Well – kind of. It’s really a “love-hate” relationship.
And after 12+ years of teaching fat loss to thousands of people I’ve identified 4 valid reasons I absolutely despise New Year’s.
I hate them ALL. Every. Single. Reason.
Why?
Because they all require some type of sacrifice.
And they also require consistent EFFORT and PLANNING. I know. NOT what we want to hear, but it’s the harsh reality of the world that we live in.
And if you want this to be your “best” year ever, it’s on you.
So here they are. FOUR reasons I hate New Years.
Reason #1: You HAVE To Set MEANINGFUL Goals!
You’ll never hit a bull’s eye if you don’t know what you’re aiming at or what direction your headed.
Pretty much every single person that I’ve ever worked with has told me they want to “lose weight” and “tone up”. But they never drill down deep, get to the heart of the matter, and set a specific goal that gets them excited enough to follow through.
Abraham Lincoln once said: “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
I couldn’t agree more. Especially when it comes to weight loss. The problem? Most people don’t even know how to set goals properly, let alone achieve them.
Why should we even bother setting goals in the first place? Here are a few of the many reasons:
Goals serve as a road map for us to live by.
Goals give us a sense of purpose and fulfillment every day.
Goals are guaranteed to improve your overall quality of life.
There’s a specific formula to use when structuring your goals. It’s called the S.M.A.R.T. formula. If you’ve never learned about this formula, here’s a quick overview of how it works:
Specific. Break them down. When, where, what time, how much, etc.
Measurable. You can’t track if you don’t consistently measure. Tracking and measuring equals consistent progress.
Action-oriented. They’re always based on some type of action.
Realistic. You need to make sure you stretch and push yourself out of your comfort zone a little, but make sure you’re not unrealistic. Otherwise you could self sabotage your goals. This is different for every person.
This is the same exact formula I use with all my premium fat loss coaching clients. We help you set specific, measurable goals and of course, deadlines to meet those goals.
We also track your results every single week just in case we need to re-evaluate and adjust your goals.
“You’re either regressing or growing, nothing stands still – so block off some time now to set your goals!”
Reason #2: You HAVE To Find REAL Motivation!
One of the most powerful ways to get motivated and follow through is finding your big “why”. Your reason “why” typically goes much deeper than something physical like, “I want to lose weight, feel better, and fit into my skinny jeans again.”
It usually involves some type of emotional triggers; things like relationships, self esteem, or even serious health challenges. Most of you know my story by now, but for our new followers, it was my relationship with my daughter…
I wanted more than anything to actively be a father and consistently be a part of my daughter’s life. In fact, it became the motivating factor that allowed me to be selected as a Grand Champion 1st Runner-up in the now famous Body for LIFE™ contest.
I ended up losing almost 20 pounds of fat while simultaneously gaining 5 pounds of lean calorie burning muscle in only 12 short weeks…all while cutting my exercise time in half.
Honestly, the physical transformation pales in comparison to what happen to every other area of my life. I’m happy to report my daughter is now 19 and we have an awesome relationship. This is the REAL reward.
It also serves as just a small example of what can happen to you when you’re given the right motivation. Finding a powerful enough reason “why” is how you can easily break through exercise and nutrition procrastination.
You have to know “why” you want to reach your goal. If you don’t, you’ll never commit 100% and you’ll will wimp out the second the going gets tough.
So ask yourself why is it so important for you to finally “tone up” and “lose weight”. How is this going to improve the quality of your life?
How will you feel? How can you take all of the newly found confidence and energy to inspire your friends and family to do the same!
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel or follow a crash diet. You just have to plug into a proven system and stay motivated enough to follow through.
“There are two ways to learn – Mistakes and Mentors. Following a mentor is much, much easier that the insanity of making the same ole’ mistakes.”
Reason #3: You HAVE To Follow A PROVEN Plan!
Sorry, showing up to the gym or getting on a treadmill isn’t going to cut. It never has. You NEED strategy. Bummer – I know, but you can’t just “show up” and expect a breakthrough. It’s all about having a proven plan to follow.
So once you have your goals set and you’re motivated, you have to follow a proven plan. It’s not about reinventing the wheel. Just look at who has been successful and mimic their behaviors.
Simple. Not easy – but it truly can be simple.
One thing I learned years ago is that more is NOT better when it comes to exercise.
I recommend about 4 to 6 hours of exercise a week – max. That is only 3% of your time.
And if you knew you could invest 3% of your time to automatically increase the rewards and focus ten fold in every other area of your life, would you commit?
Of course you would! And if you can’t commit 3% of your time to reaching your goals then you probably aren’t ready to commit.
Next, you have to use a plan that addresses every aspect of fat loss.
Most folks will try to eat right, but skip the workouts. Other people exercise like a machine, but eat like crap. Still others will completely leave out strength training, which is one of the most important aspects of fat loss.
In other words, cardio/intervals, strength training, or nutrition all by themselves won’t do diddly.
It’s the SYNERGISTIC approach of using all 3 of these things consistently that really forces your body to feed on ugly body fat and allows you to build habits that last for 2012.
In other words, you also have to commit to changing your eating habits. SHOCKING – I know.
Sometimes when life gets hectic, you can slack a little bit on workouts, but you’ll never see visible fat loss results unless you’re consistent with nutrition.
“Half of getting what you want, is knowing what you have to give up to get it.”
REASON #4: You HAVE To Use An Accountability System
In my 20+ year journey as both an entrepreneur and fitness expert, I have struggled with the balance between my passion for fitness and my desire to succeed in business and my personal life.
I’ve had times where I’ve failed miserably and I’ve had times where I’ve accomplished things I never thought were possible.
Soooooo…what was the difference between the successes and failures?
One word: ACCOUNTABILITY.
Everyone needs someone to be accountable to. It’s one of the secrets of the fat loss journey!
To illustrate my point, just look at the true definition of accountability and let it resonate for a minute.
ac•count•a•bil•i•ty -noun the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable.
REAL accountability is the key to taking your results to a new level and finding a healthy balance between your personal life, your business life, and a fat loss lifestyle.
In order for you to be successful in business, you have to hold yourself accountable to certain daily tasks and/or large projects.
When it comes to being a parent or a mate, we also hold ourselves accountable to spending time with our children and our significant others.
If you don’t have accountability, your business and financial life will suffer right along with your relationships and family life.
The same is true with exercise, nutrition, and your health.
Most people fail with keeping the weight off because they lack an accountability system. One thing we highly recommend is letting everyone you know, (family, friends, co-workers) exactly what your goals are and WHEN you’re going to reach them!
Be careful. There are few negative people in this world…and they move around a LOT.
In other words, I recommend being very selective with whom you decide to share your goals. Invest your energy and time with people who support your goals.
This will definitely hold you accountable because every time you see them the first thing they are going to ask is how are you doing and have you reached your goal yet?
The Final Analysis
There will never be a perfect time in your life to begin developing fat loss and fitness habits, but New Years is sometimes a painful reminder of the sacrifices necessary to make 2012 your best year ever.
The best thing you can do is seek and find an accountability system that best fits your personality.
I have all kinds of unique tricks and techniques to accelerate your rate of fat loss – BUT…the best one is the one that you’re willing to make a commitment to and be consistent with.
Most programs and diets out there will get you at least some results, if you stick to them.
If you’ve followed our blog for any amount of time you probably know by now that our workouts are unique, fun, and based on science, but if you don’t commit and stay consistent they will only take you so far.
Anybody can find a nutrition plan to follow and a workout to do.
The real secret is to find a place where they motivate you, inspire you and help you become the best you that you can be.
Everyday I wake up with this one goal in mind.
There’s a bazillion ways to skin the cat. After you follow the steps above, it’s all about EFFORT and how much you are willing to give of yourself!
Maybe you can do this on your own. But I can tell you from experience it’s way more fun with the support of people who care along with a proven system to follow.
And once you make the decision, your goal is already achieved! It just hasn’t arrived yet!
Getting the body you want and the healthy lifestyle you desire is more important than ever in today’s busy world of information overload. It’s the ability to figure out what’s going to get you to your goals fastest – and then learning how to say “no” to all the other scams and quick fixes.
Always remember: “There is no gain without pain.” (Benjamin Franklin)
It isn’t just about having a plan…it’s about following through.
And this stuff works on every person who decides to take action.
I call these people 3%ers. Who are the 3%ers? People who follow the 4 steps above and actually get off their lazy you-know-what and do something.
But sometimes it hurts because you have to delay selfish gratification. I wish I could tell you it was easy. That it works OVER NIGHT.
Or…that you could just “pop a pill”.
Or you could eat pizza and ice cream all day. Ya, that’s what I wish I could invent; “The Hamburger and Ice Cream Diet”.
No planning. No work. No sweat. Easy-Cheesy.
That’s why I HATE New Year’s.
Because whether it’s your body, your health, or ANY area of your life – “easy” doesn’t exist.
And it never will.
And because you and I both know that it’s impossible to get the body of your dreams without effort AND the right strategy, it’s mandatory to take an “inside out” approach.
First, I talked about why you NEED slow boring cardio at least one time per week. We call this sequence the aerobic/endurance A/E (aka – steady state) system.
Second, I revealed the system that most people totally ignore – the Threshold system, which is responsible for preventing “adaptation” or plateaus.
Today I’m back with Part 3, the creatine phosphate system, which ties it all together and can literally explode your results – when it’s applied properly.
This sequence reveals an approach that is FAR superior than traditional interval training, but very few understand how to “access” the hormonal benefits of this system properly.
This is the second anaerobic energy system and it fuels maximum and near-maximum efforts such as sprints or metabolic bursts.
Only tiny amounts of creatine phosphate are stored in the muscles, so this energy system cannot support efforts lasting much longer than 10 to 30 seconds.
This type of intensity and workout tends to burn more calories per minute than all workouts of lesser intensity. As you probably already know, they also keep the body’s metabolic rate elevated for hours after the workout.
Aerobic and threshold exercise can cause a similar “after burn” effect, but it is not as pronounced.
However, this does not mean you should do only sprint-intensity cardio workouts if your goal is weight loss and you have limited time to work out. Bursting and sprint workouts are too stressful to perform more than two to three times a week, and remember, they’re only effective when they build on an aerobic foundation.
Sprinting or bursting workouts are also an excellent supplement to strength training because they condition the same energy system and develop the same muscle fibers.
After some practice, you can put a greater emphasis on this type of training – but you must “build” up to it.
Just click the play button above and I reveal ALL the details about how this works and how you can use it to save time and TRIPLE your fat loss.
There are a few BIG lessons you’ll discover about your long term fat loss in today’s video.
Yes – it’s THAT important.
Now that we’ve covered all 3 Advanced Interval Sequencing™ systems, here’s how you can turn this philosophy and approach into a “lifestyle” so your results are actually guaranteed.
Just click the link below and grab your risk free hard copy DVDs of the newly released 24/7 Fat Loss system from my friends Joel Marion and Craig Ballantyne.
As soon as you place your order, just send your receipt to support (at) get leanin12.com and we’ll instantly “hook you up” with my FREE bonus:
So many people place such a priority on making money or pursuing things for personal gain that they forget how to maintain optimum balance in their lives.
I’m so passionate about today’s post that I even created a *free* pdf for you to download (see below) so you can measure, track, and apply this technique to live a better life.
If you’re anything like me, sometimes life gets a little hectic and out of balance.
This is usually when exercise and nutrition slip to the bottom of the “to do” list and the next thing we know it’s 10 pounds later. Yikes!
Let’s just look at all the areas we have to pay attention to on a daily and weekly basis.
Family and Relationships
Love Life or Marriage
Health and Fat Loss
Career, Hobbies, or Passions
Mental / Education (Personal Growth)
Money and Finance
Spiritual Growth
Gets me overwhelmed just looking at the list. You?
This is something that typically affects everyone. In other words, if you breathe and have a pulse, you probably struggle with balance in your life.
Welcome to the reality of today’s fast moving day and age.
What if there was a simple, 5-minute exercise that you could do to get your life right back on track?
Today, I’m going to share a very powerful little tool you can use to automatically keep your life balanced.
We call it the Circle of Life, and it’s a great “wake-up” call for a lot of people.
But first, I want to focus on the one key area that will positively impact and fuel every other area.
What is it? Health and Fat Loss.
If you give your health and your fat loss consistent attention, several things will happen – automatically.
You’ll create more time in your schedule for the other areas.
You’ll have more energy and focus to serve the other areas.
You’ll always maintain a P.M.A. and avoid P.L.O.M. (Poor Little Ole’ Me) disease.
You’ll live longer, feel better, and exude unstoppable confidence.
We have found over the years that the discipline and energy you use to make time for your health and fat loss will automatically move into the other areas.
Most people think the exact opposite.
They say:
“I don’t have time to exercise.” Or “I’m an emotional eater.” Or “I don’t have enough energy or motivation to follow through” Or “I’ll start next week.” Or “I’m just not into it right now.”
Sound familiar? Puuuleeeease don’t fall for this trap.
Make exercise and healthy eating a priority and your life will become MORE balanced…not LESS.
It’s a weird phenomenon, but it works. EVERY. TIME.
Ok, back to the Circle of Life.
You’re gonna love this…
Here’s how it works.
Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 for each of the key areas of your life on the Circle. (See video above.)
The number 1 means you’re failing miserably and not giving that area any attention.
The number 10 means you’ve achieved everything you want to achieve in this area you’re giving it your full attention.
Personally, I’m never a “10” in any area because I should always be improving.
In other words, if you’re a “10”, it should mean that you’re dead because you’re either regressing or growing. Nothing stands still.
Here’s your download. Just click this link, print this bad boy out and make copies.
In today’s short, eye opening video you’ll learn all about Sequence 2: Threshold.
A “hidden” metabolic system to help you access, release, and burn more stubborn body fat.
And since the holidays are right around the corner, NOW is the perfect time to try this Advanced Interval Sequencing™ approach.
You see, by using the sequencing technique in today’s video you’ll force your metabolism to burn a combination of glycogen (carbs) and fat, which prevents exercise “adaptation”, creates more of an overall calorie deficit during and after the workout, and helps prevent the boredom that we associate with traditional cardio.
Here’s A Quick Summary of the Science:
When using the Threshold system you enter anaerobic glycolysis, where glucose is broken down for energy without the use of oxygen.
This process is faster than aerobic metabolism, so it can support higher-intensity efforts. However, glycolysis produces metabolic waste products that inhibit muscle contractions, resulting in exhaustion.
The aerobic system can use these waste products as fuels, but when exercise intensity crosses a certain threshold, wastes are produced faster than they can be used. They then accumulate in the muscles, which begin to “burn” and feel weak, and pretty soon you’re pooped.
Working out at an intensity level that is slightly above this threshold also carries significant benefits. To begin with, it simply enhances the cardiovascular benefits that come from aerobic training.
But by adding threshold workouts into your program, you can continue your progress and prevent plateaus.
Threshold workouts are also very effective in transforming body composition.
They burn calories at a faster rate than aerobic workouts, so they represent the “middle of the road” when it comes time-efficiency and exercise.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that threshold workouts are only beneficial when they build on a base of aerobic training (Sequence 1: Aerobic/Endurance A/E, aka – Steady State).
For more serious exercisers and athletes, training in the Threshold Sequence greatly enhances the body’s ability to recover between short, hard efforts in a workout or while performing sequence 3 intervals (revealed on the next blog post).
This allows you to do more advanced workouts and get a more pronounced effect from them.
Hence, the term I’ve coined Advanced Interval Sequencing™.
Just click the play button and I’ll give you all the details and reveal exactly how you can apply this sequence.
Lastly, I’ve developed an entire manual based on this approach. And when you grab 24/7 Fat Loss through my link below…I’ll instantly hook you up with my brand new guide: PLATEAU BUSTERS: Advanced Interval Sequencing™
An 8 Week Progressive Exercise Guide Strategically Designed To ATTACK And Burn Stubborn Body Fat.
Instantly Yield FASTER Results from Your Exercise Efforts…
Hey everybody! Hope you’re awesome.
Today I have a short presentation, which shows you how to instantly yield FASTER results from your cardio and/or interval approach.
Simply put, this tried and true technique forces the release of massive amounts of free fatty acids into the bloodstream and melts them off through an advanced protocol that’s scientifically proven.
Additionally, did you know there are actually 3 DIFFERENT metabolic systems you can “access” with your cardio workouts to consistently overcome exercise adaptation?
Best of all, this unique approach will help you “target” lower belly fat (the muffin top, pooch or keg), lower back fat (saddle bags), and even hip and butt fat (the dreaded pear syndrome).
I’m sure you’ve heard by now (cuz it’s all over the interweb) that 24/7 Fat Loss is officially “live”, and when you grab it through the link below you’ll also get my brand new Advanced Interval Sequencing™ guide, Plateau Busters for FREE!
Yes…I’m trying to bribe you, but it’s an ethical bribe loaded with value
Let’s quickly touch on how my new Advanced Interval Sequencing™ is different and why it’s something you don’t want to miss out on.
So here’s the dealio…
Plateau Busters is an 8 Week Progressive Interval Sequencing™ Guide Strategically Designed To ATTACK and “Burn Off” Stubborn Body Fat.
How is this different?
Just take a look at what you’ll get inside my new guide:
An introduction to the most advanced and powerful fat burning interval protocol on the planet: The Ultimate Cardio Sequence 2.0 (along with the original game changer – The Ultimate Cardio Sequence 1.0)
My Ab Targeted Cardio (ATC) workout (NEVER released to the public until now) which is strategically set up to increase blood flow so you can burn stubborn fat from the stomach area while working in synergy with Interval Sequencing™
24 workouts set up in a specific order to yield the fastest results possible from an 8 week interval program
You’ll also discover exactly how to access the 3 metabolic systems I touch on in today’s video to overcome exercise adaptation (aka – the dreaded exercise and diet plateau).
I can assure you; this is unlike any type of interval training you’ve ever tried before.
The final result after 8 weeks: Defined upper (and even lower) abs and a lean toned stomach. I’ve been using this strategy with my local clients here in Michigan and the results are blowing people away.
So right now you can get your hands on Advanced Interval Sequencing™ for FREE when you grab 24/7 Fat Loss risk free through this link:
Just forward your receipt to support [at] getleanin12.com and we’ll instantly “hook you up”.
And “hey” – if you decide 24/7 Fat Loss is NOT for you, THAT’S cool too!
At least watch today’s video and share it with everybody if you “like” it and I’ll be back in a few days with more details on this sneaky approach.
Enjoy,
Shaun
P.S. I’m pretty damn proud of this new guide and a LOT of research and real world in-the-trenches application went into creating it for you…so do yourself a favor this holiday season -
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