target.fitness • January 17, 2023

Have you Ruined Things?

Have you ever gone out to dinner, ate enough chips and burgers to feed a family of fully grown mountain trolls, then get super worried because you thought you might’ve messed up your progress?

Or.

Have you ever been sick or injured or traveling and had to skip a workout or two or three or a whole week? And did you feel bad or guilty or nervous you might’ve messed up your progress?

Listen, I want to tell you something but I don’t want you skimming it because it’s important so listen.

You can’t mess this up.

I don’t care if you blew past your calories by 2,000 extra.

You didn’t mess up.

I don’t care if you missed one workout or two workouts or a month of workouts.

You didn’t mess up.

I don’t care if you had an entire box of matchmakers, 6 chocolate frogs, 4 pints of beer and a trolley full of pasties.

You didn’t mess up.

Because here’s the magic of it all. The only way to mess up is if you stop altogether. If you give up. Quit. Say you’re done. Otherwise, you can’t mess up.

It’s impossible.

Because as long as you get right back on track you’re going to keep making progress. Most people use, “I messed up” as an excuse to keep messing up. To stay off track. To not put in more effort. But that’s rubbish. And as of this moment it’s not a valid excuse.

Because you can’t mess up. As long as you get right back on track, you’re good.

This fitness thing? It’s supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to make you happy and smile and confident and proud. It’s not a competition.

There is no day or time or hour at which you need to arrive to achieve your goals. There is no rush. You’re playing the long game here. It’s for life, not 7 or 21 or 30 days. This is forever.

And when you’re playing forever, you can’t mess up. Just get right back on track.

We all like our Food...

By target.fitness • April 14, 2023
Food is not “just food.” Food is part of culture. Food is part of family. Food is part of celebrations. Food is part of religion. Food is part of tradition. Food is part of so many aspects of life far outside of simply being “fuel.” The goal isn’t to eliminate your “emotional relationship” with food, the goal is to not allow your emotions to dictate your actions. The goal is to be consciously aware of the decisions you make rather than justifying actions you aren’t proud of because of your emotions. So stop looking for a way to suppress or eliminate your emotions. And, instead, hold yourself to your own highest standard. Quit breaking promises to yourself. Recognize your emotions and, simultaneously, don’t allow your emotions to control you. Easier said than done, I know... So is everything in life. But just because it’s easier said than done doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.

Struggles with Self Control

By target.fitness • April 1, 2023
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Some people struggle with self control. They want to lose fat but have difficulty saying “no.” They mentally justify it in saying they’re “flexible dieting.” But flexible dieting doesn’t mean “eat junk and lose fat.” It means “don’t feel guilty for having a treat - but you still have to be wicked consistent to make significant, lasting changes.” For them, practicing self control and saying “no” more often might help them achieve their goal. Other people struggle with food anxiety. They get anxious at the thought of going out to eat at a restaurant because they don’t want to “ruin their progress.” They feel bad for having a slice of cake at their own birthday party. They know it sounds silly and they often give their friends/family/clients amazing nutrition advice that promotes a more flexible approach... but they struggle with it themselves. For them, saying “yes” more often and having a treat might help them achieve their goals. Progress is not only measured in weight loss or fat loss or measurements or numbers or quantifiable data. Progress is also measured in mental, emotional, and behavioral changes. And, candidly, if you don’t improve your mindset first, any physical changes/improvements are going to be short-lived. Because sustainable results only happen with a sustainable mindset.

It's all a bit Fruity

By target.fitness • March 25, 2023
It’s wild to me that this is even a thing. Often, people message me asking if it’s “ok” to eat fruit because “it has so much sugar 😱.” I get bombarded with messages from “coaches” and “professionals” telling me I’m basically sentencing people to death by encouraging them to eat fruit. What is going on. It’s fruit... Apples and grapes and bananas and oranges and watermelon and strawberries and raspberries and blackberries and blueberries. We’re talking about fruit, people. You’re worried about the “damage” caused by eating FRUIT!? What is going on? No one ever got fat from eating fruit. No one ever became unhealthy from eating fruit. No one ever looked back on their life in their death bed and said “you know...I really should of had less fruit.” No one ever got massively overweight and said, “man...I really think it was the grapes that did it.” Let’s use some common sense. Fruit. Eat it. It’s good for you.