Chris Hemmsworth's trainer was advertising his "Train Like Thor '' program on YouTube ads.
Really?
Broccoli and chicken 5 times a day? Did he forget to include the steroid cycle...?
Being A Real Life Hero
In the real world, we still have to deal with:
Mortgage payments,
Family drama, and
"Check engine" lights.
But we want to look good, too, you know!
Wear nice clothes confidently and comfortably, have our spouses pinch our butts when we walk by, get told by people that something is different about us in a good way...
Some would settle for not feeling tired all the time, being able to carry all the groceries in one trip, and being the strong, reliable one in case of emergencies.
So how do you realistically BE that real life hero while juggling all the moving pieces?
Health Fatigue
Athletes, actors, celebrities and models have a highly paid team of people behind them making sure that they perform well. Their paychecks depend on their ability to present an attractive, athletic healthy image.
You and I have our coaches and peers to help us stay on track with our health and fitness. Some of you don't even have coaches.
Understandably, it can seem almost impossible.
In the real world, burnout is a real thing; even (and especially) with a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes you just don’t feel like training or eating healthy food. Sometimes you want cake!
It's OK!
Read that again. Sometimes it’s OK to enjoy yourself, even if it’s not “healthy.”
Your ideal lifestyle is the one that you can stick to in the long run. If you don't allow yourself to have bad days, then you're making it harder than it has to be.
How The Pros Really Do It
Pro tip: They’re all good days! As long as you aren’t intentionally doing damage to yourself, you’re doing OK.
So how do you manage to stay on a healthy path? You have to know your operational gears!
Race car drivers know that you can’t win a race with your foot slammed on the gas the whole time.
Constantly operating at high gear will burn out your engine. Always being comfortable will never allow you to grow.
Idling at a low gear will get you nowhere.
Most importantly, if you don't know what your operational gears look like, you're not really in control of your life.
Here's What It Might Look Like
High Gear, i.e. Power Up Days (1-2 days a week)
Waking up with an agenda early in the morning and getting some journaling done before making breakfast
Meditating for 1 minute between tasks.
Strict protein and carb heavy meal 2 hours before your high intensity workout
Meal prep for the week.
Eat 1 prepped meal and 1 intuitive meal
Writing a blog, email or post.
Studying for business and/or personal improvement
Laying out the week's appointments, chores, challenges
Low Gear, i.e. Recovery Days (1 day a week; mandatory)
Waking up whenever you want.
Cooking French toast with the kid while the wife gets bonus quiet time
If it's nice out, maybe go to the playground with the kid
Eat cheese and crackers for "lunch"
Maybe open a bottle of wine (or a beer, or some matcha tea)
Do some pull ups while the leftovers are in the microwave
Swing the kid like a kettlebell
Transitional Gears, i.e. Grind Days (5 days a week):
A set morning routine
First meal at 11am
Training options: Go for a walk with 45lb pack, Airbike for 15-30 minutes, 5-8 minutes of kettlebell flow
Have audiobooks or podcasts playing in the background while doing work
Eat prepped meals with maybe an additional piece of chocolate or 1/2 pbj sandwich
Stop eating at 8pm
What About You?
Ask yourself the following:
Are you being honest and realistic about your goals?
What are your operational gears?
What needs to happen so that you step up your high gear?
Do you need more time spent in low gear?
If you want to achieve high performance, you have to know how and when to power up and power down.
It's ok not to look, sound, act or even train like your favorite celebrity. The key to a healthy lifestyle is a healthy mindset. Growth (mental, personal, spiritual) is more important than reaching an ideal. Remember why you're on this path. It's a long one with lots of uphill battles.
Comments