Stop training for the past

As the only member of our coaching staff who has even sniffed 30 years old, let alone 40, I can get a little defensive about my age. I promise you that casual conversations around the office have become a bit more challenging for Josh, our very knowledgeable and mild-mannered director of training since I’ve come on board. 

Josh: “Generally we won’t have a 40 something-year-old…” 

Me: What?? What won’t you have a 40 something-year-old do? Hmm???

Josh: “Back squat 400 pounds.”

Me (Slathering Icy Hot all over my body): Why because you think they can’t? Hmmmm??? You think because I’m old I can’t back squat a small car??” (Storming out of the room in my knee wraps).

These days, I find myself digging my heels in about age the way I did about being a girl playing with the boys.

“Are you saying I can’t do that because I’m a girl?? I’ll show you!”

And I did.

Eventually, I climb out of Josh's throat and take my creaky knees into the gym for a workout. I’m getting older. And I’m grateful for the privilege of aging, I truly am. But I’m learning, at every twist and turn, to embrace the changes in my body. Each day is a new lesson in training myself to look forward and not backward. It is so easy, as we get older, to become hyper-focused on what we used to do.

I used to read a menu without playing trombone.

I used to walk up and down stairs without a crunching noise in my knees. 

I used to be able to skip my warm up without pulling a muscle. 

Currently, I'm training for a half-marathon, and hopefully a full one. Yesterday on my 5k route, as I looked at my time, I was overcome with a major case of used to’s. I used to run a 5k in 26 minutes or less. I used to run nine-minute miles. 

It can be depressing to focus on. I suppose I could force myself to run faster. Or I could just enjoy the run. 

I’m training for the future, not the past. 

I’m not going to stop doing things because I’m getting older. Honestly, my main goal is to stay active as I get older. I want to lift weights and I want to run and I’d like to beat my dad in a game of golf, and hey, maybe take up tennis.

I love me some Bruce Springsteen but I refuse to be that guy in “Glory Days.” 

I think there are plenty of those still to come. 

Let Us Go For A Drive...

Sometimes I think that people have this massive misunderstanding that we at Spurling HATE cardio. 

"All they do is lift weights."

If by lifting weights you mean we get people stronger, leaner, more toned and increase their confidence than yes, that's exactly what we do. 

A couple thoughts on cardio...

First off, let's define what cardio is. 

Cardio means that the primary muscle being worked is the heart. 

There may be some other side effects, but the main thing being worked is the heart. 

So, basically, we're talking anything from about 30 seconds in duration to hours. 

Cardio in its simplest form breaks down to two forms:

Steady State and Interval.

Steady state is what most people are familiar with. 

Going for a 45-minute run. 

Biking for 60 minutes. 

Walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes.

You get the point. 

It's steady state, which means your heart rate has an initial peak when you first start and then it stays elevated throughout the entire duration. 

Now, we're not against this type of cardio. 

Just a few notes:

1. The reason why we don't do it at Spurling is because our clients are paying for expert coaching at every visit. You don't need to pay for expert coaching to go for a 30-minute bike ride. 

2. Steady state cardio inside is boring to 99% of the world. Our number two goal outside of safety is to make fitness fun. Nothing sounds less fun than spinning your wheels on an elliptical machine for 45 minutes as you stare at a wall. 

So, we're not against steady state cardio. 

We just have our clients do it on days they don't come to Spurling, and ideally, do it outside. 

It's just more fun that way. 

Plus, it allows us to dial into more complex things when they're here like why their hamstrings are tight or fix their core weakness. 

So we get steady state cardio. 

Now we have interval training. 

This got popular when HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Tabata got introduced to the mainstream world. 

This is short bursts of work, followed by a period of rest, repeated for several rounds.

For example, you could walk for a minute, jog for a minute, and repeat that for 20 minutes. 

Or you could slam a medicine ball ten times, sprint 100yards, rest, rinse and repeat. 

Basically, your heart rate throughout a workout has a bunch of peaks and valleys instead of staying at the same pace the entire time. 

It goes up for 30 seconds, then comes down. It goes up, and then it comes down.

Now, here's why we like interval training:

1. It's a lot more fun. We can have you do cool stuff like slam medicine balls, push sleds, shake battle ropes, hop on a rower, or do some squats, all while getting your heart rate up. Becuase it's more fun, you work harder and stay with it longer, so you get better results.

2. It is a lot more joint friendly. Picture something. I'm 275lbs. If I go for a run, how many times in a 3-mile run does my foot strike the ground? Thousands of times. That's 275lbs repeatedly slamming into concrete. It's no wonder our knees, hips, and backs bother us. With interval training, we can still get the heart rate up using upper body stuff like ropes and medicine balls if you have joint restrictions. 

3. We're terrible at it. Seriously. When in your daily life do you shake a 50' rope, slam a 14" ball into the ground, or push a hunk of metal down turf? Never. So, your body is super inefficient at it. When your body is inefficient at things it burns a ton of calories trying to do it. 

So, let us go for a drive in separate cars. 

You're going to go on the highway. You're going to drive 75mph on cruise control for 45 minutes. No traffic, just steady state. 

I'm going to drive in NYC for 45 minutes. Start. Stop. Accelerate. Slam on the brakes. Interval style. 

Who burns more fuel in that same 45 minutes?

The city driver. The interval driver. 

It's not that we're anti cardio. 

We are in the business of changing people's lives, coaching you at every workout, and motivating you to become a better person. 

Steady state cardio has its place, but you can do that on your own time. 

Go for a bike ride with the family. 

Go for a hike. 

We'll focus on the interval stuff. 

The kinds of things that burn massive amounts of calories in shorter periods of time.

The kinds of things that are fun, let stress out, and things you look forward to doing, not dreading it. 

So I guess we're just a gym that has a bunch of people that like to drive in the city :)

Hope that analogy helps you understand our approach a bit more. 

It's not special, it's just effective. 

I'll be back tomorrow to keep the week going strong (and bring the sunshine)! 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

What's Working?

As a business, the team and I do this exercise called "working, broken, confusing, and missing" a couple times a quarter. 

I think of it as an organized brain dump. 

You list out everything that's working, things that are broken, things that are confusing, and things that are missing. 

Inevitably there's always a handful of things on each list, but the "working" list is always the longest. 

We do this exercise for two reasons:

1. To see what we need to add/improve. 

2. To recognize that a lot of what we're doing is working really well. 

Just like you in your fitness journey, we aim to get 1% better every day as a business. 

It can be easy to focus on what's missing or broken, but sometimes it's best to recognize and triple down on what's working. 

So I ask you...

What's working really well in fitness, nutrition, and life in general for you?

Are you getting a couple servings of vegetables in?

Did you get a workout in this week?

Are you sleeping well?

Did you have a good time with your family?

I challenge you to do this exercise. 

Make a list with four columns and brainstorm what's working, broken, confusing, and missing in your life. 

Recognize and keep it positive by focusing on what's working. 

After that, then you can start to plug away at improving what's broken, confusing, or missing. 

It's easy to always focus on what you need to do more of but I'm challenging you to spend some time on all the great things. 

You're here. 

By reading this you're already ahead of 99% of people.

Keep it up. 

What's working for you?

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling 

One Pan Roasted Garlic Chicken

HAPPY MOTHERS' WEEK!

This week at Spurling, we have been celebrating our moms by giving them fresh roses! To all the moms who take that first step, come in and crush their workouts, are dedicated to themselves and their goals and are getting the results they set out for......and to keep that spirit going, here is a recipe that is sure to warm your heart (and definitely your belly) with goodness. This is a one-pan recipe and as you know, we love a quick and easy recipe!

....Because cooking doesn't have to be a chore.

And moms, if you find yourself making dinner on Mother's Day, try this.

Clean up will be breeze with just one pan ;)

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 3/4"-1" cubes
1 pound small Brussels sprouts, (if they are bigger, cut them in half)
1 medium red onion, cut into slices
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
6 cloves garlic, minced
optional garnish: Parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, for quick clean up. Place the baking sheet into the oven to preheat the pan with the oven; this will help the vegetables caramelize faster.

In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the honey, mustard, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk to combine. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

Add sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, onion, and garlic to the preheated sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss vegetables with a spoon, until coated well.

Clear a space for chicken breasts around the pan. Place coated chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Spoon the remaining honey mustard marinade over the chicken. Wiggle the pan until the vegetables are in a single layer.

Bake 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are fork tender. Set oven to broil high for 2 minutes or until the edges of the vegetables begin to brown.

Originally from: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2016/10/one-pan-roasted-garlic-chicken-and.html

Learning patience

The running joke in my family is that my little brother’s First Holy Communion and high school graduation pictures were on the same roll of film.

And that she didn’t develop those pictures until he was in college.

He was 21 before he knew what he looked like as a baby..

Take a photo of any kid today and her first impulse will be to reach for the camera to see the picture on the back.  

We live in an instant gratification world. Put a status on Facebook and get instant feedback. News alerts show up on our watches, phones, and iPads. Hear a song you like and instantly own it. 

Remember sitting by the radio with your blank tape waiting for your favorite song to come on the radio?

And the DJ always talked through the intro. Always. It’s like he knew I was waiting for Richard Marx to come on.

We don’t have to wait for anything. 

And that has made the journey with health and fitness that much more difficult. Intellectually we know that results don’t come over night. One woman said it best that she didn’t put the weight on over night, so it wasn’t going to come off over night. 

Unfortunately, the intellectual knowledge that the process takes time does little to soothe us. And especially with health and fitness, it becomes very easy to question whether you're taking the right approach.

If you don't start seeing results (see Doug's post from Monday) quickly, then you assume it's time to move on to another diet or switch from P90X to Insanity. Program hopping is common because we think that the next approach will get us faster results. Not better, but faster. 

Despite the advent of all things digital - despite never having to wait for another REO Speedwagon song ever again in your life - there are some things that we can’t rush.

Regardless of your choice of exercise program, the process of body recomposition and fat loss takes time.  

So how do you learn patience?

Well, start by delaying some of that instant gratification. Post a Facebook status and refrain from checking every five minutes to see how many likes you got. (I'm totally guilty of this).

Take five slow deep breaths.

In meditation, everything returns to the breath. Focusing on your breathing can help bring you back into the now, into the moment, and doing so can shift your attention from what you want to where you are right now.

Slow down.

Are you Tigger? There's nothing wrong with Tigger, but you might want to tap into your inner Eyore for a few hours. Slow down. Breathe. A great way to slow down is the name five blue things in your surroundings. And then five red things. And then five white things.

Change takes time. Be patient with yourself and the process. 

5 Reasons You're Not Seeing Results (They're Not What You Think)

Today I'm going to come at things from a different approach.

Typically you'd read a line like above and think that I'm going to talk about exercise, nutrition, and sleep.

Well, of course, that stuff is important if you're not seeing results, but let's look at things from a different angle today. 

According to Marshall Goldsmith, there are only five reasons why people do not succeed with their nutrition and fitness goals. 

My objective today is to outline the five and give a line or two of insight into how you can conquer that hurdle. 

1. Time: They don't have time to do it. It takes longer than they expected.

This is the most common one. I've talked about this several times, but ultimately if this is your current hurdle you need to look at what's most important to you. 

Why do some people have time to workout and others don't? 

Priority. 

There's no right or wrong answer, only you decide what is important to you, but if you're saying you don't have time, what you're really saying is it's not a priority right now. 

Also, the second half of the reason, it takes longer than they expected. 

You have to get past that this is going to be a 14-day fix, and then you'll be done.

You must find something that you love doing so much you do it the rest of your life. 

Getting results is hard work, it takes much longer than people think, and that ties nicely into the number two reason. 

2. Effort: It's harder than they expected. It's not worth all the effort. 

This stuff is hard. 

If it was easy, 70% of the world would not be overweight. 

You have to put in the daily effort, the daily grind of getting 1% better. 

Start small, snowball that, but realize you're going to have bumps along the way, and that's all part of it.

That brings us to number three. 

3. Distractions: They do not expect a "crisis" to emerge that will prevent them from staying with the program. 

We love 10 workouts a month at Spurling.

It's what we recommend for 90% of our clients. 

Why?

Life. 

There will be things that pop up, there will be hurdles that get in the way, and there will be setbacks. 

That's just part of the fun of being on this journey of getting 1% better. 

If you think you're going to just go on cruise control and get 3-4 workouts EVERY week, you're setting yourself up for failure. 

Instead, 10 workouts a month allows for some weeks that are rolling smooth to be 3-4 times, and other weeks where things pop up to be 1-2 times. 

Kids, work, family, school, medical, etc.

It will all come up. 

So, having goals is important, but be ok with not hitting them every time, and prep for distractions. 

4. Rewards: After they see some improvement, they don't get the response from others that they expected. People don't immediately love the new improved person they've become. 

This is a loaded one. 

First off, it's important to get rewarded and recognized for all your hard work. 

That's why we do things like Frequent Sweaters Club (10+ Workouts that month), Client Spotlights, Personal Record Boards, Fat Loss Club, and so much more at Spurling. 

We recognize that this process is hard, and we want to recognize our client's hard work. 

You need to find someone and/or somewhere that is going to support you through the entire process. 

The second half of number four is a bit more loaded. 

Basically, people think once they hit their goal, say 20lbs of weight loss, that glitter is going to fall from the sky and all of their happiness is going to overwhelm them. 

Well, that's simply not the case. 

I've talked a lot about what true happiness is but happiness is not a destination, it's a process. 

It's having a clear vision, being a part of a journey, and having values bigger than just yourself.

This process is hard and ongoing, so it's important to have support and recognition along the way.  

5. Maintenance: Once they hit their goal, people forget how hard it is to stay in shape. Not expecting that they'll have to stick with the program for life, they slowly backslide or give up completely. 

This is the epitome of 1% better. 

Fall in the love with the process. 

Now, that you will have to find something you love so much that it becomes something you GET to do, not something you HAVE to do. 

Review this list of five reasons and work on the area that you struggle with the most. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: Registration closes on Wednesday for our next 6-Week Transformation Challenge. Click here to grab a spot. 

Cinco De Mayo Taco Celebration

May the Fourth be with you......

And right after that, we will celebrate Cinco De Mayo and by celebrate, I mean, consume of some traditional Mexican fare!

There are a few parts to this week's recipe spotlight: we have some chicken tacos but you can't have tacos without a superb taco seasoning. And whatever you do, please (I beg of you) do not forget the guacamole! You could have 11 sombreros on your head but if you do not have some guacamole to put on your taco....it is not Cinco De Mayo ;)

Without further ado, shake your maracas right over to these recipes.......Olé

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1.25-ounce packet low-sodium taco seasoning (OR try this homemade seasoning)
• 1 16-ounce jar of your favorite salsa
• For serving: tortillas or taco shells and your choice of optional toppings, such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, black beans, corn, chopped avocados or guacamole, reduced-fat sour cream, and hot sauce

Instructions

1. Place chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot.
2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
3. Pour salsa on top.
4. Cook on low (for 6-8 hours) or high (for 4 hours).
5. Just before serving, use two forks to shred the chicken.
6. Stir to evenly distribute salsa throughout chicken.
7. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

recipes from:

• http://twohealthykitchens.com/2014/01/08/3-ingredient-crock-pot-chicken-tacos/
• https://fantabulosity.com/the-best-guacamole-recipe/
• http://therecipecritic.com/2015/03/the-best-homemade-taco-seasoning/

Which One Are You?

There are really only two approaches to this whole journey. 

Quite often we hear goals like wanting to lose 20lbs in the next six weeks. 

And that's a great goal...

But, as we always talk about, what happens after that?

Do you go so hard that you just bounce back to your old behaviors and gain all the weight back?

It's probably happened to most of us at some point. 

Throughout this journey of a healthier you there are really on two tracks...

All or nothing

or...

1% better. 

Which one are you?

We will always push you for the 1% better journey. 

The idea that each day you try to get a little better. 

This is a journey, it goes on forever, and you must choose behaviors (nutrition choices, fitness choices, etc) that you can sustain the rest of your life. 

As we always preach, consistency will always win. 

You will have hurdles, you will have setbacks, but with the 1% better mentality, you take it one day at a time, and get back on the saddle. 

The all or nothing mentality plays to the human need for instant gratification. 

That's why this whole thing is hard. 

There is no instant gratification. 

The all or nothing approach may get results fast (lose 15lbs in a month), but it usually involves behaviors that can't be sustained for the long-term. 

Thus, we're sitting here 12 months from now and the person with the all or nothing mentality may have seen results in the beginning, but shortly into the process they inevitably hit a speed bump, get off track, and never get back on again. 

That's why we'll always push for 1% better. 

Sure, you may not see instant results, you may not see amazing results in the first month, but 12 months from now, 12 years from now, you'll be ahead. 

Play the long game. 

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

The One List You Must Make Everyday...

If you can't tell I am about as Type A as you can find. 

Everything is time urgent, I keep massive to-do lists, and I aim to get 1001 things done each day. 

One of my coaches and weekly contributor here, Coach Kim, always says to me...

"Doug, when would you like this done. Yesterday, right?"

As I prepare (as much as I can) for baby boy Spurling to arrive in August, I know my productivity and time management will disappear. 

In prep for that, I'm working on a few things that I thought I'd share with you as a valuable lesson on time management and taking time for YOU. 

First off, I aim to get three things done each day. 

I limit my to-do list to just three things. 

If more happens, great, but if these three things get done, it's a win for the day. 

My to-do list for each day used to be dozens of items long. 

There's always ways we can do things better, meetings that can be held, projects that can be worked on, and I would put it all on one day. 

My coach (yes, even we have coaches) cracked the whip on me and got me to limit my to-do list to three items. 

Three big rocks. 

Three things that are the most important on that day. 

It's been tremendously helpful in not overloading my to-do list, and forcing me to focus on what is most important on that given day. 

Prioritize. 

Second, and I think the more valuable lesson that I'm working on is creating a "not to do" list. 

It's still a work in progress, but basically, I'm outlining the things I'm not going to allow myself to get distracted by, the items that are just busy work and not part of the big three rocks mentioned above, and things that I need to say no to. 

By creating this not to do list it allows me to focus even more on those big three rocks. 

In our world, there will always be 1001 things you could be doing, things you could be saying yes to, but what are you saying no to?

I'm trying to say no to a lot more. 

So, my challenge for you...

If you create a daily to-do list try to keep it to the big three rocks.

What are the big three things that MUST get done that day? 

Really prioritize what are the three most important things. 

Second, start creating a not-to-do list. 

A list of things that you say no to, things that distract you from the more important tasks, and things that don't help you get 1% better. 

Creating this list has been a game changer for me, and should you choose to implement it, I know it can help you. 

I'll be back tomorrow with another dose of my daily motivational medicine :)

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: Ultimately the goal of all of this is to assure you have time to take care of YOU. If you're looking to finally take care of your health and fitness but not sure where to start, we have the perfect solution for you. Join our next Six Week Transformation Challenge starting on 5/15 where you'll get unlimited sessions with our coaches so they can show you exactly what to do and how to do it, plus daily accountability, nutritional guidance, and more. If you're ready to finally drop pant sizes, tone up those arms, and have more energy join our challenge. We only take 20 people per challenge the deadline to register is May 10th. Join here ===>>> 6 Week Transformation Challenge

The gift of now

Over the weekend I made the trip to Charlottesville, Virginia for a short reunion with my college roommates. In honor of turning 40 (some of us sooner than others), we rented a house next to Monticello, drank wine, sat in the sunshine (they have that in Virginia) and caught up on our lives. 

I don’t know if it’s the magic of old friends, those that have known you for more than half of your lives, who knew you when the daily meal was ramen noodles and pretzels with ranch dressing, when drama was figuring out how to break up with a guy or getting a “C” in your philosophy course, but I was more present in the 48 hours I spent with them than I’ve been in months. 

Staying present in their presence was the greatest gift I’ve received in a long time. 

As I’ve talked about before I spend almost every waking moment doing what author Daniel Goleman calls “nexting.” I might take a few minutes to enjoy Friday night, but by Saturday morning I am planning a blog, worrying about how much I haven’t written, and plagued by a constant, vague notion that I need to be doing more.

More. 

Make more money, write more blogs, take on more clients, run more, workout more. 

Always so much guilt that I need to do more. 

This weekend, for 48 hours, I gave up more. I didn’t ask myself to write or study on the plane. I opened my laptop twice, and once was to order pizza. 

It’s amazing how the conversation changes with time - we talk about the environment and politics and raising children instead of which fraternity party to hit that night. And I was IN every conversation. Despite, or maybe because I only slept three hours Friday night to catch an early morning flight about of Boston, I found myself deliciously hanging on every word they said. 

I turned my phone off.

Like, off. 

Not on silent, not on Do Not Disturb. 

Off.  

The quote on the board in our gym last week came from a client: “There is not Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, there is only now.”

My goal, more so today than ever, is to remain mindful. And that is my wish for you. To not be dulled by the daily routine, but comforted by it. To find a way to enjoy and embrace the now. 

Our only guarantee is now. 

Inside Out

They say in business that you start from the inside out. 

Meaning, don't spend time marketing to new people if your service is terrible.

Start from the inside, make that great, then you can start working on the outside, bringing in new business. 

Hopefully, you see that at Spurling. 

We aim to spend 80% of our time making the experience for our current clients the best there is, and 20% of the time trying to attract those intimidated by the typical gym so we can ultimately help them and change their life. 

Well today, I want you to take that business lesson and apply it to yourself. 

Start from the inside out. 

Try not to put the focus on how your clothes fit, what the scale says, or how you look in the mirror just yet.

But first, focus on the inside. 

What drives you?

What are your goals?

What kind of feeling are you going after?

What makes you happy?

As you start on this journey celebrate the small wins like feeling more energetic, sleeping better, feeling stronger, etc. 

That inside first approach will keep you staying positive, it will keep the momentum going, fire up that motivation, and once you have the inside locked down, then you can start tackling the outside. 

They always say it's what's on the inside that matters most, but why in fitness do we always focus on the outside?

Sure, there are certain external outcomes we want/need to do like drop pant sizes, see toned muscles, and look stronger, but we're a big believer in starting with the inside because that's what matters most. 

We always talk about taking care of yourself first so you can be at your best for others. 

Whether it's thinking about how you're progressing, or how you need to take care of yourself first to be at your best for others, think about the inside out approach.

Enjoy the weekend and I'll be back next week to keep it going strong. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Skinny Protein Puppy Chow

Has anyone ever tried Chex Mix Muddy Buddies???

Well, then you know just how delicious they are......try this version, otherwise known as "Puppy Chow" and tell me what you think! This recipe is all the things we love.....quick, no-baking required, kid-friendly and healthy ;) With a name like 'puppy chow', how could you not enjoy this snack!

Ingredients

• 4 cups Chex cereal
• Dry Ingredients:
• 1/4 cupProtein powder (I used Designer Whey vanilla)
• 1 tbsPeanut flour (or additional 1 tbs protein powder)
• 1 tbsUnsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cupBaking stevia OR 1 cup sweetener of choice that measures like sugar
• Wet Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (3 oz)Chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)
• 1/4 cupCreamy peanut butter

The estimated total time to make this recipe is 10-15 minutes.

1.  In a large ziplock bag, mix together the dry ingredients and shake to combine. Set aside. 

2.  In a large bowl, microwave the chocolate and peanut butter for 45-60 seconds, (30 seconds at a time, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted.) Add the cereal to the bowl, and stir to coat the cereal in the peanut butter chocolate mixture.

3.  Pour the chocolate peanut butter covered cereal into the ziplock with the dry ingredients, and shake until the cereal is evenly coated. Pour puppy chow onto a large baking pan lined with foil or parchment and let dry for at least 30 minutes. (Of course you can enjoy it immediately, but this time is just to allow the chocolate and peanut butter to completely set.) Store puppy chow in a sealed container, and store at room temperature for up to 7 days. Enjoy!

Original Recipe:  https://dashingdish.com/recipe/skinny-protein-puppy-chow/

Bathing And Fitness...

No, I'm not here to talk about how you need to shower after your workout.

But please do :)

I'm here this morning with a quick lesson on motivation and accountability. 

One of my favorite people to study is the late Zig Ziglar. 

One of his best quotes was this...

"People often say motivation doesn't last. Neither does bathing that's why require it daily."

I hear often from people that they need motivation and accountability.

The good news?

We all do.

Every day.

For the rest of our lives.

Just like we'll continue to bathe every day for the rest of our lives.

When you do decide to embark on this journey of 1% better and a healthier and happier you, you're going to go through ups and downs.

There's going to be good days and not so great days.

You're going to feel motivated for a short time and then you're going to lose your luster.

It's like building a fire...

 It takes action to get it going, starts off strong, but if you want to continue to the flame, you have to continue to work it, or else it will just fizzle out. 

There's a method to the madness behind everything we do. 

It's why we don't let you workout alone in our gym...

It's why we make you book an appointment for all of your sessions...

It's why we send this daily e-mail, post in the members-only Facebook group, and check-in with you via e-mail. 

The secret is not the exercise, the secret is not knowing how much protein you need, the "secret" is daily motivation and accountability.

Don't try to fight it.

We all need it.

Daily. 

Leverage it, lean on it, and when you're feeling down and discouraged think back to what helped you stay accountable and kept you motivated and go to that. 

Remember, just like good hygiene, fitness, nutrition, and this journey we're all on requires daily motivation and accountability. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: If you're not yet a part of Spurling Fitness and you need that daily accountability and motivation along with strong coaching, nutrition, and a family-like community, now is the perfect time to make the leap. Come get ready for summer, feel stronger, have more confidence and test us out for 42 days in our 6 Week Transformation Challenge. Hurry though, it starts on 5/15, and we only take 20 people per challenge so we can provide the best experience possible. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot ===>>> 6 Week Transformation Challenge

Can You Give Me a Snowflake?

I know we're heading into summer and things are finally feeling like spring, but I need to use the snowflake as an analogy for today's lesson. 

And no, it's not the "every snowflake is unique" one....

When we get hammered with 12"+ of snow, what does it start with?

One single snowflake.

When you're in the front yard building snowballs to erect a giant snowman with your kids, what does it start with?

One single snowflake. 

No matter how big the storm, no matter how big the snowball, it all started with one snowflake. 

My challenge for you is to pick one snowflake (one action item) to execute on. 

Action kick-starts motivation. 

I've talked about motivation at length, but one of the most important things to understand about motivation is this...

It doesn't come out of anywhere. You don't just wake up and suddenly fee motivated.

It comes from action. 

You start doing something small, then the momentum builds, motivation begins, and you start tackling the problem. 

But it started with that one small action, just like the snowstorm started with that one snowflake. 

How many days a week should I work out?

If you're doing nothing right now, my suggestion is going to be one. 

How much protein should I have?

If you're getting 50 grams right now, my suggestion is going to be 60. 

Building a snowball out of snowflakes is the perfect analogy of 1% better. 

It starts with one snowflake, then another, then it starts rolling, collecting more, more momentum, and as long as you can find more snowflakes the snowball will continue to get better. 

The biggest frustration in fitness is a lack of results, right?

It can be a plethora of things, but most often it's the idea that they have to overhaul everything at once. 

They have to go to the gym 4x per week, they have to eat perfect, etc. 

They end up doing that for a week, realize it's not sustainable, get frustrated, and quit.

That's why building the snowball one snowflake at a time will always win in the long-term.

Will you lose 10lbs a week, probably not? 

But guess what?

If you lose .5lb a week for the next 12 months you'd be down over 25lbs!

Pick one small thing you can do a little better each day. 

One more serving of vegetables. 

One more workout. 

One more hour of sleep. 

One more set. 

One more...

Stack that day after day and you'll have the strongest, leanest, best feeling, best-looking snowman/woman in the world :)

Make sense?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling 

PS: We just opened up registration for our next 6-Week Transformation Challenge that starts on 5/15. This is a complete program, guaranteed to kick-start your transformation through coaching at every workout, daily and weekly accountability, nutritional support, and a family that wants you to succeed. We only take 20 dedicated people per challenge, so grab a spot today. All spots will fill. Register here: 6-Week Transformation Challenge

Small talk

Of all the skills I've learned over the years, small talk has taken the most practice.

In my twenties, forcing me to make conversation among strangers was akin to sliding down razor blades into a bed of salt. 

Possibly worse.

Over time though, I learned to ask questions to initiate the conversation: "Where are you from? What do you do? Do you like football? What do you mean you're a Ravens' fan? I'm sorry, we can't be friends."

I no longer ask people what they do for work though. I learned my lesson years ago when I was at the wedding of a friend in Washington, D.C. and began a conversation with the woman next to me.
 
"And what do you do for work?"

"I'm the second chair clarinet in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra," she replied. "What do you do?"

I'd recently dropped out of an MFA program at the University of New Mexico and was working for minimum wage at a camera shop. 

Later when I recounted the story to a friend of mine, I learned that you shouldn't ask people what they do for work until the fourth or fifth time you meet them. I don't know if it's true, but I've held to that practice, as our jobs rarely define us. 

I am still often asked what I do for work and given the nature of my current job as a coach, my answer frequently results in a barrage of questions about health and fitness.

I love what I do and welcome the questions. Below is a list of what I frequently find myself talking about in these types of conversations, so I thought I'd share with you. 

1. Are you getting moderate or vigorous exercise?

I see sedentary clients who know they need to get some exercise, but I see others who are doing some form of exercise on a regular basis, and still not seeing any results (at least as it pertains to fat loss).  

According to www.choosemyplate.gov, the minimum requirement for adults (ages 18-64) is at least two hours of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level OR 75 minutes per week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level. 

How do you measure a moderate level versus a vigorous level? Try using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE) - which is how hard you feel like your body is working. From the CDC the RPE is “based on the physical sensations a person experiences during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue.”

If walking your dog at night is your only exercise, what is your RPE while walking? I have a basset hound who likes to stop and smell the roses every. five. steps. While walking Rooney is good meditation for me, we don’t often get up to a pace that increases my heart rate or has me breathing harder.     

2. Don’t overhaul your entire diet on day one. 

Should I go paleo? Are carbs bad? What about a juice cleanse? (That’s another question for another day). Should I try intermittent fasting? Before completely overhauling your diet, it’s good to have a clear understanding of where you are with your nutrition. Are you getting enough water? Are you getting enough vegetables? It’s so easy to focus on what not to eat that we can sometimes forget what to eat. Are you getting enough protein? Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals? Healthy fats? Water? 

It’s hard to know the answer to this right now, as you’re probably sitting there thinking about what you had for breakfast (maybe you don't remember what you had for breakfast. That's ok.) So the easier place to start is by tracking your food for three days, which leads nicely into point number three.

3. Track your food

Use MyFitnessPal if you like gadgets - use a pen and paper if you don’t - but for three days, one weekend day and two weekdays, track your food intake. Don’t judge it. Track it. How often are you eating? Six meals a day? Three meals a day?

4. Look for the low hanging fruit

Once you've tracked your food for three days, take a look at the bigger picture. Do you drink a Mountain Dew every day? Twice a day? Do you order a mocha latte from Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts every morning? Are you eating two servings of Girl Scout cookies twice a day? Do you snack each morning at 10:00?

The empty calories in beverages are a good place to start. Even drinks that we might think of as healthy - vitamin waters and other sports drinks - are loaded with sugars and empty calories. Do you use cream in your coffee? If you have three cups of coffee per day (I'm not judging) and use cream every time, you might be adding as much as 200 calories into your diet.  

5. Choose one new habit and focus on that for the week.

Once you've tracked your food for a few days, you might see that you're not getting enough vegetables (again, reference www.choosemyplate.gov to know serving amounts). Perhaps you know you need to drink more water (I know I do) - choose one habit to focus on for the week. Once you've gotten comfortable with that new habit, then choose another one. 

Those are just a few thoughts for those of you out there wondering where to get started. And FYI, if we do meet at a party, ask me all of the questions you want to about health and fitness.

Or you could ask me about that time I almost became a nun. It's up to you. 

A Daily Huddle...

Each morning the team at Spurling has a quick "huddle" to recap how the morning went, what the plan is for the rest of the day and any big headlines. 

It keeps them on track, limits miscommunication, and assures everyone is on the same page. 

It's quick, 5 minutes, standing and stays positive.

It's just like before a play in a football game. 

They huddle up, go over what they want to happen, and assures everyone knows what they're doing. 

How can you apply this lesson to yourself?

Can you have a daily huddle with yourself?

A check-in to see what's going well, what you need to focus on and create an opportunity to be grateful. 

In this fast-paced 2017 world, we don't even create enough time to breathe, let alone anything else. 

It can be extremely beneficial to have a daily huddle with yourself to keep things on track. 

Maybe you do it in the morning right when you wake up. 

Ask yourselves questions like...

What went well yesterday?

What do I have planned today?

What are the 2-3 big things I need to get done today?

What is the one thing I'm going to do that's going to be me 1% better?

What am I grateful for?

Spend 30seconds on each question. 

3 minutes and you're done, but it keeps you laser-focused. 

You, of course, focus on all of the life's aspects but don't neglect when you're going to take care of YOU (fitness, nutrition, sleep, etc). 

If your mornings are not the right time you could do it at lunch time and assess how the first half of the day went and what you have going on the rest of the day. 

You could also do it late night and think about what went well that day, and what you have going on the following day. 

I find it really hard to believe that you don't have 5 minutes you can take to do this exercise. 

The amount of clarity it provides, the amount of productivity it creates, and the ease of mind feeling at the end of it that you get assures that this is a necessity in all of our lives. 

We all need daily accountability, this is just one way you can get it. 

Give it a try and let me know how you like it. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling 

PS: Speaking of accountability...our 6-Week Nutrition Accountability Group is wrapping up, and it was such a success we'll be running another one starting May 15th. If you're looking for weekly group meetings, daily accountability, and strong nutritional coaching this is the perfect program for you. We do limit it to 20 people so that we can provide a top-notch experience. Learn more about the program and grab a spot here ===>>> 6-Week Nutrition Accountability Group

Your Fitness Journey Hierarchy...

I've shared the fat loss hierarchy before, and I like the idea.

A hierarchy doesn't say that something isn't effective or valuable, there's just more important things above, or things that are more optimal for you. 

In the fat loss hierarchy, it talked about broad categories like nutrition, training, etc. 

But, what about now that you're about to start or have started your fitness journey? 

You know that nutrition is most important, but within your training what is the hierarchy?

Here's how I break it down

Safety: It's at the top. This has to be number one. Way too many people don't join a gym because they think they're going to get hurt. Everything you do has to be safe and appropriate for you. How do you know if it is? You hire a great coach or team that knows what that looks like and does this stuff for a living. Like us :)

Fun: I put this over exercise selection, programming, sets/reps, etc. Outside of safety, this is the most important factor. Most people hate to exercise. Why? Because most people do things that are boring because that's all they know of. They walk on a conveyor belt, I mean treadmill, for 30 minutes. They spin in a circle for 20 minutes on a bike. They sit on a machine and press it up and down a couple times. Although all of those things are better than doing nothing, and I'd rather see that all day long over nothing, it can be extremely boring. There are 1001 ways to get results in fitness, ultimately the one that you have the most fun with will be the one you're the most consistent with, the one you're most committed to, and the one you'll get the best results with.

Consistency: I put this just under fun, because again if you're enjoying the process you're hopefully consistent with it. I would much rather see you do squats, push-ups, planks, and jumping jacks 3-5x per week, EVERY WEEK, then have the most customized, bad-ass program in the world that you do 3-4x per month. Consistency and frequency will always trump everything. 

Inefficient Exercise: People tell us all the time that they've been doing X for 6 months now and they haven't seen results. Let's start with this:

Picture a car going 70mph on the highway. It's going fast, but there's no traffic, and it can drive over an hour before it burns through 1/4 tank of gas. Why? Because your car is efficient at driving on the highway. 

Picture a car in Boston traffic. Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Your car is super inefficient at that, so in a shorter period of time, you're going to burn a lot more fuel. 

Your body works the same way. 

It needs to be doing things that it's inefficient at. 

There's a reason that sitting on your couch all day doesn't make you lose weight (wouldn't that be awesome). 

Why?

Because our bodies are efficient at sitting on couches. 

But if I told you to warm-up, do some squats, then go over and do some push-ups, then go push this big hunk of metal down the turf we call a sled, then go shake a 50' rope for 30 seconds you'd burn a boatload of calories!

Why?

Your body is SUPER inefficient at that stuff. 

Plus you get side effects like getting stronger, feeling more confident because you're now strong than your husband, and a sense of empowerment.

But the point is, you need to pick things that your body is inefficient at. 

Then, and only then, will you see results. 

Oh, and guess what?

Four weeks from now you're going to be efficient at the thing you were doing so you're going to have to change it up. 

That's why people who start running 3 miles every day see results in the beginning but then plateau. They have become efficient at it. 

So there you have it, my hierarchy to fitness.

Make it fun. 

Be consistent at it. 

Do stuff that you're inefficient at. 

If you execute and take action on those three things I can guarantee success. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: We know this stuff can be super overwhelming and you just want to be told what to do, make sure it's safe and appropriate for you, and have someone there to motivate you and hold you accountable. Well, that's our specialty. All our clients work with a coach every single time so we can keep things safe, make sure it's appropriate for you, make sure you're having fun, and every single time all you have to do is walk through the door and we'll take care of the rest. We'll be there at every workout motivating you, inspiring you, and ultimately, changing your life. Click here to take the first step. 

Super Simple Granola

Good Morning!

Here's another addition to the Spurling recipe booklet :)

If you have been following and trying the recipes, you will start to see a running theme and that is: SIMPLE.

There are many moms in our Spurling community and as a fellow mom, I know the less time that is spent toiling in the kitchen is more time spent with family and friends.

So with that being said, here is a great recipe for homemade granola. There is plenty of room here for your culinary creativity to shine through--you can add or exchange whatever makes your heart sing! Throw in some dried cranberries or some peanut butter, exchange for your favorite nut, decrease or increase the amount and kind of spices. Make it your own.

Enjoy it. Share it. 

Dry Ingredients

1. 3 cups rolled oats
2. 1 cup raw almonds, chopped

Wet Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup raw honey
2. 2 teaspoons melted coconut oil
3. 1 tablespoon cinnamon
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a glass baking dish and toast them in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While the oats are toasting, combine the wet ingredients.
4. After the oats are toasted (they should be very aromatic), drizzle the honey mixture over the oats. Stir until well combined.
5. On a baking sheet lined with wax paper form a single layer of the oat mixture.
6. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and turn the over OFF. this will allow the granola to finish toasting without burning. Let it sit in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM: http://thelivefitgirls.com/2014/05/super-simple-granola/

The Best Question We Can All Ask Ourselves

I've written about my thoughts on busyness before. 

They continue to evolve as I spend a lot of time trying not to be busy. 

I mean, hey, Tim Ferris thinks that being busy is a form of Laziness.

"Being busy is a form of laziness-lazy thinking and indiscriminate action."

Well then, Tim. 

Thanks for that. 

However, today, I want to take it in a different direction and challenge you to ask yourself a very important question. 

If you're saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?

We all have the same 24 hours...

We all have commitments in our lives...

So, specifically talking fitness here, why do some have the "time" to sneak in 2-3 workouts a week, and others can never seem to find the time?

I don't think it's an excuse. 

I know you're busy, I get it. 

There are plenty of weeks that I don't get in all or any of my workouts. 

Let's look at the bigger picture, though?

At the end of the day, the reason why we don't get our workouts in is because we didn't say no to something else. 

At every single moment, you are saying yes to something, and no to something else. 

By reading this right now, you are saying yes to this and no to 10,000 other things that you could be doing. 

This is a priority for you right now. 

Thank you :)

So...

The question you have to ask yourself is this...

If you're saying yes to fitness, what are you saying no to?

You could be saying no to hitting the snooze button....

You could be saying no to being home at 5pm, and instead not walking in until 6pm because you went to the gym....

The reality is this...

In order to say yes to something, you have to say no to something else. 

This is true in any time management. 

Whether you're balancing a crazy workload, family, relationships, etc. 

At any given moment, something is more of a priority, and that's totally cool, but you are always saying no to other things. 

Listen, we can call not having time to workout an "excuse."

I don't know that it is because I don't know what your priorities are. 

There's no right answer. 

If your priorities are being home at 5pm, that's totally cool, so you're saying yes to that, and you're saying no to working out after work. 

Agan, not wrong, it's just what your priority is. 

So...

Instead of saying "I don't have time." 

Try saying "It's not a priority."

And ask yourself the question...

If I say yes to this, what am I going to say no to?

Because being busy means that you're just saying yes to too many things, not saying no enough, and you may need to take a look at what is important to you. 

The most important thing I can end with is there is no right answer. 

No one can judge your priorities, it's what's important to you. 

But if you want something to be a priority, that means you're going to have to be ok with saying no to something else. 

Sound good?

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Why "working out" your emotions can hurt you

The other day, in a fit of rage, I hopped on the treadmill, put on Disturbed, and ran like I was being chased by an angry rooster.

Roosters scare me ok? 

I worked up a healthy sweat, zoned completely out for a few minutes, and ran my fastest mile of the year. Boom. Nailed it right? Working out is a healthy way to deal with your emotions right?

Yes and no.

Sometimes I have to draw a line when it comes to using fitness to process my feelings, and I’m terrible at it.  

I got on that treadmill with zero cares left to give. I’ve had pain in my achilles, my lower back, and in my neck. (Some days I feel every day of my 40 plus years). After working out three days in a row, I was scheduled for a day off.

But I didn’t care. I just wanted to blow off some steam. 

That's the danger zone. 

I didn't care what my body needed - I didn't care. End of story. 

The moments when we give in to the not caring are what place a level red threat on our goals and progress. 

I don’t care anymore, so I’ll eat what I want.

I don’t care anymore, I’ll drink a bottle of wine.

I don’t care anymore, I’m going to lift until my lips are paralyzed because you only live once, right?

Throughout my life, I’ve used exercise as a way to feel better when I’m depressed, or to work through anger, or generally distract myself from whatever it is I’m unwilling to feel. Sometimes the exercise itself makes me feel better, and I’m grateful for that. But that high is temporary. The relief is short-lived.  

Inevitably I have to come back to that question that Buddhist teacher Tara Brach asks frequently in her teachings.

What am I unwilling to feel? 

I don't know about anyone else, but that's a loaded question for me. Fitness helps me, and I believe helps many people, feel better. But there's a balance. And there's also a price to pay with a reality that sets in physically. 

In my twenties and thirties, I could get away with beating myself up physically while ignoring my emotions. I thought a 10 mile run or a 90 minute workout could exhaust the feelings right out of me.

In fact, as many of you who read my blog know, it was my inability to push my way through a run that helped me understand my depression.

My challenge for you today, (and for myself, let's be honest), is to take inventory of our intentions. To pay attention. To be aware and to recognize that soft and tender place where we hold our emotions. To be kind to ourselves for having feelings. To be patient with ourselves as we learn how to handle those feelings.

Yes, work out. But work out from a place of care. Not from a place of suffering.