The #1 Fitness Secret Donald Trump Doesn't Want You to Know!
Sorry for the click-bait title. Couldn't resist.
I've been messaged by strangers and friends alike to ask how they can make a body transformation like I have. Even though I have a long way to go to my ideal, I can acknowledge that I've made some serious progress in strength and aesthetics over the last 3 years and thought I'd share some of my (non-fitness-professional, just-a-regular-guy) thoughts.
I started a new fitness journey in October 2013 when I joined Mark Fisher Fitness for their program "Snatched in Six Weeks." This program worked for me in a few ways that I'd never explored, and I made some huge progress. I thought I'd found the holy grail of fitness. I kept the weight off for about 6 months, until a layoff, a restaurant job, and a happy relationship started putting back some of the weight. I was still working out, but I wasn't as vigilant about my diet.
After my relationship ended, I wanted to lose the 20lbs I'd gained, and I knew I had the tools. I started tracking my calories, cooking my own food, and showing up at the gym 5 days a week. 2 months later, I was down 20lbs and went through a round of Snatched 2 at MFF. But I didn't find the dramatic results I had the first time I'd joined MFF and I found that frustrating. I found myself "cheating" and getting away with actually enjoying some ice cream, cookies, and alcohol. But still making progress.
Then I started lifting heavy weights more seriously and taking fewer HIIT classes. And I started working on "sustainable," which was what I'd really missed in Snatched 1. How to create a lifestyle that will last instead of focusing on diet or fitness for 6 weeks or a couple months, and then losing steam.
A few months later, I passed all of MFF's Headband Challenges and started getting bored with kettlebell work. I transitioned to the Lair and more barbell work. I worked toward a 400lb deadlift. Then a 455lb deadlift. Then I beat my half marathon PR. Then beat my NYC Marathon PR. And then...well, I'm still working on what's next.
I can't tell you how many times I have found a new fitness activity and thought, "This is it! This is the secret! I can stick with this!" I've tried lifting, dance class, yoga, swimming, running, spin, kettlebells, HIIT, and so many more.
So whats the secret? The secret is that there is no secret. There's an ancient Buddhist saying: "Before enlightenment, haul water, chop wood. After enlightenment, haul water, chop wood."
We are what we repeatedly do. I've found that when these behaviors become habits, they are easier to maintain. You've probably read 100+ articles on health and fitness life-hacks, but here are 10 tips that have made a difference for me.
HAUL WATER: FUEL YOUR BODY
1. Eat balanced meals. Prioritize protein and veggies. Add a small amount of complex carbs and a little bit of healthy fats. Prepare foods and stock your kitchen with healthy fresh options. If I had to cook every day, I wouldn't do it. But once or twice a week, I can, and I cook large batches. Try new vegetables and experiment with new recipes. Find variety, but also learn how much repetition you can handle. I make my basic chili recipe with a small twist every two weeks and probably eat it 3 lunches a week. I control the ingredients and I always like it. It's one less meal I have to think about and rely on willpower.
2. Allow an occasional treat. I don't call them "cheats" because food has no morality. No food is wrong. Maybe you need a small cookie every day. Or maybe wine is your thing. There is no food that is forever off limits. When foods are off limits, we rebel. (I personally don't find substitute foods helpful. I'd rather eat a real muffin occasionally than to try to make "fake" muffins out of low calorie sawdust and protein powder. I've also found that when I eat substitutes, I eventually go back to the regular version.)
3. Stop looking for excuses to eat something bad or ways to justify a food. Stop tying food to your behavior. Regardless of your reason for eating something, the consequences are the same. You can always find an excuse. Stop saying things like "I deserve this" and "I earned this" and "after the week I've had, I really need this". If you want that donut, eat it. But you don't need to justify it.
4. Eat good enough. Not perfect. There is no perfect diet. There are foods that are better, but there is no perfect. "Perfect" is not sustainable. When I eat "perfectly" for a week, I tend to break the streak with a "cheat day," a huge calorie binge that can wipe out a week's progress. When I eat "good enough" every day is a fresh start.
5. Your food choices only affect you. People love to have an opinion on what you eat. "What are you, a health nut? You're not going to pass up dessert at a wedding, are you?" Gently set boundaries for yourself with people, and if someone really pushes you, feel free to ask "why is what I eat important to you?" You'll find it has everything to do with them, not with you.
CHOP WOOD: CHALLENGE YOUR BODY
6. Find activity you enjoy. If you can do it 150-250x a year (3-5x a week) and keep going back, this is an activity that will bring you long term success. Your best life might be a combo of a few different exercise modes.
7. "Pick up heavy shit. Put it down." Some exercise is more effective for fat loss and aesthetic change than others. "Progressive Overload" is needed because your body adapts to whatever workout you've chosen. Workouts need to get harder, or your body will stop changing in response to them. In the weight room, I can measure this increased challenge in pounds or kilos.
8. Some days you won't feel inspired or motivated to work out. These are the days you really need to show up. You don't have to kill yourself at every workout, but you do have to show up. Work out on vacation. Even 3 days off can easily become 4 days off, then 5, then 6. I've found it easier to say "I'm a person who exercises or is active every day, regardless of where I am."
9. Scheduling = Success. Plan your food prep times and workouts into your schedule weekly, biweekly, or even monthly (this may depend on how regular your work schedule is.) Put it into your calendar system and protect it. I find it incredibly empowering to say "I'm sorry. I have a workout scheduled at that time. I'm not available."
10. NEAT Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). People who move more burn more calories! Science! Add movement to your life that isn't exercise. That doesn't break down your muscles or challenge you too much. Get off a subway stop early and walk home. Ride your bike to the park. Walk the dog an extra mile. Learn to enjoy moving your body! Think of it as a reward, not a punishment!
It bears repeating: There is NO secret to health and fitness. You can jump from diet to diet and training program to training program for the rest of your life, but you should accept that most of life is lived in "the grind." You can get caught up in grams of protein per day or which deadlift challenges you the most, but if you don't keep showing up, it won't matter. The basics are not always sexy, but doing them over and over and over and over and over and over is the only way to achieve long-term sustainable success. The bodies you see on models and athletes weren't built in bootcamp. If they weren't built by God (let's be honest, some people were just born hot and we hate them), they were built by hauling water and chopping wood.
October 2013 to October 2016
I started a new fitness journey in October 2013 when I joined Mark Fisher Fitness for their program "Snatched in Six Weeks." This program worked for me in a few ways that I'd never explored, and I made some huge progress. I thought I'd found the holy grail of fitness. I kept the weight off for about 6 months, until a layoff, a restaurant job, and a happy relationship started putting back some of the weight. I was still working out, but I wasn't as vigilant about my diet.
After my relationship ended, I wanted to lose the 20lbs I'd gained, and I knew I had the tools. I started tracking my calories, cooking my own food, and showing up at the gym 5 days a week. 2 months later, I was down 20lbs and went through a round of Snatched 2 at MFF. But I didn't find the dramatic results I had the first time I'd joined MFF and I found that frustrating. I found myself "cheating" and getting away with actually enjoying some ice cream, cookies, and alcohol. But still making progress.
Then I started lifting heavy weights more seriously and taking fewer HIIT classes. And I started working on "sustainable," which was what I'd really missed in Snatched 1. How to create a lifestyle that will last instead of focusing on diet or fitness for 6 weeks or a couple months, and then losing steam.
A few months later, I passed all of MFF's Headband Challenges and started getting bored with kettlebell work. I transitioned to the Lair and more barbell work. I worked toward a 400lb deadlift. Then a 455lb deadlift. Then I beat my half marathon PR. Then beat my NYC Marathon PR. And then...well, I'm still working on what's next.
I can't tell you how many times I have found a new fitness activity and thought, "This is it! This is the secret! I can stick with this!" I've tried lifting, dance class, yoga, swimming, running, spin, kettlebells, HIIT, and so many more.
So whats the secret? The secret is that there is no secret. There's an ancient Buddhist saying: "Before enlightenment, haul water, chop wood. After enlightenment, haul water, chop wood."
We are what we repeatedly do. I've found that when these behaviors become habits, they are easier to maintain. You've probably read 100+ articles on health and fitness life-hacks, but here are 10 tips that have made a difference for me.
HAUL WATER: FUEL YOUR BODY
1. Eat balanced meals. Prioritize protein and veggies. Add a small amount of complex carbs and a little bit of healthy fats. Prepare foods and stock your kitchen with healthy fresh options. If I had to cook every day, I wouldn't do it. But once or twice a week, I can, and I cook large batches. Try new vegetables and experiment with new recipes. Find variety, but also learn how much repetition you can handle. I make my basic chili recipe with a small twist every two weeks and probably eat it 3 lunches a week. I control the ingredients and I always like it. It's one less meal I have to think about and rely on willpower.
2. Allow an occasional treat. I don't call them "cheats" because food has no morality. No food is wrong. Maybe you need a small cookie every day. Or maybe wine is your thing. There is no food that is forever off limits. When foods are off limits, we rebel. (I personally don't find substitute foods helpful. I'd rather eat a real muffin occasionally than to try to make "fake" muffins out of low calorie sawdust and protein powder. I've also found that when I eat substitutes, I eventually go back to the regular version.)
3. Stop looking for excuses to eat something bad or ways to justify a food. Stop tying food to your behavior. Regardless of your reason for eating something, the consequences are the same. You can always find an excuse. Stop saying things like "I deserve this" and "I earned this" and "after the week I've had, I really need this". If you want that donut, eat it. But you don't need to justify it.
4. Eat good enough. Not perfect. There is no perfect diet. There are foods that are better, but there is no perfect. "Perfect" is not sustainable. When I eat "perfectly" for a week, I tend to break the streak with a "cheat day," a huge calorie binge that can wipe out a week's progress. When I eat "good enough" every day is a fresh start.
5. Your food choices only affect you. People love to have an opinion on what you eat. "What are you, a health nut? You're not going to pass up dessert at a wedding, are you?" Gently set boundaries for yourself with people, and if someone really pushes you, feel free to ask "why is what I eat important to you?" You'll find it has everything to do with them, not with you.
CHOP WOOD: CHALLENGE YOUR BODY
6. Find activity you enjoy. If you can do it 150-250x a year (3-5x a week) and keep going back, this is an activity that will bring you long term success. Your best life might be a combo of a few different exercise modes.
7. "Pick up heavy shit. Put it down." Some exercise is more effective for fat loss and aesthetic change than others. "Progressive Overload" is needed because your body adapts to whatever workout you've chosen. Workouts need to get harder, or your body will stop changing in response to them. In the weight room, I can measure this increased challenge in pounds or kilos.
8. Some days you won't feel inspired or motivated to work out. These are the days you really need to show up. You don't have to kill yourself at every workout, but you do have to show up. Work out on vacation. Even 3 days off can easily become 4 days off, then 5, then 6. I've found it easier to say "I'm a person who exercises or is active every day, regardless of where I am."
9. Scheduling = Success. Plan your food prep times and workouts into your schedule weekly, biweekly, or even monthly (this may depend on how regular your work schedule is.) Put it into your calendar system and protect it. I find it incredibly empowering to say "I'm sorry. I have a workout scheduled at that time. I'm not available."
10. NEAT Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). People who move more burn more calories! Science! Add movement to your life that isn't exercise. That doesn't break down your muscles or challenge you too much. Get off a subway stop early and walk home. Ride your bike to the park. Walk the dog an extra mile. Learn to enjoy moving your body! Think of it as a reward, not a punishment!
It bears repeating: There is NO secret to health and fitness. You can jump from diet to diet and training program to training program for the rest of your life, but you should accept that most of life is lived in "the grind." You can get caught up in grams of protein per day or which deadlift challenges you the most, but if you don't keep showing up, it won't matter. The basics are not always sexy, but doing them over and over and over and over and over and over is the only way to achieve long-term sustainable success. The bodies you see on models and athletes weren't built in bootcamp. If they weren't built by God (let's be honest, some people were just born hot and we hate them), they were built by hauling water and chopping wood.
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