ERIKA: LIVING HER BEST LIFE AT 45!

Meet Erika. Her nickname is “Mighty Mouse” and she juggles a lot in her life. She balances her work, her fitness, and being a single mom to two kids, including a son with special needs – which is no easy task. But her determined attitude and work ethic helps her create a life she’s proud of. Erika’s no stranger to fitness. She competed in her first bikini competition at age 38, which is quite an accomplishment. And she went back to school at age 42 in 2016. But, fast forward a few years, and despite her best efforts, Erika was feeling…

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WADE DROPPED 52LBS AND GOT ABS

2.5 Years ago, I was finishing my first year apprenticeship at College, and at that age of 36, with the college lifestyle of beer and pub food after class, it didn’t take long to be tipping the scale near 240lbs. When I got back to work I realized that I was holding my breath as I was trying to tie my boots in the morning. Things needed to change! Working with Coach Jon was by far the most important thing I’ve ever done to support my goal. It started out with just wanting to lose weight.  I met Jon a few…

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JO HAD “QUITE A HABIT” OF SNACKING

I reached out to Coach Jon because, though I was regularly going to the gym, I wasn’t seeing the results in the mirror that showed the work I was putting in at the gym.  Nutrition felt confusing, I didn’t know what to eat, or when, having heard so many conflicting ideas. The first thing that surprised me was how much support I got.  Maybe I was expecting someone to yell at me and slap the cookies out of my hand.  Over time, as I gained confidence, I realized that the baby steps that I was taking, they were starting to…

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ELYSE LOST 75LBS, GAINED HER LIFE BACK

I started working with Coach Jon because I wanted to learn about nutrition.  I felt overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, I tried so many things, and couldn’t seem to stick to anything.  I ended up feeling like I didn’t know what to do. Working with Coach Jon has taught me that patience is important on this journey, it has ups and downs. The best chance for success is to implement simple, healthy habits that aren’t so restrictive that they make me want to quit.  He has supported me through some really tough times and kept me going when I…

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HOW I LOST 100LBS WITHOUT COUNTING CALORIES

Why I almost never count calories anymore. (And what I do instead, to maintain my 100+lbs weight loss). When I first started my weight loss journey, I used to love counting calories. It gave me a sense of control. I’m a former analytical researcher, so I loved data, numbers and spreadsheets. But, over time, it started to become an obsession. It started to impede my enjoyment of real life. Food became about numbers, instead of meals with friends and family. What happened?  And what did I do differently? When I couldn’t count calories, I would become anxious. If I couldn’t…

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ARGHH!! WHY CAN’T I DO WHAT I KNOW I SHOULD?!?

How do we change our eating, such that our habits support our goals, instead of sabotage them? How do we bridge the gap between what we know (eat healthy), and what we do (eat junk)? One choice, One meal, One day at a time, your health, physique and future is built. Here’s how I approach it: Instead of imagining every meal for the rest of my life, I focus on my next meal, and the choice I will make.E.g. I’m not giving up pizza for the rest of my life, I’m just making a different choice one time. That subtle…

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THE UNHAPPINESS TRAP: HOW TO ESCAPE

When it comes to healthy habits (e.g. being active and eating well) we know what we should do. DOING is the hard part We’ve all made bold resolutions in a surge of motivation.  But then, we don’t keep them.  Why not? What stops us from taking action, is the fuzzy monster in our mind.  Fuzzy, because we don’t see it clearly, and it looks a lot bigger than it is. When we build up this “fuzzy monster” it becomes easier to rationalize and justify poor decisions.  Essentially, we build it up to the point where we tell ourselves: “it’s just too hard” Sadly, when…

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YOU CAN’T HACK THIS

“Growth Hacking” … “Diet-Hacking” … “Bio-Hacking” … “Life-hacking” … “Hack-Hacking” Since the early 2000’s, the concept of “hacking” every aspect of our life has led to a whole industry from supplements, to books, touting increased productivity, wealth and everything in between. Buy this supplement, follow this guru, do this one trick What sounds like a good idea, rarely is, and I’ll explain why Hacking indicates seeking a shortcut … A way around the “work” – Let me give you a biological example.10 year old Jonny wants to “hack” his growth. So doctors start administering growth hormone, along with testosterone.Now Jonny…

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6 SIMPLE TRICKS TO BEAT MINDLESS EATING

How do you make “mindless snacking” MINDFUL? You interrupt it. Disrupt the “food trance”. When we’re not paying attention, we can graze our way through hundreds of calories of BLT’s (Bites, Licks and Tastes).  Why do we eat when we’re not hungry though? ​ (e.g. “I WANT FOOD, even though I don’t NEED food”) Why do we do this??  Here’s the 3 main reasons why: 1. “I need a ‘pick me up’” It’s mid-afternoon, and the slump just hit, but you still have work to do.  Cortisol dips between 1-3pm normally, which then creates cravings for something sweet.  If it’s…

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IGNORANCE AND WISDOM

The difference between wisdom and ignorance is the ability to appreciate nuance. Too many arguments (“discussions”) devolve into 2 extreme camps competing for who can shout the loudest (Unfortunately, loud shouting isn’t really regarded as a hallmark of intellect). These loud shout-y extreme camps then seek to push all opposing opinions into an opposite extreme camp to justify their abuse of people who disagree with them. Steven Covey popularized the quote (originally attributed to St. Francis of Assisi): ​ “First seek to understand, then seek to be understood”. How can we turn this into something practical? As much as possible,…

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