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Transformation 5.0

Transformation 5.0

What Ifs, Willpower, and Generation Iron

Posted on June 11, 2014

What If

What if you don’t reach your goal?

What if all the effort is for naught, if the sweat doesn’t translate?

What if…?

Simple.  You adapt.  You improve.  You try again.

Anytime that you raise the stakes and take a risk, what ifs occasionally (or more than occasionally) creep onto the mental radar.  It’s critical that when they do, you creep them right back off of it.

In the words of Epictetus, “learn to distinguish what you can and can’t control”.  An extension to the quote is to pour every ounce of energy you have into what you can and none into what you can’t. Continue Reading

Transformation 5.0

Habit, Payoff, and Synchronicity

Posted on June 10, 2014

habit

Habit is a powerful thing.

A productive habit allows you to expend less energy doing the same things.  It shifts the mind to autopilot.  It reduces overall stress.

Sometimes the difference between you and that person you see and think “I could never do/look like/feel like that” is simply habit.  Long-standing, consistently-acted-upon habit.

Breaking old habits isn’t easy.  Establishing new ones isn’t easy.  The payoff, however, is well worth your effort.

Examples of habits that will revolutionize your life: Continue Reading

Transformation 5.0

Boredom, Fitbits, and Social Support

Posted on June 7, 2014

Boredom

Boredom is a choice.  Excitement is a choice.  These emotions stem from your self-perception of a circumstance.

For example, I hear this a lot: “I could never eat that every day.”  And this: “I need constant variety in my workouts.”

In these cases, the individual’s lens of perception is focused squarely on the food and the movement.  Nothing else.  All he or she sees is broccoli, broccoli, broccoli, instant death.  Deadlift, deadlift, deadlift, eyes glaze over.

What if you expand your lens?  What if you focus on more than just the food or the movement? Continue Reading

Transformation 5.0

Actions, Trends, and Focus

Posted on June 6, 2014

Action Patterns

It’s a day of two Roger-isms.  Get your pen ready.

#1:  Action patterns dictate results.

No matter what anyone (you included) thinks of the action patterns at play – exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, etc. – results are the ultimate judge.  Results are the barometer for success.  Results display how your body is responding to what’s actually happening day-to-day.

That’s an incredibly important realization.  It removes the importance of do’s and don’ts, should’s and shouldn’ts, and all external judgement.  Your program will have its day in results court, and its change in look, feel, and perform will be the only relevant judge and jury.

Three positive actions make sense in light of this statement: Continue Reading

Transformation 5.0

Walking Tall, Destination Movement, and Internal Fire

Posted on June 5, 2014

Walking Tall

Embrace movement.

Really, embrace it.  You were quite literally made to move.

Yes, it feels like drudgery at times.   Yes, you would rather plant yourself on the couch at times.  Yes, hailing a cab seems more enticing at times.

However, movement – walking, climbing stairs, hiking, playing – is a pillar of the Relentless Transformation.  A pillar that’s often ignored.

“I could go for a walk, but how much difference is that really going to make?”

The answer is a lot.  Movement adds up and comes with both physical and mental benefits. Continue Reading

Transformation 5.0

Eating Enough, Transition, and Steve Maxwell

Posted on June 3, 2014

Bodybuilder

While a large percentage of Relentless Transformers come in search of weight/bodyfat loss, you will hear “eat more!” come out of my mouth 10x as often as “eat less!”.  Ironic, right?

When I say this it’s in attempt to combat the nasty, conditioned diet cycle that is so baked into our culture.  The one that wears hunger like a badge of honor (because it must mean weight loss).  And pardon me for beating a dead horse, but the one that wears scale results like a badge of honor.

In the end, all consistent hunger will do for you is result in eventual binging and rebounding. Continue Reading