This is not normal!!!

So it’s almost January.. gyms will be packed.. fitness is hot.. and there’s a commercial on TV of some miracle powder that you put over your french fries so you don’t gain weight..

This is nothing new, I mean, it happens every year.  And aside from the gimmicks, I truly commend everyone on their efforts to better themselves.

But.. let’s keep it real here. .

Most ‘resolutioners’ go back to nothing in months (sad, but true)

So if you plan to start working out in January, realize that in a couple months 80% of the people you started with are back to their lazy ways… truth.

Therefore, choose your surroundings wisely, they make a huge impact on where you end up.  If you hang out with 9 bank robbers, you’ll probably turn into a bank robber. And end up in jail somehow.

If you hang out with Justin Bieber, you’ll probably end up in a fight with her. And go to jail as well.

But if you hang out with 9 strong-minded champions that eat steak, put veggies in their protein shakes and wear leather, you’ll turn heads in no time, and you will be the ultimate role model for your family.

Your surroundings and attitude are everything.

And sometimes, your surroundings might let you down..if you let yourself get down..... Just know that it’s ‘normal’ for people to quit.  It’s like that, and that’s the way it is. Just don’t be one of them.

You see it all comes back to the 80-20 rule, everyone knows it.  It states that whenever there is a group of people with identical opportunities.. only 20% will see results.

This applies to everything!!!!!!!!!!!  I did say everything!

We all have the same opportunities to get in shape.  Especially now.  There are gyms all over the place.. Workout videos on Youtube.. Blogs all over internet.. shake weight and thigh master!

You would think more Americans would ‘get it’..

BUT..

Success is not for everyone.

It’s human nature to be short-sighted and not stick to something that will pay off huge in the end.  For the ones who "stop" or don't "stick with it," well it simply isn't that important to them.... but one day it will be and then they will be S.O.L.!  Think about that for a minute, the onl reason we do anything in this world is because there is "importance" to it, you decide what that "importance" is or how it relates to you.... and on the flip side, the reason we don't do something is simply because "it isn't that important and we just don't care to do it."  I challenge you to prove me wrong......

One of my coaches once told me:
“Life is hard if you live it the easy way. Life is easy if you live it the hard way.”

80% will go the easy way.. thus making it hard on themselves and their families.



But not you.. YOU are part of the 20%.

Why?

Because for one, you opened this email, which shows you have interest in getting in superhero shape.

And for two, because I say so. :)

YOU are going to be part of the 20% this year, no matter what.

I don’t care what you’re thinking right now.. But if you’ve read this far into this email, I want to make SURE you get the body of your dreams this year.

I’ll keep sending you the stuff that WORKS for fat loss. And if you ever need anything – just hit reply and reach out to me.

But in order for this to work, you’ll need to promise yourself something.

That is to stop all short-term thinking, and take full responsibility for where you are in life right now.

We’re all grown-ups here (well most of us, except for … nevermind). We know life is not designed to give you what you WANT..  It’s designed to give you what you deserve.

Nobody owes you anything. If you’re successful, it’s because of you. If you’re not.. it’s because of you.

And it doesn’t take much to get sidetracked.

All around you there are signs of weakness:
- Overweight coworkers bringing donuts to work-everyday!
- Quick fix “weight loss” supplements
- Lapband radio commercials
- Friends asking “when are you going to eat normal again?”..(that’s a good one, I always suggest responding with, “right after you and I go swimsuit shopping together.”)

I can go on, but you get the picture.

Don’t be normal. Be you instead.

Happy Holidays,
Greg

Don’t mess this up now......

Once upon a time, there was this High School Cross Country team, and every week they would run a race… Every week 50 runners would start, and as the race went on, the stronger ones started to pull ahead, and the weaker ones fell behind. Ben is not the fastest runner on the team, he has never won a race, and most likely never will.

Ben has cerebral palsy..

This is a condition where there is “physical disability in human development” .. or in other words, when Ben would run, his twisted spine, tender muscle, and dragging feet would cause him to fall down (.. then hit the ground hard, then he’d pick himself up to keep going)

To outsiders, people with cerebral palsy can appear to be ‘broken’, and it’s no wonder that Ben would fall behind a LOT during the race. Every race the pack would run so far ahead of him that he’d lose sight of them, and then he would be all alone. No matter how big his mental strength, he would get frustrated and fed up with his condition. Everyone else would finish the race after about 25 minutes, but for Ben it would always take at least 45 minutes…When Ben eventually crosses the finish line, he is exhausted and in extreme pain. But in the end, he did what he set his mind to, and he proved to himself that there is not such thing as a handicap Of course, he is a TOTAL inspiration to all of us.

BUT……... that’s not what I’m writing you about here.

This is not a story of mental toughness, throwing out your excuses, and picking yourself back up after you fall down. Those are great lessons, no doubt, but we don’t need Ben to learn those lessons. There are many others who inspire us just as much, and we can always just watch a Rocky movie if we want. The lesson in this email is much deeper.

Because in every race, after 25 minutes, something amazing happens. When everyone else is done with their race, they all run back….. to run with Ben. Ben is the only runner, who when he falls, has someone to help him back up. And when Ben finishes, he has all the runners behind him. Crossing the line as a team with the same common goal - to get Ben to finish and be part of the team. Now what THIS teaches us, is that when you compete against everyone else, nobody wants to help you.
 
.. but when you compete against YOURSELF, everyone wants to help you.

And there are 2 reasons I’m telling you this:

REASON ONE
We are in the darkest month of Fitness… It’s called December.

In December the average American gains 9 pounds of fat.

Or in other words, in December, the average American gets flabby.

And it’s all because of the first and second WEEKS..
 
The first week of December is when many Americans decide to ‘pause’ their workouts for a month… Then blablabla, come January they want to come back, New Years Resolutions, blabla, broken record, put on some hiphop instead, got a condo ‘round my neck - girl, I’m cashin’ out… 

My lecture to you today is to pay ZERO attention to your surroundings at this very moment, IF.. tight arms, a flat stomach, and lean legs is what you want, then go get it. The time of the year and the people around you have nothing to do with your goals. Just in case you missed that, I’ll say it again, The time of the year and the people around you have nothing to do with your goals. 

If ‘they’ decide to take part in the 'holiday weight gain party' then that’s cool, but not you. It’s so easy to do what everyone else does. It’s easy to rationalize you ‘taking time off’ if all your coworkers do the same. Don’t fall for that. Live in your own world. One where everyone is friendly and knows your name, like Cheers or Lakeside Fitness Center… and you do more than anyone ever would expect of you.

REASON TWO
The second reason I told you this story is because the only person you should ever ‘beat’, is yourself. Never lose sight of that. Stop staring at celebrities or fitness models.. you’re not out to beat them or be like them.. (and getting inspiration from fitness models is like eating tofu or trying to listen to Justin Beiber records, you end up disappointed). If you want inspiration, flex your quads and look at your side profile after a heavy leg workout.

Nothing should ever motivate you more than your OWN results (and the firmness of your butt ladies). What the others do is of no relevance to you, so don’t be inundated by them. For instance, not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me: “How do you guys compare to XYZ Gym? Are you better than 24-Hr Fitness? What about P90X?” My answer is that I have no idea… I do not care what or how they do things, and I really mean that, and we are by no means better than our competition on all aspects…. (Just kidding, we actually are, if there was “competition” – after all, here we wear leather jackets and ride Harley Davidsons)

All I know is that the work we’re doing right now is better than it was 6 months ago. And the work we will be doing 6 months from now will be better than the work we’re doing today. So imagine if you, yes you, step it up and today you start working harder towards your goal, how will you be next year? I’ll raise my hand and answer for you, it’s simple, simply be better.. and better.. and better.. and better.. so that whatever comes into your life right now will either have to grow with you or hit the road.

It’s December 10th as I write this – the summer is long gone and summer 2014 will be here soon, so ignore the lazy, get clarity, and follow what you want to achieve. 

Now go workout today.... with intensity!

Know what I mean?
Yours in intensity,
Greg
Lakeside Fitness Center