FoYo Berry Bites

What do you do with all these hot, humid days?  

Grab a cold glass of water.....

Eat a couple frozen grapes.....

Try to muster up an appetite or the energy to cook.  

This is the time of year when 'ice cream for dinner' is a running theme.  

If you find yourself needing a quick and cool treat because it is just too hot for anything else, why not try something that is both nutritious and what????

Yes, pretty delicious too!!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup crushed almonds or almond meal
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, (more for a sweeter FroYo Bite)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, low-fat
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh chopped strawberries and/or raspberries
  • 6-cup muffin tin and liners

 

Directions

Line a 6-cup muffin tin with silicone or parchment cupcake liners, or add directly to nonstick muffin tin.

In a small bowl, stir together crushed almonds, coconut sugar, and coconut oil. Spoon a small amount into the bottom of each muffin cup.

In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and honey. Spoon 2 tablespoons into each muffin cup, covering the crust.

Top with fresh chopped berries. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. To serve, remove from silicone wrapper and allow to set at room temperature for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Original Recipe from : http://skinnyms.com/froyo-berry-bites-recipe/

 

 

Time Management In a Box

I have a total obsession with time management. 

I consider myself to be uber-productive, but I also study the heck out of time management. 

Removing emotions, I try to study why some people don't have time for things and some people seem to fit it in. 

Let me start with two of my favorite quotes on time management before we get to the good stuff. 

Instead of Saying "I Don't Have Time," Say "It's Not a Priority"

"Being busy is not the same as being productive. In fact, being busy is a form of laziness-lazy thinking and indiscriminate action."

I've talked about both of these before but just a point on each one...

We are all saying yes to something and no to something else. 

Right now you are saying yes to reading this which means that you are saying no to something else.

Being great with time management isn't necessarily doing more, it's saying no to what's not a priority. 

The priority quote applies a lot to fitness because if you say...

"I don't have time to exercise."

Versus...

"It's not a priority to exercise."

It just sounds different, right?

Because let's face it, we do have time, it just may mean waking up earlier, staying up later, saying no to friends, or whatever, it's just not a priority. 

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that's a bad thing all the time, but we just have to be aware of it. 

I wrote a piece awhile back about busyness that got some good feedback and it stemmed from reading the second quote above from Tim Ferriss. 

Most people think it's a badge of honor to be busy. 

"How are you today?"

"Oh, good, really busy...but good."

He believes (and I try really hard to agree) that being busy is a form of laziness. 

You're busy because you said yes to too many things, you're not taking enough action, and you're just spinning your wheels. 

Ok, we get it. 

But how do you fix this?

The best exercise I have for time management is following Steven Covey's time management grid.

It's broken into four boxes.

The goal is to fill in your tasks into each box to help you be more aware of what to focus on what to say no to. 

1. Urgent Important: These are things that are both important and urgent. Things with deadlines, appointments, and emergencies.  Items in the box are necessary, there's no avoiding them. 

2. Not Urgent Important: These are things that are important but no urgent. This is where exercise would fall. Along with that, you would have things like planning, relationship building, other tasks that you feel are important, but don't have a deadline. The key with this box is FOCUS. The things are important, but they don't have a deadline so it's easy to get distracted.  

3. Urgent Not Important: These are things that pop up that need to be taken care of but are not important. These include things like unplanned interruptions, drop in visitors, some meetings, and e-mails. 

4. Not Urgent Not Important: This box is the key. These are things that are not important and not urgent, yet it's the things we waste our time doing the most. This includes things like checking e-mail multiple times per day, checking social media, surfing TV, gossiping, etc. 

Go ahead and fill in the boxes for your life. 

The goal is just to be a little more self-aware. 

Say yes to things that are important and urgent, but try to avoid distractions that are no urgent and not important. 

It seems basic to some, but if you documented your time I would all but guarantee most of us to spend too much time on not urgent not important things. 

I hope that helped. 

I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

 

Seeing shapes in the clouds

Last week, in the midst of the tragedy that struck our community, I went home and put on an Englebert Humperdinck song that I remember my mom listening to when I was a kid. 

Yes, I like Englebert Humperdinck. I said it out loud. 

I grabbed my partner and we danced in the kitchen and as the dog tried to make his way between us, I stepped back and looked in her eyes and realized that I’d forgotten.  

She has flecks of brown that sparkle in the light of her green eyes.

I don’t know when I last looked in her eyes and registered what I was really, truly seeing - but it felt like I hadn't seen her eyes in years.

I spend most of my days looking but no seeing, listening but not hearing, touching but not feeling. As we turned slowly in one another’s arms in the kitchen I was plagued with the thought. 

What else have I forgotten? What else do I not see? Who else is talking to me that I am not really hearing?  

There is a Buddhist book called “Wake up to Your Life,” and though I’ve read the book the entire way through, I’m often still asleep. As is many times the case, it’s tragedy the slaps you, shakes you awake and leaves you disconcerted, groundless and confused.

But it’s also tragedy that makes you sit in front of your picture window in the mountains and look at clouds in ways you haven’t since you were a kid. That makes you eat a fresh strawberry in three bites - savoring the taste. It is stark sadness sometimes that frightens us into locking fingers with our loved ones to pull them close and say I love you with your hearts and our arms and our entire being.

From sadness and tragedy sometimes comes clarity. And pause. One Buddhist teacher refers to the sacred pause - teaching yourself to pause several times throughout your day - to check in with yourself and to see if you are truly awake to your life. Tragedy forces this pause - forces us to take inventory of what and who is important to our energy and time. Tragedy slows us down, which can sometimes feel terrifying. If we slow down, if we pause completely, we may be left with feelings and emotions that can seem like too much. 

But sometimes when we pause, we can look in our partners’ eyes, and see those flecks of brown, and dance to bad music from the 70’s and for a few moments feel awake and grateful for our lives.  

I don't know if I'm 1% better today. I know that I'm 100% sadder. But I also know that I am more awake today than I've been in a long time. And for that I am grateful. 

50 Things You Can Change Today For Better Results...

Too often we focus on shrinking, less, and what we need to cut out or remove. 

But why not focus on what we can ADD?

Here are 50 things you can add today for better results.

More Sleep

More Protein

More Vegetables

More of a Growth Mindset

More Relaxation

More Strength Training

More of the 1% Better Mentality

More Gratitude

More Planning and Preparing

More Smiles

More Family Time

More Walking

More Standing

More Heavy Weights

More FUN

More Friendships

More Community

More Accountability

More Empowerment

More Consistency

More Vitamin D

More Greens

More Presence

More Commitment

More Fish Oil

More Play

More Kindness

More Authenticity

More Foam Rolling

More Soft Tissue Work

More Positivity

More Encouragement

More Support

More Reading

More Meditation

More Glute Work

More Core Work

More Mobility Work

More Interval Training

More Stretching

More Small Changes

More Habits Built

More Water

More Journaling

More Eating Until Your 80% Full

More Action

More Single Leg Exercises

More Recognition

More Crawling 

More LIVING

I could keep going on and on. 

My point today was to try to get you to shift the mental gear about how it's all negative, it's all about removing stuff, shrinking, and doing less of things you love. 

What's always fun to watch is when you focus on that growth mindset and look at all the things you can ADD, the results go through the roof. 

Talk tomorrow...

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project 2020

I wrote about this to my business group, but of course, as I was writing this I realized it could totally apply to anyone in life, especially those getting ready to tackle or currently on their fitness journey. 

2020. 

It sounds so far away...

But it's a mere 2.5 years away.

It's only 905 days away. 

Before you know it, if we don't plan and take action, the time is going to pass and you're going to be sitting there 2. 5 years older, with the same frustrations you have now the same feeling of unhappiness and the same list of goals wanting to be achieved.

What will life look like in 2020?

I'm calling it Project 2020. 

I challenge you to take out a blank piece of paper and write the title "Project 2020" at the top. 

Then, start thinking about what you want life to look like in 2020. 

The reason why I like 2020 is it's just far enough away where it really forces you to think about some stretch goals, but it's not too far away that you can't visualize yourself in that time.

Plus it sounds cool. 

So, what's on the page?

I recommend you start by outline what your "average perfect day" looks like. 

Now, we all think we want to live on the beach with a glass of wine in our hand 24/7, no work, no stress, just a glass of cab and a beautiful sunset. 

Well then there's reality, right?

That may be possible here and there, but let's spend time thinking about your "average perfect day" with things like work, family, etc. 

Here are some questions do get you started...

What time are you waking up?

What will you do the first part of your day?

What are you thinking about?

Where are you eating lunch? With who?

What would you do for personal fulfillment?

What time would you go to work? How many hours would you work?

What's your career or business?

What is your relationship like? Spouse? Family?

What are you doing for exercise, mentally and physically?

What would you at night?

What would your thoughts be as you fall asleep?

These questions are all based on desired experiences, not goals. 

It's important to understand that achieving a certain goal just allows us to have a certain experience. 

Think about it...

Having a goal of losing 20lbs is just a goal, but it's truly the experience you're after that comes with losing those 20lbs. 

Things like being able to play with your kids in the backyard, being alive and well for your granddaughter's wedding, or having the confidence to walk on the beach with your favorite bikini on.

The goals are just the milestones we use to ultimately achieve a certain experience. 

So use the above questions as you outline "Project 2020" to first start with what you want the experience to look like. 

What does a great day look like?

That should take up the front page...

On the back page, you can start to set some goals that need to be achieved in order for that experience to happen. 

Here are some questions to help you prompt that side of things...

What does life look like in 2020?

How many hours a week are you working?

How many days off do you have in a year?

How much are you making?

How much do you have in the bank?

What events/experiences have you taken part in?

What do you look like physically?

How strong are you?

How often are you exercising?

What are you going for exercise?

What's your nutrition look like?

What does that doctor say when you come in for that year physical?

How much energy do you have?

How many hours of sleep are you getting?

What's your emotional state?

How big is your family?

Where are you living and in what kind of house?

These questions and more should be documented in this paper titled "Project 2020."

2020 will be here before you know it. 

Are you going just go through the motions and be sitting here 905 days from now in the same health, with the same frustrations, and the same unhappiness...

Or are you going to take action and do something about it?

It starts by painting a clear picture of what success looks like to you. 

What does life look like in 2020?

I challenge you to spend even 15 minutes doing this exercise and then hang the piece of paper somewhere you see every day. 

1% of you will actually do this exercise and those that do will see dramatic results. 

The others...I don't want to just go down the path, I want to create my own. 

What's your #Project2020?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If You Have It...

I'm a huge fan of Disney. 

I've followed them for years. 

The business behind Disney is amazing. 

A lot of the ideas pertaining to customer experience and client engagement that you see at Spurling have come from seeing how Disney does things. 

Today I'm not here to talk about the business of Disney (although that would be a killer post). 

I wanted to share my favorite quote by Walt Disney and one that I reference quite a bit...

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."

Think about that. 

Most peoples dreams never come true because they never take the initial step, they never build up enough courage to actually pursue them. 

Yesterday in our weekly team meeting the staff and I was talking about this very topic. 

Starting a new fitness journey takes a lot of courage. 

It's a very vulnerable thing to admit that you need help with something. 

We think we do a pretty good job at creating an environment that makes your journey a really fun and empowering one, but we're always looking to make things better. 

It takes a lot of courage to start something new, to admit that you need help, and to make changes. 

But if you have the courage to pursue it, it can be life-changing. 

We all have dreams, goals, and things we're going after. 

First, it's important to recognize that mustering up the courage to purse them is hard, and struggling is part of the process, and that's ok. 

But as some point, when you're ready, you will have to start the pursuit. 

So, my poiny today it this...

Whether it's a fitness dream, a career dream, or a personal dream, they can come true if you have the courage to purse them. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: If you're ready to take the the first step and give Spurling a try grab one of the 9 spots left in our next 6-Week Transformation Challenge that starts on 7/17. Register here ===>>> 6-Week Transformation Challenge

Do You Have This?

If you're feeling in a rut, raise your hand! 

Sometimes we go through ebbs and flows where we're just not feeling it. 

No motivation to workout, no desire to make any real changes, and you kind of just feel stuck. 

This commonly happens in two situations:

1. You haven't done anything in a long time, you're tired, stressed, and lack any motivation to do anything. 

2. You are working out on a regular basis, you may have hit a fat loss goal or two, but you're kind of wondering "what's next?". You find yourself losing interest and just going through the motions. 

Either way, I'm going to challenge you to try something. 

Hear me out...

There are three types of goals. 

Outcome based, process based, and performance based. 

Most people start this journey with an outcome based goal. 

This would be things like wanting to lose 20lbs, wanting to drop 4 pant sizes. 

In this case, we're obsessed with the outcome. 

We may be able to muster up enough motivation to hit it, we may not. 

We're just obsessed with the outcome. 

The struggle comes when one of two things happen...

You're so obsessed with the outcome that you don't enjoy the process, you give up before the outcome is ever achieved, and revert back to your old habits. 

Or, you achieve the outcome (lose the 20lbs) and expect that everything is going to change.

You quickly realize that you feel better and look better, but you're still not satisfied because you were just obsessed with the outcome. 

Outcome goals do not equal happiness. 

So you may start with an outcome goal, but if you want to have any long-term success you have to quickly shift down the spectrum to the next kind of goal. 

Process-based goals. 

These are goals we're you're all about the process. 

Maybe it's hitting 100 workouts in 6 months. 

Maybe it's trying to get a certain amount of pounds lifted each workout. 

Or maybe it's hitting a certain number of servings of vegetables. 

The important thing about process goals is you can control them. 

I can control if I get 100 workouts in, I can't control the outcome (20lbs). 

Now funny enough, when you focus on the process (100 workouts) the outcome tends to have a higher success rate. 

Process goals get you bought into the journey. 

You're purely obsessed with the process of everything. 

The process of hitting 15 workouts this month. 

The process of staying under a certain amount of calories each day. 

You're not hunting for an outcome and expecting a pot of happiness to dump upon you, you just love the process. 

Here at Spurling, we use process-based goals like the Frequent Sweaters Club and the #100WorkoutChallenge. 

Finally, the ultimate goal is the performance based goal. 

This is when you become obsessed with your performance. 

This could be things like completing your first 5k, tackling an obstacle course race, or competing in a powerlifting competition. 

Here, you, of course, want a certain outcome, and you need to follow a process, but the emphasis, the focus, is on the performance. 

This is where the ultimate life long journey is built. 

You find a performance based goal, you conquer it, and then you find a new one. 

The best part?

The outcome-based goals and the process-based goals have a much higher success rate when you find a good performance based goal. 

Think about it...

If I'm about to tackle my first obstacle course race...

I'm going to have to train a couple days a week...

I'm going to have to get stronger...

I'm going to have to get leaner...

All of those outcome based goals will happen as a by-product of focusing on the performance based goal.

So...

My question for you. 

What's your performance based goal?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: If you're looking for a great first performance-based goal we're just over a month away from our 2nd Annual Spurling Charity 5k. Register today to save some money, get a t-shirt, and be eligible for medals and cash prizes. Register here ===>>> 2nd Annual Spurling Charity 5k

 

Are you exercising or training? 

I was given a t-shirt two weeks ago that said:

Stop Exercising. Start Training.

I don’t often agree with slogans on Nike t-shirts, with the exception of the Bo Knows series from the 90’s. I was always pretty sure that Bo knew everything. But I thought this t-shirt was a good reminder.

Are you exercising? Or are you training? And what’s the difference? And why do I ask so many questions?

Good question. 

The precursor to exercise is physical activity. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, doing something is better than doing nothing. So activities like walking everyday, hitting your Fitbit step goals, playing with your kids and grandkids - this is physical activity and it’s better than not moving at all. 

Exercise is a type of physical activity performed for the effect that it produces today - right now. Strength coach Mark Rippetoe describes it as “punching the physical clock.” When I take my basset hound out for a walk, we’re exercising. Or, lying on the sidewalk because it’s hot and he protests and then I carry him back to the house. So I’m exercising and he's not even being active.

Some folks take their dogs to the beach and garden and go for hikes. These are all great forms of exercise.

When you have a particular performance goal in mind, your physical activity transforms from exercise to training. This is why we train for a 5K or a marathon - we train for a power lifting meet - we train to catch a monkey by its tail. We have a goal or an event that we want to reach - so we train to hit that goal.

Last night at the gym, I had a long conversation with a client who’s been with us for over a year. She’s lost a lot of weight, kept it off, and is starting to get antsy. I would argue that she has outgrown exercise - now she’s ready to train. She likes the idea of taking her fitness to the next level and is bored with exercise for the sake of exercise. She has built a strong base and is ready for more. That more might be a mud run or obstacle race - it might be a push/pull meet (powerlifting meets that have only a bench and deadlift, no squat), or maybe running a 5K in a certain time. She will determine what she wants to come next. But she's ready to train.  

We often talk about setting performance goals as a way to focus on something other than weight. And that’s what training becomes. 

If you already belong to Spurling, you are already at a training gym - according to Rippetoe, the standard industry model is 55 percent of the floor space devoted to cardio equipment. The remaining 45 percent of space is dominated by exercise machines. 

There is no one right place to be, depending on where you are in your personal journey. Physical activity might be the goal - and maybe that's all you're interested in.

But if you’re already exercising and trying to decide what should come next to challenge you or make things more interesting, perhaps it’s time to stop just exercising and start training - and training with a purpose.

Creating Your Own Independence

Happy 4th of July!

Now as you probably know, Independence Day is a holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

To me, aside from the displays of patriotism and the celebration of the freedoms that we enjoy, I also feel that the 4th of July is symbolic of people pursuing their dreams.

Pursuing your dreams to be the best version of yourself. 

It's never too late to be who you might have been. 

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.

So with that in mind, I wanted to share a story with you about my first client I ever worked with. 

Back in 2007, I started working with Elizabeth. 

She was 81 years young. 

An immigrant, Elizabeth had recently lost her husband and was looking to continue her independence. 

She owned a beautiful home in Kennebunkport, lived by herself, took care of the house and gardens herself, drove herself to our sessions, and is the sweetest little lady you can imagine.

Every day I got to hear stories about coming over from Scotland as an immigrant, living in NYC with her husband who was a lawyer, and of course, her morning cup of tea and how good it was.   

I had the luxury of working with her from 2007-2015 before she moved up to northern Maine to be a bit closer to her son. 

All of our training was built around maintaining her independence. 

Her ability to climb stairs, get up from a chair, or open her pill bottles. 

Today, Elizabeth is 91 years young and still lives on her own in a beautiful lake house up north. 

She takes care of her house, drives everywhere, and is 100% independent. 

I call her every couple months to check in and see how she is doing. 

She's awesome at bringing me to tears by saying something to the tune of...

"Oh Doug, I wouldn't be here today without you. I wouldn't be able to do any of this today without the exercise we did together."

Talk about creating independence. 

That's just another example of how this "exercise stuff" is so much more than sets and reps. 

It's about creating independence. 

Everything from independence so you don't need to ask your husband for help to carry in the dog food to independence so you can live on your own at 91 years young like my friend Elizabeth.

So, as you celebrate today be appreciative for all that you have and the freedoms we enjoy.

Also, use this day to take a moment and celebrate your own personal independence due to the choices you've made to better yourself. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad

Nothing says summer like "fruit salad."

Nothing says July 4th like "red, white and blue." 

This upcoming week will be the true kickoff to summer as we get ready to celebrate one of the biggest holidays of the year. This weekend will bring barbecues, picnics, beach days and family get-togethers. If you are looking for a quick, healthy option to serve or to contribute, here is a refreshing fruit salad to share! Be sure to use the special fruit salad sauce so your ingredients don't turn brown ;)

Bon Apetit! Be safe and Happy 4th!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice (fresh is best)

2 TB sugar

2 TSP poppy seeds

dash of Tabasco (surprise)!

your favorite fruits (washed, drained, and sliced)

Pictured here--->raspberries, blueberries and apples.  Could also use watermelons or strawberries!!

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a tightly covered jar. Shake well. Pour over prepared fruit.

Recipe from:  www.familyeverafterblog.com/2012/06/simple-summer-fruit-salad-with-zing.html

What's The Destination?

I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off these last few weeks. 

What is typically a quiet time of year in the gym has been our busiest month, baby boy Spurling is just seven weeks away, and things just seem to be rocking and rolling. 

All good, right?

Sort of. 

Today as I write this for you, I write it for me as well. 

There is no final destination. 

It's about being present and enjoying the process. 

We're all on these journeys...

Losing 20lbs. 

Fitting into a size 8 pants. 

Hitting goals left and right. 

Now, I'm not saying goals are not important to have, I have more goals than anybody I've ever met. 

However, today is a good reminder that hitting the goal is important, but once you hit a goal you're not "done" so you might as well enjoy the process along the way. 

My point?

Sometimes we get so focused on hitting our goals that we think once we get there the sky is going to drop glitter, a rainbow will appear, and all the stresses of life go away.

But as you know, that's not the case, the sun will rise again and we'll have to conquer another day.

Be present.

Fall in love with the process, and enjoy the daily grind of moving the needle.

When you hit that size 8 or lose that 20lbs you may have accomplished a milestone, but you're not done. 

We're never done. 

You then have to set a new goal to keep yourself going so that you don't revert back to your old habits and old self. 

So, what's the destination?

I don't know. 

I don't think there is one.

It will always be about hitting goals but then finding the next milestone that challenges you and excites you.  

That's why it's so important to find something that is fun, be a part of a community bigger than just yourself, and fall in the love with the process. 

I'm on this journey just like you are, learning and growing with you. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you getting lost in the weeds?

I’m a big fan of simplicity. One of the reasons I took up raining as exercise in college was that it was pretty straightforward - put on a pair of shoes and run. 

Or, depending on where you live and how you roll - just run. 

Over the weekend I had the good fortune to join other fitness professionals for a three-day summit at Perform Better and one of my favorite speakers, hands down, was Rachel Cosgrove. She’s an expert at working with females and getting results and she spoke to a good reminder that I think we all easily forget.

Focus on the big rocks.

This reminder has been a big part of my studies with Precision Nutrition - the idea of mastering the basics before getting too far down the rabbit hole of intermittent fasting, which supplements to take, or eating your protein while riding a goat off into the sunset with a koala bear. 

Those are the weeds. 

Although if you want to ride a goat with a koala bear, well, call me up because they’re both pretty stinkin’ cute.

Some of the big rocks in training include training with a purpose 3-5 times a week, warming up with a purpose, and working on areas of opportunity, such as performing a push up from the floor or a chin up. 

Train with a purpose

Over the weekend, we got t-shirts that said: “stop exercising and start training.” I love the quote and I think this could be a blog post in and of itself. When you sign up with a program and start working with a coach, there is a goal in mind. Drop a pant size, gain lean muscle, perform a push up from the floor - and your programming is designed to get you wear you want to go. Exercising is getting out and moving, which is good, but is there a purpose behind it? Do you know if what you’re doing is going to get you where you’re going? 

Warm up with a purpose

No, chasing your dog does not count as a warm up. Warming up with a purpose means warming up the muscles and movements you’re about to use in your workout. We don’t do toy soldiers because we want to know if you’d make the Rockettes, we do that to warm up your hamstrings before working your hips. 

Sleep

Are you getting enough sleep? Most of us know we’re not. According to the Sleep Foundation, adults age 26-64 need 7-9 hours and adults over 65 need 7-8 hours. If you are averaging less than seven hours of sleep per week, we know that you want to work on your batwings (one client’s name for skin on the triceps) and bellyfat, but one of the best places to start is to get more sleep. What that usually means is turning off the phones and iPads 30 minutes before bed (or turn on the Night Shift which reduces the blue lights) and put a priority on getting more, quality sleep.

Water 

Recommendations from Precision Nutrition on water are that sedentary individuals drink at least two liters, athletes drink three litters, and athletes in hot weather climates drink at least four liters per day. Many of us would benefit from drinking more water. Especially those of us like myself who drink most of their water with…well…a lot of coffee in it…

Some of the other big rocks in nutrition include eating whole foods (single ingredient), eating slowly and mindfully, and following the formula of a serving of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats with each meal. 

Regardless of your goals, we live in a time of information overload. In fact, I saw this great quote from strength coach Ben Bruno the other day. 

 
spurlingfitness.jpg
 

 

Be careful of the weeds. Stick to the rocks. 

It's Time For A Checkup...

What's that saying?

A checkup from the neck up?

Something like that, right?

This week will mark the halfway point of 2017. 

It's a great opportunity to do a checkup, assess where you're at and what the rest of the year looks like. 

First off, spend a few minutes reflecting on the first half of 2017. 

What did you accomplish?

What worked really well?

What didn't work?

There's no need to spend a ton of time recapping the past, but I do think there is some value in looking back, celebrating the accomplishments, seeing if you can pick out patterns or things that you enjoyed you doing or things that you want to do more of as you head into the second half. 

Then it's time to start thinking forward about what you want the rest of the year to look like. 

If you could wave a magic wand and we're sitting together on New Year's Eve, what has happened? 

Just start doing a brain dump on a piece of paper.

Maybe have a couple different categories such as family, financial, fitness, etc. 

Under each category plug in what success looks like to you in the second half of 2017. 

For family maybe it's a vacation or a certain amount of off days with the family. 

For financial it could be a retirement goal or paying off that car loan. My suggestion here is to keep it focused on what you're keeping not how much you make. 

And for fitness, you could take it a few different directions. 

How about the 100 Workout Challenge? 100 workouts between July 1 and December 31st?

It could be a frequency challenge, a certain amount of sleep hours, a particular goal weight on an exercise, or a size pants you'd like to fit into. 

Make sure all your goals follow the SMART principle.

They have to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

For best practice, my recommendation would be once you have it all down on paper condense each category into goal or "rock."

That way you leave the goal setting checkup with 3-5 rocks, one from each category of your life. 

Keeping it focused like this will drastically increase the rate of success. 

Take some time this week in a quiet space with a notebook and map out your success story for the rest of 2017. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

 

 

The One Thing

It's a lot. 

I get it. 

You're being fed information left and right, and not sure what to believe.

You know so many things you COULD be doing, but you end up getting overwhelmed, freeze and don't end up doing anything. 

My challenge to you. 

The One Thing. 

(It's also a great book, too)

Pick one thing you're going to do today to move the needle. 

It could be showing up at the gym. 

It could be taking a 20 walk around the parking lot at lunch. 

It could be choosing to bring your lunch instead of buying it. 

Heck, it could be calling a loved one to tell them you love them. 

My goal is to always over deliver and always add value, but I know that sometimes it's a lot to take in. 

As we approach the halfway point of 2017 I challenge you this week to get clear on what success looks like the rest of the year. 

Picture yourself watching the ball drop on December 31 and what has to change between know and then?

It could be personal stuff, work stuff, fitness, nutrition, relationships, etc. 

Once that's dialed in it's about the ONE THING. 

Each day pick one thing that is going to move you closer to your goal. 

You can conquer the world. 

You can change your life. 

It just starts with one thing. 

Pick one thing, crush it for the day, and repeat the every single day. 

What's your one thing today?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

The Missing Ingredient In Your Nutrition Success...

This week I've spent a lot of time talking about what you need to change, and the keys to getting results and there's one word that keeps coming up.

Accountability.

It truly is the key to long-term results. 

So, let's talk nutrition accountability. 

Every time we ask someone about how their nutrition is it goes something like this...

"Oh, I eat pretty clean most of the time."

The frustrating thing for most of us is "most of the time" typically means that is the limiting factor in us seeing the results. 

We need to be consistent. 

So, how do you do that?

Accountability. 

Good nutrition is no longer about knowing macros vs micros, or high fat and low fat. 

Consumption of education is what we need more of. 

Coaching and accountability are the two key ingredients. 

We know what to eat, but if we have no one holding us accountable we're going to go for the late night bowl of ice cream of that piece of candy in the office. 

Ok, so you're nodding your head and you know that you need help. 

So, where do you begin? 

Here are my top 3 keys to accountability with nutrition. 

1. Journal your food. We say it often, and those that do it see results. There's no arguing that fact. 

2. Eliminate the possibility. Part of staying accountable means not making the choices you would normally make. If you don't have the food in the house to eat you won't eat it. Sounds simple...because it is. 

3. Join an accountability group. This is why we started FLAG, Fat Loss Accountability Group. We have built the perfect pairing of coaching and education with accountability. 

The next FLAG group starts on 7/3, you must register before 6/28 so we can get you onboarded and we only have 9 spots left. 

Register here ===>>> 6 WEEK NUTRITION & ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP

Here are the benefits:

*Weekly group meetings with our nutrition coach so you can stay accountable, check-in, get your questions answered and create a plan of action for the next week. 

*Daily app accountability so you stay on track. We'll use our coaching app to check in with you daily to make sure you're making the best choices possible. 

*A community of like-minded people. Everyone in the FLAG group is fighting their own battle, but they share similar struggles with nutrition accountability. We'll put you in a members-only Facebook Group with them, lean on them, and build a community that will lift you up and hold you accountable. 

Sound good?

Dont' worry, we have a 100% money back guarantee so if you join the program and don't get the results you expected and we're satisfied, no questions asked, money back. 

Hurry though, we only have 9 spots left and you must register by 6/28. 

Register here===>>> 6 WEEK NUTRITION & ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling 

PS: I'll be back tomorrow to finish the week strong with an awesome piece you won't want to miss. 

Register for the FLAG group ==>> 6 WEEK NUTRITION & ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP

Three strategies for busting through the apathy

Even if you are not predisposed to depression, you are going to hit a point in this fitness journey where you begin to seriously wonder what the point is.

You’re going to put on a pair of shorts from last summer and they’ll still feel snug.

You’ll lose 10 pounds in the first two months and the scale will stick for the next 10 months.

Your co-worker is going to come in and find you sobbing at your desk and when she asks what’s wrong you’re going to tell her, through hiccups and snot, that you just can’t look at one. more. piece. of. grilled. chicken. (Or broccoli, carrots, hummus, cottage cheese…)

At some point, you’re going to look in the mirror, not like what you see, and begin to feel like nothing matters. I know, it sounds like I’m writing to you from the pit of hell, but I’m actually just in my home office listening to America on vinyl. (Depending on your musical tastes, that is the pit of hell). 

Mostly I’m writing to you from a place of experience. I allude to my struggles with depression often here, but that’s because that battle is as much a part of me as my Western Pennsylvania roots. And when it comes to depression, apathy is the number one enemy. 

What’s the point? 

I had a client ask me this a few weeks ago. She’s lost a lot of weight but has been at a plateau for a few months. It’s a very difficult question to answer- but the best I could offer is you. You are the point. You are the reason. You’re getting healthier for you. You’re getting healthier because you walked in here a year ago and said you did not want to have a heart attack at 52 years old. You walked in here determined to get off of that blood pressure medication. 

You are the point. 

Honor that space

It’s going to sound strange, but when I’m in a place of not giving a flying squirrel, I have to honor that space. And in doing so, I adjust expectations of myself. 

The phrase I often use with clients is to keep their toe in the water. Over these past few months when everything has felt harder to me, I’ve reduced my strength training to twice a week. Some weeks I can mix in a few extra runs in here and there, but all I’m asking of myself is two workouts per week. If you’re finding it difficult to get to the gym or out the door for a run, adjust your expectations. You might be surprised to find that committing yourself to 20 minutes suddenly turns into 40. 

Grab a buddy

I usually prefer to work out alone, but over the past month, Amy has been my workout buddy. She’s the only reason I hit two workouts last week. She walked into the office, pointed to my gym bag and said let’s go. So we did. We know that part of the success of Crossfit and Zumba is finding a community of like-minded people and those people are most helpful when you're just not feeling it. This work is too hard and the journey too long to constantly be doing it by yourself. 

Don't be afraid to reach out if you're struggling with that plateau or that apathy. Sometimes it's helpful just to say it aloud to someone else. We can't always fix it, but we can certainly listen. 

And maybe put on a little Whitney Houston because Whitney fixes everything. 

5 Step Process to Change

If you're looking to improve or change something here are the five steps you can follow for ultimate success. 

This could be finally doing something for fitness, achieving a financial outcome, or changing a behavior that affects your relationship or family life. 

1. Recognize The Need to Change: I've always said that being self-aware is one of highest skills we can learn as humans. Being self-aware of what motivates us, how we come across to people, and just generally being aware of how everything effects us and how we affect others. That being said, if you're looking to change you first need to recognize that you need to change. 

2. What Does Success Look Like: If you could wave a magic wand and you're living the perfect version of what you want to change is, what does that look like. Write down a clear picture of what success looks like so that you have a visual target to go after. 

3. The One Thing: What is one thing you can do today to start moving towards that picture you painted above. The biggest hurdle people face in change is they try to conquer it all, get overwhelmed, and end up not doing anything to help them progress closer to what success looks like to them. The one thing. It could be filling out an inquiry form on a gym's website, it could be setting up the bank account that you're going to automatically transfer savings too, or it could be going into your schedule and blocking off from 6 pm on so that you can be home with your family. The one thing is important not because of what it is, it's going to be tied to your goal, it's important because it's only one thing. 

4. Set Mini Milestones: Depending on what you're trying to change, it's going to be a long-term journey filled with ups and downs. In order to keep you motivated and on track it's important to break it down to mini milestones. For example, on your journey of losing 50lbs, maybe it's showing up at the gym 10x this month. 

5. Show up daily: 1% Better. I have yet to find anyone that shows up daily and does not see progress in whatever they're working on changing and improving. It doesn't matter if it's fitness, business, or life, it's about showing up daily and doing the best you can with the cards you're dealt that day. There is no magic pill, there is no shortcut, there is no secret, it's just showing up consistently, day after day, month after month, year after year. That's the secret. 

Change is hard. 

Follow these five steps and hopefully, it gives you some guidance as you go through the journey. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

 

 

The Single Key...

I'm back from a fun filled trip to good ol' Louisville, Kentucky and I'm here today to talk about our favorite word. 

Accountability. 

We all need it, but how do we get more of it?

And what does good accountability look like?

This past week I sat inside of a hotel conference room for three days with 9 other gym owners. 

These nine are my accountability group. 

They own gyms all around the world, some similar to Spurling, some completely different. 

However, we get together formally 3-4x a year, catch up, share what's working, and get help with what we're struggling with the most. 

In between the meetings we check in with each other, text each other, and hold each other accountable. 

Well, something interesting happened this weekend. 

One of the guys in the group asked me if I had finished Project X (I can't tell you the real name because I don't want to ruin the surprise)?

I said no. 

He called me out and said that last meeting I said I would have it done for this meeting. 

Boom. 

Slap in the face. 

But guess what?

You can bet your tail that will be my focal point until it's finished and that conversation will be all the motivation I need to finish it. 

He held me accountable. 

Fitness is the same thing. 

There's a reason why I don't' spend these e-mails writing a lot about nutrition tips, exercises, and workouts. 

Why?

You can find that stuff anywhere, and I don't think that's what you truly need. 

What all of us need more of in fitness is coaching and accountability. 

We know we shouldn't have that ice cream, but if we don't have someone holding us accountable, we're going to eat it anyway, it doesn't matter how educated we are on the nutrition information of ice cream. 

So, how do you get more accountability?

1. Get clear on your goal. Before you can find something or someone to hold you accountable, you need to know what you're going after. 

2. Join a group of like-minded people. The best part of Spurling Fitness is not the exercises or nutrition tips we give, it's the people. The people that are all after their individual mission, but work together to lift each other up. 

3. Post it socially. Just me writing this e-mail is more accountability. Someone may reply three months from now and ask about "Project X." Just knowing that is enough accountability for me to finish it. By posting your goals on social media, telling it to a friend, or putting it somewhere where others can see it you increase your accountability drastically. 

4. Get a coach. I pay a boatload of money to be a part of that group that I talked about above. But the return I receive from the education, coaching, and accountability that comes from all of them is priceless. Find a coach or team of coaches that will be there to check-in with you, push you, inspire you, and hold you accountable. 

5. Show up daily. Accountability is like bathing, it's required daily. Whether it's texting a buddy, booking an appointment on your phone, or checking-in on Facebook, you need to do something daily. Accountability is not a one and done thing, you need relentless daily follow-up, forever, and always. 

I truly believe strong accountability is the difference between little to no results and strong results...in any aspect of life, but especially fitness. 

How are you best held accountable?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: We just opened up 12 spots for our nutrition accountability group that starts on 7/3. If you need nutrition accountability join here >>> Nutrition Accountability Group

Happy Father's Day.....Here's to the Meat Lovers!

This may be a bit of an overgeneralization.....but what do some dad's enjoy most?  

MEAT. 

GRILLING.

With all these wonderful sunny days, I can only imagine that this weekend will bring with it barbecuing, cookouts and celebrating the men and dads in our lives.  So if dad doesn't want to be the chef this weekend, then you can at least serve up some grilled steak and as a gift, prepare some DIY Dry Rubs!  

 

                      Grilled Flank Steak

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 flank steak
  • 1 Tablespoon of butter
  • salt and pepper
  • pre-heated grill pan

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a resealable bag and marinate steak for a few hours.

2. Remove. Season with salt and pepper

2. Add butter to pan

3. Cook 4 minutes on one side, 3 minutes on the other. Meat thermometer should reach 140* for medium rare-medium.

4. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Then slice diagonally across the grain for maximum tenderness.

           Cucumber Salsa

  • 1/2 English seedless cucumber
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • zest of 1 lime
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic
  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • salt and pepper

1. Dice cucumber

2. Add rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.

3. Serve over steak

Original recipes from:  

http://www.katrina-runs.com/grilled-flank-steak-with-cucumber-lime-salsa

http://fitfluential.com/2014/06/diy-dry-rubs-spice-mixes-and-marinades/

Planting Trees

Some of you saw on Facebook yesterday that it was the 7 year anniversary of my mom's passing. 

I mention her a lot in my writing because I think it's important to understand the story behind Spurling.

When we were growing up I was never super close with my parents.

I was always independent, would go to school, go to football practice, and go to work.

I worked 35-40 hours a week as a 14-year-old, even getting in trouble with the department of labor. 

I was rarely home.

We didn't really have the means to do much as a family as far as vacations, the few we did take I remember, but overall we didn't do much. 

However, when I think back to everything my mom did for me it was like planting trees. 

She planted trees that she never saw grow. 

She instilled in me habits, behaviors, values, and drive that now is just starting to grow, just like a tree.

She is the reason why Spurling is our name, and one of the main stories behind our brand.

She planted trees that she never saw grow. 

I think there's a big lesson there.

Whether it's in parenting, in life, or in fitness, it's about planting trees that you might never see grow.

Laying the foundation for good values and good habits, both in yourself, and those around you. 

In fitness specifically, we get so caught up in the quick fix. 

In fact, we got an e-mail yesterday asking if we could help this person lose 30lbs in 30days. 

That's not a tree, that's a band-aid. 

The true value in fitness is planting seeds, planting trees, that through a strong foundation blossom into these incredible things whether it's a specific physical result, a behavior, an emotion, or something you never see because you instilled it in your child. 

Life is about planting trees you'll never see. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling