There was a point in my life about 3 years ago when I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t recognize myself. I saw sadness in my eyes. I had just gone through a yucky divorce and I knew if I didn’t change something up quick the sadness was going to take over my life.
I was about 25lbs heavier than I am now. I felt totally uncomfortable in my own skin and an emotional zombie drinking way too much to numb the pain. While looking in the mirror that morning I decided I was DONE. That I would do whatever it took to turn my life around. I decided I was going to do a mind-body transformation. I was tired of the excuses… I wanted to find my happiness again and in turn find my true self.
I’m going to tell you My 5 Keys that added Magic to my Workout, helped lose 15lbs (those last 10lbs I lost in my #8WeeksToChange Program ), and added a smile back to my heart … I believe these Keys are what created the momentum to get me where I am physically and mentally today.
The 5 Keys
1. VISUALIZATION – I wanted desperately to be a one of the Top Fitness Professionals in Los Angeles. At the time I had just moved to LA for my relationship leaving a wildly successful fitness career in NY. When my wife and I broke up I felt a lot of resentment for leaving the city I loved for a marriage that didn’t last. I also thought my success, as a top trainer in NY would transition into the City of Angels. However anyone who’s moved from NY to LA knows… That’s a HARD switch. Los Angeles doesn’t care if you were successful in NY; in fact if you bring it up it works against you which I learned very early on. Needless to say I’d put on some weight due to my stress level.
Here’s what I did: When I was on the treadmill or teaching at Flywheel, which just opened, I’d visualize the body I wanted and the career I wanted. I thought of my body as a shield of armour to protect me from a town that can be rather toxic if you don’t have a supportive group of friends around you. I would visualize how I would move, how people would respond to me, what it would feel like to teach to a full class of people who understood my passion (feelings that I knew all to well). Visualized what it would be like to be a top trainer in this new city. Every day I visualized it all, how my life would be different and why my workouts on the treadmill and in class were more than just a “workout.” My workouts were and still are designed to set the tone for what’s possible in life if you’re brave enough to face your fears.
2. IMPORTANT -Have a dream while you’re working out, and think about the dream as if it were a reality… It’s proven that your brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and visualization… If you can picture your vision clearly enough I promise it’ll will happen. Train your brain not only your body in your workouts.
3. MUSIC – Every couple of days I would download new music onto my ipod… Music I loved. I would look forward to my workouts just to listen to the music. If you need new music ideas follow me on spotify, I’m constantly adding new playlists.
4. LOCATION IS KEY – I always picked a treadmill that was in front of a mirror. In my classes, which were empty at first, I’d find a couple people in the class that understood what I was trying to do. In LA, if you’re not “popular/trendy” you’re not “cool”… I find it’s harder to succeed in LA rather than NY fitness because people are more likely to follow the trends rather than the effective workouts. Meaning, if it’s not in magazines with celebs people don’t go. Flywheel at the time was 4th to the spin market behind Equinox/Cycle House/Soul Cycle, that’s some heavy competition. Now we’re PACKED but we weren’t in the beginning. So, I looked in that mirror when I ran or at those students who believed in my potential and never gave up on my vision of the body and the life I wanted in LA… I looked into my eyes and promised myself that I was going to do this. I saw my body working sooo hard, trying to get to a new level of fitness. I promised my body I wasn’t going to put bad food into it, I wasn’t going to drink lots of alcohol… I was putting all of this effort and sweat into my body and my life. My body deserved the pay off. I promised myself that it would happen…. That it was coming. People even asked me, “what are you doing on that treadmill for so long, why are you giving so much in your classes?” My response was… You’ll see.
5. The WORKOUT – I got a heart rate monitor and I did 1 hour Treadmill Interval Workouts, 45min Flywheel classes, and lifted weights 2x per week. I used the heart rate monitor to be certain I was giving my best every time I stepped foot in the gym.
3 years later… I have the body I visualized was possible. My Flywheel classes are full with teams of devoted students, I was voted The Top Trainer in Los Angeles by classpass, and on a personal level I met a special someone who I love. I’m living proof that if you dream it… You can make it so.
What are you going to devote to visualization until you make it so? Nothing’s to big or small, all you have to do is be consistent and keep on believing.
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