Let’s be honest… it may be a new year, but you are still the same you. You are still uniquely created, you are still the same height, you still have the same color eyes, you still have a caring heart and you still face challenges. There are certain things about you that will never change and that is a good thing! There are certain things about you that you wish you could change, but no matter how hard you try; you still won’t grow 5 more inches in your 30’s. And then there are the things that you want to change that you absolutely can.
Every year you decide you will; you start out great, but by March you’ve lost momentum or inspiration, or you hit a roadblock and don’t know how to begin again. No matter what your goals may be for 2017, one thing remains true for all; you cannot sustain an extraordinary vehicle with ordinary fuel.
First of all, you have to fuel your body with quality food, which it is designed to consume. Just like your car or truck is designed to run on a specific fuel. Premium gas, which usually has an octane level of 92 or 93 (compared with regular's octane level of 87), is designed to prevent knock on cars with high compression ratios. The compression ratio is the total volume inside the cylinder that is displaced when the piston moves. If you use low-octane gas on a car with a high compression ratio, it's more likely that the gas will ignite prematurely, causing your engine to knock and rattle. A mild knocking isn't necessarily harmful to your car, but it certainly isn't something you want and heavy knock could damage your engine. Your body is no different, and might I add, it’s way more important than the hunk of metal you drive. People survive on Spaghetti O’s and donuts, but I guarantee you that they have “knock”, AKA multiple ailments, and would hardly be able to execute 50 burpees or a bodyweight deadlift. We simply cannot sustain health and fitness on a less-than-premium diet.
It’s not difficult to figure out what our bodies really need either. I think it’s great to measure macros and figure out how many calories you need to consume to reach a specific goal, but once you become consumed with weighing and measuring, you’ve lost track of the raw instinct to fuel your body with what it’s already telling you it needs. This is why I constantly refer my clients, athletes, family and friends to simply eating Paleolithic (Paleo). Not only has this proved to be an effective way to lose weight, build lean muscle or improve athletic performance, but it has helped several people overcome different health issues and get off an array of medication. I found a lot of great information on the Paleo Plan site. The bottom line is EAT CLEAN!
Once you have gotten that part down, then I believe it’s beneficial to add in quality supplements for your specific needs and goals. Some of my favorite supplements are:
Secondly, you have to fuel your mind and your soul with the extraordinary. Years ago, a friend and fellow athlete taught me the word SISU. It is a Finnish word, which loosely means stoic determination, grit, bravery, resilience and hardiness. It is about taking action against the odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity. Deciding on a course of action and then sticking to that decision against repeated failures. For many of us, it is our faith that provides this resolute courage. Regardless of what others may tell you, or what negative messages your mind tries to play for you, you have to rise above and intentionally take yourself back to that rock solid foundation. You have to stick to that decision AGAINST REPEATED FAILURES. Note, I did not say “against that one obstacle” or “the one time you hit a road block”.
There will come a point in your life (maybe when you turn 40 like I just did) when you have lost track of all the failures; but what you will remember is that each one has shaped and molded you into the person you have become. And just like muscle memory allows us to remember how to execute the clean & jerk or the muscle-up, your heart and your brain will recall that you are someone who knows to focus on the extraordinary strength of the positive, and you will do it again and again. If you are someone who can’t do this alone, that’s okay! Surround yourself with others who are extraordinary, those who build you up, hold you accountable and push you when you feel like giving up. If you find yourself frustrated that you are not where you want to be, do not let that be fuel for surrender.
“If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Your goals for 2017 may be audacious or they may be humble, but regardless of what you set out to do, you have to choose to fuel your mind, body and soul with the extraordinary because you are anything but ordinary!
- Tate Fisher, CrossFit Coach/Athlete