is being able to say “I did that” today and check it off the list. But sometimes, active improvement is what helps you take things to another level.

Late last year, I wrote a post about my new interest in cooking.

Around Christmas, my wife Marissa was considering looking into cooking lessons for me since I had taken such a liking to it. Because my schedule is so difficult to predict, it wasn’t easy for her to find something that would work for me.

Then I remembered that we have a client (Mary) who taught cooking classes locally for over 20 years. I asked her if she still offered lessons and thankfully she does. Now, Mary teaches out of her home.

We set up a time to get together and she asked me ahead of time, what I wanted to get better at. I told her that my first priority was getting faster at food prep. Her suggestion: work on my knife skills.

So, here I was, several months after finding a love of cooking going back to square one just to learn how to cut properly. However, it was more than that. It was learning how to hold the knife, why a 10-inch blade might be better than an 8-inch blade (size matters, as they say), how to hold my non-cutting hand, cutting board recommendations, more effective ways to cut vegetables, herbs, and tougher foods like parsnips all while we worked together to make an amazing turkey chili that would not only feed her family for the evening but mine as well. This took us just shy of two hours.

Personally, it was fascinating. I loved every minute of it. I have found cooking to be almost zen-like for me. I love being able to touch the food that will soon be my meal (beyond say, putting together a sandwich) and being immersed in the smells while everything is cooking.

But more than this, I love being in the infancy of learning things. I knew I had a lot to learn and in many cases, unlearn, and Mary was an awesome teacher.

While it’s going to take me some time to reach a fraction of Mary’s level, I can already tell that my prep time has decreased. A future step will be to graduate from my current 8-inch blade to a 10-inch that will have a long life of usage (good ones run over $100.)

Like so many things, I love the parallel this has to your health journey. For one, learning how to be a faster cook at home can put you back in control of portions and the calories you might be consuming. When you’re not at the mercy of restaurants, your waistline normally will benefit from the change.

Cooking aside, there’s a process one could get lost in with exercise where it’s less about loving the act of exercise (something I even find a chore) and more about finding a desire to move better, or to learn the idiosyncrasies of why your body moves a certain way.

Speaking for myself, I love seeing progress of any kind. Not just for me but thriving on the progress of clients as well. Watching people get stronger, faster, leaner, more intuitive in how they navigate their diets, more confident in how they treat their bodies is awe-inspiring.

Maybe you’ll take the step to get better at something that would make life or health easier for you. Sometimes it requires the help of others (as Mary has done for me) and sometimes it’s just about digging deeper within ourselves to say: “I have the tools, I know what to do.”

And doing it. 

 

 

 

Late last year, I was interviewed by Heather Robertson for her Half Size Me podcast. The episode was released earlier this year. Because I have so much respect for Heather and her work with her Half Size Me community, I knew I had to bring her on to not only share her personal story of how she has successfully kept her weight off but has continued to inspire others. If you are on a weight loss journey yourself or know someone who is, I cannot encourage you to listen to this episode enough. In addition, her show is excellent and a highly recommended listen. You can learn more about Heather at http://www.halfsizeme.com To learn more about your host, check out http://www.jasonleenaarts.com and like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionaryou Download, subscribe, share with your friends and please take a moment to leave us an iTunes review.

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