Healthy Pancakes!!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 container (5.3 oz) siggi's blueberry or vanilla bean yogurt
• 1/2 medium ripe banana
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, plus more for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except fresh blueberries into a blender; blend until smooth. You may need to add a teaspoon or two of almond milk if batter is way too thick. Set batter aside to thicken up for a few minutes. If batter is too thin, add a tablespoon or two more of oats and blend again.
2. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter or cooking spray and heat over medium low heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cup onto skillet. Add a few blueberries on top. Cook until bubbles appear on top. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more cooking spray and remaining batter. Makes 4 pancakes.

Source: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/oatmeal-blueberry-yogurt-pancakes-gluten-free-high-protein/

I Just About Cried...

I have the pleasure of meeting with everyone for their very first day. 

It's the one aspect of this business that I don't want to give to someone else. 

I want to make sure, 90% of the time, unless schedules don't align, I get to meet with you on your first day. 

I enjoy getting to know people, learn about them and what they're looking for, and see if they'll be a good fit for our community. 

Last night, I just about cried. 

I met with a lady, let's call her Sue. 

Sue has been reading this daily e-mail for months now. 

She has heard great things about Spurling, but she was going to "get in shape first" before coming. 

We hear it all the time. 

Basically, she thought she was going to try working out on her own first. 

That didn't go as planned. 

She voiced needing support and accountability and every year she tells herself...

"this is the year I'm going to get in shape"

And she continues to say that as she, until now, has not made any progress. 

I kept asking questions, learning more about Sue, she got a little teary-eyed every time she talked, you could tell it was time, she was frustrated with where she was at, and she had yet to make any progress. 

But then I finally discovered why she's sitting down in front of me. 

Sue says...

"Doug, you know what the ultimate, ULTIMATE, goal is?

My dad bought me this red dress, I never got the chance to wear it in front of him before he died because it doesn't fit. 

I want to wear that red dress for my dad!"

*tissues please*

Talk about a motivating goal, right?

When we set goals, we quite often say things like...

"Stronger"

"Tone"

"Lose Weight"

And those are all great goals, but they are not very specific, and they don't pull at the strings of your heart. 

Find goals that pull at the strings of your heart. 

The goal of losing weight will not keep you motivated long-term, it won't get you out of bed in the morning, and it won't cause you to stop at the gym instead of going home. 

However, wanting to fit in that red dress to show dad up in heaven, that shit will get you out of bed every morning. 

I encouraged Sue to put that dress somewhere she'll see it every single day. 

I hope she takes that advice as it will keep why she's doing this top of mind. 

We all have much bigger goals than we think we do. 

We all can accomplish a lot more than we think we can. 

We just have to have a strong enough WHY. 

What is your WHY?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Finding the other side of yourself

Sitting on a rock along the water on Orr’s Island - breathing with the waves, slowly in, slowly out - I nod to the passers by.

My family has moved along on the path while I pull up a rock, knee crutch in place trying to honor the order to stay off of my feet and let my fractured foot heel.

I nod politely to folks on the trail, many in cycling clothes, having parked their bikes momentarily to walk along the cliffs.

I don’t want to talk with anyone. I talk, I listen, I interact all week. It’s Sunday, I have unplugged and come to the water to recharge.

A gentleman and his wife, clad in cycling gear, nod to me as they walk by but strike up conversation when they pass me again.

“What did you do?” he asked, nodding to the crutch.

I don’t want to talk but I won’t be rude. I told him I was training for a marathon, got a stress fracture and was trying to let it heal.

“You know you need to stay off of it,” he said, as his wife offered that he was a PT. I groaned. Strangers now were giving me unsolicited advice.

We spoke briefly about how hard it is to do the right thing when you need to be active to feed your soul. I’d guess he was in his 50’s or 60’s and he took off his sun glasses and asked me to do the same.

Then he bent to my level and looked me in the eyes. “You know what you need to do,” he said, and I saw the light reflecting off of his blue eyes.

“Take this time to find the other side of yourself.”

His wife went on to tell me of the cutting boards he made and the songs he learned on the guitar while his injury healed.

We both put our sunglasses back on and I chewed on his words.

“Find the other side of yourself,” he said as we parted ways.

I guess this is what I’ve been missing in trying to understand this place of life in which I find myself. Right now I’m focused on what I can’t do or what I’ll do when I can finally be physically active again, with no restrictions. What I'll do when I have my independence back.

I relate to life through my body - through running and lifting and golfing.

But if I start looking for the other side of myself I see so much more. I see my own guitar and the songs I want to learn. I feel this pressing need to connect with my spirituality, and spend more time by myself in nature.

I don’t know all of what is on the other side of myself. But this advice from a stranger might be the best advice I’ve had in a long time.

Find the other side of yourself.

4 Agreements...

The four agreements. 

The four things, as good human beings, that we need to keep in mind and take action on. 

The four things that create love and happiness in our lives. 

Understanding these commitments is easy and simple, but actually living and keeping these four agreements can be one of the hardest things. 

Integrate these four agreements into your life and every area will improve.  

1. Be Impeccable with your word

This is integrity. 

Doing what you said you were going to do. 

Committing to what you said you would do. 

Saying only what you mean. 

It's also avoiding using negative words to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. 

This can have a nice carryover to the negative self-talk we often feed ourselves throughout a fitness  journey. 

Use your words to drive happiness and love not negativity. 

2. Don't take anything personally. 

What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. 

Nothing others do is because of you. 

When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others you won't be impacted by their negativity. 

This one clearly carries over to several facets of life, but it also has some weight throughout your fitness journey. 

"Oh come on Sue, why are you getting that grilled chicken dish? What are you trying to eat healthy or something? Just get the burger and beer!"

We've all had that. 

We're trying to make healthy choices and our social circle gives us a hard time about it. 

Now hopefully they're just joking, but it can still weigh heavily on you. 

Don't take anything personally, keep your head down, stay positive, and focus on your journey. 

3. Don't make assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. 

Communicate with others as clearly as possible to avoid misunderstandings.

Whether it's communicating with your coach, communicating to your spouse, or communicating to your coworker, don't make assumptions. 

Spell things our clearly, ask good questions and don't assume. 

4. Always do your best. 

This is my favorite one. 

In every moment, you should always be doing the best you possibly can. 

Life is too short for half hearted efforts in anything. 

Now, an important thing to understand before I go on...

Your best is going to change moment to moment.

Your best when you're sick is not going to be as good as when you're healthy.

Your best when you're tired is not going to be as good as when you're rested.

That doesn't matter though.

In any situation, always do your best, whatever that looks like at that time. 

Jump higher.

Put 100% effort in 100% of the time.

Always do your best. 

How'd you like the four agreements?

If you liked them I would highly suggest reading the book, The Four Agreements. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Baked Zucchini Fries

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. zucchini squash 
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/8 tsp salt 
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend 
• 1 large egg 

Source:https://www.budgetbytes.com/baked-zucchini-fries/

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse and dry the zucchini. Cut the ends off and then cut each one into strips, approximately 1/3 inch thick.

2. Place the zucchini strips on a large zip top bag and add the flour and salt. Shake the bag to coat the zucchini in flour. In a wide, shallow bowl combine the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. In a second wide, shallow bowl, whisk a raw egg with about 1 Tbsp of water until fairly smooth.

3. Begin to preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and then place two wire cooling racks over top. One by one, take the flour coated zucchini strips and dip them in the egg and then the seasoned bread crumb mixture. Place the breaded zucchini on the wire cooling racks. The wire racks keep the zucchini up off of the baking sheet and allows hot air to circulate underneath, which will prevent soggy bottoms. Also make sure there is a small amount of space between each strip to allow circulation.

4. Once all of the zucchini strips are breaded, bake them for approximately 15 minutes or until they are a medium golden brown color. Cooking time will vary with the thickness of your zucchini strips, so keep a close eye.

How Much Gas Do You Burn?

In your car, silly. 

When we're driving far distances we tend to want to take the highway...

Why?

It's boring, it's less scenic, you cover more ground in a shorter period of time, but the real reason is...

Fuel efficiency.

Imagine taking the "back roads" all the way to Boston?

It might be scenic, and more fun, but you'd burn a ton of fuel. 

Well when it comes time to driving, that's not good. 

However...

When it comes to fat loss.

That's very good. 

Driving on the highway is like the fitness version of steady state cardio...

You know what I mean by that?

30 minutes on an elliptical at the same speed. 

60 minutes on the treadmill at the same speed.

45 minute run at the same speed. 

It's not wrong. 

It's good. 

But it's not OPTIMAL if you're trying to lose fat.

Think about it...

You're going the same speed, your heart rate is elevated, but after a few minutes in it adapts, and your body becomes quite efficient. 

It's just like driving on the highway. 

Efficiency in fat loss is not good. 

You may be going for awhile, but for the time covered, you really didn't burn that much fuel (fat), just like if you're driving on the highway. 

In comparison to driving in the city.

Start. Stop. Accelerate. Brake. 

It's interval training. 

It's more scenic, hopefully, more fun, but you burn a lot more fuel in a shorter period of time compared to driving on the interstate. 

Bad for driving, good for fat loss. 

This would be the equivalent of things like...

10 push ups, 10 squats, 10 jumping jacks. Rest 30 seconds, repeat 5 times. 

Our Team Training sessions. 

Sprinting for 1 minute, walking for 1 minute, sprinting for 1 minute, walking for 1 minute. 

You get the idea. 

It creates peaks and valleys in the heart rate, the heart doesn't know what's coming next, so it's super inefficient, thus, you burn a lot more calories. 

For you nerds out there, this is known as the "afterburn" or EPOC. Feel free to google EPOC.

Just know, that because of the inefficiency in doing things, your heart rate goes up and down, and not only do you burn a lot more calories in a shorter period of time in comparison to steady state cardio, it's more fun, AND your metabolism stays higher over a longer period of time. 

Sounds like a win-win to me. 

It's not saying steady state is wrong or bad, but intervals are just much more optimal and will get you results faster. 

When the goal is fat loss, think city driving, not highway. 

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling 

PS: Intimidated by this stuff? If you just want to walk into your gym and be told exactly what to do every step of the way, welcome to Spurling :) We coach you every single workout, and we're right by your side every step of the way. You show up and we'll take care of the rest. Click here to get started. 

Did He Really Just Say That?

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day yesterday. 

I spent most of my first Father's Day with Kaden, Megan was working.

When she got home, we went out for a nice dinner. 

It was awesome. 

On the way home from dinner I called my dad.

When he answered I said...

"Happy Father's Day, Dad!"

His response...

"Yeah, I'm out of money."

Not...

"Thanks, how was your first Father's Day?"

Not...

"How's my grandson doing?"

I politely told him I would be over today to drop some money off and I had to go. 

After hanging up the phone, I vented to Megan, holding back tears and frustration, she told me...

"Don't let this ruin your day."

That's all I needed to hear. 

I share this personal story as a lesson...

Be relentlessly positive and get off the complain train. 

It can be easy to let something like that ruin your day. 

But what does that do?

How does complaining about it fix anything?

This happens every day.

You get a nasty e-mail...

Someone says something that doesn't sit right with you...

Your kids do something that upsets you...

Your co-worker annoys you...

Your scale doesn't move...

Whatever the case is, you all know what I'm talking about. 

You think to yourself...

"Do they even realize how much I do for them?"

Or...

"Did he really just say that?"

Or...

"How come nothing ever good happens to me?"

That leads to frustration, stress, and negative self-talk. 

It's very easy to get into the negative mindset, get on the complain train, and never get off. 

But what does that solve?

Nothing. 

Life is too short.

I know my intent is good in all actions I take, and I assume that of others.

That allows me to be relentlessly positive. 

I know he didn't mean to hurt me, just like, hopefully, the person or thing that upset you, was not intended to do so.  

If I catch myself on the complain train, I kindly kick myself off at the next stop. 

You'll quite often hear me tell clients...

"It could always be worse."

That line just helps me stay positive, regardless of what the circumstance is.

Negative-talk, arguing, or complaining has a zero chance of changing anything.

In comparison, positivity and appreciation can change the world. 

We see this every day.

So, something or someone will try to ruin your day today, don't let it happen.

Stay relentlessly positive and get off the complain train. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: A positive atmosphere and experience is our number one goal at Spurling. We're just about halfway through 2018. Don't let more time pass before taking action on bettering yourself. Click here to get start your journey. 

Chicken Avocado Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 large ripe avocado - cut into chunks
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup Panko crumbs or Almond meal to keep it Paleo and Whole30 friendly
• 1 minced Poblano or Jalapeño pepper optional but recommended
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently.

2. Shape into desired size patties .

3. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side on an indoor grill pan or an outside grill at medium heat or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Source: https://laughingspatula.com/chicken-avocado-burger/

Stop moving the carrot

The goal was to graduate from college.

West Virginia University, to be specific. 

In seventh grade, I read the book “The President’s Men” and, using Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford as my guides, I outlined what success would be for me - a college degree and a career in journalism. I even told my dad, when I was all of 12 years old, that I wanted to study political science. 

I told him I'd go to work for the Washington Post, and then take down whomever the current president was in office, and win a pulitzer prize. 

Then I went to college. I studied English. I got good at ordering drinks at the local coffee shop, understood that wearing black was part of my responsibility as an English major, and threw myself into the studies of Jack Kerouac and the Beat generation. 

My goal then had morphed, but held new clarity - I would take a lot of uppers and spend three weeks writing the next great American Novel. I’d install a roll of paper into a typewriter and write for three straight weeks with no sleep until I had the 1998 version of “On the Road.”

Except I never tried uppers and couldn't think of anything interesting enough that would keep my attention for three weeks without sleep... 

So in May of 1999, I walked down State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in my cap and gown - diploma in hand, and wondered what my new goal should be. 

My greatest mistake during that 10 year span was not clear at the time, but has become apparent in more recent years. 

I'd moved the carrot. 

In some ways it was natural - in that my goals changed over the years as I got to know myself and understand my own unique set of skills. But one thing I've always done that has never changed is this -  at no point had I taken a positive perspective on my goals.

And what I mean by that is this:

From the time I was 12 years old to 22 I did a lot of good things. I lettered 10 times in three different varsity sports. I was player of the year four times in high school softball. I was the Sports Editor of both my high school and college newspapers. I earned a scholarship to play Division II lacrosse at Gannon University. I got better at writing. 

I developed important friendships that I still hold dear to this day. 

And I never took the time to appreciate one of those accomplishments. 

I don’t write that last paragraph to tell you of accomplishments I had in my teens and early 20’s. I write to tell you that I kept moving the carrot. Not once during that time did I stand back for half of a second and hold my head up high. 

Not once did I say to myself ah, Kim Lloyd, nice job. You’ve worked hard, and here you are graduating Cum Laude from a quality university. All I ever did was say, it is what is its - what’s next.

Listen, I like a humble person. In fact, I prefer humility to a giant ego. But at the same time, there have been so many times in the past 20 years that I have deprived myself the very acknowledgement of any success. 

I have continually pushed happiness forward. 

I’ll be happy when…

But then I hit the when…remember when we were in college and couldn’t wait to be adults? No finals, no quizzes, no tests or buying books. I’ll be happy when I graduate from college and have a job and have a boyfriend/girlfriend and get married and and and and…

I’ll be happy when.

There is a carrot in front of us and then we get to it and chuck it further down the sidewalk. 

Here’s the thing - I work in a small business now and I understand one concept very clearly - if you’re not growing you’re dying. 

But I’ve also watched one too many clients push happiness further down the road. With weight loss, with fat loss, with miles run, with workouts put in. 

Stop it. 

I know the drill. We want to put happiness off until we *****

No.

You need to find happiness in the now. You need to find happiness and acceptance in where you are and who you are right now, in this very moment. Let yourself have the carrot. Sure you can create a bigger carrot to chuck on down the road for your next goal. But take a minute now and soak in who you are and what you’ve done now, today, in this moment. 

Celebrate you now. 

Don’t wait. 

You deserve to celebrate who you are right now, gosh darn it. 

So go do it. 

I'll wait.

Let me know how you celebrated. I'll be waiting to hear from you. 

You Might Not Like This One...

I got a lot of questions yesterday (yes, I personally read all of your replies) about my comment on having 29,918 days left and living until 111. 

Well, now I'm down to 29,917, but I digress. 

To me, it's just like any other goal. 

I thought one day that it would be cool to live through a complete century, I was born in 1989, so if it happened, the century would be 2001-2100. 

Obviously, as most of you have experienced, we can never take life for granted and we never know when we won't have another day. 

For me, that creates urgency in every day. 

Why would I want to be sitting around watching reality TV when I only have 29,917 days left to make an impact on the world?

It motivates me. 

It's a "deadline" just like any other goal. 

Think about how that impacts every decision I make (I'm not perfect, I don't run every single decision through this filter, but it does catch me from going too far)...

If I want to live to 111 I know I need to take better care of my body....

If I want to live to 111 I know I need to take care of my mind...

My financial and family planning is based on living until I'm 111.

It all matters. 

I know that with only 29,917 days left there is still a lot I want to do, places I want to visit, and lives I want to change.

At the same time, I realize it doesn't all have to happen tomorrow. 

It's a win-win mindset. 

It allows me to have some urgency and make better long-term decisions, but also allows me to enjoy the moment, and be okay that it doesn't all have to get done today. 

For goal setting, this is my ultimate long-term goal. 

It's the foundation, but then just like any other goal, we need to break it down. 

That's when we can take that and break it down into...

"What do I want to accomplish in the next 3 years?"

"1 year?"

"30 days"

"Today?"

It's all connected. 

As most of you know, between losing my mom at a young age and working in a nursing home for the better part of a decade, I have had my fair share of loss, as I'm sure a lot of you have as well. 

Hopefully, it teaches you that there's only one way out of this thing called life, and we need to take care of ourselves in order to maximize our potential for making it the best trip around the bases because there's only one. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

P.S. - Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways we can help you

1. Join our upcoming 6 Week Transformation Challenge

We’re taking on a few new clients in our upcoming 6 Week Summer Shape Up. The six weeks is a perfect "test drive" to all things Spurling, and you'll get all the coaching, accountability, and support you need. 

Save your spot here: http://bitly.com/spurlingsummer

2. Schedule a free Success Session

This is the free meeting we require all members to go through. We don't want to just take your money and through you into things. During this free 60 minute meeting with a coach, we get to know you, learn about your goals, address your concerns, get a baseline for where to start you and go over which program is best for you. Just reply with 'success session' and we can get that scheduled. 

3. Hop on a call

I know you're busy and getting here can be tough, so let's just hop on a call to answer your questions and see if we're a good fit for each other. Just reply to this e-mail with 'call' and we'll get it scheduled. 

A Unique Ability...

29,918. 

That's how many days are left until my life goal of living through a complete century, May 10, 2100. 

I would be 111. 

It's not about the age, it's about what that number does to my brain. 

It gives me a "deadline" and a good balance of urgency to do things, and patience that there's still plenty of time left. 

Every choice I make, I try to run it by that filter. 

However, that's not what today's lesson is about, that's another post for another day. 

If it were 100% up to me (it's not), I would have all 29,918 days planned out, constantly asking myself the question about what I need to do today for things be planned out on day 17,437, for example.  

That brings me peace, calmness, and a feeling of satisfaction. 

I realize, for others, that makes them sad, unfulfilled, and stressed that life would need to be that structured. 

Last week I came home, after picking up Kaden, to a house full of barbie dolls all over the place (not Kaden), yellow dog hair everywhere (my dog is a black lab), and a crazy lady asking me where I'd been all day (she wasn't at my house when I left it that morning), she wanted to see her grandson. 

Long story short, my in-laws (Megan's sister, her family, and her parents) are all moving to Maine, specifically, both within a 5 minute drive of Megan and I. 

They are both building houses that won't be ready until the fall, and will be staying with us until their summer rentals are available. 

Now, I'm not sure what kind of tone this is coming off as, but we really are excited. 

It's been a family goal for the last five years or so to get them to Maine. 

They had to sell houses, handle job situations, and figure out kids, but it's finally happening. 

I wanted to preface that it's a great thing because it really is, and....

my mother-in-law is probably reading this :)

However, it's a great lesson for me, and I hope for you. 

This "disruption" was not planned. 

I didn't plan to hear the footsteps of a five year old walking up and down the stairs to my office every five minutes saying "hi, uncle!"

I didn't plan to go grab another cup of coffee and have it all be gone.

I didn't plan to change up my morning routine, to have a dirty house, or to watch "Benji" on Netflix when there was so much other stuff to do. 

However, that's been the last week for me. 

Funny enough, it's challenged me. 

It's challenged me to "roll with it."

For some of you, that comes very naturally. 

You roll with it, and if things don't go as planned (if you even had a plan), you just adjust. 

For me, that's not a strong ability of mine, I like structure, progress, and organization in every facet of my life. 

But as always, there's a nice life lesson, a nice lesson tied to the progress of fitness. 

In fitness, as in life, things don't go as planned. 

You don't plan on getting sick and being out for two weeks. 

You don't plan on having the family up and saying yes to too many nachos and beers. 

On paper, everything should go as planned. 

I should go to the gym three times per week, I should lose two pounds per week, and then, only then, I'll be happy. 

But we simply know that's not how it goes. 

It never goes as planned.

I'm learning, alongside you, thats part of the magic of life, just like in fitness, is that it never goes as planned, and you just need to roll with it, showing up with your best every day. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: But if I have to watch one more Paw Patrol episode, I swear....

Banana Split Bites

INGREDIENTS
3 Bananas
1/4 lb Cored Pineapple
6 Strawberries
1 cup Dipping Chocolate
1/4 cup Chopped Peanuts
12 Popsicle Sticks (or skewers)

DIRECTIONS
Cut strawberries in half.
For each strawberry half, cut an equal size piece of banana and pineapple.
Place pineapple on first, then banana and lastly strawberry.
Place in freezer for 10 minutes.
Line a tray with wax paper or parchment paper.
Put chopped nuts in small plate to use for dipping.
Melt chocolate by heating in microwave for 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until melted and smooth.
Dip cold fruit in chocolate, then into nuts, then place on prepared tray.

Source: http://ourfamilyofseven.com/banana-split-bites/

Is It Time? (Closing Soon)

Are you ready to finally do something for YOU?

Are you sick and tired of not having energy and not feeling yourself?

Are you intimidated or bored by the typical gym?

If you answered yes two any of those questions I wanted to make sure you know that we opened enrollment for our 6 Week Summer Shape Up. 

We only take 20 people into these introductory programs, and enrollment closes soon. 

If you've been on the fence about giving Spurling a try, this is your chance. 

"What is the Summer Shape Up Challenge All About?"

When it comes to results, we've got the perfect formula for you to look and feel your best without boring cardio or over-restrictive diets.

•  Metabolic Training: During this 42 days we plan out a custom workout routine that is based on your body, your abilities, and your goals. We will modify things as needed if we find that you have some physical limitations or movement impingements but we will always be striving to coach you on what you need to be doing and working on next to drop those jean sizes.

•  Nutrition Plan: Yes this is one of the MAJOR components of working with a coach…what to EAT. During this program, we can teach you more about nutrition than you may have been exposed to and working together to find out what YOU need to eat for YOUR body, YOUR goals and YOUR schedule.

•  Track Your Results: We hold you to a higher standard than you may hold yourself, because if you’re not being held accountable to someone only YOU know if you did, or did not, workout Its way easier to make excuses to ourselves, in our own heads, than to our coach. Our entire focus is on getting you results. That’s why we do the most consistent and extensive progress tracking with our clients. That way, we always know what’s working and what’s not. You can expect to take progress pictures (don't be scared) and for us to take measurements regularly so we know you're getting results!

•  Support And Accountability: Get expert coaching from our coaches with the support of others who are just like you. Leadership and accountability could be the missing ingredient you need to make this time count. Let's look at it this way, without accountability and tracking who knows when you did or did not do your workout? You COULD skip it and only you would know, but here if you skip a workout and eat too many Oreo's... trust me we'll know.

Save your spot today ===>>> 6 Week Summer Shape Up

Don't believe all you hear?

Just read what others say about Spurling...

Save your spot today ===>>> 6 Week Summer Shape Up

The next 42 days are going to go by no matter what...you might as well make good use of them with this special program.

Click here to get started today and claim one of the limited spots!  

I hope to see you in here soon.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: Already a member of the Spurling Tribe? Forward this on to a friend that you think would be a good fit and earn rewards points towards a free month :)

PPS: How many more days are you going to let go by before you take the hardest step? Click here to learn more and save your spot today. 

What Does Winning Look Like?

Imagine you're on a sports team. 

Let's say it's a basketball team. 

Now, what's the goal of the team?

To win, right?

But what if you didn't know the score?

What if you didn't know what basket was yours, what position you were supposed to play, or what winning looked like?

That's how most of us approach fitness and any lifestyle change in general. 

We're working hard, but we don't know the score, we don't know what position we're playing (what we're supposed to do), and we never know if we're winning. 

So, let's clarify. 

I could go down several sports analogy rabbit holes, but the two I want to focus on today is...

1. Every player has a coach

2. Every player knows what winning looks like, and keeps score. 

Let's start with the first one. 

I firmly believe (I know I am biased) that everyone needs a coach. 

I've talked about this at length, but I'll never stop talking about it. 

Most people hate fitness. 

They think it's a chore, they are worried about getting hurt, and they don't know what to do. 

Just like if you wanted to become a better basketball player, a better guitar player, or learn about personal finance, you'd hire a coach, why are fitness and your body any different?

Hire a coach (or team of coaches like at Spurling) who are experts at that stuff, and let them take care of it for you, show you how to do things right, coach you up on how to do things better, and keep you motivated and accountable, just like the basketball coach does for his or her players. 

The second one is what I really wanted to focus on today. 

Knowing what winning looks like and keeping score.

We want you to work hard, but we need to know what success looks like. 

Just like in basketball, you have to work hard to win, but you damn better know what the score is and what you need to do to win. 

So, how do you do that? 

I'm a huge fan of having personal scorecards. 

Now, before I go over what that looks like let me make an important point. 

In life, we don't always win. 

And that's okay. 

Ted Williams had one of the highest batting averages in baseball at .406.

That means that 6/10 times he didn't have a hit. 

So, I don't want you to think you have to hit 100% of anything, that's not the point. 

The point is to paint a clear picture of what success looks like for you, and give you some targets to go after. 

Alright, let's create a scorecard. 

I recommend you have process-based goals on the scorecard. 

That means, not outcome-based goals like lose weight, but a process like frequency of workouts, a number of hours slept, etc. 

You can control the process that leads to the outcome, you can't control the outcome. 

Let me repeat that...

You can control the process that leads to the outcome, you can't control the outcome. 

So, everyone's scorecard is going to be different but here are some ideas

A number of workouts in a month (I like 10 as a goal). 

A number of hours slept in a month (I like 200 as a goal).

A number of meals prepared in a week...

A number of pounds lifted in a certain exercise...

etc, etc...

You get the idea. 

Your scorecard should only be 3-5 items. 

For most, I would have one on fitness, one on nutrition, and one on sleep and/or stress. 

You can also include things like gratitude or appreciation. 

Either way, you just have to ask yourself this question...

"If this week/month went exactly as I would have hoped for, what does it look like?"

That's your scorecard. 

And again, it just allows you to keep score, to compete with yourself each month, to challenge yourself, and to give yourself a pat on the back when you hit those goals. 

Big tip...

Make an actual scorecard!

I know it seems obvious. 

But don't just keep track of it in your head or on your phone. 

Get creative, and make an actual physical card that you fill out each month. 

We always want to work hard, but we also always want to know where we're going. 

Finally, remember my point from above.

The best batter in baseball strikes out 6/10 times. 

The goal is not perfection, but progress. 

What's on your scorecard?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: On July 1st we'll be launching our #100WorkoutChallenge. This is an annual thing at Spurling, and it's always a huge hit. We give everyone a card with 100 boxes, and they have to get it initialed by a coach every time they workout. The goal is to fill all 100 boxes by December 31st. And of course, we have prizes at the end :)

If you're already a member of Spurling, keep an eye out in coming weeks as we'll make sure we get a card to you and go over the details. 

If you've been hesitant to give us a try, now is your chance. Get in this month before we start the 100 Workout Challenge so we can help keep you motivated and accountable for the second half of 2018. Just reply to this with "interested" and we'll get the ball rolling. 

The difference between giving up and letting go

We sat at Cafe 21 in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp district and watched the marathon finishers file past, one small group at a time.

I pushed my omelette around on my plate and sipped my coffee. 

“That was supposed to be me,” I said to Sheila, watching yet another gaggle of runners stroll past the sidewalk cafe. Some looked less beaten down by the miles and the California heat than others, but they all shared a similar expression.

Satisfaction. 

They all looked satisfied. I saw it in their faces, in the finishers medal around their necks, and the way they all seemed to carry the lightness of the day ahead. Whatever they did for the rest of the day, they’d be wearing the satisfaction of having completed a goal. 

“There’s always next year,” Sheila said, and I cringed. 

Next year.  

Those words are meant to comfort but they've always felt hollow to me. 

Next year. 

I pushed away from the table and leaned back in my chair, sipping my coffee.

What’s the difference between giving up on something I’ve always wanted and letting go of something I’ve always wanted? 

Both of them are attitudes.  

But one of those attitudes is throwing in the towel. It’s a mindset that says I’m never going to do this, I’m never going to get there, I’m never going to achieve my goal. I’m never going to meet someone, I’m never going to have a job I like, I’m never going to have a body I can appreciate. 

Screw it. If what I’ve been pursuing is never going to happen, then why bother? 

So you quit. 

That’s giving up. 

Letting go - ah that’s more complicated, isn’t it? Because letting go is also a mindset and an attitude. But letting go is more about embracing the circumstances. Accepting your situation for what it is and making peace with yourself. 

Making peace with yourself. 

Letting go means trusting that you are enough as you are, right here in this moment, and that the pursuit of whatever goal you’re chasing does not define you. I don’t believe that pursuing a goal and embracing yourself as you are, right now in this moment - are separate from one another. 

I haven’t given up on the possibility of running a marathon. But I spent the better part of these past few days in San Diego trying to let go of my own expectations. I spent time on the beach, at a baseball game, reconnecting with my partner, of whom I’ve seen so very little lately. 

Had I come out here to run the marathon, we’d have had some time together. But the pace would have been different. Less exploring, less walking, less connecting. 

Yes, I still moped around a bit on Sunday - mostly out of the frustration that my body can't always do what I ask of it anymore. 

But, as we walked around  San Diego and I looked at the marathon signs and banners hanging in the streets I tried to shift my self-talk from "that should be me" and "why can't I stay healthy for anything" to "I'm grateful for this time away with my partner." 

I tried to shift the soundtrack. Sometimes that's enough. 

A Habit We Could All Work On....

Wake up. 

Shower. 

Get the kids ready. 

As we're getting the kids ready, we have the news on to check the weather, we're refreshing our Facebook feed on our phone, and scoffing down breakfast. 

As we're at work, things get busy, and we don't really have time for a lunch break. 

So, we eat our lunch in one hand while trying to catch up on e-mails with the other hand. 

As we return home for dinner, the kids are wild, the dishwasher needs to be emptied, and there's a pile of laundry waiting to be folded. 

We chow down on some dinner while balancing the chores and checking in with the family about how their day was. 

Sound familiar?

What stands out to you?

Other than the busyness of life...

one thing stands out. 

Mindless eating. 

Distracted eating. 

Quite often, when we eat, we're not actually focused on eating. 

We have our phone in the other hand, the TV on in the background, or we're in a social setting. 

Coach Trent did a presentation in our team meeting last week about this topic, and I think it's a habit a lot of us could benefit from working on, myself included. 

Why do you think we eat more when we're out with friends or at a restaurant?

Yes, portions are usually larger, but a lot of it is we don't even realize we're eating so much. 

We're chatting, having fun, music or TV is on the background, and we didn't realize that we just "picked" at 25 french fries. 

In so many ways, especially in today's digital age, we could all benefit from being more mindful, especially when eating. 

Being mindful when we eat allows us to enjoy it more, eat slower, and that results in less consumption overall. 

For me, I'm practicing it this week with my first meal of the day. 

I practice intermittent fasting, another topic for another day, but basically, I eat two meals a day, one at about 12noon time, and the other at about 7 pm. 

Well, my noontime meal is typically my "breakfast."

It's usually timed after all my morning work is done from home, and it's my break before I head to the gym for the afternoon. 

Typically, I would catch up on social media, and have the stock market on in the background, while mindlessly shoveling in my meal. 

For me, there is really no excuse, because at that hour of the day no one is home to distract me, so it's the "lowest hanging fruit" to work on mindfulness while eating. 

In comparison, at night, like a lot of you, we're trying to cook, get Kaden ready for bed, and get some chores done around the house, so it's going to be a harder adjustment to practice an undistracted eating environment. 

Always start with the easiest one possible, that's the lowest hanging fruit. 

Give this strategy and see if it helps. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: Quite often with any of this stuff, accountability is usually the missing link. We know what we should be doing, but sticking with it is the hardest part. If you need the accountability of having a team of coaches by your side every step of the way, click here learn more about our upcoming 6 Week Summer Shape Up, a complete summer program so you can lose fat, get stronger, and feel better. We start in just a few weeks, so enroll now. 

Spurling Seven Success Strategies...

How's that for a tongue twister?

In all seriousness, if I were to only tell you seven things about fitness, nutrition, and getting better, I think these would be it. 

Simple?

Yes. 

Easy?

Of course not. 

1. Create a Caloric Deficit

This is the most important part of burning body fat. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. For most people, taking your bodyweight in pounds and multiplying it by 10-12 is a good starting point for sustainable weight loss. Of course, it all depends on your activity levels.

2. Full Body Strength Training

Training your entire body each time you step foot in the gym will engage the most muscle groups and burn more calories than other training protocols such as isolation days where you only work certain muscle groups. Shoot for three sessions per week using compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, rows, and pull-ups. If you go to Spurling, we take care of all that for you :)

3. Supplementary Conditioning

A lot of folks will prioritize cardio when trying to lose fat, but in reality it should be supplementary to strength training. If you have time, use cardio as a supplement to your tenish workouts a month of strength training. Or, if you really love it, do it as often as you want, but don't feel like you have to do it in order to lose weight. 

4. Sleep 7-9 Hours

Proper sleep helps you recover from training sessions as well as control your appetite and stress. This seems like an obvious one, but out of the seven strategies, I would say this one is the hardest. An important reminder, you already know it, but important reminder, it's all connected. If you don't sleep well, you won't eat well, you won't perform well, and you won't feel well. It starts with a good solid sleep routine. 

5. Eat Protein and Vegetables at Every Meal

Protein and vegetables should be a staple of a any diet. Aim for 1g/lb. of bodyweight with protein. This combination will help fill you up, rebuild muscle, and provide the vital nutrients your body needs to operate at the highest level. We're not big fans of "diets" here, but these two are staples in any plan. 

6. Optimal Stress Levels

By optimal, I mean you should have some stress in your life. A low level of stress is a good thing, it keeps you on your toes. Although it sounds nice to have a "stress free" life, we know that's not possible, and even if it was, you'd be bored. At the same time, you don't want to have so much stress you cannot manage it. We know stress is a leading indicator to poor nutrition choices and lack of sleep. Use exercise as a tool to let out that stress. That's why we like medicine ball slams so much here at Spurling. :)

7. Relentless Effort

Progress takes time. There is no way around it. You need to be willing to put in the time and effort over the long term to see the results you want. There will be peaks and valleys along the way, and you must have the discipline not to get too up or down during the good and the tough times. That's the truest example of 1% Better.

Which one of these are you going to prioritize this month? 

Although it's only seven, don't try to focus on all of them at once, pick one, crush it, and move onto the next. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: We designed Spurling with the mentality of "you show up and we'll take care of the rest." Meaning, we know this fitness stuff can be boring, intimidating, and scary. All we need you to do is show up, and we'll take care of the rest, whether that's showing you what exercises to do every day, or giving you a little high five and an extra push when you need it. We just opened up enrollment to our 6 Week Summer Shape Up, and we'll close enrollment in two weeks. Click here to save your spot. 

Spicy Tuna Avocado Wrap

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (5 oz) cans Bumble Bee® Solid White Albacore Tuna, drained
• 1 avocado
• 2 Tbsp Sriracha
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 to 3 Tbsp celery, chopped
• 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 heaping cups leafy green lettuce
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 4 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mash together tuna and avocado until combined. Add in the rest of the ingredients through the salt and pepper, mixing well.
2. To assemble, top each tortilla with a ½ cup leafy greens, ¼ cup matchstick carrots and divide the tuna mixture evenly among the wraps. Tightly roll up the tortilla, slice and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 wrap • Calories: 295 • Fat: 9.6 g • Saturated Fat: 2 g • Carbs: 28.2 g • Fiber: 5.9 g • Protein: 18.2 g • Sugar: 4 g • 

Source: www.eatyourselfskinny.com 

Stack It

Do you remember the game Jenga? 

You know what I'm talking about...

The wooden blocks that you stack on top of each other, and slowly start to pull each one out, not knowing which one is going to make the entire pile crumble. 

That stack, the blocks laid on top of each other, not knowing once removed, which one will make the entire pile crumble is a perfect analogy for fitness, nutrition, and life. 

You'll quite often hear us say at Spurling "stack the small wins."

Continue to stack one block, on top of one block, on top of one block. 

That's how the biggest walls were built, that's how the pyramids were built, and...

that's how your goals get achieved!

Start stacking small wins with small actions.

I was meeting with a client yesterday who has not been in for a workout in a few months. 

She was beating herself up about it, knowing that we were reaching out to her, she felt super guilty. 

The problem?

The bar was set too high for her. 

She was thinking she needed to come 3x per week, every week. 

If she didn't come three times, she immediately felt like a failure. 

That then snowballed into not coming that week or that month. 

What did I do?

I just coached her through setting the bar lower. 

As humans, in so many ways, we tick very similarly. 

How many workouts do you think you can get in June?

10?

How about 5?

Cool. 

Let's try to get 5 workouts in June. 

Start with that. 

Yes, of course, more is better, but quite often, we need to stack wins in every aspect of our life. 

Start small and snowball it.  

Here are 10 small wins you can stack right now:

1. Plan out your meals for next week.

2. Clean up your workspace and desk before the weekend, it will help declutter the mind. 

3. Start journaling your food so you become aware of what you're actually eating.

4. Go for a walk around the block during lunch or after work. 

5. Call your family to tell them you love them. 

6. Get 7 hours of sleep tonight.

7. Get a quick bodyweight workout in to get the blood flowing and sweat dripping.

8. Schedule a session at the gym, or call to get an intro session to inquire. 

9. Get one extra protein source in your nutrition today. 

10. Smile: Life's way too short not to be happy :)

The cool thing about "stacking small wins" is they are all small things that don't seem that hard to do, because they're not. 

However, it gets the snowball rolling. It builds the wall. It gets the momentum and the excitement going. 

Next thing you know, you've built this incredible wall. 

You're feeling good, you're looking good, and you're moving well. 

But...

Just like the game of Jenga, you can't just "remove" or stop any of those small wins because you never know which one, once removed, will cause the entire thing to go crumbling down. 

Stay consistent with the small stuff. 

Stop looking for the home runs, the quick cleanses and detoxes, the 20lbs in 20 days crap. 

Start hitting a bunch of singles, stack the small wins, and get 1% better every day. 

The best part?

The next 100 days are going to pass no matter what you do. 

If you're getting 1% better every day, that's 100% better 100 days from now. 

If you do nothing, you'll remain the same. 

Now, scroll back up to those ten ways to stack small wins, pick one, and go take some action! 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Tough Thirty....

The sun is shining, the days are getting longer, and we're getting into one of the most beautiful times of year here in Maine. 

Which allows me to give you a challenge...

Tomorrow is June 1st. 

Between now and Labor Day is usually the toughest "quarter" of fitness. 

It's nice out, it's easy to say yes to being outside and no to working out. 

There is no shortage of BBQ's or parties, and it can be very easy to lose focus. 

Well, that's why we're here!

Now, let me be the first to say, I want you to enjoy summer, and it's here and gone before we know it. 

That being said, if you're looking for any kind of result, you have to have some discipline. 

The biggest frustration as coaches is that very rarely does that action match the desire. 

Meaning, you want to lose 20lbs this summer, but the actions (frequency and nutrition) don't match that. :)

So, we basically have two choices. 

Be okay with putting it on cruise control for the next quarter...

Or keeping our head down and plowing through the summer, kicking butt and taking names. 

Either one is fine, as long as your desired result matches. 

For most, I recommend somewhere in the middle. 

We know if we don't do any activity, no strength training, no frequency, not only will we not make progress, but we'll in fact usually trend in the other direction. 

I always remind people that are working out, trying to lose weight, and not losing any, essentially maintaining...

Although we want to help you lose weight (if that's the goal), imagine if you were not working out at all?

Now not only would you not feel so good, you'd probably be gaining weight instead of just maintaining. 

Alright...

Here's my challenge. 

We know summer is fun and busy, but we know we need to do something. 

I recommend setting a goal of what I call...

The Tough Thirty. 

Thirty workouts between now and Labor Day. 

For some, that will be a piece of cake (pun intended), for others, especially if your frequency is zero (that's okay, we all start somewhere), it's going to be a real challenge, I know you're up for it. 

Thirty workouts this summer. 

Remember, summer is 25% of the year. 

That's 25% of your progress over the next year weighing on these next three months. 

Don't set the bar too high, but let's not sit on the beach sipping margaritas every day either. 

Thirty workouts. 

I know you can do it. 

Who's in?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: If you're ready for the challenge of 30 workouts this summer and want all the coaching, accountability, and support to go along with it, you can start your journey at Spurling by clicking here.