Your Guide to Fitness & Health in 2023
Tips for staying healthy, to the latest trends in exercise and nutrition
I want to help you lose weight, build muscle, and be the healthiest version of yourself. If you don't already know, I built Blended Athletics, one of the top-rated gyms in Canada and the best gym in Dartmouth. Over the last decade, I have helped thousands of people achieve their fitness goals. I have a real company with real employees, and I practice what I preach. I have built two successful companies, a gym and a digital marketing firm, all while maintaining a healthy weight and feeling good. For the past two decades, I have been studying and working on becoming the best version of myself, and I want to share my knowledge with you.
Bonus Material: Download this 31 day Habit Tracking Planner
The Guide:
Change your Mindset and Change the Game
Make a Decision to be Happy
Change how you talk about Exercise and Food
Water is Essential for your Body
Quit Waisting your Calories on Stupid Stuff
Escape the Diet Traps
Understand and know your Calories
Exercise and Mental Health
Before we get into the basic principles you need to follow to have success yourself, let's talk about prosperity. Prosperity is having more than enough of everything that is essential for your survival. It's not dependent on one thing – money, a car, a house, a job, or a relationship – it's having more than enough of everything that you want and need. It's abundance and affluence. Now, go back and read that again because the most important part of prosperity is your SURVIVAL. No matter what your situation is, remember that your health is the most important thing. Without it, nothing else matters.
I grew up in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, with two sisters and a brother. We were taught the difference between good and bad foods and encouraged to play sports and exercise. I have never been considered overweight. I'm telling you this because I don't have any dramatic success stories to share. I have years of hard work and consistency, and a mindset of sustainability.
If you're reading this thinking that I can't relate to your situation, ask yourself why you think that matters in the first place. It doesn't matter who you are or who I am – what matters is that I'm going to tell you the secret to long-term success. It's not a 6-week challenge or a 90-day program. I'm going to tell you that you can have the same success with maintaining your weight long-term if you follow the same steps I'm going to outline below. I want to show you exactly what you need to do to turn your life around. Unfortunately, most of you won't follow through with these steps, but for those who do, congratulations – you are part of the minority when it comes to taking your fitness and health seriously. For those of you who struggle with execution, contact us, hire a coach, or join a gym community.
1. Change your Mindset and Change the Game
If you want to be healthy, you have to start seeing it. I look for prosperity everywhere I go. You, on the other hand, might be seeing scarcity instead of abundance. You’re told to eat all your food, save your money, and be happy with what you have because you’re better off than people in other countries. Statements like these might be well-intentioned, but they come from a scarcity mindset.
You need to flip that and develop a prosperity mindset. Start seeing prosperity in everything. Reinforce that there is abundance in the world. Fill your eyes up with prosperity. Be open to seeing what your life could really be like. Most of us are surrounded by people with limited thinking because they are worried and have been told their whole life that scarcity is their reality. The hardest step you may have to take to change your mindset is changing the people you spend all your time with. This is why joining the right gym is so important. Joining a gym for $7.99/week will surround you with mindsets of people who want to spend $7.99/week on a gym membership. One of the results I’m always most proud of at Blended Athletics is the friendships, relationships, and professional business deals that happen within the walls of this gym!
2. Make a Decision to be Prosperous and Happy
You have to make a decision that prosperity is for you. Someone out there will become prosperous. The question is, will it be you? When you decide to become prosperous, reinforce that decision daily. Understand that you will need to be healthy to create prosperity in your life. You’re actually selfish if you don’t commit to looking after yourself because the day will come when being unhealthy will require people in your life to take care of you, and that is what scares me personally more than anything else in life
3. Change how you talk about Exercise and Food
Notice how you speak about these topics, and consider whether you are negative or positive. People often demean things that they have given up on, so pay attention to the language you use. For example, do you say things like "the gym isn't for me" or "I don't care about being in shape"? These kinds of statements can indicate that you have given up on exercise. Instead, try to speak positively about exercise and focus on the benefits it can bring.
Similarly, pay attention to the conversations you have about food with your friends and family. If you constantly complain about your diet or body, it can limit your ability to make positive changes. Remember that many people struggle with healthy eating and living, so don't be too hard on yourself. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of healthy food and the benefits it can bring.
Take some time to audit your thoughts and language about exercise and food. For the next 24 hours, pay attention to what you say and try to make a conscious effort to speak more positively. This can help you to change the way you think about these topics and ultimately lead to positive changes in your behavior.
4. Water is Essential for your Body
Water is a vital component of our health and wellbeing, yet many of us do not prioritize it. By increasing our water intake, we can make a huge difference in our health. If you're looking to improve your health, start by making water a priority. The general rule of thumb is to drink 1L of water for every 50lbs of body weight if you are active. If you are overweight, start with 1L for every 75lbs of body weight. This may seem simple, but it can be one of the hardest steps on your journey to better health. Staying hydrated is key to keeping your body functioning properly and allowing it to heal and perform at its best. It is the cheapest and easiest way to improve your body's physical appearance. Water is essential for overall health, so make sure you are drinking enough each day!
5. Quit waisting your calories on stupid stuff
Too many people these days are wasting their hard-earned calories on things that don't even taste good. Processed foods, sugary drinks, and empty calories abound, and it's all too easy to mindlessly consume them without getting any real enjoyment out of the experience. Life is too short to waste your calories on stuff that doesn't satisfy you, so make an effort to cut out the junk and focus on eating things that are actually worth the calories. Indulge in a delicious home-cooked meal, savor a glass of fine wine, or treat yourself to a rich and creamy dessert. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that you'll enjoy and appreciate.
Before we go any further I want to share a story because the following should really hit home for all you Canadians. A few years ago I had a client who wanted to make some big changes and as we dug into his day to day life I learned that he drank three large double doubles from Tim Horton’s every day. I’ll take you through the math real quick. There are 270 calories in a large double double. Therefore he was drinking 810 calories a day, which resulted in 5670 calories a week and about 22,680 calories a month. There are 3500 calories in a pound so by simply cutting out the cream and sugar from his coffee alone he in theory would lose about 6lbs a month. I encourage you to audit what you are putting in your mouth everyday and determine what truly brings value to you.
6. Escape the Diet Traps
There are health traps out there that you might be convinced are the things that you should do. They are actually traps built by gym owners, fitness influencers, and other health practitioners to trick you. You need to avoid them at all costs. Here are some examples of these traps:
Trap #1:
Although they can be a great way to jumpstart your fitness journey, 6 week challenges or 90 day programs are not the answer to sustainable fitness. The problem with these types of challenges is that they are not sustainable in the long term. Once the challenge is over, it is all too easy to fall back into old habits. Furthermore, these challenges often focus on short-term results rather than long-term sustainable change. While you may see some initial results from a 6 week challenge, sustainable fitness requires making permanent changes to your lifestyle. If you're looking for sustainable fitness, skip the 6 week challenge and commit to making the lasting changes I'm talking about in these 8 steps.
Trap #2:
Social media fitness challenges can be a great way to get people moving and motivated. However, they can also be dangerous. In recent years, there have been several reports of people sustaining serious injuries while participating in social media fitness challenges. In some cases, the challenges require participants to do dangerous movements. In other cases, people simply overexert themselves trying to keep up with the challenge. Either way, the main problem is that there is a start date and an end date. That is not how fitness and health works!
Trap #3:
Fad diets like Keto, the South Beach Diet, or the Paleo diet are often not the answer when it comes to sustainable health and fitness. These diets are difficult to stick to long-term, and they can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health problems. They do work because they make you focus on what foods you are putting in your mouth and your motivation and the structure keeps you from eating junk calories that put you into caloric excess, but as soon as you stop following the diet, you're likely to regain any weight you may have lost. Lifestyle changes that you can stick to for the long haul are not sexy, but they are the answer to success. If you can make these changes, you'll be on your way to sustainable health and fitness.
Trap #4:
Lastly, there are many weight-loss supplements on the market that claim to be the easy solution to shedding extra pounds. However, the vast majority of these supplements are ineffective and a waste of money. If you are going to spend money on supplements, I recommend focusing on three that promote muscle growth rather than weight loss: Omega 3 Fish Oils, Protein Powder, and Creatine. Building muscle can help you lose fat in the long run, which is the real key to successful weight loss.
7. Understand Calories
We need to improve nutritional literacy in this country. Do you know what a calorie is or how to read a food label? When it comes to calories, there are many misconceptions. For example, people often think that all calories are bad. This simply isn't true. In fact, calories are an essential part of a healthy diet. Calories provide your body with the energy it needs to function properly. The key is to create a balance between the number of calories you consume and the number of calories you burn. In general, when these two numbers are in balance, you will maintain a healthy weight. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. And if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. To better understand how this works, let's take a closer look at what calories are and how they affect your body.
What are Calories?
A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear someone say they're on a "1,800-calorie diet," this simply means they're eating 1,800 units of energy each day.
Where do Calories come from?
Calories come from the food and drinks you consume each day. All foods and drinks contain calories, even healthy ones like fruits and vegetables. The number of calories in a food or drink is listed on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also find calorie counts for foods and drinks online and in apps.
What do Calories do?
Calories provide your body with the energy it needs to function properly. Energy from the calories is used for everything from breathing and thinking to physical activity. Even when you're at rest, your body is still using calories for basic functions like keeping your heart beating and your lungs supplied with oxygen.
How many Calories do you need?
The number of calories you need depends on several factors, including your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. In general, an adult woman needs about 2,000-2,400 per day, while an adult man needs about 2,400-3,000 per day. However, these numbers can vary depending on your individual circumstances. To find out how many calories you need, you can book an InBody Scan with us.
Calories are important for maintaining a healthy weight. By understanding how many calories you need and where they come from, you can make informed choices about the foods and drinks you consume each day. Creating a balance between the number of calories consumed and burned is key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight over time. Start today!
8. Exercise and Mental Health
Exercise is key to maintaining good health! It can be hard to find the motivation to exercise, and even harder to stick with a routine long enough to see results. But the benefits of exercise are impossible to ignore. Regular physical activity can improve your mood, boost your energy levels, and support your overall health. Let's take a look at some of the specific ways that exercise can benefit you.
Exercise can help you manage your weight. If you're trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, exercise can help. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means you need to burn more calories than you consume. Exercise can help you do that by burning additional calories.
Exercise can also help you maintain your weight loss. Studies have shown that people who engage in regular physical activity are more successful at maintaining their weight loss over time than those who don't exercise regularly. In fact, I wrote a whole other post about the importance of consistent exercise where I show data that I've collected on my own fitness experience over the last 4 years. It's probably the most important and impactful article I've ever written to date.
Exercise can improve your mood. If you're feeling down or struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, exercise can help. Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. Endorphins are also known as "happy hormones" because they interact with receptors in your brain that have positive effects on your mood and sense of well-being. In addition to making you feel good in the moment, exercise can also have long-term effects on your mental health. Studies have shown that regular physical activity can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve overall mental well-being. So if you're feeling down, get up and move! A little bit of exercise can go a long way when it comes to improving your mood and sense of well-being.
Exercise can also support your overall health. In addition to helping with weight management and improving mood, exercise has a variety of other health benefits. Regular physical activity can help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. Exercise has also been shown to improve cognitive function and memory as we age. And if that weren't enough, exercise can also help improve sleep quality! So if you're looking to support your overall health and well-being, make sure to get regular physical activity.
As we can see, there are plenty of good reasons to make exercise a part of our regular routine. Exercise can help with weight management, improve our mood, and support our overall health. So, what are you waiting for? Get up and get moving!
Now that you know the eight steps to take for better fitness and health, it's time to put them into action. A healthy lifestyle is a marathon, not a sprint, so don't try to change everything at once. Start with one or two of the tips and slowly work your way up until you're following all eight steps on a regular basis. And, finally, don't forget to enjoy the journey! A healthy life is a happy life, after all. So, what are you waiting for? It's time to commit to changing your lifestyle for the better starting now.