I’ve been reading a ton of nutrition and health books recently (I promise I will share those in an upcoming newsletter soon!), but I decided to switch things up recently and instead read one of the books that’s been on my “books I want to read” list for quite a while now.
I know you have one of those, too 😂 or maybe a stack of books you keep saying you’re going to read someday. Maybe this book could actually help with that too.
As I began to read this book, I couldn’t help but connect so much of what he says to nutrition and fitness. The concepts he talks about for building habits is exactly what is going to help you change your health successfully and sustainably, which is what you want.
A few key concepts he explains as related to health and fitness:
Small habits and changes accumulate over time. You can get 1% better every day for a year or you can get 1% worse every day for a year. You might not notice these differences day to day or even week to week, but after a few months or a year, they make a big difference.
You can work out every day for a week and notice no changes, but after a few months or a year of consistently working out, you’ll have completely transformed your body.
The same goes for healthy, nutrient-dense meals full of protein. You might not notice much after a few days of doing this, but keep it up for months or even a year, and you’ll be amazed at how your life changes.
Because we can’t see these changes right away, most people give up and never have the opportunity to see the transformation transpire if they would have stuck with it.
So, don’t quit. Keep going, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
Goals are good for setting up a direction, but systems are best if you want to make progress. While you might have a goal of losing 20 pounds, you need to focus on the systems you’re implementing to get there. What are you eating? How are you eating? When will you prepare your meals? How often will you work out? When will you work out?
One of the reasons I’ve been able to stick to a regular workout program for years now is because it goes in my calendar, just like any other appointment I have. My goal might be a reduction in body fat, but my system is my scheduled workouts along with knowing exactly what I need to eat to get there. That’s the system.
You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems. If you’re lost on what that system looks like for you to reach your goal, check out Fat Loss 101.
Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve, focus on who you want to become. Instead of thinking about how much weight you need to lose to “be fit,” focus instead on being a fit person. What does a fit person eat? What time does a fit person go to sleep? Act as if. But you really have to believe you are this person.
When the chips fried in vegetable oil come to the table - what do you think? Do you think “Damn, I want to eat those chips, but I really shouldn’t because I want to lose weight,” or do you think “Sure, those chips look good, but I don’t want those chips because I am a healthy person and I don’t eat unhealthy, toxic foods like that.” That’s an identity and mindset shift that’ll make a massive impact on your life.
Once you can really change your view of yourself, your habits shift. And vice versa. Your habits can change the way you think about yourself. Keep showing up at the gym even if you don’t want to, and then all of a sudden you’re someone who doesn’t miss a workout.
When faced with the day to day decisions, try asking yourself “What would a healthy person do in this situarion?”
It’s unlikely that you’re going to be perfect all of the time. It’s okay to miss a workout one day or have one meal that’s not the healthiest, but the key is to never miss two workouts in a row or have two unhealthy meals in a row. That’s a habit. If you can’t make it to your workout today, fine, but tomorrow it’s a priority. You went a little crazy with dinner out last night, fine, but you’re back on track the next meal.
I hope that helps inspire you today. I highly suggest this book if you’ve struggled with creating and/or sticking to new habits, especially when it comes to health and fitness. And if you need help with your fat loss goals, creating systems, and protein and macro goals, don’t forget to check out my Fat Loss 101 course.
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