The Easiest Way To Fail...

This is the last week of a Lifestyle Challenge we’re running with clients at the gym.

For the last six weeks we’ve focused on a different themes aside from fitness or nutrition.

For example, things like gratitude, meditation, sleep, etc.

This final week is all about planning the night before.

I have very strong opinions about this, so hopefully it doesn’t offend anyone :)

I figured this would be a great topic to share with everyone since I know not all of you are in the Lifestyle Challenge.

If I had to boil it down to one of the most important things we can do to make progress everyday, it’s this topic.

Planning the night before.

There are a lot of people that don’t plan the night before, that don’t write things down, and those are the same people that forget things all the time and live a very scattered life :)

You set 90% of your day up for success if you plan the night before.

Sure, I get it, you can’t control 10% of it, I have a kid too.

But, you bet your bottom dollar you can be as proactive as possible and be ready for the day.

What does the day look like?

Any scheduled appointments I need to be on time for?

What time do I have to be at work?

Is there anything I need to bring to work?

Is there anything I can pack tonight in prep for tomorrow (hint: workout clothes & meals)?

What time am I scheduled to workout?

What are my meals going to look like?

What are the big three things I’m going to get done to make progress?

It takes five minutes.

However, those five minutes, and WRITING DOWN a plan for your next day will lead to a lower stress day, a more productive day, and a day that you can definitely say you got 1% Better.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have very strong opinions on this stuff, mostly because I see it everyday with clients and with my team.

If my team plans for their day before, if they write down what they are going to do, if they plan for the circumstances that could come up, they have much better days.

If our clients plan the night before, pack their meals, pack their workouts clothes, and plan their day so they can get a workout in, they have much better days.

Now, we still have to execute on that plan, a plan without action is no good, but we must first start with planning.

Join us for this last week of the Lifestyle Challenge and challenge yourself to plan the night before every night this week and let me know if you think it helps.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

You Know...

A short and simple message today on this beautiful fall Friday…

A question to ponder about, a question to drink a cup of coffee over…

Are you really giving it your best?

Seriously?

Are you really giving it your best?

Only you can answer that.

Somedays, regardless of the outcome, the answer is yes.

Somedays, if you reflect back, the answer is no.

You know, we’re all self-aware enough that we know, in the moment, whether we’re giving it our best or not.

Giving it your best doesn’t always have to equal getting more done, or losing more weight, or checking more off your list, but it does mean that when you close your eyes at night, you can confidently say you did your best.

The world needs you, more than ever, to give your best.

Your family needs you to give your best.

You need to give your best.

Yes we can have technology and other human beings to tell us when we’re lagging, or to give us a kick in the butt sometimes, but you know when you’re not giving your best.

You know when you’re throwing in the towel early, you know when you’re dragging when you could be moving a little faster, only you know if you’re not giving it your best.

Again, depending on the day, giving it your best doesn’t always mean the same thing, but if you want results in life, fitness or otherwise, you need to give it your best….

Every. Single. Day.

Are you giving it your best?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Dig Your Well...

We are who we are and we are where we are because of a series of choices.

We make certain choices, everyday, and those choices, compounded together are a direct reflection of who you are today.

Extreme Ownership.

A great book, but also a behavior I try to instill in my team and all of you.  

We can help, but only you, yes you, are responsible for everything that happens.

You know when you’re giving it your best, and you know when you’re not.

You know when you didn’t show up.

We can remind you, hold you accountable, and motivate you, but ultimately it’s up to you.

So what now?

If you’re not happy with where you’re at, fitness or otherwise, it’s time to start digging your well.

Where you’re at today is typically not a reflection of choices from yesterday or even this month, it’s a series of choices made over several months and even years.  

So, if you want to change, that’s how it’s going to happen.

Start digging your well now so that it can fuel you in the future.

Quite often we don’t see the benefits of these small behavioral changes, the 1% Better motto, the consistent effort before giving up..

Why?

All of those small changes are you digging your well, and then those habits will last you a lifetime, but you have to dig the well first before it gives you water.

If you want to have a successful 2019 you have to start now.

You have to start digging your well.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Finding the blue sky moment

My cousin’s wife walked into the funeral home. 

She wore a sequined top that shone in the afternoon sunlight, and as she greeted us all with hugs announced “I wore this because I thought it was the kind of top Aunt Juanita would love.” 

We all nodded our approval before my cousin Terri spoke up. 

“Go have a look in the casket.”

Much to her chagrin, and everyone else’s amusement, she was wearing the exact same blouse my Aunt Juanita was laid out in. It was the lightest moment in an otherwise very sad day. But it was the kind of story my dad’s sister would have told over and over again. She had that dry British sense of humor that is common in my family. She had a knack for finding humor in strife.  

Doug has written a few times about remembering the blue sky - that even when the clouds are hanging above you to remember that there is blue sky above. That moment of levity was my blue sky moment in the day. Recently, I’ve been focused on the practice of gratitude, trying to think of three new things every day to be grateful for, and to think of why I am grateful for them. 

That day, in that moment, I was grateful for my sense of humor and that my family shares in that humor. Humor is how my aunt survived a life of struggle. Humor is how I’ve learned to make the best of sadness. 

I’ve been home to Pennsylvania only twice this year, both times for a funeral. The longer you live, the more loss you will have I suppose. I am lucky, in that I’ve been spared the kind of loss that many others have lived through at much younger ages. If there is a cost to aging, then the empty feeling of losing someone we love must be the price of admission. 

I left the church to the closing hymn of “On Eagles Wings,” crying harder than I meant to as I watched my brother and cousins carry her casket. As I held the umbrella over my mother’s head on our walk to the car, I remembered the quote, “if you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus a day so I never have to live a day without you.” 

Oh the wisdom of Winnie the Pooh. 

Emptiness is a tough feeling. It’s hard to know what to do with the hollow pit in your stomach. We cope in different ways - with food, with alcohol, with anything that will make us feel numb for a little while. Later in the day, after the funeral, I hung out with my dad at one of his local clubs, a time that would have typically been spent in the company of my aunt as well. 

Sitting in that club with my dad, I missed my aunt - I thought of her laugh and her jokes and her love of Patsy Cline. I looked over at my dad who was staring intently at a preview of Sunday’s Steeler’s game, knowing his pain of losing his first sibling - of seeing his family shrink. I felt a catch in my throat and tried to freeze the moment in my mind - I want to freeze so many moments of time with my dad.   

I leaned over and tapped my head on his shoulder for a second, then focused my attention on the t.v. 

Two people, holding their grief together in silence. Holding their grief together in love. 

My blue sky moment? That everyone should be so lucky, to have someone with whom to hold their grief. 

The Best Question You Need To Ask Yourself Today...

Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

You’ll be sitting around the table with your family, sharing memories, reflecting on the past year, expressing things you’re grateful for.

But here’s a question I want you to ask yourself…

“If we were sitting together 12 months from now, Thanksgiving 2019, what would be your dream result?”

The clearer you can get on that question, the more in depth you can go on that question, the better your success will be over the next year.

I always tell people, we can help you if you know where you want to go.

However, you first need to decide where you want to go.

Get so detailed on that question, picture yourself sitting next to your family on Thanksgiving 2019, what would be your dream result?

This is not just a fitness question either…

Of course, you can write down (you are writing it down, right?) how you feel, what your energy level is, what pant size you’re wearing, how you’re sleeping, how you look and feel, and maybe even what your body fat percentage is.

However, you can also use this question for the other aspects (remember my post last week about the 7 Dimensions of Wellness?) of your life…

How are your finances?

How much money do you have saved for retirement?

What’s your ideal day look like?

What time do you wake up, what time do you go to bed, what do you get to do in a typical day?

What does your family look like?

All of these questions and more are questions you need to ponder to answer the question…

“If we were sitting here 12 months from now, at Thanksgiving 2019, what would be your dream result?”

Get so clear on this you can smell it, feel it, touch it.

Write it down, write it as if it already happened, and now we know what we need to do over the next 12 months to make that vision a reality.

Now…

There’s a follow up question.

So, let’s say you got really clear on the above question, you have it all written down, now you need to ask yourself…

“What do I need to change in order to make that happen?”

That’s where the action comes in.

It’s great to have this vision, this desired result, but we need to also hold ourselves accountable to a clear plan of action that is going to get us there.

We know if we want to a different result, we need to do something different.

Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

So, get really clear on what you’re going to change to make that happen…

Are you going to change your workout frequency?

Are you going to change your nutrition habits?

Are you going to create a budget or change your spending habits?

Are you going to change your daily schedule?

Whatever it is, only you can answer what YOU are going to change, but you must change.

You must always be getting better.

1% Better.

I hope this question resonated with you.

If you need help with this just reach out and let me know.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

The Hardest Word To Say...

Remember as a kid how easy it was to say no?

Heck, we got yelled at all the time for saying it to our parents.

"Eat your veggies."

No!

"Do your homework."

No!

What happened?

As adults, we have a hard time saying no to anything that comes in front of our face. 

We aim to be all things to all people and say yes to everything. 

More work projects?

Yes!

More commitments on the weekends?

Yes! 

More late night events?

Yes!

Whatever happened to saying no?

Today I'm challenging you to think about the power of no. 

Remember this...

Every time you say yes to something you're saying no to something else. 

When you say yes to staying late at work you're saying no to family time. 

When you say yes to that new job title that sounds fancy and comes with more responsibilities you're saying no to weekends home with your kids. 

When you say yes to things that are not a priority, you're saying no to things that are. 

So, how do you know what to say yes to and what to say no to?

Priorities. 

You have to first set rules for what is important to you. 

If going to the gym 10x per month is something you want to make a priority and say yes to what are you going to say no to? 

Maybe that means not staying late at work. 

Maybe that means saying no to sleeping in. 

Or maybe that means dad is going to cook dinner tonight so mom can go have some "me" time. 

Saying no to things allows you to say yes to your priorities. 

It allows you to say yes to things that actually matter, the things you enjoy doing, that thing that makes the biggest impact. 

The more you say no to, the more focus and attention the things that you do say yes to get. 

Thus, you get better results to those things. 

Remember, we all have the same 24 hours. 

I know you always hear it, but it's the truth.

Albert Einstein had 24 hours.

Mona Lisa had 24 hours. 

Gandhi had 24 hours. 

I have 24 hours. 

You have 24 hours. 

So why are some people so good at getting things done and making an impact each day and others just can't seem to get out of there own way?

Some have the discipline of saying no to things that are not important.

Saying no is freeing. 

It simplifies your life. 

It gives you more time to do the things that make you happy. 

So...

My action item for you today…

What is one thing you're going to say no to?

What will that allow you to do more of that matters?

Reply and let me know. 

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

No Bake Monster Pita Pizza

Ingredients

• ¾ cup guacamole

• 4 6-inch whole-wheat pitas

• 16 slices cucumber, ¼ inch thick

• 4 (1 ounce) sticks mozzarella string cheese, each cut into 12 rounds

• 1 tablespoon cooked or canned black beans, halved

Directions

• Spread 3 tablespoons guacamole over each pita. Top each with 4 cucumber slices, 12 cheese slices and 12 bean halves, creating eyeballs by placing half a bean on each cheese slice; place some of these on cucumber slices. Cut the pizzas into wedges or serve whole.

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/260350/no-bake-monster-pita-pizza/

7 Dimensions of Wellness

When we look at an individuals desire to become “healthier” we tend to focus on the physical stuff….

Exercise, nutrition, and maybe even sleep or stress.

Those are super important, but that’s not everything.

If we truly want to look at the total picture, we need to look at what we call the “7 Dimensions of Wellness.”

Wellness is defined as an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.

We hear wellness and we initially think of things like fitness, yoga, nutrition.

The reality is, that’s just one dimension of overall wellness, physical wellness.

If we truly want to work on becoming “healthier” we need to look at all dimensions…

The 7 Dimensions of Wellness include:

• Physical: Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep

• Intellectual: Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills

• Emotional: Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships

• Financial: Satisfaction with current and future financial situations

• Social: Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system

• Spiritual: Expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life

• Vocational: Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work

Now, for sake of brevity, I won’t go in depth of all seven today, but my/our ultimate mission is to change lives, not just physically, but through all dimensions of wellness.

However, spend a moment with me and let’s go through a couple scenarios…

Let’s say you hate your job (vocational wellness).

Do you think that impacts your physical wellness?

Does it impact your stress, your nutrition, and maybe even your workout frequency?

You bet.

What if you’re struggling with financial wellness?

That can cause stress, leading to poor nutrition choices, lack of sleep, and impacting other areas of wellness.

It’s all connected.

I think it’s vital to have “people on your team” who are going to help you in all areas.

That’s why this journey never ends.

We never take a break, we just focus on different areas, but it’s a never ending process.

It’s an ongoing pursuit of getting better, 1% Better, and you need a team of experts by your side, challenging you, holding you accountable, and pushing you to be the best version of you.

Over time, I’ll continue to breakdown the 7 dimensions of wellness and help you connect all of them.

My take home point today…

We can’t look at your journey in this box of just exercise and nutrition.

We need to look at the entire circle, the entire picture, all dimensions of wellness.

Just like everything else, we’ll never be perfect at all of them, but during certain times of our life we need to work on developing each area.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: As we continue to grow the Spurling Community keep an eye out for more with the 7 Dimensions of Wellness ;)

Life is an opportunity

I was standing in the back of the ICU room when the respiratory therapist waived me forward to take my turn doing chest compressions. 

I stuck my thumb to my chest and looked at her in disbelief.

“Me?” I said.

“Are you the nurse transporter tonight?” 

I nodded, and made my way to the hospital bed where a woman lay dying. The person in front of me stepped down from doing the compressions and the respiratory therapist urged me forward. 

I said the only thing that popped into my head. 

“I was an English major.”

The respiratory therapist was taking care of the breathing part of CPR, pumping air into the patient’s lungs, and this clearly wasn’t her first Code Blue. 

“That’s ok,” she said.

I climbed onto the bed, and with my knees next to the patient, dug hard into my CPR training from a few months ago. 

“A little higher,” the respiratory therapist said. She sounded calm. Casual. 

“Good,” she said. “Quick and firm.”

The patient’s eyes were open; empty; gone, but with each pump of my hands, all I could think was live. Live. Live. Inches away from my head, her husband held her hand, begging her not to leave him. I saw his tears drip onto the bed. His grief and the sound of machines were all I could hear in the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, the respiratory therapist tapped my shoulder, and I turned so that the next person could take her turn doing compressions. 

I faded into the back of the room as the scene unfolded for a few more minutes. Finally, two doctors in the corner of the room looked at their watches and then at each other. 

“Should we call it?” one asked.

I was struck by how casual his manner seemed, as the other doctor nodded. 

“Yes, let’s call it.”

And with that, someone announced a time of death. The people in the room dispersed and I stepped out into the hallway, trying to take in what I had just experienced. One of the ICU nurses tapped me as she left the room.

“We’ll page you soon,” she said. And looking at my confusion went on, “to take the body to the morgue.” 

I went back to the break room where I’d been spending most of the overnight shift at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania in between errands as a nurse transporter. I was in my first round of grad school, my first round of clinical depression, and picking up shifts as a transporter at the hospital. This was my first, and last, overnight shift working as a transporter for the entire hospital. 

This was the first time I saw how fragile life really was. How thin the line between life and death could be. I’d been to my grandmother’s funeral. I’d watched my mentor fade away from cancer. But I had never before been in a room when life left and death entered.

At 7:00 am when my shift ended, I walked out into the cold winter streets and got into my car. I could see my breath as I turned the ignition key, and for just a brief moment, tried to appreciate what I’d witnessed overnight. 

That life, with it’s struggle, strife, and sometimes endless uphill battles, is a gift. At 22 years old, all I could feel from my life was the struggle - the searching for belonging - the existential crisis of what my journey was supposed to be all about. 

But in that moment, as I pulled away from the curb and drove back to my apartment, I saw, for the first time in a long time, that my life was a struggle, but also an opportunity.  

The One Ingredient You'll Always Need...

I'm a terrible cook. 

Luckily I have a great wife that doesn't mind cooking, and the invention of the crock pot helps too. 

There are only about four things that I can execute on in the kitchen. 

Making coffee. 

Scrambled Eggs. 

Tacos. 

Homemade Pizza. 

Hey, it's better than nothing, right?

Anywho, what's that have to do with today's lesson?

In any of those above selections, there is always at least one ingredient you need. 

I could make coffee 100 different ways, but I still need coffee beans. 

I could make a pizza 100 different ways, but I still need a dough. 

When it comes time to fitness, and especially nutrition, there is one ingredient you'll always need. 

Any guess?

Accountability. 

It's the core of success. 

In our eyes, a successful equation looks like this:

Success = Coaching + Community + Accountability

Ideally, for best success, we have all three. 

However, if I only had to pick one, I'd probably pick accountability. 

Why?

It doesn't matter if you're working out with us, at another gym, at home, on vacation, if you don't have some form of accountability you will not succeed. 

It's human nature. 

We will do everything to find the easiest way, the path of least resistance. 

We will say yes to doing something for someone else to say no to ourselves. 

It's why you try to workout at home and very rarely have success, there's no one there holding you accountable. 

We need some form of accountability. 

Always and forever. 

I don't think we ever reach a point where we don't need some type of accountability. 

I need it. 

You need it. 

We all need it. 

We aim to integrate accountability into our process here by doing a few things:

1. You have to schedule all of your sessions so it's an appointment you don't want to miss

2. We are waiting for you at the gym, expecting you, and you don't want to let us down

3. We e-mail/Facebook you every single day :) Sometimes annoyingly, but you hear from us every day. 

4. We check in regularly, track progress, and make sure you have some goals. 

That and other ways is how we build in accountability, but you need to find what accountability looks like for you. 

Maybe it's having a workout buddy. 

Maybe it's saying you're going to go the gym on social media and that way you don't want to let them down. 

Maybe it is joining our community or another community, that support you throughout this journey. 

Just like you'll always need beans to make coffee and eggs to make eggs, you will always need accountability to make fitness and nutrition a success.   

How are you held accountable?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Protein Peanut Butter Cup Squares

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 2/3 cup low carb whey protein powder, vanilla flavor

• 1/2 cup powdered erythritol

• 1/4 teaspoon stevia concentrated powder

• 1/2 cup natural sugar-free peanut butter

Topping:

• 3/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

• 2 Tablespoons natural sugar-free peanut butter

Instructions

1. Line an 11×7 baking dish with waxed paper.

2. In medium bowl, mix the butter, whey protein powder, erythritol, stevia and peanut butter together. Spread mixture in the bottom of prepared pan.

3. In Pyrex or metal bowl over pot of simmering water, melt chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Pour melted chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread evenly to cover top.

4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting into squares. Keep in the refrigerator for snacking.

Do You Want To Drop 2 Jean Sizes in 8 Weeks?

If you don’t, no reason to read this one today. No biggie.

Is it really possible to Drop 2 Sizes in just 8 weeks?

Yes it is. Plus, if you don't, you get your money back! 

Click here --->>>http://bit.ly/spurlingjeanschallenge

Current Spurling Member and Want In? Click here --->>> http://bit.ly/jeanschallengemember

"What is the Drop 2 Jeans Size Challenge All About?"

Most people work out just to work out.

And there's nothing wrong with that, if you're not interested in specific results.

But we like setting goals, be it weight loss, strength gain or what have you - and actually helping our clients achieve their goals.

We're fanatical about delivering results!

Many of our clients have come to us after working out at big box gyms, trying random weight loss programs, and working with other personal trainers with little to no results.

Frankly, we pride ourselves on the results we are known to deliver to our clients.

We guess you can say that we like to create fitness and fat loss programs that produce results and that our clients can stick to.

That's a BIG thing... creating workout programs that are challenging enough to change your body, but fun and motivating so you'll stick with it.

Well, we've created what we consider our best challenge yet.

We call it the "Drop 2 Sizes Challenge" and its fat loss driven workouts and nutrition program (not diet - we HATE diets) is designed to get you down at least two jean sizes in only eight weeks!

Let's say that again...

We've figured out how to help you lose two pants sizes in only eight weeks without having to starve yourself or having to work out six days a week.

Don't get me wrong, our "drop two jeans sizes in eight weeks" program does require you to work out and you'll work out hard, but only 3-4 times per week.

And like we said, there's no dieting or starving involved, just good ol' sensible eating.
We'll give you a list of foods to eat, foods to avoid and foods to exchange so you'll get maximum fat burn from this program.

This program isn't just about losing inches and weight either.

It's about getting toned and defined in your arms, legs, and midsection.

Click here --->>>http://bit.ly/spurlingjeanschallenge

Current Spurling Member and Want In? Click here --->>> http://bit.ly/jeanschallengemember

How Does the Drop 2 Jean Sizes Challenge work?

•  It's an 8-week fat loss and fitness program designed to melt at least two pants sizes off of you. (If you’re a current member your membership will be upgraded to Premium, unlimited sessions).

• The workouts take place here at our facility under the watchful eye of certified fitness experts.

• Every workout is designed to put you into the coveted state of "afterburn", which is a state of having an elevated metabolism for well over 20 hours after you've worked out. (The afterburn is the real reason you'll burn maximum fat.)

• And to help you get the most out of this 8-week program we're going to give you a nutrition plan to follow.

• As always, you're going to have a ton of motivation and accountability because that's our secret ingredient. Well, that and our awesome ability to help you burn fat and tone up fast

Now The Fun Part...

• This 8-week program starts on Monday, October 22nd.

• And the best part is that you're going to go shopping and buy yourself (or find an old pair) a nice pair of jeans. BUT, they must be two sizes too small for you. (There's a method to our madness here... motivation.)

• And then you're going to bring your new pair of jeans in to us on your first day and we're going to hold 'em for you here at Spurling Fitness. 

• At the end of the eight weeks, you'll have lost at least two pants sizes and you'll comfortably fit in your new jeans

• We've created a really fun, motivating and high-energy program to help you drop at least two sizes in eight weeks.

• Best of all, this program is for any fitness level... whether you're just starting out or you've been working out for a long time, this program will work for you because it's customized for your fitness level.

I Almost Forgot To Mention...

I'm so confident that this program will help you drop at least two sizes that we’re backing it all up with an unconditional money-back guarantee. If at the end of eight weeks you haven't lost at least two sizes, we'll refund your money.

Click here --->>>http://bit.ly/spurlingjeanschallenge

Current Spurling Member and Want In? Click here --->>> http://bit.ly/jeanschallengemember

As a reminder the program starts on October 22nd & we're closing applications on October 14th.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

P.S. - The next 8 weeks are going to go by no matter what...you might as well make good use of them with this special program.

Click here --->>>http://bit.ly/spurlingjeanschallenge

Current Spurling Member and Want In? Click here --->>> http://bit.ly/jeanschallengemember

Simple

That’s the only way I could describe him.

A man of few words, few people in his life, and just….

Simple.

In 2011 I told him I wanted to start a gym.

“A fucking gym, DJ?”

He called me DJ.

Douglas Joseph.

I think he was still in shock because when he was in my life the most (1-17 years old), I was pushing 400lbs, couldn’t see my belt buckle, and was keeping Little Debbie in business.

“Yes, dad, a gym.”

Now granted by this time I had graduated with my exercise science degree, worked in nursing homes, worked in physical therapy offices, and worked in gyms, but it still caught him off guard.

I was a young and dumb 21 year old at the time, and I had no one else for support, my mom had passed away in 2010 so he was it.

I still remember him driving around with me as I responded to Craigslist ads about used fitness equipment.

He had a big truck at the time, he couldn’t do much physically, but he would always drive with me and find a place to sit as I negotiated with the random people on how much I think a set of dumbbells are worth.

He helped me take rides to Tractor Supply where we bought all our flooring (stall mats) at the time, almost bottoming out his suspension in his truck as we drove it back to our first location.

During renovations, again he couldn’t do much, but he found the one antique chair that was left in the space from the previous tenant, plopped himself in the middle and watched as I sweat my ass off 16 hours a day trying to build my dream.

Although he never voiced it, he was a man of very, very, very few words, I knew he was always there for me.

When it came time to start having to spend money to start the gym in 2012 he let me max out his credit card, an amount so small today, but without it I wouldn’t be where I am today.

As the years went on his health continued to decline.

Eventually, my aunt passed away who was taking care of him, and my brother and I decided to move him up to Maine.

I found a nice little apartment in Cape Porpoise on the water and moved him to Maine.

He seemed to love it.

Earlier this year we got a notice that the owner was selling the building and my dad had to leave.

After chatting it over with Megan, I had my opportunity to pay back my dad for everything he did for me.

This past spring, we bought him a house.

A simple one.

One bedroom, one bath, a condo association so he didn’t need to worry about snow, landscaping, or anything like that.

It only took one truckload to move him from his Cape Porpoise apartment.

I’m not joking.

A couple of boxes and his recliner.

He slept in his recliner, watched TV in his recliner, and ate in his recliner.

A recliner, a TV, and a of couple boxes.

That was it.

Simple.

That’s all he ever wanted.

I remember continuing to ask him every time I saw him (of course now I reflect back and say it was not enough)…

“Do you need anything, dad?”

“Are you happy, dad?”

No matter the question the answer was always simple.

“I’m good.”

My dad had a slew of health issues that would take up multiple pages in the printer, everything from end stage renal failure to COPD, to diabetes, and everything in between.

He was a ticking time bomb.

His words, not mine.

Well, Wednesday, October 3, 2018, the bomb went off.

My dad was supposed to be at dialysis on Wednesday.

Multiple people in the community know that, and it was odd to see his truck parked at his house on a Wednesday evening.

As Megan stopped over to the gym to grab me, I knew something was up.

“People can’t get ahold of your dad and his truck is still in the driveway.”

I knew the moment she said it.

He was dead.

The reality came when I left the gym, pulled into the parking lot and the Paramedic came out of the front door.

The paramedic is a long time client of the gym, and this was not the first time either of us had gone through this.

“He’s gone, Doug.”

We laughed, hugged, and he went back to work to save more lives.

We laugh because what else can you do?

He and I have now both lost are parents young.

My mom died when I was 21 and now my dad at 29.

It’s a weird feeling that you’re not even 30 and you don’t have any parents alive anymore.

However, as most of you know, I’ve written about it at length in the past…

My mom was the reason I kept my last name on the doors of Spurling Fitness and the Spurling Community of Businesses that continue to grow.

Now, my dad will be up there next to her.

It just continues to drive me to make them proud.

Simple.

That’s how I’ll leave it.

We can learn a lot from my dad, a man of such few words, but so simple.

On Sunday we had my dad over for dinner and he got to see Kaden one last time.

For that, I’m forever grateful.

Thanks, dad. Say hi to mom.

PS: This is only picture I have of my dad with my son.

25%

Yesterday I talked about .1% (how one month of your life is .1%) and today I want to talk about 25%.

25%.

That’s how much is left in 2018.

Remember those New Years Resolutions you set 9 months ago?

How are they going?

Are you 75% towards your 2018 goals?

If yes, awesome.

If no, don’t fret, we still have 25% of the year left.

There is so much that can get done in the 4th quarter.

Just watch the Patriots :)

This is the 4th quarter.

This is the final 25%.

It’s time to take action, dial things in, and sprint for a STRONG finish in 2018.

There are 90 days left in 2018.

It’s amazing how fast time can pass.

It seems like just yesterday we were setting our 2018 goals, and now we’re 75% through the year.

But if you need a “do-over”, I’m going to give you one.

You can REDO your New Year Resolutions right now, but you can’t waste a single second.

If your goal is fat loss, you need to start today.

If your goal is to get stronger, you need to start today.

If your goal is be healthier, you need to start today.

75% of the year is gone.

Will you make changes today or will you let another 25% pass?

Don’t waste another minute.

Start today.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Apple "Cookies"

INGREDIENTS

• 1 apple

• ¼ cup peanut butter

• ¼ cup almonds, sliced

• ¼ cup walnuts, chopped

• ¼ cup shredded coconut

• ¼ cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice apple into thing rings and remove core.

2. Spread peanut butter over one side of ring. Top with almonds, walnuts, coconut, and chocolate chips.

Source: https://rachelschultz.com/2014/04/09/apple-cookies/

We Are Driven By Only 3 Things...

I was recently interviewed on a podcast and was asked what drives me. 

One word.

Vision

A relentless pursuit of my vision. 

I have a really clear vision for my life, my family, my businesses, my team, and even my fitness. 

To put it simply, I know why I do everything I do. 

I firmly believe if you want to be consistent and motivated in any effort in life you have to have a clear vision that you're working towards. 

It can be tweaked, adjusted, and grow with you, but you have to have a north star. 

What's your why?

Why do you do what you do?

Where do you want to go?

Once you know that, each day is just like building a sculpture. 

We're just slowly chipping away at this thing to make it a little better each day. 

This is true for what you want in life, what you want in your career, and what you want in fitness. 

You see, a goal of tightening and toning your butt and arms will only take you so far. 

It's a great goal to start, but it's not your vision, it's not your north star. 

Toning is not WHY you workout. 

Your vision and your why should tug at the strings of your heart. 

As you ask yourself "well, why is that important to me?" you begin to go a layer deeper and you realize that maybe the deeper reason to why you told me your goal is toning is actually a goal of being happier around your family, being a good role model for your kids, and being a better spouse. 

I don't know. 

We each have our own vision and our own pursuit of a vision. 

It's up to you to learn what that is and use that as motivation to kick ass every day. 

However, I do know one thing. 

If you want to live an amazing and fulfilling life you must live for something bigger than yourself. 

According to Daniel Pink, we are driven by only three things:

Autonomy: a desire to direct our own lives

Mastery: a desire to get better at something that matters

Purpose: being a part of something bigger than ourselves

Those three things combined are why you do what you do, your vision, your north star. 

As I write each piece here I always try to make sure there is a clear action step, something for you to actually do so that you get something out of it. 

If you don't know why you exist, what your vision is, I would spend some time trying to figure that out. 

It won't come to you at first, but if you continue to ask yourself "why is that important to me?” or “what does success look like in ____(category of life)?”, and go several layers deep, it will eventually surface. 

I can promise you that it's bigger than just an individual goal, and once you find it, you'll be forever motivated. 

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Action Breeds Motivation

Do you ever feel like you just can't get motivated?

We've all had those moments in our life. 

You're sitting on the couch, you have all this stuff to do, and you just can't get yourself to do it. 

Or, bigger picture, you've been wanting to start working out, but you just can't seem to find the motivation. 

The good news is, it's not just you! 

We've all been there. 

The better news is, there's something you can do about it. 

There's a popular saying that goes something like this...

"A rolling stone gathers no moss."

The person that is active in life never has a chance to stagnate. 

The fascinating notion can be applied to the motivation of changing any habit, including fitness or nutrition. 

It's amazing, if you're not feeling motivated, what simply walking to end of the driveway and back can do.

Now, it's not that walking down to end of the driveway and back sheds tons of fat or anything special, but what it does do is get the mental gears turning, the snowball rolling, and you begin to then start emptying the dishwasher, which leads to washing the floors, which leads to going for a walk around the street, which leads to a healthy home cooked dinner, etc, etc, etc. 

Action breeds motivation. 

Unfortunately, it can be so easy for a day to pass and you didn't actually get anything done that you wanted to. 

I challenge you to just kick the ball down the hill, just get the snowball rolling, just do something, even though it will seem so small because that little spark could be what lights the whole forest down. 

It can be a negative feeling not getting anything done, you can reverse those feeling into positive ones by simply taking one action step, 1% better. 

If you want to join a gym and start a new fitness routine, but not feeling motivated, don’t start with the goal of going 5x per week.

Start with the goal of going for walk after work…

That snowballs into a walk and some bodyweight squats in front of the TV…

That rolls into inquiring about the gym because you want more results…

Start small, 10 workouts a month, and then you can stack more on top.

However, don’t start with this big massive goal because you won’t feel motivated, and you won’t take action.

Just pick the smallest step, the lowest hanging fruit.

The future depends on what you do today. 

Action breeds motivation. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Will It Ever Be Enough?

The other night Megan and I were sitting down for dinner and I was rambling on about some idea I had, I can’t even remember that idea.

She stopped me mid-sentence and said…

“When will it ever be enough?”

Wow.

That stopped me in my tracks.

I needed to hear that.

With a growth mindset, I always am chasing the next thing.

How can we make things better?

How can I do more in a day?

What more can we do?

As soon as one thing gets accomplished, I’m immediately onto the next thing and conquering that.

A strength for sure, but also a huge area of opportunity.

I’m also ashamed to admit that was not the first time Megan and I had that conversation.

As much as a lot of our goals align (family, travel, etc), she is very comfortable just doing her thing, loves her job, has never really expressed any concrete goals, and just wants to be a good mom.

I admire that, because I can never ask her the question she asks me “will it ever be enough?”

On the other hand, I’m 110% confident I was put on this earth to change the world.

Change how things are done.

Change what can be done.

Change lives…

However, that creates a constant tug-o-war of when is it good enough?

How big is big enough?

How small is small enough?

So…

Before I keep going down a rabbit hole let’s wrap this around fitness.

What is enough?

How do we balance the goals of wanting to lose weight, wanting to get stronger, and always wanting more out of our fitness with the question of will it ever be enough?

We know that fitness is ultimately something we want to enjoy so much that we never stop.

I’ve written at length about it, and see it everyday…

Hitting a weight loss goals does not equal happiness.

It’s great that we hit that goal, but quite often the first question out of that persons head is…

“What’s next?”

“Ok, now 10 more pounds.”

When will it ever be enough?

I’m not sure.

I hope to keeping getting better until the day I die.

I hope to keep changing lives until the day I die and leave an impact beyond that.

But will it ever be enough?

I’m not sure I have an answer today.

I still do think the ultimate destination is not in fact a destination.

Happiness.

Be happy with where you’re at.

Be proud of how far you’ve come.

Be happy with what you have.

It could always be worse.

However, at least for me, part of constant happiness is to never stop, never stop having goals to chase, never stop having new ideas, and never stop changing the world.

But will it ever be enough?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Stumbling into gratitude

I stood at the bottom of the mountain, penned in a box with 150 other participants, thinking of my typical Saturday routine. Sleep in a little, maybe meditate, then sit down with a fresh cup of coffee to get some writing done while Rooney sleeps on my feet. 

Instead of sipping hot coffee, I was looking at the side of the mountain that I was about to have to run up as part of the 2018 Tough Mudder Half. A mountain that in winter, is reserved for skiing.

Down.

Not running up.

So that’s a hill. And those specs are people…

Some folks were jumping up and down to warm up, others were cracking their necks side to side, while a select few others were screaming.

Like just randomly screaming.

Loudly. 

I stood, cemented in place, unable to shut off the steady stream of sarcasm rolling through my mind.

I looked at my teammate Lauren. 

“I’m not doing this next year,” I said.

“Yes I know. You said that last year, so I’ll remind you that you said that again when we’re standing in line for next year’s race.” 

We both laughed. 

I stopped laughing abruptly. 

“Yeah, that’s totally going to happen again isn’t it?” I asked.

“Yup,” she said. “Totally.”

*****

Next thing I know, we’re schlepping our way up the side of the mountain and I’m dishing out a healthy stream of bad one-liners. 

“Why would I want to be at home drinking coffee and watching game day?” I asked to no one in particular. A guy who was doing his 100th race swept past. 

“Because this is so much more fun!” 

“Yes,” I said. “Yes fun. That’s the word I was searching for right there. Thank you.”

I’m not always proud of my sarcasm, because I know it bumps up pretty hard against negativity. I toe that line of negativity and often cross it, and I crossed it a lot more on Saturday than I wish I had.

Humor is how I cope. And Saturday’s course provided a lot of things to cope with. This was by far the most difficult course I’d ever attempted.

Towards the end of the run, once we had sponges for shoes and mud in places you never thought mud could go, we came around a corner to another mountain. But this one was too steep for walking. We had to scale the mountain on all fours. 

I’d like you to take a moment to recall the famous Chevy Chases tirade about a happy family from the movie Christmas vacation. 

Then add another minute of expletives.

That’s roughly what came out of my mouth at the bottom of that mountain - sans Santa hat.

But there was no way around this obstacle. So all of us, many of whom shared my thoughts, threw ourselves into the mountain and just started climbing. 

Half-way up the mountain, I lost my footing. Up to that point I’d been methodically choosing my footholds and hand holds, moving quickly, not giving myself enough time to think.

But suddenly, I had nowhere to put my foot or my hands. I looked down. 

If you do this course next year, let me give you some casual advice when you arrive at this stage of the race. 

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS SACRED DO NOT LOOK DOWN. 

So then I looked up. And I’d like to take a moment here to add a second piece of advice. 

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS SACRED DO NOT LOOK UP. 

Not gonna lie - I kind of panicked a little. 

But here is what’s cool about these kind of races. I said I was stuck, and the woman behind me put her hand up for me to step on it. So I did. And I was able to get my footing again. After a few minutes, I could see flags in the distance and hear my teammates cheering me on at the top. 

(When people cheer for me in sports, they can’t help but call me Kimmie, because they need that extra syllable. And for some reason, in that context, I find the name Kimmie oddly comforting).

Once I hit level ground and could stand up, I leaned up against a tree to catch my breath. I looked out at the view. I looked down at the others still climbing. 

And in that moment, I stumbled straight into gratitude. 

Gratitude that I have a body that allows me to scale a mountain. Gratitude that I didn’t have to go it alone. Gratitude for my health. Gratitude for a growing sense of camaraderie I had the good fortune of getting to know a little better on Saturday.

At the end of the night, a shower never felt so good. Sweatpants never felt so warm. And my bed never felt so soft. And I was grateful for all of those comforts.

But I’m not doing this next year…

A Single Step...

We stood in a crowd of 200 others jumping up and down…

The music was pumping nice and loud…

The countdown began…

10, 9, 8, 7….

3, 2, 1, Go!

And just like that we were off.

The 2018 Tough Mudder Northeast was underway.

5 miles, 13+ obstacles, and a free beer at the end.

But then reality set in.

The course started with climbing the side of the mountain, straight up.

As you walked up, you had to mentally talk to yourself to keep going, you passed people that had to stop on the side and catch their breath.

Whether it was the mountain climbing, or the obstacles that seemed impossible, there was always one thing I kept in mind.

A single step.

Just one more step.

Just one more…

There seems to be this massive hesitation in society when starting something new, especially when it comes to fitness. 

Now, "new" could be starting from scratch, someone that has never done anything in their life, and new could also mean a new goal or a new event. 

We quite often get the question of "how do I start?"

Although it's thought to be more complicated than this, I challenge you to realize, it's just a matter of doing something, anything. 

You don't just all of the sudden "find" motivation. 

That's why people who never start or attempt any action with fitness find it hard to have any kind of success. 

Motivation is built on action. 

It's a snowball effect. 

You need to do something to get the snowball moving. 

Once it's moving, it will build on itself and continue to roll down the hill faster and faster. 

That's why if you're feeling extra motivated it's usually the result of a chain of actions built on each other that has created it. 

Just like after climbing the mountain, I felt motivated to climb over the wall, then once I climbed over the wall I felt motivated to keep going.

Action breeds motivation.

So, how do you start?

Whether it's starting a brand new fitness routine, joining a gym for the first time, or conquering a new goal or event like a Tough Mudder.

Pick the easiest action you can do. 

Think of it as a project. 

Every project has a series of "to dos."

What is the first to do?

For example, it could be inquiring on the website. 

It could be going out and buying some new shoes. 

Maybe it's registering for the event.

Quite often we paralyze ourselves as we look at the big project ahead, or a new change, or new routine.

That analysis paralysis freezes us up mentally and physically and next thing you know six months go by and you're still in the same place you were. 

There's no magic answer, unfortunately, I think it's just a good reminder of the famous quote...

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

And it's just that...a step. 

Don't get overwhelmed by the journey, just take the first step. 

That will lead to the second step, the third step, and then, and only then, will the momentum and motivation start to build.

Oh, and who’s joining me for the 2019 Tough Mudder Northeast?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling