Stop Starting Over.

 

The brand new, white wireless controller came whizzing by my head. Surely, it would have left an imprint of the Xbox logo across my forehead. Instinctively, I slipped the flying object like I was Muhammad Ali dodging all twenty one of Michael Dokes’ punches. Next came the wrath of my competitor after I had pulled one of the dirtiest tricks in all of video game history.

In our Battle of the Bros: NCAA Football Version, I couldn’t just let my little brother beat me after scoring a last minute Hail Mary. That’s preposterous. My ego wouldn’t let it happen. In the midst of his celebration, I quickly found the “Mulligan” option and selected it as fast as humanly possible before he caught on.

This little devious and rather helpful tool allowed you to rewind one single play within the game. Basically, a cheap shot of a do-over.

Although incriminating to actually use it, we both had fallen victim to one another using it at the absolutely worst times. Upon its selection, no game was actually ever finished. Instead, we went from tackling each other on the television screen to an actual royal rumble in our parents’ living room.

Don’t look at me like that. We were both guilty! And no, I could not just let me little brother win.

FLASH FORWARD.

We recently received an email from one of our coaching clients. We’ve actually received a handful of ones just like it in the past.

After a brilliant start on their Insulin Reset, one of the effective strategies we employ with clients to begin their fat loss journey, our client ran into some trouble.

You see. In an insulin reset, carbohydrates are restricted to 30 grams or less over a 10 day to 3 week period. This isn’t just a cruel punishment but a purposeful action plan to improve insulin sensitivity, balance hormones through increased fat consumption, and establish a high protein-based diet.

After a sprinting start where our client had lost a few pounds (mainly water to be honest), everything was all sunshine and rainbows. Her motivation was at an all-time high, her confidence was slowly building, and she was ready to commit once and for all.

Seven days in and her will-power had wilted. The temptation of pizza was far to great to overcome and she had a slice or two.

Guilty, she emailed us to break the bad news. Thinking she surely had just let us down big time.

But this was not the first time this has happened before and it definitely will not be the last.

Since most clients are highly motivated at the start of the working with us, we take advantage and begin with something like the insulin reset or our very own, Fresh Start protocol. As a result, these strategies produce some great results right off the bat that create trust and encourage the client that change and achieving their goals is possible.

While on this stint of deprivation, the willpower of our clients are tested to the max. Fatigue will set in as the body switches from glucose to fat as the main energy source. Cravings of carb goodness creep in and maintaining self control becomes more difficult.

Studies have actually found that willpower and glucose levels are directly linked. When glucose is low (like in this reset) or cannot be efficiently mobilized to the brain (i.e., insulin resistance), self control failures are more likely to occur.

For that reason among others, this protocol is short in duration and in the long run will help glucose get to the brain more effectively via improved insulin sensitivity. Now, with the right social support, accountability, and targeted willpower, the individual can make it successfully through the insulin reset and reintroduce carbohydrates.

However, there are always those few that stumble. Usually, right at the finish line.

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• Some eat the temporarily “forbidden” foods due to lack of knowledge.
• Social situations get the best of others.
• The remaining few just throw in the towel and accept their fate that they cannot change.

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No matter the reason, after each one slipped up on this insulin reset, they all said the same thing…

“I have to start over.”

 

Ready for us to be upset at her and fire her as a client, we had a very different response than she was expecting. We simply said:

STOP STARTING OVER. INSTEAD, YOU MUST STOP GIVING UP.

Most people fall into the trap of achieving perfection. It’s a vicious cycle that goes like this:

You start something like a diet. It’s all peachy at the beginning until you come across some troubled waters and fall victim to the struggles. You have a cheat meal or you miss your macro targets big time. Instead of moving forward, you feel the only chance at success is by starting over. In your head, you make up this thought that you must have a fresh, flawless slate in order to achieve the success you are after.

Problem is perfection is unattainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. Thanks for that one, Mr. Vince Lomardi.

You see…

Your life is not a board game.

Your diet is not a frozen Nintendo console.

Your workouts are not a MacBook with a spinning pinwheel.

There is no reset button. There are no mulligans.

The only thing that you can reset is your mindset, outlook, and approach. With every rising sun, there is opportunity to make different choices and get better. The same goes for each meal and each workout.

This idea that “I must be perfect or I can’t reach my goals” is holding you back from claiming victory and kicking life’s ass. 

We hate to break it to you but you are not perfect. To take a cliche line from Fight Club, one of our favorite movies of all time,“You’re not a beautiful and unique snowflake.”

Even Hannah Montana knows nobody’s perfect. Well except Beyonce, she’s flawless. The truth is…

You are not your MISTAKES or FAILURES.

Those fuck ups do not define you. Having a slice or two of pizza is not the end of the world. Instead, they are solely learning experiences to drive you forward and teach you lessons along the way.

If it weren’t for the lows, you would not appreciate and celebrate the highs.

That does not mean you do not own up to your mistakes. Do not make an excuse of why. Although I do suggest you figure out the trigger that led you down that path of lost self control.

Man up. Learn. Move on.

Remember this: The next meal or set or workout are all opportunities to do better.

So if you go over your macros because you couldn’t resist that crunchy French Toast at brunch, what should be your next move? (I admit it. Totally guilty here.) 

Claim the whole weekend a disaster and continue the cheat?

Hmm…how about you just get back on track in the next meal? I’m sure the mirror and how you feel Monday will be much happier.

Something came up with work or the family, you only have 15 minutes for that workout instead of the planned hour. What do you do?

Ah skip it. You will just restart this entire training phase tomorrow even though you’ve already completed three weeks. 

That’s just non-sense.

How about you call an audible. and set a timer for 15 minutes, make up a quick circuit of 3 to 5 exercises (particularly ones that were in your workout that day), and complete as much volume as possible in that period.

Again, it does not have to be perfect.

Be willing to bend without breaking. Even if you are on a program, it does not have to be so set in stone.

In Eric Ries’ book, The Lean Startup, he discusses methods where startup companies must learn how to pivot in order to survive and keep growing. One definition of pivot is “changing (or even firing) the plan instead of the executive.”

In this case, the plan (your training program or diet) needs an adjustment on the fly rather than you just firing the CEO (aka yourself).

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Trust the Process.

After writing three single-spaced pages of what would become Carrie, Stephen King quit and gave up on the script. The voices in his head slowly crept in and got the best of him. That same fear of failure you have almost stopped him from catching his break.

When emptying the trash, his wife, Tabby, took out the crinkled balls of paper and encouraged King that he had something there. Next thing he knew, Carrie sold 1 million copies in its first year as Stephen King’s debut novel.

Frustrated and wanting to start over, with the support of his wife, King finally accomplished his goals as an aspiring writer.

The same can apply to your own body transformation. If you do not see results right away or you have a few hiccups along the way, do not become discouraged or frustrated. Instead, surround yourself with your own Tabby’s. 

A support system filled with people who not only believe in you but will also give you tough love is a very valuable resource to achieving your goals. Find them in your loved ones, friends, or by hiring a coach.

These people will help you trust the process when you have your self-doubts and pick out the crumbled pieces of paper in the trash can. 

Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day.

And neither will your desired body. That’s just the simple truth. Just think about how long it took you to get where you currently stand.

Looking at the big picture is a great idea but in certain circumstances, it can be quite overwhelming. Why not try breaking things down into smaller, more manageable pieces?

Seven perfect days of eating is pretty damn difficult, even for the experienced dieter. How about starting by just getting 28 out of 35 meals the best you can. That’s 80 percent of your meals where you hit your macro targets. Next, you try for 85 percent or 30 meals then 90 percent or 32 meals. That leaves you with three meals where you can let go a little and stimulate your tastebuds or grab a drink with a friend.

Apply the same principle to your workouts.

Then if after a month of consistently following that regimen and you do not see progress, then you can reconsider and go with a different plan.

Just don’t jump from one program to the next because you kept missing workouts. Don’t blame your diet approach when you haven’t hit your macro targets for more than eighty percent of your meals.

In the grand scheme of it all, patience and consistency will be the biggest two factors in crossing that finish line.

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Imagine if everyone called it quits when something didn’t go perfectly as planned?

What if every baseball game was restarted when a batter got a hit and ruined the pitcher’s chance a perfect game? Shit, that would make baseball even more unbearable to watch.

What if Tom Brady refused to play unless they restarted the Super Bowl after that first interception?

Exactly.

I will not tell you to stop trying to achieve perfection. By all means, go for it. But if and when you come across bumps in the road, do not stop. Just keep going on your journey and inch closer to your destination.

Stop starting over. Start kicking ass. Your FREE Fresh Start awaits you. Click Here to grab the protocol that will give your body a do-over and better results than any juice cleanse on the market.