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The 12-Agreements… are you in?

I believe there should be a criteria involved in the client/trainer relationship. I mean, if the potential client isn’t willing to adhere to a certain code, protocol, of philosophy, then the relationship is doomed from the start. I now ask anyone who is wanting to work with me either on the gym floor, as an online/phone client, or as a meal planning client, to agree to these 12-Agreements before we begin. If you are not in agreement… then I’m not the trainer for you. It’s only fair to extend an agreement that is understood from the start to ensure we all prosper.  Additionally, if you currently work with a personal trainer… or are looking into it… I think you should use these 12-agreements to put your trainer to the test. I’ll also throw in a few specific extras as well if the latter situation describes you.

One of the greatest honors and pleasures in my life is the opportunity that I have to share my love and passion for fitness with others. Sixteen years later I am more passionate about this endeavor than ever. I can also honestly say that I have evolved into a far more complete trainer now than when I was younger in the industry. Over the years I have been able to apply, research and completely scrutinize dozens and dozens of approaches to health and physique improvement.  Being a hard training bodybuilder in my twenties, then evolving into more of an athlete later in life has given me the unique opportunity to see so many sides of fitness.  Additionally, working in the trenches with real people every day has also given me complete perspective on how to bring about change in others. Paramount to this is the fact that the road to major change is long and narrow and few will find it. If you believe the “Conventional Wisdom” much of the media describes how to get fit and lose weight… then we need to completely alter your understanding of what works. However, if you believe that peak fitness, performance, and lasting change come at a price, and that the “Unconventional Wisdom” employed by a minority few is the true path to results… then maybe I am the trainer for your journey. The following are The 12-Agreements that every client must agree to before we begin down the road to serious change.

1. There is no magic pill. A strong, fit, lean healthy body is built through hard work, sacrifice, and effort. There will be discomfort.
2. You will have to forget much of what conventional wisdom has taught you about eating, dieting, and performance nutrition. There will be concepts that may appear counter intuitive; however I assure you that they are not. You MUST enter into this relationship with an open mind.
3. That there is a synergy to fitness… and that omitting any portion of the synergy will bring lacking results.
4. You do NOT have to spend hours and hours in the gym to have an incredible body and optimal health.
5. The concept of dieting should be removed from your thinking forever.
6. Not sweating is not an option.
7. 90% of people who crave serious change cannot do it by themselves. You will need a competent coach.
8. You are not a victim of your metabolism or genetics… you are the creator of them. You are in control. But you must act, and act now!
9. There are no quick fixes, and if your desire for change is completely vanity driven, I’m probably not the trainer for you.
10. If you are ready for a serious commitment to completely rewriting your fitness story, and are ready to work hard, sacrifice, and sweat… then I am the trainer for you and look forward to being there with you to see it through.
11. If you crave purpose, victory, and a life greater than what you are currently living, then you will succeed.
12. There is NOTHING that I would ever ask you to do that I would not be willing to do myself.

There it is. Nothing ground breaking… and I think the entire 12-Agreements is really predicated on one simple philosophy. That it takes hard work, serious effort, and an open mind if you really want results.  It’s also critical to understand that nutrition is roughly 80% responsible for a lean, fit body free of unwanted body fat.  If the above 12-Agreements make sense… and you’re willing to abide by them… then by all means you’re ready to begin the battle.

Already have a trainer? Great!  That’s a big step. And if you’re getting results then I’d be willing to bet your trainer would not disagree with anything we’ve discussed up to now.  When I hire a trainer to add to my team… I want not only certifiable fitness supergeeks… but I want them up to speed on a variety of training disciplines that make them compatible with practically any client that walks through the gym door.  Does your trainer have a firm grasp on the following?

Circuit Training?

Met Con?

Progression Circuits?

Periodization?

Interval Training?

Power Training?

Olympic Lifts?

Power Endurance?

Accumulation Training?

Endurance Specific (Cycling, running, triathlon, swimming)?

H.I.I.T. Training?

Threshold Training, or MHR training?

Recovery workouts?

Etc…, etc… etc…

I want my trainers to have an understanding of all these and more. And, this really applies to Number 12 of my agreements. Can your trainer actually DO the workout he or she teaches? Can he/she at any given moment jump out the door and run a 5k with you?  Does he/she regularly engage in workouts on their own that resemble what they do with you?  Or possibly far more intense?  They should be.  Do they understand the concepts around real productive Nutrition? They should.  My team of trainers are a Corp of Elite Soldiers and I am the Master Chief. I would take a bullet for anyone on my team and they would do the same for me. Our goal is to be the best of the best in making certain the clients under our watch receive the very best training and direction possible. If not… then it’s my fault. Not my trainers.

So I challenge you to put the 12-Agreements to the test. Search deep inside yourself and determine if you are truly ready for the challenge before you. And while you’re at it… make certain your trainer/coach if up to the challenge as well.

You’re going to battle together.

I look forward to seeing you  on the battlefield. Til next time…

God bless.

More Paleo on the Go!

4 Scrambled eggs (Omega-3 enriched) with flax and sunflower seeds on top…Organic apple slices with organic Almond butter… YUM!
A Super high energy, high nutrient breakfast that will build the body, and keep the fat-burning mechanism in motion. And it tastes great!!!! Fuel up!

Observations from a Paleo eating Hunter/Gatherer…

For the last sixteen years I’ve been training clients on how to improve their lives and physiques through proper movement and consumption. Like everyone, I’ve evolved. For many years I advocated the use of starchy carbohydrates, grains, beans, and even (gasp) dairy!
I leaned, I experienced, I applied, I evolved…
For about three years now I have been advocating the cessation of consuming breads, pasta, and dairy products (except plain organic yogurt). It has worked not only on myself… but on my clients.
I began advocating brief, intense workouts utilizing mainly bodyweight movements, plyometrics, and Olympic lifts in 20-30 minutes sessions. It worked not only on myself, but on my clients. Bodies were fitter, leaner, sexier, more productive, and free of injury.
About 8 months ago… I began studying the Paleo style nutrition plan. Also called, ancient, primal, and a few other clever names. I’ve always said “eat Biblical” and it evolved (excuse the pun) into the stricter sense of the term. When I learned that famed and highly respected Triathlon and cycling coach Joe Friel was on board, and was using the approach with his athletes… I had to try it. I got a copy of The Paleo Diet for Athletes, co written by Joe Friel. I also read and studied just about every book and case study I could find. It just never stopped making sense! So about a month ago I dove in head first. Went from excluding flours, and dairy items and went full tilt and began excluding ALL grains, flours, beans, legumes, and dairy products. One month later… I feel better than I can remember. At age 41, I had some aches… some joint pain and other issue I just chalked up to age. That was crap. A little over one month in and my joint pain has went away. I wake with more energy, I sleep better, my performance has improved, my mental state is better, my focus is better, and the food I eat literally gets me high when I eat it. Really! When I eat these meals now I feel an energy rush and a sense I can only describe as very mild euphoria. Another plus is it’s so damn easy! It really took very little adjustments.
More proof…
Last night I did it. I cheated. And to be honest, I wanted to see what would happen. So, I had a slice of cake… and two glasses of wine (one more than the recommended single glass). Within an hour I felt like I had been drugged… thirty minutes after that I was in bed too tired to stay awake. This was at roughly 10pm. I woke back up at around 1:30am with a terrible headache, and terrible joint pain in the spine, shoulder, and hips. I felt like I was 90-years-old. So I popped some ibuprofen and went back to bed. When I woke again, I immediately went back to a super-clean, Paleo style breakfast. By noon I was back to my normal, feeling great again.
So all that I’ve read is definitely true. I’m completely confident that anyone who adopts this lifestyle combined with the elements of exercise that I use and recommend… anyone can drop all the bodyfat they want and attain any level of health and performance they desire.
In 4 weeks I have personally lost 10 pounds of bodyfat, gained 3 pounds of lean muscle, and can feel my performance and endurance elevating quickly.
Please, I beg you… get off the crap, adopt the principles I recommend… and get on the fast track to the body you want. Please also tell a friend… we have to become advocates as well as athletes.

Paleo on the Go!

Mixed baby greens, left over grilled chicken, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and just a touch of red wine vinaigrette. Amazing, SUPER healthy, fast and easy. Took literally 3 minutes to make.

More Paleo Observations…

Just wanted to throw out a few observations while they were fresh in my mind. I’ve been strict Paleo for some time now and can notice some real changes that my body has become sensitive to… and I also have thrown in a few things that make it all work so much better in an active life.
1. My sensitivity to alcohol and refined sugar has gotten extremely acute. More than a small glass of wine… or even more than one 12-oz. beer and I feel sick and spacey. Even a small amount of refined sugar or enriched flour makes me instantly feel lethargic and brings on a harsh headache in a matter of about 15-20 minutes. To me, this shows the real biological stress that these poisons can do to you in quick fashion. There seems to be a real “rejection” when I consume those.
2. Good fats are worth their weight in gold. Flax seeds, olive oils, almonds,whole eggs, coconut oil, etc. These make a real impact in my mood and energy.
3. This ain’t freakin’ Adkins. Bad fats like bacon, cheap meats, oils, etc. have no place here. Paleo is about good nutrients.
4. Supplements: Parrillo’s Captri MCT oil, organic, unrefined coconut oil, protein powders, and LARABARs have been critical in my crazy life.
5. I’m dropping body fat while keeping or increasing lean muscle, and I feel vibrant. Skin tone is good, hair and nails are healthy. Don’t have the wiped-out feeling of a “diet”.
6. Although I’ve already mentioned this… cheating makes me feel terrible. Like I’ve been drugged. It’s very pronounced on this system. Makes me not want to cheat nearly as much.
So, it’s so far so good. I’m very pleased and once again I cannot believe how natural this feels. The only thing I find myself truly missing is the occasional bowl of cereal and my beloved ice-cream. I plan on having my first bowl of frozen heaven on Super Bowl Sunday. I’ll be in Raleigh at a TRX workshop for 8-hours. I’m sure I’ll burn off enough at that to justify some Ben & Jerry’s.
Have advice? Need advice? Have a question about training? Drop me an email.
Peace.