New YEars Eve --- Here's to an incredible 2015 !

New YEars Eve  --- 9 pm


While some of you are running around with Chex Mix crumbs on your face and 1/2 full drink glasses in your hands,  i am pounding out a few words


I really wanted to get this in before midnight for symbolic reasons

Purpose of this is to simply thank the FCP faithful for their readership, tips, techniques --- and in some cases, criticism

Its been a somewhat wild year and its hard to go over all the ups n downs in one end of year summary --- but let me say, it has been a year of growth and great experiences

    As of now, we're not public, so if you receive this blog, you are a part of the core readership and i appreciate you for that
    The growth has been good , -- with no external advertisement - no facebook forwarding - no nothing---
   This is by choice.  
        The 'ol figurehead of  FitClaimsPro.com is not ready for public consumption unless someone decides to share through word of mouth ---    I am chock full of personal failings and flaws myself and everyday, i deal with the same or more struggles that everyone else does, -- and i never thought of this as much above a private venture

--but that said

              For those who have spread the word and shared this labor of love through email, Facebook, Instagram, etc -----  I thank you so much.   It is so cool that some of you have faith that this can venture a bit beyond a small , private consultation venture !


This New Years Eve and the day, -- i wish you luck and the discipline to be true to yourselves.  

In the coming year,  ------ be strong, rely on your knowledge and training and if you need a little extra support, love , and an ear to bend ---- we will be here


In extending my gratitude and thanks --- i also want to encourage you to seek us out when you need to

            I am ready for 2015 to get fired up so we can address more challenges - vanquish more enemies, and climb more of our personal mountains!


   Again --- thank you --- and may God's blessings shine on all of us throughout the upcoming new year and beyond



Happy New Year folks ------  time to kick it off and celebrate in a slightly irresponsible manner !  ;)




   

Its that time of year again

December 26, (this time around its 2014)


One more big festival night, then its time to tighten up the 'ol belt and get serious with those resolutions right?

I have  spoken of this earlier in the year ,  but in case you didnt get it , here's the link

Re-set the meter - Then peg the meter !!

So you didnt take my advice from September to heart and start in on that pesky "resolution" early, huh?   (Some of you did, - i got the feedback   :)  thanks for charging hard)

No matter

I'm not big on encouraging the setting of resolutions per se',   but the setting of short term and long term goals can be done at any time ---   IF its done around NEw Years, that is characteristically called a "resolution"
      Around this time last year, i also covered the fact that 80% of well meaning resolution setters begin breaking them within a month, and by March, those P90X DVD's and gym membership cards are already starting to gather dust  ----  the gym reverts back to the 20 or 30 muscleheads who are always there, week in and week out.


     What's your 'ol trackie here planning on doing as far as New Years Resolutions?

Although i have already stated that the idea of a New Years Resolution is fundamentally flawed, i will add this one thing that i will be striving for --

-its a big one, yet a small one too

MODERATION

Yes, this new years i will be striving for even more moderation

Moderation in drink, late nights , "dumb decisions"  - over training , under training, - counting calories, being a nutrition nazi

Whatever the sin, you can moderate it -------  Your New Years party does not have to be "Paleo Perfect"  - loosen up -- its one day - you have 360+ to show your discipline ---  that doesnt mean to shotgun the margarita mix followed by the Cuervo -- that is not moderation.
      Moderation just means its ok to have a couple of cocktails on a holiday, ----- or on occasion, stay in bed for a couple more hours on a weekend and watch some TV  with the spouse


             If you currently have a late night lifestyle that rivals Mickey Rourke's  , you are probably not going to dial it down to the level of a competitive Olympic level athlete,  -- but make small changes

strive to go to bed a bit earlier , - Be a bit nicer to the people you care about,  watch the booze, and pick a day to enjoy your food ! --- But spend another 4 or 5 being disciplined -- depending on your needs

Most of my readership is comfortably in the "Masters Category"  (above 30)  and i have a tip that might sound a bit odd, or even unobtainable to many -
  -- but for the past 6 months or so, i have been fairly diligent about adhering to a nap schedule when i can as well

          This doesnt fit into everyone's schedule to be sure --- but if it does, please reap the benefits.    I drive a ton -- and i have pulled over at 3 pm at a rest stop or truckie stop for a little designated "Me Time"
     I throw in some ear plugs put on a mask (much like an eyeless Lone Ranger mask ) -- and then Hi-Yo Silver ! Lay the seat back and snooze for a bit

   
      If your just tuning in ,  check some of my previous blog entries,  but if you've been on board for a while,  you know that i try to speak out for the harried, the flawed, the excuse makers, and the binge diet failures
       -------  these are common maladies when you have a schedule that is written in Erasermates and you have to be up for any malady ----You have to be there for your customers , internal or external ,  and they do not give a flip about any of this stuff i am talking about --- they just want you there with a minimum of drama

                                       Again, and i will speak it in bold letters

                                                          MODERATION

We have the ticket to our own success or failure --- because as folks running our own small businesses' ,  oftentimes we make the schedule.

    If we can't manage time for rest, exercise, and proper nutrition -- we may be able to wrangle another 15-20k per year out of the time we are saving by burning the candle at both ends --- but are we saving anything by making a deal with the devil?

           
One last time --- for my New years  DECLARATION, -- (not a weak kneed and pitiful resolution) -- I will be practicing moderation

           epilogue:  resolution, declaration, moderation   --  all words that end with "tion"


In short -- put down the martini glass, the PBR, or the plate of brisket and kick this mess straight in the ass and rejoice while you follow a better schedule and get plenty of rest !


Thanks all

Doug

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disclaimer:    The information contained here is not intended to replace the medical advice of your physician and is not intended as medical advice.  This newsletter/blog is a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the staff of Fitclaimspro.com and professional colleagues unless otherwise noted

       



         

Work smarter !........ not harder (myth for today)

Work smarter !  -- Not harder !


I love this slogan -- and who wouldnt'?    Just bone up on the procedures , --- make some sensible choices , then reap the benefits!

On the flip side, we have all heard the tales of woe from the sorry sacks who do it the other way

Maybe someone gets smug satisfaction from "working smarter"   --- but the guy in the 12 hour cycling marathon with ruptured blisters in bad places and blood running into his cycling shoes because his previous longest ride is a trivial 5 hours is laughing at you

       Work smarter?  -- I like that.  --- But i think working smarter opens up more opportunities to work harder !

          What is the allure of anabolics? -- Why do "steroids" work ?  EPO , etc etc ?  
Its not like these substances allow  you to pop a pill, then sit on the couch  for 3 months watching The Family Guy , -- then you can win your club championship or local physique competition

                   These substances work because they mute and blunt your natural inclinations to stop -- and they encourage what would previously have been over training and push you further
   ----
   No --- you will not get much effect on a 3 day, 35 minute a sesh program when you're on the juice  ----  You will receive some benefit to be sure as long as you dont get fat,  but the pandora's box of gains gets tripped when you are training 15-20 hours a week, and getting plenty of rest

Was it Thomas Jefferson who said  "The harder i work, the luckier i seem to get"  ??


                 Lets take your job for an example - and bear with me ----    You're the type of guy with a  a parrot at home -- your a Jimmy Buffet uber fan and you love to let loose at 4:30 on Friday -you and mother value your alone time          -   -- but your also pretty good at your job and you hate to see youngsters get promoted ahead of you ---

--------   Your big opportunity to get the corner office comes up -- but guess what??

All of a sudden, your making an extra 17k a year,  but you have to work a couple of Saturdays a month ,  and 4:45 happy hours are a thing of the past.    You also wear clothes to the office you formerly thought were "too stuffy" ,  instead of a "YOLO Man,"  or "LEgalize It !"  sweatshirt and dungarees

   Congratulations!!!     You got what you wanted   ----

But guess what?    -- The concept of "Work smarter, not harder"  - is completely gone now -- you are simply going to have to work hard

   You have a sweet lease on a Buick Enclave now,   so long 8 year old Hyundai

 and you and the missus are contemplating moving to a bigger pad in a better part of town, --

To this                                                                        From this

- but deep down, you liked the rut you were stuck in and working harder makes you uncomfortable  -- a "sell out"

Let mediocrity slide over you like death's cold embrace as you take a lesser position across town with less stress   -- its too embarrassing to ask for your old job back when you fail

You just got sucked in by the   "Work smarter, not harder"  mystique

Guess what?   --- There are not many free lunches out there 

Tom Brady   --- he's a fun guy for "regular guys"  to make sport of because on the outside looking in, his life looks perfect

    A recent SI article details Brady's routine    -------    Brady succeeds because he is more boring than you ----  he is more dedicated than you , ---   10 generations of his offspring are taken care of , --- but still , the guy wakes up unhappy and wanting to improve every day

Hours in the film room , hours of drills and practice as well as base fitness work.       Beatiful wife?  Beautiful house?   ---  Who gives a flip  ---  This is the business we've chosen, -- and Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck and Peyton are also working just as hard 

I'll admit i'm not much of a pro football fan, although i keep up with my alma mater in college -- but i'll switch gears and reference a couple of guys' i'm much more familiar with

Arnold Schwarzenneger and Lance Armstrong

In their respective disciplines, - these guys would stop at nothing to dominate their sports, -- despite already having a genetic leg up on most of their competition

    Arnie was an immigrant -- he overcame the language barrier and used his early bodybuilding winnings to invest in real estate  and was reportedly a several times over millionaire before he even made his first movie back in the 70's    --

              --- The work ethic instilled in growing up modestly and then overcoming language barriers carried over and gave the guy a tenacity to succeed that other competitors with more comfortable backgrounds didnt have

Lance Armstrong --- yes, the guy has some very serious personality flaws -he turned into a megalomaniac  -- But in his prime , nobody put in more time than he did.    He was the highest paid guy, sure, but he also put in more work  , more research and more obsessive detail

        The result was 7 Tour de France wins  

Yes, we all know the rest of the story, and he does have a ton of personality issues,  but i do believe the playing field was equally juiced up during that time frame   ------  If he had not tried to come back for 2 more  in 09 and 10, he would have rode off into the sunset a national hero forever

----------------------------------------------

Schwarzenneger, BRady, Armstrong -----  all big names in sport  -- all huge workaholics 

Dont be these guys   -- they have to take viagra and can't bench press their way out of a wet paper  sack

As far as the "Work smarter not harder" premise    ----   kick that crap back into the dank hole it deserves to be in and recognize that you need to 

"Work smarter --- So you can work  HARDER " 

you lazy sacks of garbage ! ( kidding about the garbage part---- or am i?) 

  -----    Prioritize your time,  put in the hours --------