Be Better Than Average

When it comes to health and fitness, the sad truth is that most people are just average.  Now, let me back up and say that by average, I don't mean that most peoples' health and fitness is ok.  Let me explain by telling you what average has become...40 or more pounds overweight, 1 or more significant health issues, 1 or more medications, 0-1 real exercise sessions per week, only 1/4 of recommended fruits and veggies, 2 or more unhealthy habits, highly toxic due to a variety of factors, and full of nutrient deficiencies.   Does this sound like you or hit close to home?  You see, average these days is a ticking time-bomb for a major health blowout.  It also comes with extra baggage that can be devastating like depression, anxiety, low energy levels, poor self-confidence, reduced activities of daily living, negative mindsets, a lack of motivation, social pullback and more.

In my 15 years in the field, I have seen all of these things firsthand and know how much being overweight, unhealthy and unfit can impact one's life.  Even just 1 of these things can be a game-changer for somebody.  At some point, you have to realize that you will never get healthy and fit with wishful thinking, dieting, a lack of a complete lifestyle change, inconsistency, a failure to really change and make a true commitment.  Jumping on the latest, greatest weight loss plan, popping pills, riding the New Year's bandwagon or thinking just a couple small changes is all you need is going to keep you average.  That is what most people do...they put in little effort and expect maximum results. They ride a quick-fix roller-coaster instead of pacing themselves in a "marathon run."  A lifestyle change doesn't have to be overnight, but it does have to be steady, strategic and consistent.  There has to be dedicated progressive change, not just throwing a few "little bones" at a "big dog."  A mindset of overnight success and rapid results will leave you average in the long run.

Also, a lack of doing anything will surely keep you robustly average. (pun intended)  Think of it this way...A guy is standing on top of a large building and he is faced with 2 choices.  Either continue his unhealthy ways with little to no effort to make any real change and jump off the top of the building or make real, sustainable healthy changes in his life consistently over time so he is anything but average.  Well, the guy is stubborn and not willing to change so he takes his chances and chooses to jump.  As he is falling he yells, "so far so good."  I think you get the point...eventually, if you live "average," you will face a major obstacle in your life and I pray you get a 2nd chance.  We only get 1 life, so why not live ABOVE AVERAGE?  Why not make the most of your life and live healthy and vibrantly.  As Dave Ramsey says, "If you want to 'live' like no one else, you have to 'live' like no one else."  I tell people that I don't live healthy because I am trying to necessarily live a long life (quantity), but to live as good a life as I can while I'm alive. (quality)  A high quality life doesn't just happen and you will not find that kind of healthy life by just being average.  TODAY is always a great day to DECIDE to step up your game and turn up the heat from 211 to 212 degrees. That 1 degree of change lies in your mind and will.  A true above average life has to be fought for and earned!  Are you willing to fight?  Are you willing to change?  For your sake...for your loved one's sake...for your life's sake...for goodness sake, it's time!

Using Your Voice & Mind As A Weapon

A good friend of mine and I used to have many deep discussions when he lived closer.  One thing that often came up was what we summed life up with..."Voices & Choices."  So, let me explain...

The things we give VOICE to and fill our minds with are what ultimately shape our realities. Likewise, "dancing with demons" of the past or present will never free us for our future! God has given us weapons to "slay the demons" but those weapons are only activated when we make a CHOICE to activate our God-given VOICE.  A great first step is to release any "dead weight." you may have been carrying so that you can get your heart and mind into a BATTLE-READY STANCE. Now, keep in mind that whatever demon or stronghold you are facing past or present, I can guarantee you 2 things...

1) You will never have TRUE victory over that demon fighting it in your own strength, and will eventually get defeated  

2) If (CHOICE) you EXERCISE your faith (VOICE) and "join forces" with others; all of your battles will lead to victory. 

The enemy's goal is to convince us that we either are strong enough to fight our own battle (A CHOICE) or that we have nobody on our side and no VOICE to fight with!  This is one of the biggest lies of the enemy and I assure you that it will ultimately lead to defeat. God's goal is to join us to others who will fight with us for His cause like a spiritual army! If one remains isolated, they will get picked off and destroyed!  

You need to make the CHOICE to be open to building relationships with people and being PLANTED in a place that you will be able to draw strength and encouragement from when you find yourself to weak to fight or too discouraged to care or make the right choices.  Side note: regardless of how good of an exercise and nutrition plan you have, it will not work long-term if you don't first build a strong mental and spiritual foundation.  In my 15 years in the health and fitness field, I have seen countless people cycle with weight...health problems...overall fitness because they never made the choice to get to the root of their problems, listen to the RIGHT voice and then exercise their own voice through prayer, faithful declarations, and making the CHOICE to use their VOICE to speak to that big bad mountain in front of them that is blocking them from where they are supposed to get to in life.  If we choose to keep making the same choices, we can't ever expect to see real, sustainable change.  If we keep listening to the voices of: you're not good enough, you can't do it, quit trying, you are not making any progress anyways so just give up, it's not worth it, I really don't need to change, everything is ok, etc., you will find your life shaped by those voices.  At some point, you just have to get fed up with allowing yourself to keep making the choice to listen to the wrong voices or you will forever have those mountains standing in your way whether that be weight loss, body image, health problems, unforgivensss, etc.  

If you want change, you have to change! If you want a different reality, you need to make a FIRM CHOICE to listen to the RIGHT VOICE and then take steps of ACTION by exercising your VOICE (faith).  I have realized over the years that all the dietary and exercise advice doesn't do anybody much good if they don't first change their mind and heart about some things and take a forward leaning READY stance to do "battle."  Life is a battle, but there are many battles within the battle to be won or lost!  With "choices and voices" you can win those battles and get your body, mind and spirit to a better place!

FALL Into Health With 36 Ways To Improve Your Health

                      "What you put into your body, mind and spirit; you become."  ~CH



There is only 1 week left in summer; so a NEW season is about to begin!  Do you want it to be a new season of your life or same old same old?  Are you ready for a change or a fresh start?  If so, you have the option of making that a reality TODAY and the change of the seasons is not a bad time to start!  Here are 36 things (I just turned 36 so 1 for each year of my life)  that I do to help maintain/improve my health and are suggestions for you if you want to live a healthier life.  I am just giving you the bullet points, so if you want more info on any of these; please let me know and I will get it to you as I have plenty of resources.  And let's not forget that health is physical, mental AND spiritual!  Alright, here you go...

1) Take cold showers...physical, mental and spiritual benefits...

2) Play chess...mental exercise...

3) Drink non-chlorinated/non-fluoridated water.  Should drink half your bodyweight in ounces per day up to 200 lbs...then add a 1/4 ounce for every pound after 200.

4)  Don't eat/drink anything with aspartame in it!  READ THE LABELS!

5) Get regular sunshine on your skin as direct sun exposure (outside and no sunscreen with some skin exposed) at least 3 times per week for 15-20 minutes each time.

6) Take high quality supplements daily such as Greens, Multi-vitamin/mineral, fish oil and superfoods.  I use this supplement line for my daily needs www.defeatthefat.org

7)  Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night.

8)  Avoid vaccinations...especially the flu shot!

9)  Avoid medications...unless "absolutely necessary"

10)  Exercise most days of the week with a medium to high level of intensity including at least 2 strength workouts and 3 cardio workouts per week.

11)  Eat mainly, if not exclusively, NON-GMO foods!

12)  Eat a lot of healthy fats like most forms of coconut, avocados, nuts, seeds, quality wild salmon, free range/pastured eggs, etc.

13)  Avoid most sugar, fried foods and processed foods by eating organic as much as possible, preparing your own food and avoiding going out to eat most of the time.

14)  Eat an abundance of fiber-rich foods!

15)  Don't worry...pray!

16)  Don't hate...love!

17)  Don't hold grudges...forgive!

18)  Get PLANTED in a local church!

19)  Fill your mind with truth daily!

20)  Take regular vacations!

21)  Don't do everything cookie-cutter...break the mold and get off the "hamster wheel" as often as possible.

22)  Always have a challenge that you are working towards

23)  Get out of your comfort zone regularly...again, get off the hamster wheel.

24)  Engage in a hobby or 2 or 3 weekly

25)  Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up!

26)  Be a blessing to people instead of always thinking about yourself and your needs.

27)  Don't be afraid to "crack a whip" every so often as necessary...I mean...even Jesus did this in the Temple!

28)  Keep the space you work and live in as clean and orderly as "possible."

29)  Minimize debt in your life and live below your means, but don't be afraid to GIVE "above your means."

30)  Do something you're passionate about...don't just have a job...don't just make a lot of money...don't just have a title...

31)  Appreciate what you have and be thankful; don't be ungrateful for what you don't have.

32)  Don't always be serious...don't always have fun...but find a balance between the two.

33)  Poop daily...

34)  Exercise your faith (you don't get muscles by skipping your "workout")

35)  Invest in the people you are close with...

36)  Do these things consistently!

6 Mind-Altering Words/Phrases

                     6 "Mind-Altering" WORDS/PHRASES...

                              "If you get your mind right, then you can get your body right"


Our words, or in other words (no pun intended), what we choose to speak can set the course for success or failure.  Oftentimes, it is just 1 little "word-shift" that can bridge the gap from failure to success.  Afterall, our words (what we speak) becomes the foundation for our actions.  Our Creator used words to SPEAK the world into existence and He set the model for us to do the same.  WHAT WE SPEAK IS WHAT WE CREATE!  If you are not where you want to be, then I would first tell you to become very aware of the words you are speaking.  Are you speaking words of life or words of death; words of success or words of failure; words of abundance or words of lack; words of thankfulness or words of discontent?  This is a foundation for life in general, but more specifially in this blog, I will be relating it to health and fitness.  So, here we go...6 "mind-altering" words/phrases that will continually keep road blocks in your path and prevent you from ever getting to your desired destination...

1.   I don't have time.....We all have time and we all have priorities.  Get your priorities right and you will "find" time.  If you can't find time for exercise, healthy eating, etc., then you don't have a strong enough desire to be healthy and fit.  You don't want it bad enough. I assure you that there is somebody busier than you that is still "finding" time for exercise and healthy eating.  Really, it's not about finding time, but MAKING time.  For many of you, I bet I could find 2 hours in the evening where you are tuned into your favorite t.v. show or surfing the web, but unless you make the time; becoming healthy and fit will simply be just wishful thinking.

2.  I'm not ready.....Honestly, I think people are rarely ever 100% ready for anything.  IT IS NOT ABOUT BEING "READY" BUT BEING WILLING!  Just face the truth, you will never be "ready."  At some point, if you want to get on the right path to your health and fitness and beyond, you have to shift out of your mind telling you that you're not ready and shift into your heart being willing.  A willing person will get to where they want to be a lot faster than somebody who is "not ready."  I'm not ready is an easy default button to hit.  What if Noah would have said I'm not ready (or willing) to build the Ark?  How many weeks/months/years are you going to let go by throwing that cheap phrase around before you DECIDE to be willing?  If your default is I'm not ready, then you will also never be willing.  Your default has to be I'm willing!  It's ok to think I'm not ready, but you must TRAIN yourself to default to I'm willing and I promise you will get to your desired destination a lot faster.  If not, you may be 90 years old still saying I'm not ready.  The longer you wait, the harder it will be!

3.   I can't.....At least with I'm not ready, you are saying there is a "chance" you can work towards and accomplish your health and fitness goals.  However, I can't is stamping failure on yourself before you even begin.  It is giving into defeat before the battle even begins.  The mind is the battlefield of life but if you don't even fight, you will never get a victory.  Maybe you had some destructive words spoken over you as a child, maybe you have had some big "failures" or maybe you have just gotten into a habit of giving up when anything gets even a little challenging.  Regardless of which one it is, it is essential to realize that you CAN if you have trained your mind to not give in to the pressures of quitting or even worse; not even starting.  Saying I can't gets you off the hook of doing something challenging.  You have to make a decision NOW that you CAN and WILL before the pressures to quit or run the other way come.  You have to be determined to say I can for the sake of a bigger cause.  Your health is important for not just you, but others around you.  Even if you are unable to say I can, remember that "with God, all things are possible."  His strength will sustain us when we are too weak to make the right decision.

4.   I'll "try".....This is a limp way of saying maybe.  Maybe I will workout, maybe I won't.  Maybe I will eat healthy tonight, maybe I won't.  Chances are, the maybes turn into big fat NO's.  To really nail the stake into how bad this phrase is, let's put it into a sentence and see how it sounds.  "I'll try to stay married."  That's like signing a pre-nup...chances are that if you are willing to sign a pre-nup, you are just as willing to turn your "try" into BYE.  Yes, you can wave good-bye to that healthy and fit body you desire because the best you could do was "try."  Try is a weak commitment that leaves you with a hit or miss approach to your health and fitness.  Instead of using the word try, I challenge you to instead use the word will!

5.   I'm doing the best that I can.....I agree, it sounds good and heartfelt on the surface, but what does it really mean?  Well, what if your "best" that you have committed to is really only 60% of your full potential?  Our "best" often doesn't mean 100%...it's just a play on words to say that I have decided to put only a certain amount of effort into something and I am not willing to put anymore effort into that thing.  It is also an easy way to not have to face the truth.  The truth is that deep down you know that your "best" is really just a front because you don't want to change.  It's time to put your "best" to rest and put God's best to the test!

6.    Change.....A wise man once said that it is better to have changed than have to go through change.  Instead of this word being something people say, it is something people refuse to DO.  "Only when the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change do people change." Too many people have bought into the idea that change is somehow going to magically happen one day as if winning the lottery.  This will set you up to REMAIN THE SAME!  You see, change takes guts, effort, facing the truth, commitment, consistency, determination, desire, Purpose and a plan.  It's obviously not easy or you would see more people getting off the hamster wheel.  Change is an essential ingredient to bake success in life.  Thinking things will change without taking action steps to change is of course the definition of insanity.  (Doing the same things over and over again but expecting different results)  It's like thinking doing your 10th diet is going to "be the one" that gets the weight off and keeps it off.  Well, if the first 9 didn't work, I'm pretty sure number 10 is going to fail you too.  If we're not willing to change to get to where we want to go, we will remain in the same place we don't want to be.  Furthermore, we need to embrace change and be open to whatever it wants to teach us and wherever it wants to take us.  And, don't just change for change's sake, but change ON PURPOSE and WITH A PURPOSE.

Find A Way

On any path that leads to true and sustainable success, there are a great many excuses "blocking" the way.  A picture that comes to mind is the proverbial elephant with 1 leg tied to a plastic chair.  He perceives that he is tied to an immovable object and never even tries to "break free."  Have you found yourself in that same place with your health and fitness goals or your mindset?  Have you created a prison that doesn't exist in reality?  Have you doomed yourself before even really starting?  Have you manufactured reasons why you shouldn't even try to "break free" from being "tied" to that plastic chair?  Or, have you mustered up enough effort to take a few steps, but then default to: "I am not going to get anywhere anyways so why even try?"

You see, these are all mindset or perspective issues that need to be put in check before you can ever expect to see long term results in health, fitness or any area of life for that matter.  The good news is that we ALL possess or have been given the ability to overcome ANYTHING when we shift our minds to a higher perspective.  Let me show you by example.  Have you ever lost something valuable and been absolutely DETERMINED to find it no matter what the cost?  Say it's your car keys or wallet/purse or wedding ring or worst case scenario...your child.  You would do anything to find them.  You would search day and night, exhaust your resources, never give up and do everything in your power to find them right?  Think of the story of the mother who's baby was underneath a car and she actually lifted the car off the baby.  We all have that ability to DECIDE we are going to do something with no "backdoor" option.  It is an all or nothing attitude...a succeed or die trying mindset.

The problem is that a lack of health and fitness has a death grip on so many people.  Whether it is a cancer diagnosis or suffering from all the "layers" of obesity; it can seem like an insurmountable and unconquerable obstacle.  It can control you instead of you making a DECISION in your GUTS to control it!  We have all been GIVEN this capacity to utilize mind over matter and can apply to any area of our lives...health and fitness included.  Don't sell yourself short with the mindset that you are just stuck with bad health or excess weight.  Don't be fooled into thinking you are a victim either!  Every lemon can be made into lemonade and every victim can SHIFT to becoming a VICTOR!  Don't let your mind rob you of results and submit you to thinking that the power of the mind is only for special circumstances like losing a child.  The truth is that you can utilize that don't quit, not going to stop mindset over your health and fitness no matter what kind of real or perceived setbacks you may have.  Let's be realistic, there are inevitably going to be obstacles in the road,  but you can DECIDE whether they are going to be mountains or mole hills!  All we need is "faith the size of a mustard seed" right?  Just that little Voice inside of you that tells you that you CAN and you WILL instead of the "other voice" that tells you it's too hard, I'm not capable or even I'll "try."

The word "try" really treats people cheaply.  It's a tricky word though because it is often viewed as a positive thing...oh, that person at least tried or you might tell someone, I am going to try to do this or that.  But, in reality, "trying" is saying that I have one foot in and one foot out.  It is a half commitment and doesn't attach your GUTS to what you're doing or committing to.  It is accepting a 50/50 chance of failure and doesn't give a real or concrete commitment.  Just a simple word shift from maybe or try to I WILL and I CAN can position your mind towards achieving your health and fitness goals or not.  If you determine from the beginning that you will FIND A WAY because you can and you will, then there will be no room for excuses or defeat!  YOU ARE CAPABLE AND YOU WERE CREATED WITH AN ABILITY TO OVERCOME AND GET THE VICTORY!  My suggestion is to include God on your health and fitness journey and draw your strength to not quit from Him.  He didn't create us to be broken down out of shape vessels and after-all, the best place to go when you have issues with the creation is the Creator!

Do You Want To Be A Yo-Yo or Do You Want To Be An Anchor?

What's your choice?


Have you ever been vacuuming and had a stubborn little piece of something on the floor?  You move the vacuum over that thing 10...20...30 times and hit it from every angle.  That little devil is just not getting sucked up!  Don't you think it would be easier and more effective to just bend down and pick that thing up?  You could have gotten it on the FIRST TRY, but instead; what you thought was going to be the easiest way (because you didn't have to bend down and pick it up) ended up being more work, more time, less effective and probably frustrated you. AND, in the long term, that little stubborn thing is STILL on the floor!

OK...now, let's shift that thinking to dieting and weight loss.  You have "stubborn" fat on your body.  You have tried 10...20...30 times with diets (calorie restriction/low carb, etc. etc.) pills, potions, plans, ab crunchers, "just minutes a day," or on the flip side--exercise overload, and every other angle of weight loss known to man...or so you think! You also think your weight loss method is the easiest and most effective way or you wouldn't be doing it right?  Who doesn't want easy and effective!?  If I were to guess, you have probably done this over and over again with no long-term results, but for some magical reason, you feel that THIS time it will work....this (21st) time of going over that little thing on the floor with the vacuum is going to finally get it!  My question to you is: how many more times are you going to "run the vacuum over that thing" before you DECIDE to bend down and pick that thing up for good?  In other words, if you CHOOSE the right way, you ONLY HAVE TO DO IT ONCE!  The truth is that you are making it much HARDER on yourself and LESS EFFECTIVE by dieting.  In the long run with dieting, you will have put in a lot of work with no results..."that stubborn little thing is STILL on the floor."

In my 15 years, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of people throw conventional wisdom and professional advice out the window in high hopes of one of these magical plans somehow over-riding the way the body was Created to work and yielding long-term results.  What is perceived as the easy and effective way in the short term, is really just a disguise FOR LONG-TERM FAILURE!

Now, there IS a way for LONG-TERM results and I have a little weight loss secret for you...lean in...  IT IS EASIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE THAN DIETING!  Instead of burning your muscles up and calling it weight loss, you will burn your fat up and see your bodyfat% drop significantly.  The secret is: IT'S NOT WHAT THE SCALE SAYS, IT'S WHAT THE BODYFAT ANALYSIS SAYS!  To make this happen, there will be no calorie counting, no calories in vs calories out, no calorie restriction, no carbohydrate depletion, no "just minutes a day," and no exercise overload.  However, I'm not saying it will be easy, but easier than dieting.  I'm also not saying you will see it being effective right away, but you WILL have LASTING and EFFECTIVE results!

There IS a right and wrong way to eat and a right and wrong way to exercise.  Yes, everyone is different and there are variations and specific considerations, but there are some concrete, foundational principles that apply to everyone.  The bottom line is that you have to decide if you want to be a yo-yo your whole life or an anchor?  Do you want to settle for the waves of dieting that make your body go up and down; up and down...or do you want to drop your anchor into something that will keep you grounded with long-term results?

Where's The Fat?

"I would rather have FREEDOM and TRUTH with responsibility 

than have comfort with a prisoner cell."  ~CH

This month's blog is actually a snippet of the book I'm currently working on which I know could be life-changing revelation for some and is God-inspired!  

Well, the fat is just about everywhere!  Sadly, you don’t have to look very far to see it.  It could be your typical person these days that is 50-100 lbs or more overweight, on several medications for conditions they are not improving, eating french fries as vegetables and counting tv channel surfing as exercise.  It could also be the kind of fat we can’t see that is even worse for our health like past hurt from a relationship gone bad, unforgiveness towards those who have done something against us or that we hold against ourselves and anger towards God or a person that is unresolved.  Similarly, when considering both kinds of fat, there are numerous circumstances in life that cause both kinds of fat to build or store up.  We have to remember that the “fat” isn’t the issue, but what is causing that fat to accumulate.  Yes, too much “fat” storage will eventually lead to health and life problems, but if you cut off the SOURCE, you WILL cut off the supply.  Once there is no supply, the fat is sure to die.  I realize though, that this is much easier said than done.  The truth is that the “supply” we “feed” ourselves can be deeply rooted and all too often we just try to trim the weeds instead of actually uprooting them.  The weeds keep coming back and sometimes with a vengeance and we can find ourselves “holding” onto more fat than ever.

An important point here to remember is that there are really only 2 directions in life…forward and backward or hot and cold.  There is no standing still or lukewarm.  We are either becoming a better person or getting worse in who we are.  Furthermore, our bodies are either getting healthier or unhealthier.  One of the greatest lies or “fats” that is circulating out there that is stuck in peoples’ minds is that the goal of life is to be happy as well as comfortable with who you are.  That sounds good and positive to many people on the surface, but if you take a closer look, you will see that it is a severely limited mindset that will hold you back. 

First, let’s look at “being happy.”  Happiness is not a destination; it is something we have to strive for everyday of our lives.  It is a journey.  We don't just reach this magical place of being happy and stay there.  No, happiness is a choice that we have to make every day. It is an attitude that we carry around with us.  It is a way of thinking and a way of life.  Also, happiness in and of itself is a self-serving purpose because it is centered around the individual. We were created for a much greater purpose than to just simply be happy.  Many people choose shallow purposes of life like "happiness," but those that live out a much greater purpose have TRUE joy and peace in their lives.  They are focused on a bigger picture in life than just themselves.  Life is not about a certain amount of money, material, fame or fortune. It isn't about accomplishments, achievements, comfort, how we appear to everyone or what our circumstances say.  We weren't created for ourselves, but a much higher purpose to impact generations and to fix our eyes on things not of this world.  The things of this world will come and go and once we die, they won’t matter to us anymore.  We need to consider the purpose of continually improving our own lives as well as the lives of those around us so that everyone may be able to see and live the TRUTH and ditch the lies. 

Second, let’s take a closer look at being comfortable.  If you get too comfortable with your life or with who you are as a person, you are setting yourself up for a future ambush.  You will eventually become bored, tired, frustrated, disappointed and/or disgusted with the person you are or the life you are living, whether it is concerning your relationships with people including yourself and/or your own body image and health.  All of these things will hit you like a ton of bricks.  It could be that you end up realizing that all of the things that made you “comfortable” in the past have left you with a big void in your life currently.  It could be that you continued to justify and make excuses for your life or your health, all the while there was an elephant sitting in the corner that just kept getting bigger because you chose to keep feeding that elephant.  It could also be that you stayed in your “comfort zone” because you didn’t have the right things driving you or you feared the unknown.  Well, I promise you that if you always stay in your comfort zone, you will never have TRUE peace, joy and fulfillment in your life.  Furthermore, if you never step out of your comfort zone, you will never be able to face and defeat your fears and be victorious.  We were created to be VICTORS, not VICTIMS!

Staying in your comfort zone and just trying to have happiness are 2 of the most life-sucking ”fats”.  It could be eating too many comfort foods or being comfortable not exercising and buying into lies like “I will always be fat” or “My parents were unhealthy and I guess I will be too.”  These are absolute LIES that too many people begin believing and then create a reality with these lies.  These lies can develop such a stronghold on your life that you begin basing most of your decisions on them.  It really is a debilitating disease of the mind and spirit, but will manifest physically on or in your body in the form of fat or health problems. 

Another destructive fat that accumulates from staying in your comfort zone or just trying to be happy is pouring yourself into things like work, relationships, tv, video games, hobbies, etc. that are comfortable for you, but never cause you to become a better person and help you to grow into the person you were created to be.   Furthermore, if you choose to stay in your comfort zone, you will never have true happiness and will get OBESE INTERNALLY and most likely externally.  The things that make you “comfortable” are external things, but true happiness comes from the inside or the unseen things.  We need to identify the external “fats” in our lives before we can focus on getting “lean” internally.  Think of trying to focus on saving money without first establishing a budget.  You need to first figure out what the problem areas are or the areas that have an excess of “fat.”  Then you can begin doing the things that will help you to get lean and healthy inside and out.  As you do these things, you will see the fat begin to sizzle off.  You will feel better, look better, live better and be better to those around you.   You will begin to experience a more fulfilling life and will have more to offer.  As each piece of fat sizzles off, you will be one step closer to unlocking the life you were meant to live…the life you were created for.  In the upcoming chapters, each one will focus on an unhealthy fat and healthy ways to “burn” that fat for good.  Let’s get burning!

Get Healthier & Live Better With My Personal Top 10 List

                                      


Are you ready to take control of your health?  Are you tired of feeling like CRAP?  Is the medical system failing you?  Do you not know what steps to take?  No worries mate...follow these 10 principles and you will be kicking disease/sickness to the curb, turning back years, looking and feeling younger, getting super fit, and transforming your body inside and out.  So here it is.. my top 10 ways to achieve optimum health and vitality...

1.  Pray regularly and hang around others who do as well.

2.  Drink 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces or up to 120 ounces daily of filtered/purified water that is free of heavy metals, chlorine and fluoride.

3.  Avoid GMO (Genetically Modified) foods and eat a variety of preferably organic produce like spinach, broccoli, berries, avocados, tomatoes, apples, etc., unprocessed whole grains like quinoa or steel cut oats, raw nuts and seeds, legumes/lentils, healthy cold-processed virgin oils like coconut and olive, grass-fed/farm-raised/hormone and anti-biotic free organic meats, wild salmon, omega 3 loaded tuna, free range eggs and if you consume dairy, make sure it is raw/semi-raw/grass-fed or don't consume at all with the exception of unsweetened Greek yogurt.

4.  Say NO to drugs (of course "street drugs" but also PHARMACEUTICALS)

5.  Supplement daily with a HIGH QUALITY multi-nutrient complex, Greens powder and fish oil.

     AND, don't just supplement with Vitamin D, get out into the sun regularly, but be wise about it. 

6.  Avoid unnecessary and harmful exposure to chemicals/toxins in things like many household products, environmental, vaccinations (especially the flu shot), and radiation.

7.  Ensure that you get 7-9 hours of high quality sleep most nights.  There are many things that can get in the way of this and you have control over just about all of them.

8.  Don't hold onto negative feelings, thoughts, emotions, past experiences, etc.  Things like anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, past pain, jealousy, grief, worry, unhealthy relationships, etc., will eat away at the body and can cause sickness and disease.  In addition to this, find something you are passionate about and LOVE to do and do it regularly as an outlet to release negativity and feel your best.

9.  Exercise at a moderate to high intensity most days of the week and include cardio intervals and full body strength training and conditioning.

10.  Be generous and kind and love people including yourself.  Don't be selfish and self-serving, but continually pour yourself into those around you in the best ways you know how.  Give everything your best and expect the best...don't just hope for it.  Continually declare TRUTH over your life and those around you.  Believe the best and put your hope in something larger than yourself!  Be blessed!

There you have it!  Now you have MOST of my secrets!  :-)  Of course there is a lot more to say on most of these things, but you get the general idea.  Getting healthy shouldn't be a mystery and it IS attainable for everyone!  Now,time to get busy getting healthy!  You only get 1 body and 1 life...you might as well take good care of your body so you can live this life better and more fulfilled!  

Slow & Steady Finishes The Race; Healthy Momentum Wins First Place

I'm baaacck! Did you miss me? Kidding! I have been out of the blog game for 2 years but it's time to fire it back up again. I will be publishing a monthly blog at the beginning of each month that will focus on various aspects of fitness, nutrition, wellness and health. The mission will be to educate, motivate and inspire people to DEFEAT THE FAT in their lives so they can live healthier and better lives. So, let's get started!

March is an interesting month in the fitness world.  There are 2 dynamics going on!  First, you have most of the New Years resolutions dying off like the plague.  It is well-known among fitness professionals that the resolutions rarely last after 2 months.  All of the good intentions default back to bad habits.  The second dynamic is that you have the WAVE of people that have had the revelation that "skin season" (summer) is now around the corner and they are horrified with how much "skin" they are going to be showing.  This then causes them to resort to desperate measures...usually short-term fad diets, crazy fat-burning products, extreme exercise programs where they bite off more than they can chew, etc.  So basically, the healthy habits never get the momentum they need to get established and are laid to rest until "maybe somewhere in the future."  This then causes a default mindset to rise which is something like this:

I am not willing to make sacrifices NOW and establish LONG-TERM healthy habits because it is too hard, takes too long and I am not seeing results "fast enough."  So, I'm going to bypass science and truth and do it the way I feel best so that I can get (try to get) the short-term results I want now. And so the vicious yo-yo cycle begins again.  It's amazing that people will frown upon making healthy changes now and be consistent with those changes over say 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, etc. as if that is too much time to invest in getting results, YET, they will yo-yo diet/exercise for 20 years and get nowhere.  I see it too often where people will finally make some healthy changes, but then before those changes can even stick to become healthy habits, they default back to what they have been doing for years that has never given them any long-term results.

Think of the "debt snowball."  You start chipping away at 1 debt and it may seem like you are making little to no progress because there is so much debt and not a lot of money to pay it down in the short-term.  However, if you are CONSISTENT with paying it down over time you will not only put a big dent in it; you will eventually ELIMINATE it FOR GOOD!  Most people don't get that "snowball" rolling fast enough down the mountain to see that "debt" get paid off completely.  Furthermore, they never get to experience the "magic," which is once you switch your fat-burning switch on and KEEP IT ON, the momentum of the results picks up and compounds...just like interest...the more money you have the more interest you make.  Sadly, too many fall into the trap of hopping onto another mountain like dieting and end up going too fast down the mountain and crash versus a slow, steady pace that builds healthy momentum.  In other words...CRASH DIET!  And then there is the "I'm joining a gym" or "reactivating my membership."  Just like being a member of a church doesn't make you a christian, being a member of a gym doesn't equal fitness. It's also about the right mindset, proper exercise selection, appropriate intensity/time/frequency/sets/reps/rest.  It is not uncommon for people to basically quit their gym membership before it ever really gets started or follow a proper nutrition plan (not a diet) for a week or 2 and then throw in the towel.  The KEY is MOMENTUM doing the right things CONSISTENTLY over a long enough period of TIME to see the desired results.

The good news is that if I am speaking to YOU, no worries, because you can start your HEALTHY INVESTMENT today by getting into the right mindset, following the right nutrition plan and getting the right program design.  Regardless of how much "debt" you have tried to pay off in the past, how many crash diets you have been on or how many gym memberships you have purchased or re-activated, your DECISION today to start BUILDING MOMENTUM and getting that "debt snowball" rolling is WITHIN REACH.  If you establish the healthy foundation NOW, you can save yourself years of "accumulating debt."  ARE YOU READY to do it RIGHT and keep the LONG-TERM goal IN SIGHT?

In Health & Fitness,

Clayton Halls BS-ESS, NSCA-CSCS, ACE-PT, NS

P.S. And 1 more thing on the whole momentum idea...