Not so fast! While the January gym rush may tempt you to dive headfirst into extreme fitness and fad diets, it's time we hit the brakes on unrealistic expectations. Why? Because setting yourself up for failure is no way to embark on a healthy, sustainable journey.

New year, new you?

he secret sauce to progress in both fitness and nutrition. Think of it as ditching the crash course and opting for a scenic road trip where every step, every bite, and every milestone is a celebration, not a source of pressure.

Instead, let's embrace realistic expectations, 

Imgine climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops. That's what chasing unrealistic fitness goals feels like. You'll likely get discouraged, quit halfway through, and miss out on the breathtaking views (and delicious snacks) along the way.Realistic expectations, on the other hand, are your trusty hiking boots. They let you tackle the climb with **confidence and resilience**, allowing you to appreciate the journey, learn from each step, and reach the summit feeling empowered, not exhausted.to appreciate the journey, learn from each step, and reach the summit feeling empowered, not exhauste

Why Realistic Expectations Matter

So, how do we pack those metaphorical hiking boots? Enter the **SMART** framework:- Specific: Ditch "get healthy" and embrace "walk 3 times a week for 30 minutes."- Measurable: Track your progress with steps, reps, or that fancy fitness tracker.- Attainable: Be honest. A 10-minute mile is ambitious if you're just starting out.- Relevant: Choose goals you enjoy. Running marathons if you hate running is a recipe for misery.- Time-bound: Deadlines keep you motivated. "Get fit by summer" is less effective than "lift weights 3 times a week for 8 weeks."

Setting SMART Goals for Lasting Change

Nutrition is more than just counting calories. It's about nourishing your body with real, whole foods that make you feel good. Ditch the fad diets and embrace a balanced approach:Focus on variety: Fill your plate with colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.Listen to your body: Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full. No need for rigid meal plans.Make small changes: Swap sugary drinks for water, cook more meals at home, or add a handful of nuts to your yogurt.Don't demonize foods: Enjoy treats in moderation. Life's too short to live without pizza!

Fueling Your Body, Not Fads

Progress rarely looks like a straight line. Plateaus, stumbles, and even the occasional faceplant are all part of the adventure. But here's the good news: - Celebrate small wins: Did you finally master that yoga pose? High five yourself!- Be kind to yourself: Don't beat yourself up over setbacks. Learn from them, adjust your course, and keep moving forward.- Focus on the process: Enjoy the feeling of sweat dripping down your forehead after a workout, or the satisfaction of checking a healthy recipe off your to-do list.

Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination

They're about setting yourself up for success. They're the fuel that keeps your progress engine purring, the map that guides you through detours, and the compass that helps you navigate towards a fulfilling journey, not just a finish line.

Realistic expectations are not about lowering your standards;

- Progress, not perfection, is the key.- Celebrate the small wins.- Be kind to yourself.- Focus on the journey, not just the destination.With realistic expectations as your guide, you'll be amazed at how much further and faster you can travel on your personal fitness and nutrition journey. So, ditch the pressure cooker mentality, pack your metaphorical hiking boots, and savor the scenic route. Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Remember:

Setting realistic expectations and the journey to progress

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

health

Health

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

habits

Habits

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

Ditch the Fads, Embrace Progress: A Guide to Realistic Fitness and Nutrition

We set fitness goals with ambition, picturing ourselves stronger, faster, or leaner. But life throws curveballs, priorities shift, and sometimes, those initial goals need a tune-up. Revisiting and revising your fitness goals isn't a sign of weakness – it's a superpower! Here's why

Revision Of Goals

A new job may mean less gym time, while a newfound love for hiking might call for different training. Revisiting ensures your goals match your current lifestyle and aspirations.

1. Life Evolves, So Should Your Goals:

Plateaus happen. Revisiting your goals allows you to identify what's working, what needs tweaking, and how to push past roadblocks. Remember, progress isn't linear, it's a dynamic dance!

2. Progress Requires Adjustments:

Did you smash your 5K PB? Great! Time to set a new one. Missed a week of workouts? That's okay, revise your goal to reflect a realistic comeback plan. Revisiting allows you to acknowledge accomplishments and adjust for stumbles, keeping motivation high.

3. Celebrate Wins, Reframe Setbacks:

Revisiting reminds you why you started. Rekindling that initial spark, reconnecting with your "why," can reignite your passion and refocus your efforts.

4. Keep Inspiration Alive:

**** Revising goals isn't "giving up," it's embracing adaptability. It shows you're open to learning, listening to your body, and optimizing your journey for sustainable success.

5. Celebrate Flexibility:

- Schedule regular check-ins: Every month, quarter, or as needed, revisit your goals.- Ask yourself: Are these goals still meaningful? Am I making progress? What challenges am I facing?- Be realistic: Adjust goals based on your current circumstances and progress.- Focus on progress, not perfection: Celebrate small wins and adjust when needed.- **Remember your "why": Reconnect with your initial motivation to stay inspired.

Revisiting and revising your fitness goals isn't just about changing numbers – it's about refining your journey, rekindling your passion, and ensuring your fitness continues to serve your evolving needs and aspirations. So, embrace the revision process, celebrate your adaptability, and watch your fitness journey reach new heights!

Summary

Why Revisiting and Revising Fitness Goals Matters

Refine Your Journey: Why Revisiting and Revising Fitness Goals Matters


In my work place there is no gender there is no race. There is the mission. The job we came to do. You can be who ever you want, or say you are who ever you are, but the only thing that is going to change the way I treat someone is their actions and their reliability. No one is safe, no one is protected. We suffer as a team and we succeed as a team.

Doing Away With Privilege 

The issues present today were not always there. If they were, then we have not done our job. When these problems arise we need to correct them, not accept them.

Don't Let Complacency Set In

Politics likes to milk this to breed discontent amongst people. In my day to day life, I don't even think about a wrong that was done to me last week, much less something that happened to someone who happened to match a vague description of me 100+ years ago. I have more important things to do than to dwell.

Leave The Past In The Past

Be agile on your ability to move beyond what you know and is comfortable. There is a better way to do at least 90% of everything we do on a day to day basis. Have the courage to try something new and pave the way for others to emulate

Find New Ways Forward

Our perspective will get stale after a while and we will stop seeing ways to improve what is around us. Take advantage of that new set of eyes that just showed up. Some ideas won't be so great, but some will be. This also lets them get practice at becoming a leader.

Let The New Guy Make Decisions

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. In all of my after action reports, I ask for what went well, what went wrong, what we can do better, and what we learned. Don't make the same mistakes over and over. Learn from them. Teach others and learn from others mistakes. There is no reason for everyone to trip over the same rock.

Don't Make The Same Mistakes That Hurt You Before

I am the odd man out in how I think, and it has gotten me far.

problemsolving

Problem Solving

communication

Communication

teamwork

Teamwork

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Being the change you want to see

I am an active duty United States Marine, and I have made my career by going against many of the common beliefs of the Marine Corps. My Occupational Specialty is one of the most competitive, so I would like to believe that there is something to how I lead others, or at least enough to get me where I am now. But this is not going to be telling you to run with logs and boats.The root of success is confidence. Working out, being properly educated, and being confident helps.These are a good start, but that's another topic. These apply to everyone and can act as a starting point to get you moving.

My Credibility

My begining in the military came from me being bored. So I had a rough start. But once I found my reason to continue I couldn't be stopped. There will be trials and things that try to stop you, which is why you need a solid foundation to fall back on. Over time these "why's" will change, and that's okay. If they are telling you it's time for a change, consider it. My why resulted in a lot of hardship, but it also got me through it because I knew it was worth fighting for. What is the reason you are doing what you do? Is that part of who you are? Are you willing to fight for it?

1. Remember Why You Started

This will vary from place to place, but I make sure to relay intent behind an order to all levels of the work force before we begin a task. If I ask for something to be done without a reason, it will be done as I asked verbatim. But if I say we need to do (x) for the purpose of (y), all of a sudden the whole task changes and it is done more in a more efficient way for the end goal. This can also give menial tasks meaning where as before it just seemed like a task to fill time.Another benefit to this is that it allows individuals to grow as leaders and lets them find better ways to do things.

2. Focus On Teaching Not Leading

In the military there are enlisted (general population) and commissioned office (management)I have learned that a lot of enlisted are scared to tell officers the truth if the truth is bad news. This can lead to a lot of bad situations. Telling someone something can be done by that afternoon, but not mentioning that everyone will hate their lives for that time results in just that, but it also teaches the officer that this is okay in the future. And history will repeat.It is important to be honest to your higher ups even if the answer isn't what they want to hear. Work both smarter and harder.

3. Don't Be A Yes Man

If you don't know how to follow, chances are you won't be a good leader. It is always very easy to point out someone higher up who has no idea what they are talking about but are trying to manage something anyways. These individuals may not have been in your shoes before so they don't know the ropes, or simply don't know what to ask, and it shows. This will show in you as a leader as well. Be humble and remember that you were once in the shoes of those beneath you. Know how to follow and be willing to take criticism and advice from those below you. It will be weird but it has benefits longterm

4. Know How To Follow

Once you were the fresh new mind in your industry, but now it's time to pass the torch. Encourage them to ask questions to learn from the more senior individuals, but also let them find new and better ways to do things. Often times this will result in faster knowledge transfer and, with the fresh set of eyes, a new and improved method. Sometimes even more.Being asked questions also makes.you think. If you don't fully understand something you won't be able to answer every question you get on the topic. Who knows? Maybe a few questions is all you need to become a subject matter expert.

5. Encourage Questions

This is a multi part one.One application of this is sumerized with "unfair but equal." Not everyone will respond to the same things the same way. This includes teaching, training and even discipline. You will need to know your people in order to know how to talk to them and help them progress The second part of this is you have to "sense and make sense." Try to gague the crowd and their knowledge on the subject that you are covering. You are teaching it after all, and your level of knowledge may be much higher than those you are reaching. Make sure it makes sense to the as well.

6. Know Your Audience

I had a much later start than my peers and even some of those under me. This has led to me having to ask for help from those I should be leading. However over the past few months I have started to cover groung in the knowledge gap between us. It is very common for us to think we have point we need to get to and then we can cruise the rest of the way. This is a terrible mindset to entertain.There are other bad mindsets to avoid like toxic self confidence which is where your confidence comes at the cost of someone else, and <a href="https://nathaliemartinekphd.substack.com/p/knowledgevampires">Knowledge vampires</a> who will steal from you to put themselves on top.

7. Don't Settle

Like I said, I'm not going to tell you to run with boats and logs or say that you aren't cut out to be a leader. And I don't need to tell you to live a healthy lifestyle and to work out. Chances are you know you need to do that. And frankly that advice wouldn't fit in these cards. I have a website for all of that. This was designed to be a set of ideas that anyone can apply. But this is also a subjective list and may not be your ideal method. This is just mine. The wonderful part of leadership is that we can pick and chose the best parts to keep and the worst to ignore. How do you lead?

Why These Things?

The excuse "that is how we have always done it" usually means that either they knew they were wrong and didn't care, or that they were too lazy to find a better way.

career

Career

business

Business

7 Useful Leadership Tips

"control of an organization or group by the majority of its members." This is often executed in the form of Representative Democracy or "is a type of democracy where elected people represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy"The United States is a Democratic republic which marries the ideas of democracy and a republicRepublic: "A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch."

What Is Democracy?

Capitaliam is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit.As a disclaimer I am not advocating that I have any issues or problems with any of the mentioned ideologies or systems.

Insert The Subcategory: Capitalism

When we vote for someone in political office, we are signing offering our support of these individuals. The same occures when we make purchases. By choosing a brand and a product to purchase, we are submitting a vote of approval for that brand and product. Even if it is only one time, for the duration of time you have that product, that is what you endorse.

How We Really Vote

A company with a solid foundation is nothing if they do not have a purpose. A "why" they are doing something. And that why is often times the reason we support a brand or product. This is what we are voting for. Having this why will often create the supporting circle around the company that is not easily broken. Think Patagonia or Apple.

Why "Why's" Matter

Similar to people who follow a sports team, we brand ourselves via the product and brands we support. Apple people or Android people. Mac or PC. Yankies or Red Socks.And often times these brandings can often change how we view others, similar to if we were to wear who we voted for as a sticker on our chest.

How Does This Shape Your image 

Your Vote Matters 

I will use myself as an example of what this looks like in action. Read just the first few words and see the difference between what you initially think and why I do it.I am active duty mitary - I actively support the values of my country even if I don't agree with the current leader.I am an android, PC user - I prefer customisation and personalization over ease of use and status. I also often avoid talking to apple people about it because they can become agressive and defensive of their choice. I often shop value brands - I try to make things better through learning new technique's and ideas

The Living Example

With all things you can be part of the problem or be part of the solution. It is important to understand what it is we support when we are buying things. Here are some things to do:<ol><li>Understand that one decision will not change the world, but if everyone makes the same decision the world can change</li><li>Know and understand the brands you support and ask yourself why you support them.</li><li>Make changes where you can, but be reasonable. Not everything is going to transition easy, and it will likely be expensive.</li><li>Find brands whos why either depecits you, or helps build you into a better you. Don't settle.</li></ol>

How This Applies To You, And How to Apply It

Who we are is made up of 2 things. Who we are, and who we support. Are you supporting brands who embody what you believe?

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

marketingandsales

Marketing & Sales

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

How we really vote

The issue I have seen is that over the years I have all of these notes that have served a single purpose, but now they sit on a shelf never to see the light of day again. What if there was a method that not only saved them for easy access, but also allowed you to quickly reference them and even build on them in a separate thought,

The Problem With Note Taking 

Imagine sitting in physics class and your teacher gives you one of the thousands of formulas used in the class. Now imagine being able to have them searchable, but also being able to connect them to other thoughts later on resulting in you recycling things you learned before rather than having to relearn it. This is how bsidian works.

Obsidian: The Note Taking Platform That Makes Connections

This is a simple concept where you link two ideas that share a common point. If you were to do this with a pen and paper you would either need quantum post-it tabs connecting multiple notebooks or a lot of string. Similar to the classic pin and string board used to find connections in old crime movies, obsidian looks for reference links you place in your notes to draw connections between 2 or even multiple sets of points together.

Bi-directional Linking

Say you are consolidating a lit of tasks at work and you need updates or have questions regarding certain tasks. You can use obsidian as a running log for those tasks, as well as give each task its own note to reference so to not clutter the updates page. Simply link the task itself, and take your notes under the link.This becomes useful when you begin closing out tasks, but still want quick access to them later for reference.

Other Implications 

One popular option for how to use Obsidian is based on the "Zettelkasten" method or note box in German. Wikipedia summarizes this as "consists of small items of information stored on paper slips or cards that may be linked to each other through subject headings or other metadata such as numbers and tags" which is ideal as you can do this easily as the software offers tag search, as well as easy to use metadata options.

Where To Start?

If this is something that has your interest, there are resources out there on YouTube and free-floating on the web that are likely a much better teacher on the subject than I am. I am simply here to relay the knowledge passed to me for allow others to make the same connections I have

Where To Learn More

It has been said that writing something down solves more than half of the problem. It has also been said that taking notes improves overall knowledge retention. I take notes on every idea I read on DeepStash. Here is how I do it.

Ditch the Fads, Embrace Progress: A Guide to Realistic Fitness and Nutrition

Refine Your Journey: Why Revisiting and Revising Fitness Goals Matters

Being the change you want to see

7 Useful Leadership Tips

How we really vote

Jordan Burleson