2020… such crazy bullsHIIT (do you like how I threw that fitness spin into the word? 🙊😁)
The world has been turned upside down…
- virtual shut-down coast-to-coast and throughout the world in late-March.
- social and political unrest in the midst of the quarantine in May and still continuing.
- tentative, gradual reopening of business and resumption of life in June.
- and now, MORE positive cases and hospitalizations and consequent re-closure of certain businesses here in San Diego and around the state/country.
Wow…
What about the world of Level One Training and Fitness? We reopened on June 15th and have several people enrolled in our Afterburn classes along with a few clients working out with us in-studio.
And, the big news coming later this month?
- we’re going to be building out a larger Community and
- we’re going to be launching our virtual training app and doing test runs with a few people!
Why? Because in 3 weeks (July 21), Level One Training and Fitness will be 9 years old!
The Learning Process Shouldn’t Stop
If it ever does, you’re missing something.
I’d be lying to you if I told you all I’ve learned in the last (almost) decade of business were things only related to personal training and fitness:
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about business.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about MY business.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about sacrifice.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about love.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about people.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about perseverance.
- I’ve learned (a LOT) about me.
In addition to all of that, in the last 6 months I’ve learned about what is okay and what is not okay about the world, fitness in particular, AND myself.
I’ve also learned that what I “want” is vastly different from what I “need.” (Don’t worry, no psychoanalysis … at least not in this post 😏).
The BullsHIIT
Now so I don’t bore you with my perspectives on the CORNUCOPIA of issues we’re facing in the world these days, let me bring it down to these three fitness things:
- “immunity” bullsHIIT – a few, so-called “fitness professionals” spew out this BS on social media accounts, blogs, YouTube videos, and on and on. That group includes a few “medical professionals.” “COVID immunity elixirs” – are you kidding me?!
- and likely tied for first place… bullsHIIT “diets” – *eye roll* Where do I even begin? High fat, low carb. High carb, low fat. Low fat, low carb. High fat, high carb. And we haven’t even touched protein! What is the point?!
- bullsHIIT “reality” – please don’t misunderstand me on this one. I’m referring to “fitness reality” and how ridiculously warped it is these days. This came about after a social media follower suggested I post pics of myself online so I would appear “more real.” More real than what?!
So let’s circle back…
#1 – Stop with the “immunity” bullsHIIT already…
Just.
Stop.
For the love of…
It’s a travesty when self-proclaimed AND appropriately designated “professionals” peddle nonsense on the internet. And for what? To gain more misguided, uninformed followers? To project their so-called beliefs onto others? Worse yet, just to make a buck?! BullsHIIT.
With all of the COVID turmoil in the world, there are many who have taken the opportunity to do immense good for others. Unfortunately, there are also a few who have taken/are taking advantage of others by capitalizing on fear, ignorance, lack of education, and/or lack of critical thinking skills.
It’s downright repulsive when such “professionals” serve only themselves by promoting fear and confusion in the very people they’re supposed to be helping.
Please, do your due diligence and research things to the best of your abilities before drawing any conclusions. Be brave, ask questions. Maybe the person is right. Maybe they’re wrong. Either way, try to find out rather than being brainwashed and following blindly. You owe it to yourself to do your own thinking for you. Educate yourself on the bullsHIIT people are spouting.
#2 – The bullsHIIT “diet(s)”
I don’t even know how to get a handle on this other than by challenging ANYONE who wants to be on a diet by asking them “why?” (My clients know this about me 😂) What physiological need have you uncovered about yourself which absolutely requires you to be on a diet of any sort?
If you’re unable to reply with a “because I have high blood pressure, I have diabetes, I have heart disease” or some other medical necessity (or because your competing in something), I will call “bullsHIIT” and have you go through a mental exercise of distinguishing between wants versus needs. 😉
I do get it, however… every once in a while, we’ll find ourselves in a position of feeling like something is not right about ourselves (I’m equally guilty!) Naturally, we try to correct this perceived flaw; we look for a “fix,” a solution to what bothers us. The only problem is, we haven’t even clearly identified what’s truly wrong (if anything)! Sometimes, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with exercise and nutrition.
Now, if you just want to have fun with the world’s zany bullsHIIT and try out a diet for a week or two (or three), then by all means… have fun! I recall having done that several years ago when the Paleo diet was IN – remember those days? But again, only fun.
Why? Because you need to consider these things when deciding to go on a diet (especially a bullsHIIT one:
- are you going to eat that particular way/drink those shakes/take those drops for the rest of your life? What are the long-term effects that you can’t see right off the bat (blood chemistry, sugar, etc)?
- and let’s suppose you reach your goal with the diet. Then what? Did it teach you anything about what to do afterward? Do you just quit the diet and go back to your old ways? What’s next?
If you have no reasonable answers to those questions, I’d say learn more or find another route to your fitness goal.
You are in charge of your body, no one else. This means you are responsible for what you put into it – food, beverage, and bullsHIIT! Unfortunately, as Americans, we don’t really teach how to take care of ourselves in this fashion. That means it behooves you to learn about what makes you tick. Educate yourself on you.
#3 – the bullsHIIT “reality”
Just wow… I must REALLY be getting old to have to address this one. 😂 There is reality and there is fantasy. I’m harping on this because a social media follower told me to post more shirtless pics of myself online.
Seriously?
For what purpose?
The reason I’m a personal trainer with a fitness business is because I believe I can help others:
- exercise more consistently,
- make healthier eating choices, and
- live a healthier lifestyle all in the name of achieving a certain goal(s).
Sorry, not sorry… posting shirtless pictures of myself does NOTHING to educate others on how to do those any of those 3 things.
The reality
Your fitness reality is the unequivocal, indisputable, OBJECTIVE state of YOUR fitness TODAY. How much you weigh. What your tolerance for exercise is. What your genetics “say” about you and what they “permit” you to do. Where your daily macros/micros come from. Your blood pressure, weight, circumference measurements, waist-to-hip ratio, and on and on. These things and what you have done to get there are YOUR fitness reality.
This reality extends on to what you have decided for yourself (remember #2 above? The burden of your personal care lies solely on you?) How much time do you make for yourself and exercise? How much thought do you put into your grocery shopping? How much thought have you put into your weekly at-home menu? How much thought have you put into making any necessary changes and what actions have you taken?
On the flip-side…
Your fitness fantasy may (or may not) exist because of the incessant marketing being blasted into your face on social media, the internet, billboards, magazines, TV, gyms, celebrity trainers, and more. This fantasy may include one, some, or all of the following:
- six-pack abs
- the perfect physique
- the bright white smile
- the perception of perfection on glossy magazine pages
- buns of steel
- something else
This fantasy then extends on to:
- “challenges”
- “cleanses”
- “ultimate workouts”
- “30 second abs”
- “the ONLY workout you’ll ever need”
- and blah blah blah and more blah
Are you kidding me?!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with a client who tells me they “failed” their last program because they couldn’t complete a challenge or a workout. What is a challenge teaching you? That carbs are bad? What is a cleanse teaching you? That you can magically whisk away toxins in your body with a bottle of juice? What is the ultimate workout or 30 second abs or “the ONLY” workout you’ll ever need really teaching you? That you can undo years of less than healthy choices in a few weeks or months? BullsHIIT.
If anyone failed anything , believe me, it wasn’t you – it was the person you paid money to that was supposed to help you and educate you. That person failed you!
A person’s mind is THE single most powerful organ in their body, hands down; it’s a waste when it isn’t encouraged or supported to its fullest potential. It’s a waste when it’s relegated to following a few dozen words on a page and as a result, ignores that person’s abilities for independent thought and action. It’s a short-cut for a trainer that doesn’t want to deal with the human aspect of what it means to be a client.
Making you do exercises and follow meal plans? That’s easy. Getting people to be okay with themselves, learn about things, and change for better health? That’s the tough part. Educate yourself on your trainer.
Just follow this and don’t ask questions.
Here’s a great example… earlier this week a client showed me a past meal plan challenge he had been given by a trainer. Egg whites, black beans, ground sirloin, and one small potato for days on end. Really? I mean, yes, the ingredients by themselves are mostly healthy, but what is this person learning about food by undertaking this challenge? What are they learning about themselves? What are they supposed to do if they choose to stop or otherwise “fail?”
Ultimately, their fantasy is destroyed and along with it, a measure of their confidence and esteem. Then, I get to see them next and have to pick up the pieces and help them put it all back together again. They wasted time, they wasted energy, and more than likely, they wasted a good amount of money and on what, bullsHIIT?
The fitness business
It’s a shame, but unfortunately, everything I’ve talked about above is part of the reality of the fitness business. In the end, especially lately, it comes down to “buyer beware.” That’s why I’m always harping on “educate yourself” “educate yourself” “educate yourself.”
Will you be right all the time? If you’re human, the answer is no.
What about me, the American College of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer? Am I going to be right all the time? Nope, I definitely know I’m human!
It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that you must continue to educate yourself, even when it comes to working out with me!
Maybe you’re not keen on the way I approach my client training. Maybe you’re not keen on the way I approach nutrition. Maybe you don’t like my blog posts. Who knows? You know what? That’s okay! But the only way you’re ever going to find out is by learning about me and Level One Training and Fitness.
Maybe you like the fact that our classes are small. Maybe you like the fact that you can train one-on-one with me in a private studio. Maybe you like the fact that my social media accounts aren’t about me. That’s okay too, but you only found out by learning about me and Level One Training and Fitness.
You’ve got an amazing brain. Be sure you use it to not only do a good job with the work you do, to not only do a good job being a mom or a dad, to not only do a good job with being a human being. Use it to take care of yourself in the best possible way. Be curious, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to stick up for what you feel is right for you.
Please have a safe, healthy, and above all, relaxing and enjoyable Independence Day Weekend. Despite all the negativity and bad news and unrest, we will get through this and become better humans as a result!
Be well!
