I think it this definitely bears repeating:

All too often people lose TONS of weight, only to quickly find it again…

So what rules do we need to stick to, to make sure this doesn't happen?

At the most basic level you might think of “getting clear” as setting a weight loss goal. For example:

I want to lose 8kg in 6 weeks

That’s certainly part of it, but it’s not what I’m talking about here.

The thing you need to get clear on is what does life look like when you achieve your goal…

After getting lean for a photoshoot for my new website late last year, I was leaner and more shredded than I'd ever been.

Insert shameless plug to the least homoerotic photo here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BcF11zNhJXu/

However, with focussing on this as my sole and only goal, I neglected quite a few other important aspects.

For me, it’s to feel confidence, be comfortable (not hungry 24/7), have lots of energy, be pain free and be able to enjoy relationships with my close friends and family. Not saying at all that I was as lean as a competitive bodybuilder (don't know how those guys do it), but being as lean as I was, wasn't conducive to all these things.

I enjoy eating good food, being strong and working out regularly. And I prefer how I feel when I've got a bit of extra timber on me.

All of this is important as I know that when I feel great, I do great.

What about you?

Here are some additional questions that might help you turn your goals into your reality…

For me, I’m willing to devote an hour per day to workout and a very small length of time each day to track my nutrition on MyFitnessPal. I also started a new morning routine this year - I’ll share that in a future email. 

To fit these in, I’ve rearranged my schedule to try and be much more productive. One thing I did a while back was to cut back on TV in the evening. 

This allows me to get things done when I’m home (or work a bit later when I need to), as well as get to bed earlier so I have more energy to get my workouts done, get my work done each day as well as not have my rubbish sleep affect my appetite and screw my diet up.

I’ve also changed my nutrition habits to focus on fuelling my training (rather than having calories super low), and not drinking in the week (booze seems to ruin my sleep and dysregulate my appetite - a bad habit picked up from Xmas). 

Having had a few tough moments over the past few years, they made me realise that the most important thing is my own health, because without it I’m pretty worthless to those who count on me (my family and clients).  Plus, with poor health, I can’t enjoy life the way I want it, and what’s the point of living if you can’t enjoy it?

So, the outcome I’m dedicated to is performing at a high level, feeling great, looking the way I feel comfortable with and being a good example to those that choose to follow me. I also plan to enjoy a long, ACTIVE life with my other half - I feel it's worth thinking about the future, even though I'm only 28!

What about you? What are you CLEAR about?

One more thing…

People around you (often your closest friends & family members) are going to doubt you... often unknowingly they’re going to scupper your plans and make it difficult for you to reach your goals.

You've got to try and work things out so that you don't let this happen.

You might also try some things and they won’t go quite as planned.  So what?! 

When does anything ever work straight away, or become a success overnight?

The definition of success is “the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal.” 

So, if you’re working on it and moving towards it - that means you’re successful. 

Just be sure to get clear on what you want and what that looks like on a daily/weekly basis for you...

Don't just tell yourself that you want a six pack, and then expect that to work.

Because I can promise you, that 99 times out of 100, that's not gonna work.

Much love

JB