#Here’s what you can learn from the healthiest dogs on Instagram

[lucahqs-blog]

❛ ✶  —  did you see LUCA MARTÍNEZ walking around campus earlier ? i hear a lot of people talking about the TWENTY-ONE year old JUNIOR . from what i know , they are studying HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY while minoring in ILLUSTRATION and are a part of PHI KAPPA DELTA . they come across as + DIPLOMATIC but also - NON-CONFRONTATIONAL , which makes since because on their instagram ( LMHQS ) it says they are a LIBRA . when i see them , i think of LONG 2AM ROOFTOP CHATS, 100% GREEK & DEAD POETS SOCIETY CHAOTIC ENERGY, MESSY ROOM COVERED IN ART & PROJECTS, DOG-EARED TEXTBOOKS, CIGARETTE SMOKE. the most interesting thing i’ve heard about them though , is the fact that [  REDACTED ] , but don’t tell anyone i told you that .

hello, loves !! this bean goes by rue ( she / her pronouns ), and i’ll be playing this Mess™, luca ( with fc by froy gutierrez ). below you can find his bio, enjoy ! + disclaimer: there are mentions of mental health and cancer, so please read at your own discretion.

biography

When someone hears the name Martínez, they automatically think of words like prestigious, wealthy, and perfect. And who wouldn’t? With the father being a State’s Attorney and mother owning her own real estate business, you had to think like that. In the public eye the Martínez family was flawless. Diana was the always supporting wife who thrived in raising money for fundraisers and showing off her cooking skills and David was being a husband who brought home piles of money and was devoted to his family. Everyone wanted what they had. Luca Martínez was born into a world where perfection was of the utmost importance. The Martínez family are one of those prestigious families that has always been full of wealthy and high-class snobs, and Luca’s parents were no exception. He grew up learning how to be charming and handsome, and aware of his superiority over those of inferior to him. Luca’s childhood years consisted of him sitting restless at various fancy parties and dinners, while his father kept him from all the treats so that he would grow up to be fit and strong. Luca’s father was always cold and emotionally isolated from him; only after a perfect son to show off to the world.

He has brother, who is three years younger than him, named Nathaniel. His relationship with his brother, however, is a bit estranged just like with their father. As much as he loves his brother and wishes they could see eye-to-eye, sometimes they tend to butt heads often. Whether that might mean your typical sibling arguments or full-on blown out fights, they just cannot seem to see get along.

As a young, restless little child, Luca sought escape from his shallow, chilly life in the form of a friend. His friend taught him that there was such thing as warmth and friendliness, told him lots of stories of Greek mythology, and he learned that his father had been lying about “tactless individuals” being horrible people. However, when his father found out about his associations with his friend, within a week, the boy mysteriously disappeared. Since then, Luca kept all his unapproved-of friends to himself. Unfortunately, as time went on, Luca grew up to become a lot colder and more isolated like his father—leaving the feeling of pure joy of meeting that friend he met long ago, had vanished. With his family situation being completely dysfunctional and rottenly horrible, he never experienced what being happy was all about.

Sometimes calling someone selfish is a gross exaggeration, but in Luca’s case its right on-point. Eventually in his early teens he became distracted, always preoccupied with his own affairs and matters of interest. Whether it was schoolwork, his multiple and usually explosive relationships, or his many existential crises, Luca was one for waving people away and turning the conversation back on himself. This was not necessary out of narcissism or some hidden agenda: Luca genuinely does not know who he is. Perpetually fidgeting and restless, it is not uncommon to see him rapidly flicking a cigarette lighter, or playing with his hair, or bouncing on the balls of his feet. In high school he was brilliant: it was that simple. He was the golden boy. Prone to spilling into intellectual spiels - and labelled a know-it-all - he internalized everything, memorizing tiny details, eyes skipping here and there. His intelligence is among his most useful traits and is by far the thing he values most about himself. Much of his ego is built around the confidence that he is effortlessly smarter than almost anybody he encounters. Knowledge is power, and he weaponizes his superior intellect, using his brains more than brawn to protect himself and intimidate the people he does not care for.

Although his parents were the bane of his experience 100% of the time, his mother was not all that insufferable when she had her moments away from his father and not trying to be this pristine ‘perfect’ woman beside her husband. In fact, throughout his childhood she often encouraged Luca’s belief in extraordinary things and hoped he had carried it throughout his life growing up. His mother had always made him promise to have courage and be kind to others, for—as she explained to him—kindness has power, and that she would see him through all the trials that life could offer, in life and death.

Cancer/mental illness TW—when he was thirteen, his mother had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. Upon hearing the news, Luca’s whole world clasped. Not only was he at a pivotal stage in his life where everything was changing and becoming more stressful ( becoming a teenager, starting high school, going through puberty ), the only important person who had actually showed him any kind of love in his life had be claimed by the deadly disease altogether. So many thoughts and feelings were going through his mind at the time, that he ran himself physically sick and had experienced his first panic attack. He has since been medically diagnosed with panic disorder. Thankfully, the cells on his mother’s cervix were diagnosed at precancerous stage and the doctors were able to treat it because it developed and spread. However, that didn’t and doesn’t stop Luca from being in a constantly state of panic every time his mother so much as feels pain or coughs due to irrelevant reasons. The entire year had changed him and his family for a while.

He is now attending Beaumont University currently in his Junior year studying Human Physiology and minoring in Illustration. The university is his parents’ alma mater and he joined his father’s former fraternity after he was convinced it would be a ‘father-son bonding experience’ to have shared the same Greek house. Not to mention, his family has pretty decent ties at Beaumont, making Luca pretty well known become his parents. Sure, his family is wealthy, well known in the socialite community, and has basically grown up with this sort of life from an exceedingly small age, but to say he actually cares about all that crap is an overstatement. He is nothing like some of the spoiled and entitled students at his school and rather vibe with himself than gossip about the latest trend.

Despite issues with his own family, Luca has a lot of personal of his own he deals with. He is capable of enduing tremendous hardship. Though he may not handle difficulty in the healthiest or best way, often repressing emotion, he mostly like emerges on the other side. He does not know how to express his emotions in a put together way, but rather fumbles it all up and starts to ramble. Rarely opens up because of this. He usually distracts himself from his insufferable emotions with hobbies such as playing the piano, painting, and reading some of his favorite classics. After he moved out the house at eighteen to pursue college and became more independent, he started to come into his own style with his wardrobe. To put it simple, he is like a hippie dippy child of the universe.

No joke. No seriously, his place at home and his dorm is full of sensual shit and art. It is getting out of hand and somebody needs stop him soon. Catch him rocking the Greek philosopher and Dead Poets Society aesthetic around campus. He strongly believes that art is an umbrella term that relates to expressing of oneself—not just through photography and painting—and that everyone has the freedom to express themselves however they please. Because of his beliefs, he chooses to break gender roles like bread and wears whatever the fuck he wants because yolo. His appearance pretty much represents his hippie dippy lifestyle with him wearing all sorts of hipster shit. His clothes can be very flowy like, but don’t let that fool you. He doesn’t miss the opportunity to represent his upper class within his style, so he does dress to impress, let me tell you. His hair color changes sometimes too depending on his mood but it’s generally never too eccentric.

#bu.intro

[let-it-raines]

Betting on the Bullseye (29/30)

Emma Swan loses a drunken bet that means she has to ask her celebrity crush - if you can call him that - to be her date to her office’s annual fundraising gala for Boston’s Children Shelter. Killian Jones is that celebrity. She expects all kinds of humiliation and for her dignity to be completely lost all because of the ridiculousness of the situation. What she doesn’t expect is for him to say yes.

What she truly doesn’t expect is to actually like the man.

Rating: Mature

A/N: So here we are! It’s the last official chapter, and while I would absolutely love to get to write this story forever, that’s simply not possible. But don’t fret! There’s still an epilogue and then a bonus chapter based off of a prompt that someone gave me. I can’t believe this little one shot turned into this big story that may very well be my own personal favorite. Thanks for being awesome and reading, you guys💛

Found on AO3: Beginning | Current

Tumblr: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30

Tag List: @ultraluckycatnd @nikkiemms @resident-of-storybrooke @wellhellotragic @onceuponaprincessworld @jennjenn615 @mayquita @captainsjedi @teamhook @skyewardolicitycloisdelena91 @artistic-writer @branlovesouat @dreadpirateemma @kmomof4 @ekr032-blog-blog  @andiirivera  @hollyethecurious  @superchocovian @cs-forlife @qualitycoffeethings  @notoriouscs @mariakov81  @jonirobinson64 @bmbbcs4evr  @thejollyroger-writer @lifeinahole27 @ultimiflos @galaxyzxstark @idristardis

-/-

Killian: My family is all here and currently examining every square foot of the place.

Emma: I know you’re not complaining when this is all you’ve talked about all week.

Killian: I love them, but Anna is seriously asking me about the thread count on our sheets.

Emma: That’s important.

Killian: I’m going to leave you with them if you don’t start sympathizing with me.

Emma: Oh no! You’re going to leave me with two people who I talk to every day and your brother! However will I survive?

Killian: Kris and Aiden are also part of the package.

Emma: I like them too.

“Are you flirting with your boyfriend, Ems?”

“Holy shit,” she yelps, jumping in her chair while her heart takes off like a rocket. She’s got to start closing her office door or put a lock on it or something. Or Ruby needs to learn how to knock. Or stay in her office. This is becoming a perpetual issue. “Rubes, why do you insist on doing this to me?”

She shrugs, the picture of nonchalance, and then steps further inside, grabs some skittles out of the bowl on her desk, and then plops down in her extra chair.

“Because your face is so pretty when you’re scared.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I’m your idiot, though.” She pops a handful of candy in her mouth, the red and green disappearing while she quickly chews. “Are you coming down to the warehouse to help put the care packages together this afternoon?”

“I’m coming down at four.” She hits send on her email and leans forward to take a few skittles of her own. Keeping candy in her office for the holidays was a terrible idea, but Mary Margaret and Anna both sent her bags of the stuff because they thought it might be nice. “This is always my craziest time of year with all of the donations and press, but, you know, I’ve been working through lunch so that I can leave at a normal time.”

“It’d probably help if you didn’t spend half of your time flirting with your boyfriend and the other half talking to me.”

“Well, you’re the one who comes to my office.”

Ruby waggles her brows. “For the candy. Is the Jones clan in town?”

“And apparently inspecting the thread count in our sheets.”

“What?”

“They’re particular,” she laughs, checking the email that just came in. She really needs the graphics department to send her the designs she’s supposed to put on Instagram. “I think Killian is letting them explore the apartment and setting them up, and then he’s going to show them around a bit.”

“That’s like the blind leading the blind.”

“I mean, it’s not us giving a tour of Boston, but it’ll work. I can’t wait for them to come back in the summer so it’ll be nicer weather.”

“You haven’t even seen them yet, and you’re already ready for them to come back?”

“Ask me again after Christmas. Speaking of that,” she hums, as she types another email when really she needs to go talk to Liz to get things going, “is Dorothy coming over on Christmas Eve?”

“Nah,” Ruby sighs, sticking her feet up on the corner of Emma’s desk, “she’s going home to Kansas for a few days.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I can’t wait to meet everyone, even if Killian’s infamous friends won’t be there.”

“Just his shoddy family.”

“I’m going to tell them you said that.”

“They love me. I think it’ll be fine.”

Her phone vibrates on her desk, and she looks down to check it.

Elsa: Does Killian actually know where he’s going? Or are we going to get lost and freeze to death?

Emma: I’d bring a warm coat and some food.

She does eventually have to get back to work, as does Ruby, and even if she spends most of her afternoon bugging the graphic designs department even while she’s putting blankets and toothbrushes in care packages, it’s a good day at work. She seriously needs a nap, but she knows that she’s not going to get one. The rest of her week is jampacked with work and with family stuff. They’ve got five extra people staying at their apartment until next Thursday, and about a million things to do with them and with her friends. It’s odd to her that these two sides of her life that are so important to her have never met, but she’s glad that it’s changing now.

Will and Robin get the short end of the stick though. They’ll have to meet everyone later, but she and Killian weren’t going to ask them to come to Boston when they have their families to spend time with. That would be ridiculous.

(She really wants to see Ruby and Will meet. It’d be fantastic.)

On her way home from work she stops to get a frankly excessive amount burgers and fries for everyone to eat for dinner. It’s definitely not the healthiest thing in the world and she and Killian did stock up on groceries yesterday, but sometimes she really wants a dang cheeseburger.

And onion rings.

She’s going to have to hide the onion rings from Killian.

That’s not going to work.

She’ll just get extra.

She can hear everybody before she unlocks the front door, twisting the key and then the knob, the conversation inside dying a little bit as she steps through the door to see everyone sitting in the living room with a show that must be for Aiden on the TV. She recognizes the little characters, but she can’t quite place whatever animated dog is running around.

“Hi,” she says, placing everything down on the counter that’s already full of baked goods that Anna must have found time to make sometime today. “I, uh, brought burgers for dinner, so I hope that Killian didn’t force feed you guys too much today.”

“He force fed us just the right amount,” Elsa sighs, getting up from the couch and scurrying over to her and wrapping her arms around her shoulders before Emma can even take her purse off of her. “Hi, hon. I’m so happy to see you.”

“Me too,” she echoes, pulling back and smiling. “It’s weird that you guys are here, but I like it.”

“Not as much as I like it,” Anna adds on, practically smothering her in a hug. “It’s amazing, even if it’s cold. I was not prepared for that, and Killian practically froze us to death. I cannot wait to come back in the summer. I bet we could go sailing. Though Killian would have to bring his boat here. Or buy another one. Or we could go to a baseball game, but I’m not wearing a Red Sox hat. Oh but I can visit you so much more now that I’m going to be in New York.”

“That all sounds like a wonderful plan,” she laughs, not even sure if Anna took a breath between all of her words. “Hi, Liam and Kris. Why don’t you guys come get something to eat before it gets cold? I got regular burgers and cheeseburgers and figured you guys could add your own toppings.”

Liam and Kris both nod their heads, moving from the living room to kiss her cheek and give her their own greetings all while paper bags are being rustled and food being spread out, the greasy smell taking over the cinnamon plug in that they have. She needs to change clothes and brush her hair out before she eats, but she should probably say hi to Killian if the expectant eyebrow he’s sporting is any indication.

“I could have cooked dinner,” he says first, opening his arms a bit so that she can gently loswer herself down onto his lap, adjusting herself before kissing his cheek in greeting. “You didn’t have to buy all of the burgers in Boston.”

“I really wanted a burger. I worked through lunch.”

“The graphic design people giving you trouble again?”

“Yep. I’m going to have to learn how to do photoshop myself or something.” She unwraps her arms from his neck and curls a stray section of his chest hair around her finger, wondering how the hell it escaped from the top of his sweater. “So you survived your hosting duties?”

“I did.”

“Do you guys have horse radish?”

“No because that’s disgusting,” she laughs, looking up to see the actual pout on Kris’s face.

“Top shelf,” Killian adds in. “I keep it where Emma can’t reach to throw it away.”

“Hey,” she scoffs, yanking at his hair, “rude.”

“I know you have candy hidden in the drawer with your bras, so you can’t even say anything.”

“Um, guys,” she starts, looking around the room, “where’s Aiden?”

“Sleeping,” Liam answers for her, coming to sit on the couch with his plate of food. If he gets grease on the furniture, Killian will lose his mind. “He was awake for the entire flight, and to him, it’s naptime now.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about the time change for him. Or for you guys. Are you sure you’re hungry?”

“Liam is always hungry,” Elsa tells her placing her plate on the coffee table while she feels Killian adjust his leg underneath her. “It’s really unfair how good men have it with their metabolism sometimes.”

“Darling, I’m nearly forty. I don’t have the metabolism I used to have.”

“That’s true for all of us,” Kris says as he and Anna both come back into the area. “And obviously Emma has determined to fatten us all up for the winter.”

She snickers under her breath. “You guys can all come running with me in the morning. The cheeseburgers are totally worth the pain.”

“Says the twenty-nine year old.”

“I can’t help that you’re all old.”

“Hey,” Anna scoffs, waving a fry in the air. “If Killian wouldn’t kill us, I’d definitely throw these fries at you.”

“That’d be a sad waste of fries.”

“It’d be worth it.”

“Debatable.”

“If you’re going to waste fries it has to be the ones from the end of the potato,” Elsa adds in.

“Those are the best ones,” Liam protests, popping a fry into his mouth.” “They taste too much like a potato.”

“Fries are potatoes,” Liam and Killian both protest at the same time.

“Not all potatoes are made equally,” she points out, pushing off of Killian’s lap. She’s hungry, but she wants out of this bra and out of these pants. “Just like all fries are not made equally.”

“Amen to that.”

“I’m going to go change clothes,” she tells everyone. “I’ll be right back. You guys can keep watching your kids’ show even though Aiden is asleep.” “Sounds like a plan, Stan,” Killian mumbles under his breath, and when she turns back to look at him, he shrugs his right shoulder and winks.

She doesn’t mean to take her time while changing clothes and washing her face, scrubbing the makeup off one side at a time, but it’s kind of soothing to be able to do that. As much as she loves every person in that room, she’s not exactly used to having families over for a long time. That’s never been a situation she’s had to be in before, and it’s going to take a little bit of adjusting. It’s a good thing, but she’s not made to have to talk consistently. She and Killian talk a hell of a lot, but a lot of nights they have are spent stretched out on the couch in near silence watching TV.

Not a show for a twenty-month old but TV.

She takes the time to brush her hair out before twisting it into a loose braid that falls over her shoulder, and then strips out of her clothes so she can pull on her leggings and a sweater. She’s just about to go outside to get her dinner and talk with everyone when she stops and opens Killian’s bedside drawer, pulling the small box out and opening it to look at the ring. It’s the oddest thing, knowing it’s there and not being able to wear it. Of course, she could wear it. They could tell their families and have it all out there, this secrecy thing stopping, but she’s still waiting on the boat ornament. It’s the dumbest thing. She doesn’t have to tell everyone that way, but she wants to because of all of those dumb texts Ruby sends her.

She thinks that it’s fitting for Ruby to be the first to know when Ruby has been here for this since the very beginning.

A bit of laughter passes through her lips at that. It hasn’t been a long time. She and Killian have only known each other for a year, but it’s right. There have been plenty of ups and downs and absolutely insane moments, both because of their personal demons, the distance, and Killian’s job. He doesn’t get stopped a lot here, but it does happen. It’s always so strange to her, even if that’s how she knew him first, but it’s even stranger that one or two times some girls have stopped her. That’s not something she’ll ever get used to, but Killian is worth it.

Her trust in him is absolutely insane, especially because of how she’s been treated in the past, but when you love someone, you know.

The whole white picket fence (or apartment with a view) future used to always freak her out, but it’s what she wants now. She’s got her job, her friends, Killian.

She’s done pretty well for a kid who had nothing.

So she’ll wait on the dumb boat ornament for Ruby and wait on getting to wear the ring, the physical representation of the future she’s so damn happy to get to be a part of.

And it’s not like the next few days don’t go by quickly. They actually go by pretty fast, even if she spends her weekend falling on her ass when everyone insists that they go ice skating. Somehow, despite coming from a notoriously cold country, Anna and Elsa have never gone, and when they pass by a public rink while wandering through downtown, they insist that they have to. Somehow she didn’t think about the fact that Liam and Elsa live somewhere where it doesn’t really snow, and that being here would be like a whole new world. At least Anna and Kris have been living in Seattle…of course, they’ll soon be based in New York and will have the ice rinks there.

Somehow despite the fact that they’ve never been, Anna and Elsa are fantastic at it, quickly able to get rid of the walker and move around the crowded rink while she has to hold onto Killian’s elbow so that she doesn’t keep busting her ass.

Seriously. It’s going to be black and blue.

She definitely would have offered to watch Aiden to get out of it. Liam beat her to the punch.

But it’s fun once she gets over the pain in her ass, and she can feel her cheeks actually hurting from laughing so much. It doesn’t help at all when Elsa and Anna figure out some kind of routine that gets them kicked out of the rink. It really doesn’t help when Killian gets recognized and he starts mumbling under his breath that Robin is going to kill him for making him have work to deal with when he’s supposed to be on holiday. She’s not sure if she feels worse for Killian or Robin.

Definitely Robin.

Killian can deal with a few articles about him getting kicked out of a public ice rink.

She may or may not see if she can have anything about it printed and framed to keep forever.

She’s a good girlfriend.

Fiancée.

Partner.

Lover.

Whatever. It doesn’t matter.

Guiding them around Boston kind of reminds her of when Killian first came to visit back in May. She gets to be a bit of a tourist again, except this time they’re all bundled up in thick jackets and hats as they trudge through a bit of snow instead of sweating from the sun shining down on them. There are some perks to the city in the winter anyways, especially when there’s a light dusting of snow. She doesn’t love January when it’s too cold to even go outside or too difficult to drive, but December is a good time. Yeah, there are thousands of more tourists, but so many trees downtown are wrapped in white lights that give the city this glow the makes it especially pleasant to be here. Her foster homes didn’t always decorate for the holidays, but the city made up for it enough.

Killian’s arm wraps around her shoulder, tugging her into his side, as they walk through Columbus Park Sunday evening, making their way through the crowd to look at the blue lights that have been wrapped in the archway. They’re meeting her friends at the Central Wharf for dinner so that everyone can meet each other, but Liam had insisted that they walk through the park on the way there since walking along the seaside was proving to be a bit too chilly.

“I love you,” Killian murmurs just below her ear, his scruff pricking her exposed skin.

“I love you too,” she echoes as she wraps an arm around his waist and sticks it in the back pocket of his jeans. “I think showing your family around this weekend is going to give me frostbite.”

“Aye, it’ll be so sad when you don’t have your toes anymore.”

“However will I walk?”

“Special shoes, obviously.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works.”

“I could carry you.” “That seems excessive.”

“You’re right. I’ll leave you alone to die in the snow.”

She taps his ass. “That’s all I ask.”

Killian barks out a laugh, his head thrown back, but then he’s leaning forward and quickly brushing his lips over hers.

“Stop making out and show me where this restaurant is,” Liam bellows, and when she opens her eyes, she can see several different strangers staring at all of them.

“Babe, it’s right there,” Elsa laughs, pointing to the glowing sign a few feet ahead of them.

“That was not there a second ago.”

“I promise that it was.”

“Your brother is kind of crazy,” she laughs, speeding her steps up because she can see David standing on the inside of the restaurant.

“I think the cold weather is getting to him.”

“Probably.”

Kris and Anna walk in first, the door held open for everyone but a constant stream of people, and before she can even bother to make introductions, Anna and Mary Margaret are wrapped up in a hug. They’ve seen each other on Instagram, but Emma was not expecting that.

She should have been expecting that.

And she should have been expecting the mess of hugs and shaking hands as everyone greets each other, blocking the entrance to the restaurant a bit with the crowd. She hears Killian chuckle when Liam and David size each other up, but honestly, it’s even funnier when Ruby stares Liam down and then hugs him so tightly while Liam is almost shocked still. She’s not sure what Ruby said, and it’s probably best not to know.

They’re all seated at their table, chairs replaced with booster seats, and soon their conversation mixes in with everyone else, constant chatter floating along with the steady flow of Christmas music playing over the speakers.

“So how do you guys like the city?” David asks after they’ve ordered drinks.

“It’s bloody freezing,” Liam grumbles, his body obviously still chilled. “This coat is not nearly thick enough.”

“I told you to buy a warmer one.”

“Little brother, you didn’t say this.”

“Oh shit,” Ruby laughs, and her eyes glance to the kids before she continues, “you’re right, Ems. Killian’s face does get all red and scrunched up when Liam calls him little brother.”

“Hey, way to call me out like that.”

“My face does not get scrunched up.”

She twists her head to look at Killian and the way his nose is very literally scrunched up, and she can do nothing but smile at that end the embarrassed red tip of his ears.

“It does,” Elsa agrees. “But that’s fine because Liam doesn’t realize how ridiculous it is to call a grown man little brother.”

“It is not ridiculous.”

“As someone who is a younger brother,” David starts, “I totally agree. No one talks that way.”

“That is not true.”

“It’s totally true.”

“You don’t see me calling Anna little sister,” Elsa points out, very lovingly caressing Liam’s shoulder while her free hand keeps Aiden from throwing his crayons on the ground.

She feels Killian’s scruff against her ear before she even sees him move. “They’re going to cause Liam to implode right in the middle of this restaurant.”

She snickers at that and pats Killian’s thigh before resting her hand over his knee. “That would be a very messy clean up.”

“Secrets don’t make friends, lovebirds,” Ruby teases, kicking her foot underneath the table.

“You’re already my friend, so I’m not trying to impress you,” Killian huffs.

“I’m your friend,” Leo says, nearly quieting the entire table when they were all still debating over the weirdness of Liam and Killian’s relationship.

“You are most definitely my friend,” Killian agrees, smiling over at Leo. “I think you, your brother, and Aiden are my very best friends at this table.”

“And Emmy.”

“Oh, most definitely Emmy,” he laughs, reaching down and twining his fingers together with hers, thumb gently moving over her hand in a way that sends a shiver down her spine.

“Emmy’s my friend too, but we can share.”

“That’s so good of you to say, Leo,” Mary Margaret sighs, reaching over and pushing his hair off of his head.

“So we’ll talk about how it’s weird for me to call Killian little brother but we’re not going to talk about how I didn’t make it on his best friends list just now?”

“Sucks to be you,” Anna and Ruby both say at the same time.

Emma looks at Killian then, looks at the lines around his eyes and the smile on his face as he talks back to Liam, and whatever kind of nerves she had about their families not liking each other completely disappear just then. They’re all going to get along just fine.

And they do get along just fine. Probably much better than fine. The conversation never stops, even when they get their food, and despite the fact that they have three small children there with them, they stay late into the night casually talking about whatever they want. It all feels so natural, even with the newness of all of these relationships, and she’s already thinking about just when they can do something like this again this summer.

Soon enough, though, the night ends, and they all go their separate ways promising to see each other on Christmas Eve. When they get back to the apartment, most everyone settles down into the living room for a little while before excusing themselves to go to bed, leaving just she and Killian.

“Come here, love,” Killian mumbles, his accent deep and thick in his tiredness. She likes when it’s like this. It reminds her of the way he sounds when he’s describing every filthy thought he has about her, and it’s most likely the reason why instead of folding into his side like he wants, she gets up and straddles his lap, pressing herself down on top of him while his hands immediately go to her hips, gently holding onto her as his thumbs reach up to touch her skin.

He doesn’t say anything, though. She figured he wanted to talk to her now that they have a bit of privacy with everyone else gone to bed. But he stays silent, his thumbs moving in lazy circles as he buries his nose into her neck, breath coming out warmly against her collarbone while his teeth gently bite down, heat slowly beginning to simmer under every inch of her skin.

“You’re going to leave a mark if you stay there for too long.”

“You’ve discovered my evil plan,” he mumbles, each of the words slurred.

She laughs, throwing her head back the slightest bit while her hands move from his shoulders up into the thick strands of his hair, fingers cardings through the softness while Killian continues to lavish her skin with his tongue. She bemoans it a bit, doesn’t want him to leave some kind of mark of possession or passion, but then right when she can feel heart curl between her thighs, he pulls back, the heavy weight of him no longer in her neck. Instead he stares at her, eyes a deep blue while they trace over face, finally landing at her lips.

And then he’s on her, lips pressing into hers and hands pulling her impossibly closer so that their bodies are flush against each other despite the layers of clothes in between them. She can still taste a bit of the rum he had with dinner, especially when his tongue slowly traces her bottom lip, prodding him for the entrance he must know she’s going to grant him. When their tongues do collide, it’s like sparks are moving across her skin, all of her hair standing on edge while the sparks trickle down all the way to her toes.

It’s that kind of a kiss. The toe curling ones are the best ones.

They get better when her hips shift the slightest bit against Killian and her hands tighten in his hair. He groans, something deep from the back of his throat, and she’s practically a puddle. It’s a weird phrase, but she is. She’s a puddle and a mess of damn good feelings that have her feeling like she’s practically on fire even if she’s only left on her camisole and her jeans, her sweater from dinner resting in the kitchen.

She rolls her hips again, and Killian grunts before he’s shifting his hands so that his arms are completely wrapped around her back. For a moment she wonders why, but then she’s being lifted and unceremoniously plopped down on her back, the couch cushions supporting her while a giggle passes through her lips. Killian shifts above her, his elbows propping him up on either side of her shoulder. His mouth is hovering over hers, less than an inch away, and she thinks that he’s going to kiss her again, but then his mouth is on her jaw, then her neck, her collarbone. Finally he makes his way down her sternum, tongue licking in the valley of her breasts, and she gasps as her hips arch up into him.

Even though she can’t see it, she can feel the wicked smile he’s sporting pressed into her skin.

“I’m rather learning to enjoy winter in Boston,” he breathes, breath hot as it travels over her. His mouth moves a bit to the side, and she watches him nudge her top with his nose so that she can see the top of her breasts. “But I do find that it means I get to see a little less of these.”

“Well, I could die of that frostbite we were talking about earlier if you really wanted to see my boobs that much.”

He glances up at her, one eyebrow raised, and she smirks herself as she reaches down to brush his hair off of his forehead. “I do love them, so I think it may be worth it.”

“You only love me for my body.”

“I’m going to tell you just how wrong you are about that after I get done showing you how much I love every damn inch of this body.”

She laughs, her head pressing back into the cushions, but then Killian has somehow worked his way past her bra and is biting down on her nipple. The laugh quickly turns into a gasp, and even her blood heats at the sound of Killian’s groan.

As good as he is with his words, sometimes when he wants her too damn much, it renders him speechless.

That’s always a bit of a proud moment for her.

He releases her with a pop, and instead of moving to her other breast, he moves back up her body, spending a very particular amount of time on her ear, before he’s back at her lips. It’s a slow kiss, lazy even, but these are the ones she prefers. Quick and fast and dirty are wonderful, and she’ll never complain about those. But she likes the lazy exploration of each other that only really comes when you already know all of the ins and outs.

“Bedroom.” She yanks at his hair, and presses her hips up again, and he nips at her bottom lip.

“In a moment.”

She’s practically jelly at this point, so she agrees, not thinking anything of it until there’s the a quiet creak of wood and the room is suddenly flooded in lights besides the ones of the city.

“Bloody fucking hell,” Killian groans, harshly shifting up on her, and she doesn’t realize why until she twists her head to the side and sees Liam standing at the end of the hallway, feet frozen and mouth wide open.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Her fiancé’s brother, who is still staying with them for another few days, just walked in on them making out of the couch with her breasts decidedly exposed to the world. That would explain Killian’s sudden haste to cover her even more so with his body.

“Don’t just stand there, Liam,” Killian growls, his words lilting up into a bit of a laugh at the tail end of his sentence.

“Sorry, sorry,” Liam apologizes, holding his hands up and shuffling his feet. “I didn’t – you’re not – Elsa needed a glass for some water.”

“It’s fine,” she lies, every inch of her skin cooling down while she rubs her hands up and down Killian’s shoulder blades. She can feel the tenseness in them, the frustration practically vibrating off of him. “Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. Killian and I were just about to go to bed.”

“Really? Because it kind of looked like you were about to fuck on the couch.”

“Get your fucking water, and get your arse out of here.”

“KJ,” she whispers, twisting her head to look back at him and caressing his face with her palm. He leans into it, his eyes fluttering closed so that his lashes land against his cheek, “it’s okay. He’ll be gone in a second, and then we can go to our room.”

“I’m not sure that I’m really in the mood anymore.”

She chuckles a bit under her breath before brushing her lips over his stubble. “That’s okay too, but I think you might change your mind when you can no longer see your brother.”

“He’s bloody fantastic at killing a mood.”

“That’s probably what Elsa says too.”

Killian has to bury his face in her neck to hide his laugh, but she can feel it though every inch of her body while she continues to move her hands up and down, his flannel moving with each touch. She should be mortified right now, but considering Liam saw her morning after look the first time she slept with Killian and then proceeded to accuse her of being some kind of stalker, this is nothing.

Maybe the embarrassment will hit when she doesn’t still want Killian so badly.

“Goodnight,” Liam hums. “Use protection.”

“Look at that. He spent two hours with Ruby, and they’re already just alike.”

Killian huffs and pushes off of her. “I think it’s time for you to move your arse into the bedroom so we can finish this.”

“See, I told you it’d be fine once Liam wasn’t in the room.”

“He’s never getting invited back here.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“What am I if not dramatic, my love?”

She finds that Killian most definitely doesn’t mind that his brother walked in on them when her lips are wrapped around his length in the privacy of their room.

-/-

Over the next two days, Liam never mentions the compromising situation he found them in, but she can tell that he feels more awkward about it than either of them do, especially when he avoids looking her in the eye for a few hours. But it helps that she’s constantly surrounded by other people. They go out to lunch on Monday, stopping to get seafood even though Aiden has an absolute fit in the restaurant, but the rest of their day is spent in the apartment, the curtains mostly closed as they play all of the Home Alone movies, Aiden giggling and babbling even though he can’t possibly understand what’s happening. It’s cute, though, watching him clap his chubby hands together and rock back and forth while he sits between Kris’s legs.

Anna and Elsa decide that they have to make Christmas cookies, and not the ones she can buy at the market that come precut, so for the entire afternoon the apartment smells like a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, the oven constantly being opened and closed as new batches in different shapes are made. Anna is freakishly good at baking. Like, far better than Killian, and she and Elsa are able to make intricate shapes and designs all the while she has this green glob of a Christmas tree. Killian tells her that he’s sure it’ll taste good, but that’s most likely because she didn’t actually bake them.

Christmas has basically exploded in their apartment, but she doesn’t mind at all. She enjoys it and enjoys all of the happiness of it. She’s got three days off of work, and she’s going to savor in it.

“This is delicious, love,” Killian mumbles as he takes a bite of a snowman that she did, the crumbs of it getting stuck in his beard.

“Are you going to make a point to only eat my ugly cookies?”

He winks. “Exactly.”

But, of course, since she wants to savor this time, it flies by quickly, Christmas Eve arriving in the blink of an eye. She’s excited for today, though. They’re having her friends over for lunch and presents, and after today, she doesn’t have to hide the fact that she’s got a very pretty ring hidden away and a man who wants to marry her.

Which is still just insane.

A good kind, though.

“G’morning,” Killian mumbles as he shifts in bed, sleepily grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to each knuckle, lingering a little longer on her fourth finger before moving down to her wrist. He’s so romantic in all of these small ways, and it honestly kind of makes her heart giddy. It’s weird.

“Morning.”

“It’s cold in here.” “Says the human heater.”

“That sound rather odd when you say it like that, Swan. It’s like I’m burning humans.”

“Ew, stop,” she groans, falling back onto the mattress and putting space between them, pulling the comforter up over her shoulders and burrowing herself in. “You know what I meant. You didn’t have to get all creepy about it.”

“I saw my shot, and I took it.”

She rolls her eyes at him, and she sees his lips shift up into a smile while half of his face is pressed into the pillow, squishing his cheek and causing his eyes to crinkle. His hair is all over the place, the strands going in several directions, and she’s tempted to bury her hands in it to fix it. But she also kind of likes it when he’s disheveled.

“So are you ready for our families to start hounding us on wedding dates and details and wondering what kind of dress I’m going to wear?”

He chuckles, something deep and husky, and she knows that he’s going to lean forward to kiss her nose before he does it. And she knows that his hand is going to find a spot on her waist too, nails tracing nonsense patterns.

“I’m thinking after I film Life After and in a courthouse. We’ll both wear jeans and those ugly Christmas sweaters.” “I’m not wearing a Christmas sweater when I marry you.”

“Why not? It’d be very fitting.”

“This is true, but I do kind of want a nice dress. Not necessarily a gown. I might feel ridiculous in one of those. I don’t know. I kind of like this courthouse idea, though. Or maybe on the beach at your house in LA. Is that too cheesy?”

“All weddings are kind of cheesy.” “True. It’s not like we’re getting married in our swimsuits or anything.” “It’d make for easier access.”

“Shut up,” she laughs, reaching over to hit his shoulder, which only makes his face crinkle up more as he smiles. “I’m going to miss you when you’re living in Toronto this spring.”

It’s the first time she’s said those words. She hasn’t wanted to, not wanting to make him feel guilty about having to leave for filming when he should never have to feel guilty. But it felt right to tell him that now, especially as they make all of these hypothetical plans for their very real future.

“And I you, love,” he promises, and her heart pangs for a moment. “But I’ll fly home when I can. You’ll come to visit. We’ll get back to facetiming like we used to. That’s not something we have to worry about now, though. We’ve got a holiday to celebrate.”

And they do. She and Killian both hurry and get ready, going through their morning routines while they can hear all of the chatter and life going on outside, all of Killian’s family very obviously already awake. She thought the time difference would have them sleeping in, but she guesses that Elsa and Liam have a baby who most likely does not know what sleeping in is. So before she can even bother to have her coffee, she’s bombarded with “good mornings” and conversation from four different people, all of the talking about how excited they are for today and if there’s anything they can do to help before her friends come over. She knows that even if she said no, they’d help anyways.

They’re good people, and she loves them. She’s going to be a bit sad when they go home. But that’s not something that she thinks about as Kris and Killian start cooking the chicken while Liam and Elsa set up the table. Anna helps her wrap a few last minute presents, and by the time the Nolans and Ruby show up at one, absolutely everything is set up for them to celebrate Christmas. It’s most definitely the biggest celebration she’s ever been a part of, even if it’s not quite Christmas yet. Her life is so damn full that she’s getting a little emotional over having Mary Margaret be chatting with Liam about gardening.

It doesn’t get any better when they finish eating, her stomach hurting from laughter, and they all move to the living room, most of the presents under the tree dispersed to everyone.

Most everyone in this room is an adult with the exception of Leo, Aiden, and Brody, so she knows that tearing through gifts isn’t something that’s really going to happen. They’re going to go slowly, take their time, possibly even try to salvage the wrapping paper (Who does that? You would have to be entirely sure that you’re going to be wrapping something the exact same size or something smaller for it to even work, but whatever. Recycling is good.) and keep it for a later day, maybe even tomorrow. She’d fully expect Ruby to be doing some last minute gift wrapping for her grandmother. Or possibly even Dorothy even though she’s in Kansas. Hell, she wouldn’t be surprised if Ruby took the paper her gifts are in and wrapped a present that she’s going to get when she finally gets to her small pile of goods from her friends since they’ll all be off spending time with their other loved ones tomorrow.

She was a kid who used to spend Christmas wondering why Santa didn’t come to visit her and who had holidays pretty tainted for her. Now she has more family than she knows what to do with.

She’s good with that.

She’s great with that.

She’s also great with waiting for Ruby to get to the small box that’s sitting next to her on the floor. Killian had quirked his brow when she told him she knew just the way for them to tell all of their friends that they’re engaged. If anyone’d asked her five years ago if she’d ever be this excited to make a commitment to another person and then want to make a bit of a show about telling other people she was doing that, she’d have laughed in their face. That’s not her. And maybe it’s still not. She likes for things to be private, for her personal life to be personal, especially with learning to deal with Killian’s job and the complications that come with that, but some things she does like to share.

Why would she not?

There’s a lump in her throat that she has to swallow, a happy sob threatening to escape her and ruin all of her plans. She’s decidedly sentimental lately. She’s been sentimental for awhile now. It’s different, but being different, changing isn’t always a bad thing. Some changes are bad, are painful. They pull you back instead of propelling you forward. Others, well, others are good.

Changing in a good way is called growing.

Growing is a damn good thing.

Growing means that she doesn’t always have to have a tough exterior, that she doesn’t always have to be act like she’s okay. Growing means allowing herself to be vulnerable even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Growing means knowing that instead of stopping at an obstacle, that she can climb over it.

Growing means that she can allow another set of hands to help her climb.

So she’s decidedly sentimental, and definitely a little bit cheesy, but she’s happy. And she’s not going to bemoan something that makes her happy.

“You’ve got a bit of a starry-eyed look there, love,” Killian whispers in her ear, nipping at the lobe and making her squirm a bit. Cheeky bastard. “Is there something on your mind?”

“Nah,” she sighs, walking her fingers up from his knee to his thigh, comfortably placing her hand there while she feels Killian tapping against her shoulder, a habit he’s taken up lately. She doesn’t think he even knows that he’s doing it. “I’m just…happy. It still surprises me sometimes.”

“Aye, me too.”

She twists her head and smiles at him, looking up into the blue of his eyes before she presses up and kisses the corner of his lips, waiting for him to meet her halfway.

He does.

He always does.

(Except when it comes to leaving shoes lying around or dishes unwashed, but that’s not the end of the world even when it feels like it.)

“Are you sure this little plan of yours is going to work?”

She nods her head, quickly kissing him again before pulling back and looking over to Ruby who is holding up a pair of earrings that Mary Margaret and David must have bought her.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just wait. She’s going to figure it out.”

She squeezes his thigh for reassurance before she rests her head on his shoulder. She can feel Elsa’s eyes looking at her, the icy blue stare a familiar one even if it’s not from Elsa herself, but she doesn’t say anything. Elsa likely already knows. Not because of anything she’s done but because she knows that Killian told Liam he was planning to propose. And if she knows anything about Elsa, it’s that they’re kindred spirits in knowing when a Jones brother is holding something back.

Except she kind of failed at for the past few months.

She can’t always be batting a thousand.

Or homeruns.

Grand slams maybe.

What the hell? They all work. She knows her baseball terminology.

And there’s absolutely no way that she’s letting someone else break the news when she thinks that her idea for announcing it is absolutely brilliant.

She’s not an assistant public relations manager for nothing. She knows how to get people talking.

Finally, after what feels like ages, Ruby starts opening the small package they’ve given her. She feels Killian’s breath catch, the air stopping for the slightest moment, and she swears that her heart ticks up a few too many beats than should be humanly possible.

“Ems,” Ruby laughs, twisting to turn to look at her with a vibrant smile on her face, her lips practically reaching her eyes, “why in the world did you give me a photograph of you and Killian in these ugly sweaters? Did anyone else get these?”

“I didn’t.”

“No.”

“Nope.”

“I don’t know. Maybe we haven’t gotten to them yet.”

“Because,” Killian starts for her, his fingers pressing into her bicep with a little bit more force. She can feel the vibration with every word she speaks. Or maybe that’s an earthquake. It’s definitely not an earthquake. That’s how it feels right now though. If she were to look under the sleeves of her sweater, she knows her arms would be covered in gooseflesh. “Those are the awful sweaters Emma and I wore in those videos from last year, and one of your gifts is a way to thank you for helping us meet.”

“Even though I still think that it’s fundamentally unfair for you to have made me adhere to a bet made while drunk. That would have gotten any contract dismissed in court.”

“Are you really complaining right now? And using legalities? I feel like you should be eternally grateful for me. After all, I’m the reason you get to have se – the reason you get to do the horizontal tango so often. Plus, you know, have constant companion who loves you or whatever.”

“Open the damn present, Ruby.”

“Language,” Mary Margaret and Anna yell at the same time.

Ruby waves them all away before she’s digging into the box and pulling out a small ornament in the shape of a boat.

“What in the world is this? Why are you giving me a boat ornament? I don’t own a boat. I’m a freaking therapist. I can’t afford that. And why does it say ‘The Love Boat’ on it? That doesn’t even make any sense and – oh my God.”

She doesn’t even have time to prepare herself before Ruby is up off the ground, squealing so loudly that her eardrums might burst, and then tackling her into the couch, taking Killian down with her. Everyone is staring at them. She can’t see, but she knows, can hear the confusion, can hear Leo wanting to know what Aunt Ruby is doing to Aunt Emma. But right now she’s so goddamn happy that it’s out there, that someone knows, and that her best friend is excited.

“Are you for real?” Ruby asks when she pulls back, looking into her eyes before she glances over to Killian, cupping his cheeks and squishing them together. “Is she for real? You guys are engaged?”

“She’s for real.”

“Engaged?” Mary Margaret shrieks, the pitch rivaling Ruby’s.

Or maybe that was Anna’s shriek mixing in. Elsa’s too. Maybe it was Aiden or Leo joining in.

It definitely wasn’t David, Liam, or Kris, but they all let out some kind of noise too, the room suddenly roaring with conversation so loud that she can barely think. But it’s the good kind of roar and the good kind of deafness.

It might not be the good kind of having some sort of internal organ squished by Ruby, but she thinks whatever it is will be okay.

It takes a long time for everyone to calm down, for the squealing and smothering to stop so that she can explain to everyone that Ruby sent her a text the night after she and Killian met saying she wanted a boat named “The Love Boat” if she and Killian ever got married. Technically they’re not married yet, but it works. Everyone laughs at the story, especially when both Mary Margaret and Anna are reduced to blubbering messes, their emotions becoming a little too much. All of it is absolutely insane, but it only gets worse when she finally gets to put the ring back on her finger, right where it belongs.

She’s okay with this kind of hysteria, though. It’s part of that whole growth thing. And absolutely nothing is going to make this day any less wonderful or special or so goddamn festive that she can’t stomach it.

She’d bet on it.

Her bets seem to have pretty good end results.

#betting on the bullseye #cs fic #cs ff #captain swan fic

[thrivinforchange-blog]

Hello All !

Since I know starting a new blog can be awkward, or people on the web can be strange (LOL), let me start my FIRST post on my blog by introducing myself. 

Keeping my name anonymous is something I would like to try. Just until I am comfortable being myself through this journey I am taking myself and hopefully, you all on.I would also like to stay “hidden” because I do not want who I am to influence anyone a certain way.

So with that being said... to start, I am a 24 year old woman. I live in Portland, Texas. Originally, I am from the one and only Philadelphia. I am a HUGE family person. I love my dogs. I love my boyfriend. I love to cook. I love to enjoy the outdoors. I love to be cozy on the couch and watch all the Harry Potter movies. I love binge watching movies in general. I love The Office. I love One Tree Hill. I love Gossip Girl. I am big on SELF LOVE & SELF CARE. I love fuzzy blankets. I love house decor. I love DIY projects. I love the moon and the stars. I love to go on walks. I love to listen to music. I love reading. I love candles & in-scents. I love pictures. I love going thrift store shopping. I love shopping in general (LOL). 

Now, one new thing I have come to finally accept and truly love is, MYSELF. Along with that, while a very trying 2019 came to an end I decided to put myself first. Yes, I can do that while still be in a healthy relationship, which I feel like many sometimes think it is not possible. IT VERY MUCH IS! You cannot love another if you do not FULLY love yourself. 

2020 - December 31st 2019, I took a picture of myself in my sports bra and shorts and what I seen in that picture made me upset. I decided on January 1st, 2020 I was going to make a HUGE change for myself. I seen my very good friend from back home who was 20 weeks pregnant at the time, that she started her own business. Something I have ALWAYS wanted to do. So the more I followed her post and stories on Instagram I was intrigued. I sent her a message and little did I know that message was about to change my life. She told me how she became a Networking Business owner for an all Natural Health & Wellness company. YES, people always have negative things to say about people who use the internet to promote. I did not believe it at first either, I thought she went crazy. She worked with me for WEEKS before I decided for myself to become a promoter as well. With NOTHING in my bank account besides what I spent to start up my company, I TOOK THE LEAP. The one time fee to be a BUSINESS OWNER. I got my products that you pay for with the start up fee, and went to work. I begin working with some of the top leaders, met AMAZING and such SUPPORTIVE people, realized things about myself I never would of if I did not take this leap. 

  - I know you all do not know me, but I did not come from much financially. My father left my mother, my two sisters and I with nothing when I was 10 years old. SO, now working a full time job, I have always been very uptight with my money. So deciding to spend it on a gut feeling, means a lot to me.- 

These products with this company have made me one of the happiest and healthiest versions of myself. We THRIVE for success here. I started this blog to share my journey. To learn more about health, nutrition, and see what else is out there for me. To have people join me on this journey and try these products for themselves. To have people promote these products with me. To ask questions about the body I may not know yet. To tell MY story. To hear OTHERS stories. 

I want this blog to be something I can gather and collect my thoughts. Talk about my business. Hear about others. Please feel free to follow back as I build my content. Ask questions. Share advice that helped you when you started. Remember to always be nice, you were once new here too! You never know what someone else is going through. Love yourself always. 

Thank You for taking the time to read this. 

Xx -- 

#firstblog #firstpost #health #nutrition #selflove #selfcare #texas #philadelphia #business #thrive #le'vel #happy

[artofpeacelove]

https://ift.tt/2yFPV35

There’s no doubt that Instagram dogs are the connoisseurs of cuteness. But while you’re double-tapping their pics, have you ever thought about what you can learn about wellness from these pups (and their owners)?

That might sound odd, but think about it: Dogs are literally experts on living intuitively—and how often has an answer to one of your wellness questions been “listen to your body”? Dogs eat until they’re full, sleep when tired, and their always-happy attitudes prove how beneficial that lifestyle is for their well-being.

To learn how to take a page out of their books, we spoke with the humans behind dog-fluencers Basil and Mozzarella, Copper and Lily, and Lucy for a rundown on the pups’ wellness routines. From the self-care activities they take part in to the healthy-living habits they pass onto their owners, you might be surprised at all you can learn from some of the most-liked pups on the ‘gram—starting with their snacks of choice.

“Just as I choose to buy fresh, local, and organic produce for myself, I try to do the same for my dogs,” Basil and Ella’s owner Jami Pressman says. “We feed with Instinct Raw because it’s real, simple ingredients—meat, vegetables, and fruit—and on an even more positive note, Basil and Ella love it.” Tips on eating healthy plus unlimited snuggles? As if you needed another reason to want to get a dog.

Keep scrolling for the 3 healthy-living tips you can borrow from each of these adorable Instagram dogs.

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That face you give mom when she wakes up early for #blackfriday shopping then comes home with a new phone . . . #iphone11pro #australianlabradoodle #australianlabradoodleofinstagram #labradoodlenation #labradoodleoftheday #labradoodlepup #minilabradoodle #labradoodlesofinstagram #fluffydogs #fluffynotfat #cutedogsofinstagram #doodlelife #labradoodles #pupoftheday #labradoodlepuppy #doodlepuppy #doodleofinsta #dailydogs #doodlenation #doodlebug #doodlesofinstaworld #doodlesrule #labradoodlesofig #labradoodlecorner #dogseriesofinsta #australianlabradoodsfamily #labradoodle_dogs #dog_features #bestwoof

A post shared by 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 + 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗼 (@copper.and.lily) on Nov 29, 2019 at 10:48am PST

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Don’t sleep…on sleep

An important thing to remember about wellness is that sometimes it’s okay to do absolutely nothing. And who better to share that advice than lounge-loving pups Copper and Lily? When asked what their favorite self-care practice to take part in is, owner Jenny DeZubay definitively said sleep—and lots of it.

The key is to prioritize a full night’s rest (meaning around eight hours for us humans), and if you do end up needing a nap on the weekends instead of tackling that DIY project, so be it. Dogs tune into their bodies, and you should try to do the same.

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Need a pick me up?! SWIPE RIGHT – – – Culled through the 834025 photos of my dog on my phone for 10 seriously smile-worthy photos of Lucy Hopefully she can be a little bright spot in your day, woof! #dogfamily #athomewithaba

A post shared by Alex C Haines | Houston blog (@alexcarreno_) on Mar 18, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT

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Fuel up with high-quality food

Lucy isn’t exactly training for her next marathon, but she relies on proper nutrition to fuel her backyard play time. “Lucy is part of our family,” owner Alexandra Haines says. “Just like we make decisions in our home to eat healthy and high-quality, we make the same strides for Lucy, too.”

To give Lucy energy for her active lifestyle, Haines feeds her Instinct® Raw frozen recipes, which use real ingredients (like cage-free chicken and grass-fed lamb) that are never cooked so the nutrients stay intact.

“Lucy loves Instinct,” Haines says. “So much so, that if she were playing with a toy or eating a bone, she would drop everything and run to her food bowl if she heard the familiar sound of opening the freezer drawer and pulling out the bag of Instinct Raw.” Mental note: Start prepping high-quality meals that make you sprint to the kitchen with that much excitement.

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Noms! We love adding goodies to our meals and @instinctpetfood is at the top of our list. #treattuesday #rawfeeding . . . #BasilandElla #adventurewithdogs #wildernessculture #ilovemydog #adventuredogsofficial #dailybarker #livelifeoffleash #buzzfeedanimals #outdoorswithdogs #stpetespups #dogcollar #stpetepup #dogsmile #exploringwithdogs #whatthefluff #cutenessoverload #sisters #fluffypack #stpetespups #adventurewithdogs #muttsofinstagram

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Do what you love

Rolling through your to-do list every day is something to celebrate, but what Mozzarella (Ella for short), the internet-breaking cutie on the right, wants you to know is that you should also remember to add “do something fun” to that impressive list.

“While Basil is a bit on the lazy side, Ella is the type of dog who needs a job,” Pressman says. “We could go play fetch for an hour, but once she catches her breath, she’s ready for the next thing. This has […] reminded me that even though we may be tired after we finish our 9-5 job, we should always find time to do the things that really move our mind and soul.” Take some notes from Ella and schedule time for that post-work yoga flow or book club if that’s what you love doing—you’ll be happier for it.

Who would’ve known that the best wellness advice could come from healthy Instagram dogs—but tbh, these pups have their zzz’s, nutrition, and happiness on lock. So now’s your chance to use this as ammo for talking your SO or roommate into bringing a new family member into the mix. It’s for your health, after all.

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Top photo: Getty Images/Stephen Zeigler

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#Here’s what you can learn from the healthiest dogs on Instagram #Good Advice – Well+Good

[livingcorner]

10 Wood Pallet Ideas for the Garden

One of the most overlooked sources of recycled materials in the garden is the humble wood pallet. Millions of wood pallets are used in the retail industry to transport goods, and they often end up clogging the landfill. In addition to being a source of free raw materials and a way to recycle in the garden, making things for the landscape out of pallets gives you a product that no one else has. Put your signature on one of these wood pallet garden ideas (starting with this creative planter idea!), and see what you can do with a few tools and a little sweat equity. 

Garden Walkway

Funky Junk Interiors

What happens when a garden path isn’t just a way to move through the landscape, but becomes a focal point in itself? Funky Junk Interiors shows that even when dismantled, a wood pallet can serve as a stunning design element in the garden. Although a wood pallet walkway will help your garden by keeping you from compacting wet soil, it’s best used in a low-traffic area of the garden: no heavy wheelbarrows or garden carts here. 

You're reading: 10 Wood Pallet Ideas for the Garden

Because pallet boards are thin and already weathered, a bit of preparation can help your path last beyond a few seasons. Rather than laying the pallet wood directly on the soil, excavate the area a few inches underneath the path and backfill with gravel. This will help water drain away from your path, preventing rot. 

Wood Pallet Garden Walkway from Funky Junk Interiors

Garden Bench

Our house now a home

After a hot day of pulling weeds and fighting insect pests in the garden, a rest on a garden bench is a well-deserved treat. At first glance, a wood pallet might not seem like it has the potential to transform into a beautiful piece of garden furniture, but as the blog Our House Now a Home proves, some inexpensive paint and a few throw pillows can turn scrap wood into an Instagram-worthy seat in your landscape. 

Building furniture from wood pallets requires some shooting from the hip, but the results are limited only by your carpentry skills. Look for free woodworking plans or youtube tutorials to remove some of the guesswork. Once you’ve mastered the bench-making basics, you may even decide to attempt a garden rocker or recliner. 

 Wood Pallet Garden Bench from Our House Now a Home

Read more: How to prepare a raised bed for spring planting

Garden Swing

The Merrythought

There’s nothing new about the garden swing, but a garden swing bed is the best thing since spiked lemonade for true relaxation. Buying a fabricated garden swing bed can set you back at least several hundred dollars, which is a real buzz kill for the lazy gardener. The Merrythought used 2 x 4 lumber to reinforce two wood pallets and topped it off with a mattress covered in vinyl zippered mattress covers. You could also make your own cushion with outdoor patio fabric if you’re handy with a sewing machine. Make sure you use rope with a high working load limit and have a suitable branch to hang this beast from, as it will weigh several hundred pounds when occupied. 

Wood Pallet Garden Swing from The Merrythought

Raised Garden Bed

Ma Passion Du Verger

The raised garden bed isn’t going anywhere as a method to practice intense flower or vegetable gardening in a small space. The soil in raised beds warms up quickly, the elevation raises vulnerable plants away from ground-dwelling plants, and the loose, friable soil you add to raised beds promotes the healthiest root systems on all types of edibles and ornamentals. 

Line your raised bed with landscape fabric to keep the soil from migrating out when you irrigate your plants. The ideal height of a raised bed is 6 to 12 inches, but you can go higher if you reinforce the walls with staking to prevent outward bowing. 

Wood Pallet Raised Garden Bed from Ma Passion Du Verger

Continue to 5 of 9 below.

Compost Bin

Lovely Greens

Who needs a compost bin in the garden? Anyone who has a bottomless appetite for soil-boosting humus, also known as black gold for the garden. You have several choices for compost bin construction when you start with a wood pallet. A heavy-duty pallet can serve as one of three or four sidewalls of a bin, attached with brackets or simply wired together. If the pallet is coming undone, dismantle the boards and attach them to a frame you make with 2 x 4 lumber pieces.

Gardeners with small plots can get by with a single bin, but those with larger spaces can reap the benefits of an open-sided three bin system constructed of pallets. The first bin holds fresh garden waste and kitchen scraps, the second bin is used for moving and turning the decomposing materials, and the third bin holds finished compost ready for use. A three-bin pallet system isn’t much to look at, but you can pretty it up by planting a few flowering vines around the outside, which will flourish from the nutrients within the bins. 

Wood Pallet Compost Bin from Lovely Greens

Wall Planter

Creative Homemaking

Vertical gardens are the solution for homeowners who desire flowers, herbs, or vegetables but lack the space to grow them. A living wall may consist of a pallet you fill with soil and plants, or the pallet may serve as an anchor upon which you attach pot-holding clips. These planters are very heavy when loaded with wet soil, so mount them securely with cleats, large wood screws, and metal brackets; or, rest the bottom of the pallet on the ground for added support. 

Wood Pallet Wall Planter from Creative Homemaking

Read more: What to do about foxes

Click Play to Learn How to DIY a Wall Planter

Garden Cart

Serendipity Refined

This riff on the planted wheelbarrow leaves your real garden cart free to haul mulch and dirt, while the wood pallet version accommodates pumpkins, ornamental cabbage, or whatever’s in season in your garden. Serendipity Refined added some vintage iron wheels to complete this wood pallet charmer, but you could also build some ornamental (non-functioning) wheels from pallet wood if you don’t have metal wheels available. 

Wood Pallet Garden Cart from Serendipity Refined

Planter Box

Her Tool Belt

Take the backaches out of gardening with a wood pallet raised planter box like this one from Her Tool Belt. The slats on a wood pallet are just the right size to tuck in a few petunias, million bells, or other trailing annuals. These large pallet planters have an edge on hanging baskets, as they hold a large volume of soil that resists drying out. For an even more drought-tolerant display, add perennial succulents to your planter box. 

Wood Pallet Planter Box from Her Tool Belt

Continue to 9 of 9 below.

Garden Fence

Realeyes Homestead

It’s true that good fences make good neighbors, especially if your neighbors have four legs and a taste for hostas. The wood pallet garden fence may not exclude adamant pests like deer, but it can repel rabbits, dogs, and woodchucks from your prize roses and tender cabbage plants. 

Long fences face stability issues, but Realeyes Homestead addressed that by adding support pallets in an “H” pattern. The addition of some plastic bird netting can add a layer of pest-excluding protection to your wood pallet garden fence. 

Wood Pallet Garden Fence from Realeyes Homestead

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/10-wood-pallet-ideas-for-the-garden/

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32 Podshow Host Casting Calls - Remote

PODCAST SHOW HOSTS (REMOTE)

GSMC Podcast Network

Compensation: $15,000.00 to $40,0000.00 Annually

Employment Type: Part Time, Less than 20 hours a Week

The GSMC Podcast Network is looking to fill a Remote Podcast Show Host position. We are looking for someone who has the space, equipment, and interest in broadcasting or entertainment to host one of our weekly podcast shows on the GSMC Podcast Network. This position is for people who are looking to break into Broadcast, college and media school graduates or students who are set to graduate within a year and who have aspirations for breaking into media. Show Host should expect to dedicate about 10 to 15 hours a week to this project. Recording 3 one hour shows a week for a total air recording time of about 3 hours a week.  Show Host would be expected to record 3 days and has a choice of 2 scheduling options the first is (Monday Wednesday Friday) or the second (Sunday Tuesday Thursday). The rest of the time would be dedicated to Social Media and preparing for shows. This position as a Show Host offers an exciting and challenging opportunity to be the host of one of our most popular shows in, perhaps, the most creative and innovative space in the media and entertainment world. This is the perfect position for anyone looking to break into being a news anchor, sports anchor, podcast host or working on an entertainment or fashion show in the future.

***PLEASE READ***

Although this position as a Show Host has the ability to earn commission this is not a guarantee of income. The Show Host would be paid a percentage of the Net Revenue advertising sold on episode in which Show Host broadcast on. If Show Host earns commission from podcasts the Show Host would NOT receive a 1099 as contractor at the end of the calendar year. 

Show Host must have a high quality microphone, high quality headphones, recording software, Google drive account, and the ability or record an interview via phone or Skype. All of these things are needed to record a quality podcast show in a quiet home or studio.

AVAILABLE SHOWS:

***Business***

GSMC Financial News Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Financial News Podcast delves into the ups and downs of the Stock market, the changes in the economy, real estate and technology. From Breaking news on the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq or the overseas market to update on the bond market if there's money to be made we go you covered. 

GSMC Marketing News Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Marketing News Podcast is dedicated to the news of the Marketing and Advertising world. Get the latest news from the newest trends such as podcasts, digital, and streaming to the old standbys in radio, television, and billboards. Find out if a company is thinking about working with a new Advertising agency or launching a new product or campaign. The GSMC Marketing Podcast has you covered whether you’re a marketing agent or a business trying to expand your brand.

GSMC Business News Podcast: GSMC Business News Podcast is dedicated to keeping you up-to-date on all things concerning Business, Technology, and the Stock Market. Get a head start on the day, as we keep you updated on the latest goings-on on Wall Street, money, jobs, and technology. The GSMC Business News Podcast has you covered.

GSMC Technology News Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Technology Podcast covers everything Tech. From the hottest new cell phones, tablets, and games, we review, rate, and test all of the latest innovations. Whether you’re a fan of Apple, Android, Microsoft, or even Ubuntu, we'll give you an honest take.

GSMC Car Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Car Podcast takes you on a journey through the automotive world. Whether you're a fan of the old classics, love the latest models and technology, or have never met a vehicle you didn't want to work on, we have something for every car enthusiast.

***News***

GSMC America Still Beautiful Podcast: Are you tired of the same old news? Are you sick of the seemingly endless political spin and negativity? The GSMC America Still Beautiful Podcast is a weekly news podcast covering all the top positive and uplifting news stories. We cover stories that will inspire, uplift, and remind you of the good in the world. Tune into the Golden State Media Concepts America Still Beautiful Podcast to get all the great and positive news stories of today.

GSMC Weird News Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Weird News Podcast is not your regular news show.  We cover news that is strange, odd, or just plain weird.  If a story has gone viral for being bizarre or sounding unbelievable you'll find it here. This is the funny and zany side of world news.  Here are all of the fun, crazy, and goofy stories that you won't find on CNN or FOX News.

GSMC Social Media News Podcast:  Golden State Media Concepts’ Social Media News Podcast covers all things social media.  We talk about all of the fun, crazy stories on social media, from Instagram to Facebook, Twitter to Tumblr.  Join us each week as we explore the quirky side of social media.

GSMC Travel Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Travel Podcast takes you on a journey to destinations far and near. We explore places you've always wanted to go as well as giving tips for traveling in those places. We'll give you advice on the best sites for travel tips, information, and discounts. Join us as we travel the world, explore cultures, and meet new people.

GSMC Pets Podcast: Pets bring such joy to our lives, and the GSMC Pets Podcast is here to share that joy! We’ll tell stories of pets finding their forever homes, acting in unexpected ways, being helpful, or just being silly. Whether you love dogs, cats, llamas, reptiles, fish, or you’ve never met an animal you didn’t like, then the GSMC Pets Podcast is for you!

GSMC Bible Study Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Bible Study Podcast looks at a series of bible verses each week and reflects on their meaning, both biblically and for everyday life.  Join us as we journey through the bible, studying God’s word, and exploring its effect on our lives.  Join our host Sarah as she makes bible study fun and informative for all ages.

***Self Improvement***

GSMC Relationship Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Relationship Podcast is your one-stop shop for all your relationship questions.  Where should I meet that perfect someone?  Is online dating right for me? Is Tinder the right place for me?  How do I put more spice into my relationship?  What should I wear on my big date?  Tune in to hear our take on the crazy world of dating, marriage, and relationships.

GSMC Sex Podcast: The GSMC Sex Podcast is a show that examines all aspects of sexuality, from physical to emotional to spiritual. Join our hosts as they discuss age-old questions, common misconceptions, and the latest topics surrounding sex. They’ll tackle topics about sexuality from the complicated to the hilarious and everything in-between. GSMC Sex Podcast is your show for all of your questions about sex (even some you might not have thought of yet).

GSMC Fitness Podcast: The GSMC Fitness Podcast is the place to come for people of all skill and interest levels. Join us as we explore the latest trends in the fitness world. Does that new exercise really work? Should I try yoga? Whatever your question, chances are good you’ll find an answer here! 

GSMC Beauty Tips Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Beauty Tips Podcast gives you advice on everything from hair and skincare products to the latest trends in make-up, hairstyles, anti-aging remedies to fashion tips. Join us as we discuss all of the beauty trends and which ones might work best for you.

GSMC Health & Wellness Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Health and Wellness Podcast is dedicated to workout trends, healthy eating habits, diet and exercise advice, and healthy living. Join us as we discuss everything you need to live life to the fullest and healthiest. 

GSMC Life & Happiness Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Life & Happiness Podcast takes you on a journey of exploration. We'll discuss tried-and-true methods as well as the latest trends in how to live your life to its fullest and happiest.

***Entertainment***

GSMC Music Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Music Podcast covers everything from Pop to Rock to Hip Hop to Top 40. We’ll talk about new releases, what your favorite artists are up to, and what is changing in the world of music. If you’re wondering about concerts, tour dates, or celebrity news, we can help. No matter what your musical preference, we’ve got something for everyone

GSMC Movie Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Movie Podcast is your ticket to the latest movies. Whether it’s the newest blockbuster event, romantic comedy, action, or indie film, we’ve got all the news on what’s in theaters. We can help you decide what movie to see this weekend, which ones can wait until they come out on video or Netflix, and which ones you should skip altogether. Grab some popcorn, sit back, and join us at the movies.

GSMC SciFi Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Sci-Fi Podcast dives into the world of Sci-Fi and Science Fiction. From old episodes of Star Trek and Star Wars to Walking Dead and Resident Evil to Firefly and Dr. Who to all the hot, new Science Fiction movies like Captain America: Civil War or Batman vs. Superman, we cover it all. If you want to learn about new Sci-Fi television shows, find out when new Science Fiction movies are coming out, or find a Science Fiction show or movie to watch on your favorite streaming site, we cover these topics and more

GSMC Entertainment Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Entertainment Podcast is a must-listen for all things entertaining whether it’s music, movies, television, or books. Entertainment Tonight meets Access Hollywood in this all-inclusive look at pop culture.

GSMC Television Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Television Podcast dives headfirst into the world of cord cutting. Television watching is changing: binge-watching and streaming have become the new norms. Wondering when Orange is the New Black is returning to Netflix or if Hulu original shows are right for you? Wondering about the best show? We’ve got you covered. Join us as we discuss which movies to stream, which new shows are worth watching, or what show you should binge-watch next.

GSMC Book Review Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Book Review Podcast is for bookworms of all kinds.  We talk about books for all ages, from Children to Young Adults to Teens to Adults.  We cover genres from Mystery to Memoirs, Romance to Comedy, and Fantasy to Sci Fi.  If you love to read then this is the podcast for you.

***SPORTS***

GSMC Fantasy Football Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Fantasy Football Podcast is your one-stop shop for Fantasy Football news and advice. From who you should draft in the first round to how you should set your line-up to who are the new, hot sleepers, we’ve got you covered. We’ll cover traditional leagues, dynasty leagues, PPR leagues, I.D.P. leagues, even daily fantasy football leagues. Come join us as we break down all the questions of Fantasy Football.

GSMC Sports Podcast: GSMC Sports Podcast is your ultimate stop for all things sports. From NFL to MLB to NBA to MMA, we have you covered. We discuss all of the top Sports stories, from who is going to win the Masters to who is this season’s hot quarterback. No matter what sport you’re a fan of, if it’s trending now, you’ll hear about it here.

GSMC Football Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Football Podcast is dedicated to college and NFL football. You’ll get all of the latest football news, both on and off the field, from the NFL draft to trades to the rumor mill to the NFL combine. Join us as we talk about everything from college rivalries to which college football conference is the best. We’ve got you covered for the NFL, Big 10, SEC, Big 12, PAC 12, ACC, and everything in between.

GSMC College Football Podcast: Are you looking to get your College Football fix? Looking to get the latest news on your favorite school’s team? The GSMC College Football Podcast is your ticket to all things college football. Join us as we talk college football from the National Championship, to college rivalries, to bowl games, to the Heisman Trophy, to which conference is the best. We’ve got you covered for the Big 10, SEC, Big 12, PAC 12, ACC, and everything in between.

GSMC Basketball Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Basketball Podcast covers all things basketball, from college to NBA to March Madness. We discuss topics such as the NBA draft, which teams will make the NBA playoffs, and all topics on and off the hardwood.

GSMC MMA Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ MMA Podcast is your ultimate Mixed Martial Arts podcast, covering everything from the UFC, Bellator Fighting Championships, Extreme Cage Fighting, Invicta Fighting Championships, and much more.  We’ll discuss topics from the most recent MMA pay-per-view event to broadcast events to the UFC Fight Pass.  Join us as we talk to and about some of the biggest names in Mixed Martial Arts past, present, and future.  We have a stranglehold on everything MMA.

GSMC Women's MMA Podcast: The GSMC Women’s MMA podcast is full of the latest news of all the Women’s MMA fights, from the UFC to Invicta, Bellator to One Championship, and many more. Join our host as they previews and recaps the fights and profiles the fighters. If you are a fan of mixed martial arts and Women’s MMA in particular, this is the podcast for you.

GSMC Soccer Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Soccer Podcast is your destination for all the news in the world of Soccer/Football. From MLS to the World Cup to Premier League, we have you covered. Get updates on all the top players and the latest matches.

GSMC Baseball Podcast: Golden State Media Concepts’ Baseball Podcast covers all things Major League Baseball. We discuss topics from spring training to the World Series, and everything in between. From New York to Boston to LA we have your club covered.

We’re looking for someone who:

Conferrable work under a deadline

Have high quality microphone, high quality headphones, recording software, google drive account and Skype

Have a quiet place to work

Has imagination, a creative mind, and vision

Loves, identifies, and tells a good story

Is fiercely competitive to produce the best but is curious, thrives on learning, and believes growth comes from saying, “Can do”

Knows the importance of details

Can think on his/her feet, is adaptable to rapid changes and tough deadlines

Responsibilities:

Assist in the ideation and creation of show segments

Pitch ideas and research show topics

Research subject matter and potential guests, generating questions for shows

Coordinate and schedule recording in studio and in remote locations

Pre-interview guests and occasionally conduct interviews for on-air use

Communicate with Show Producer and external contacts for the best possible product

Collaborate with Executive Producer and creative team members as needed

Meet multiple schedule deadlines on time

Coordinate with editors, mixers, etc. both onsite and offsite to ensure ongoing workflow

Select best audio cuts from interviews, on-location audio, etc. for use in segments and shows

Select highlights for social media and website use

The ability to edit and mix audio or a willingness to learn

Skills:

Eyes and ears of a good editor

Inspiring great ideas

Story telling

Converting curiosity to innovation

Writes well

Well organized, detail oriented, able to prioritize

Able to meet deadlines

A willingness to seek out and schedule show guests

Record and edit shows during afternoons, nights and weekends

Experience:

Podcast production

Video Editing

Audio Editing

Content creation

Audio production

Journalism

Podcast Equipment Needed:

Quality Microphone (please note that recording on a cell phone or mobile device is not acceptable)

Mixer

Recording Software

Headphones

Pop Filter

Ability to Record a Phone Interview or Skype Interview

About GSMC Podcast Network: The GSMC Podcast Network is an exciting group of podcasts dedicated to providing our listeners with endless hours of enjoyment. The GSMC Podcast Network is the home of a wide variety of national podcasts featuring topics including Sports, Health & Wellness, Technology, Movies, Relationships and more. This network of podcasts was created to inform, educate, and entertain our listeners.

This position is a Part Time commission position that rewards success and hard work. A Podcast Show Host is expected to make between $15,000.00 to $40,000.00 a year.

https://gsmcpodcast.com/job%3A-podcast-show-host#:~:text=Cancel-,INQUIRE,-HERE

Company Website: http://www.gsmcpodcast.com/

Corporate Headquarters: Folsom CA

[paydayloanspb]

Here’s what you can learn from the healthiest dogs on Instagram

There’s no doubt that Instagram dogs are the connoisseurs of cuteness. But while you’re double-tapping their pics, have you ever thought about what you can learn about wellness from these pups (and their owners)?

That might sound odd, but think about it: Dogs are literally experts on living intuitively—and how often has an answer to one of your wellness questions been “listen to your body”? Dogs…

View On WordPress

#dogs #healthiest #Heres #Instagram #learn

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17 Great Lessons You Can Learn From Diamond Grain Free Dog Food | diamond grain free dog food

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[sarahburness]

5 Reasons Why You Need to Stop Taking Life Seriously

Pretentious title, but far from a call to adopt a stance of apathy within this wondrous and dynamic reality we exist together in.

Well, no. It’s quite the opposite.

The insight I’d like to share with you today is the equivalent of an open-handed, movie-cliche slap to the face, regretfully but lovingly administered to pull a panicked comrade back from the brink of a full-blown meltdown catalyzed by a collapse of rational, critical thinking.

This short read is nothing special. Basically, it’s a reminder of the same thing you’ve always known, but for some reason decided to stuff far too deep into your travel pack. And of course, the bug sprays and painkillers at the top of the pile provide less incentive to dump the bag to re-evaluate priorities of survival.

My motivation this day is to encourage within you a willingness to consider the game you’re immersed in from a different hilltop. It’s one with a joy-horizon not obscured by the clouds of stress or grief.

Brevity is always the best way to get a message across, so let’s sink our teeth into the meat of this feast. Let’s skip the greens for a time when protocol dictates we munch on a smaller fare to prolong social interaction.

Enough ramble, let’s dive in.

Here are practical considerations to stop taking our lives so seriously:

Reason #1: You’re Gonna Die

This is definitely the most obvious and important point I need to share.

If your attention wanders to YouTube videos of dogs wearing hats before you read this essay’s completion, at least commit yourself to finishing this first segment’s diatribe. That way, you’ll still walk away with a much-needed reminder to stop giving such a serious fuck to whatever drama encompasses your life.

I can’t speak for Jesus. I can’t speak for yogis, mystics or other tight-lipped people about prolonging a physical body eternally. However, I can suggest to you that there’s a high degree of probability the animal vessel you occupy will slowly break down. It’ll become enfeebled, endure a six-foot covering of dirt or an unceremonious barbecue behind closed doors, severing your tangible connection to this physical world.

So, let’s look at death from both sides of the coin.

If you believe in a mechanistic, uncaring, fluke of a Universe that big-banged you from dumb luck and random chance, every second of your existence here should be valued as the only shot you’ll ever have to experience happiness or contentment.

So, why would you spend one second engaged in something you don’t want to do? Why would you fill your days ingesting toxic food? Why would you consume tainted water? And why would you believe the ridiculous ideas corporate entities endlessly serve to keep you in perpetual fear of living out your most heartfelt desires?

If you believe in the continuity of spirit, eternal life or any form of reality after the Earth-plane, the same basic questions apply — why would you spend a single second in fear of tackling head on each and every beckoning to revel in the experience of a unique, fleeting world? What could an eternal spirit possible have to worry about?

Don’t think about your fear. The time to jump into the deep end is now.

Whatever your beliefs, the most important thing you need to realize is the only time you’ll ever have at your disposal is this very moment.

If your job is boring, quit it. If your woman sucks the life out of you, ditch her. Or if you tap the snooze alarm ritually, it’s probably the time to consider making fundamental changes to the way you navigate your reality.

You can start climbing any moment you choose.

See Also: 7 Easy Ways to Remove Negative Energy and Unnecessary Stress

Reason #2: Your Telepathic Skills are Most Likely Not Great

I’ve met some bonafide empaths and psychics over the years. For the most part, humans are unable to step into the minds of their fellow creatures and accurately read the thoughts/emotions/intentions of the entity standing 2-feet from their face.

When we inject our personal spin on the motives of another, our egoic speculations are almost always a cause for grief. Judgment and faulty perception lead to obsessive and tormenting conjecture, such as…

“That person must hate me. Why else would she have said that? Look at her hair. What was she thinking? I wonder if my ass looks fat in these jeans. Oh, I forgot to check my Facebook updates, I’m sure someone liked my recent post by now. I’m gonna order nachos, I think they’re gluten-free. Oh yeah, forgot about that nasty person.”

And on and on…

The point here is simple and quick:

Stop judging other people’s journeys when you’ve never sampled their footwear. Stop caring about what people might think of you.

You wanna impress someone? Impress yourself and forget the tortuous speculations of how fellow explorers might perceive you.

Adopt an empathetic approach to life, applying it both to yourself and others. Keep in mind that your travel comrades have been just as duped as you to believe iPhones and designer clothing have any bearing on self-worth. The contributions necessary to healing this broken world will never come with a “Made in China” stamp.

Reason #3: You’ve Been Lied To

I’m doing my best to keep these points as concise and simplified as possible. However, there would be nothing more fulfilling to me right now than to break into a 97-part series about all the things we’ve accepted over the years as “truth.”

From politics to health to relationships to government to history to the very nature of the cosmos, everything our “protectors” have weaned us upon is manipulated, twisted, and skewed. They are so far from authenticity that “facts” are more accurately perceived by assuming the exact opposite of whatever vomit the media spews out.

Ironically, I can probably sum up this segment faster than any of the others with a simple statement. It comes not from a paranoid, untrusting person who rebels for the sake of rebelling, but from one who has experienced the buffet of media and culture first hand.

“Do not accept the sustenance proffered without sampling the fare. It makes no sense to fill your belly with fodder that causes indigestion, bloating or queasiness just because it’s familiar, convenient or steadily dined upon by the rest of the tribe. If the menu is unpalatable, learn to cook for yourself.”

Reason #4: Other Realities Exist

It’s tough to broach this topic in the mainstream without coming across as a foil-hatted nut job. I have a sneaking suspicion that within a decade or two, this next topic might just become the motivation for humans to rediscover the adventurous, limitless nature that lies at the core of our essence.

The subject here is lucid dreaming.

I will forego elaboration for the sake of a concise post. However, I would urge you to do a bit of research into this fascinating practice. Let me share with you the key insight I’ve learned from conscious awareness while in the “dream” world.

Earth is not the only game in town. No matter how much the gods of science and media love to dismiss the things they can’t measure, there’s far more happening under our very noses than the Facebook updates and Netflix subscriptions we’ve come to accept as the comforting norm.

There are other realities beyond the JunkieSphere we inhabit. I’ve visited, I’ve played ball. If a man of science wants to tell me there’s nothing more to my astral experiences than a delusion of synapses firing in my brain, I could easily make the argument Earthland conforms to the exact same parameters.

They’re equally both real or both fake — no further elaboration needed.

If you want to explore beyond your job at the office and renew your zest for life, I’ll give you a dozen links to start your journey of lucid dream exploration. Or just call me, I love shooting the shit with weirdos. Track me down through the bio.

Reason #5: Egos Are Fictional

Perhaps another obvious one, but worthy of a last loving slap to the face.

You can shift your ideals and views of the world you live in with a single thought. Your ego is a fiction you’ve created to provide a frame of reference to experience the world. It doesn’t have to control you any more than Instagram does.

An ego is capricious. It’s fickle, fluctuating, and endlessly malleable. The wider you open your doors of perception, the less controlled you’ll be by it. The less you define it, the grander your nature will become. The less often you feed it the spiritual Cheetos it joneses for, the wider the panorama of clarity will stretch, facilitating an ever-deepening understanding of cause and effect.

Maybe the person you hate at work isn’t a vindictive monster because she never gives you the days off you request. Maybe she’s just feeling impotent to change her own world, unconsciously projecting her shortcomings on the people around her. Or maybe life here on Earth isn’t the stress-filled, grab-as-many-prizes-before-the-circus-ends kind of carnival we’ve been led to believe it was. Perhaps, it’s just a unique opportunity to discover the very nature of who we are, what we are, and why we’ve chosen to pay the extra five bucks to enter the freak-show tent.

I’m not an expert on evolution, creationism or pretty much anything else for that matter. I can’t say for certain why humans wander this planet, but I’ve committed my days to digging as deeply as possible into the existential questions that haunt us all.

It’s up to us to choose when and where we ride

Perhaps, candy-floss isn’t the healthiest thing to walk away with as the carnies shut down the midway for the night, but I’m in no position to judge what might satisfy the longings of a wayward soul. We’re all doing our best to understand the endless stream of data thrown at us. The only way to do so is to experience the roller-coaster with arms up in the air as it peaks each crest. Sometimes, the attraction sucks and other times, we feel compelled to buy another ticket. Either way, it’s up to us.

Life is an amusement park that should be enjoyed, not wandered through in fear of every megaphone-announced call to action. The snake-oil tonics and rigged bottle-toss games will always be part of the show, but we can pass them by just as easily as convincing ourselves happiness couldn’t possibly exist without partaking in whatever the rest of the crowd is doing.

When you pass a long line of humans standing patiently, waiting to give the flavor-of-the-month a lick, don’t feel compelled to take a position among them. There’s a good chance the raspberry/crack cocaine swirl wasn’t engineered with your best interests at heart. Sample if you must, but also consider walking past the bright and colorful kiosk.

In Conclusion

Eventually, we’ll get to where we want to go, but only after donning our hiking shoes and accepting the eventuality our feet will get muddied.

And that’s why so few people stand on Mt. Happiness. If the path leading to it was already well-worn, equipped with safety lines and neon signs, we’d all be up there.

You’ll likely need a machete to find the hill you seek. Snakes and spiders will definitely await the trek. But once you’ve filled your soul with the stunning view after an exhausting journey, the pitiful knolls you’ve been continually encouraged to frequent will never satisfy again.

See Also: 9 Baby Steps To Happiness For The Naturally Gloomy

The really fun things are still out there. The adventure only awaits your willingness to embrace it with fascination and wonder, knowing limitation is merely a concept defined by Fox News and the fiction writers of science who profess their wisdom as absolute.

Grab your hat and walking stick, and find out for yourself.

The post 5 Reasons Why You Need to Stop Taking Life Seriously appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

from Dumb Little Man https://www.dumblittleman.com/dont-take-life-seriously/

[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

You know “That Guy”. He’s confident, his cholesterol’s in check, he’s not embarrassed to take his shirt off in public, and he doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids).

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be ‘That Guy’ can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

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You know “That Guy?” The one who looks good, seems effortlessly fit, exudes confidence, and just seems to have it all together?

Ever wished (maybe secretly) that you could be more like him?

Turns out most guys are (also secretly) wishing the same thing.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about That Guy, and what it takes to live a “That Guy” kind of life.

(Hint: it’s not what you think.)

I’ll also show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

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Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Guy”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

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I want to be That Guy.

For 25 years, I’ve been coaching people on how to improve their bodies, their health, and their lifestyles.

(First on my own, and then as the creator of Precision Nutrition Coaching.)

I’ve coached people from all over the world with different backgrounds, cultures, professions, and family situations.

Interestingly, they’ve all had one thought in common:

I want to be That Guy.

We all know That Guy.

He’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

That Guy maybe has ripped abs, ripped arms, ripped everything. He doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids), and isn’t embarrassed to take his shirt off in public.

That Guy might be 30 or 40 or 50 or 60. Regardless of age, he exudes youthfulness, ease, and freedom. He just throws on a t-shirt and looks like a million bucks.

That Guy doesn’t say “uff” when he bends over to tie his shoes. His doctor isn’t telling him his rotator cuff is messed up, or that his blood cholesterol is too high. Heck, he’s probably a doctor himself, like a neurosurgeon or something.

That Guy isn’t arguing with his wife about who should pick up the dry cleaning. He doesn’t have to clean out eavestroughs, or slog through freeway traffic.

And he’s definitely not suffering anxiety about work or helping his parents move into assisted living. He’s not having thoughts like, I need more time to focus on myself.

That Guy doesn’t have bad knees or get heartburn after eating a chili dog. When you have life figured out like he does, like Rocky’s trainer Mickey says, he can eat lightning and crap thunder.

That Guy gets romance and adventure, kicks life in the ass, and rides off into the sunset. Because he totally, completely, has his shit together.

“Make me look like That Guy.”

Twenty years ago, That Guy was Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Clients begged, “Make me look like Tyler Durden.”

These days, That Guy is Chris Hemsworth or Zac Efron or Michael B. Jordan on Instagram. Pick up any men’s fitness magazine, or scroll through any social media feed, and you’ll see That Guy staring back at you.

And on the subway, at work, or at the pool with your kids, there are local versions of That Guy. Call him That Guy Lite — the more attainable but still envy-inspiring version of That Guy. He’s got his shit together. A well-defined jawline. And biceps.

Let’s be honest. I know you’re sometimes down on yourself for not being That Guy. You can’t help but think…

Why does he have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, here’s the thing. As a coach, I’ve helped create countless That Guys.

And — newsflash — That Guy doesn’t have it all together either.

Before he was That Guy, he was where you are right now. His life was busier than ever with:

chores at home; plus

stress at work; and frankly

just trying to hold it all together; which meant

no time to focus on (and take care of) himself.

And his life wasn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Sure, his social media feed painted a well-curated, living-the-goodlife picture. (Despite his avoidance of “shirt-off” pictures.) However, he was struggling, feeling incompetent, and ready to give up on health, fitness, and vitality.

Now, this might sound weird, but after 25 years of coaching I’ve seen a lot of guys in their underwear. Literally and metaphorically.

Their tailored suits (or baggy sweatshirts) have to come off. Measurements must be taken, progress evaluated, challenges highlighted, obstacles dealt with.

That’s when everyone realizes…

“That Guy” doesn’t exist.

It’s so easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing better than you.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t. It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

The truth:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Chris Hemsworth, not Zac Efron, not anyone.

That Guy doesn’t exist the way you think he does.

We are all imperfect, striving, struggling, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in our lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, isn’t a good enough father / husband / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Guy.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

Here’s the good news: You can get into That-Guy-in-Men’s-Health shape. As in, it is physically possible for your torso to look like that.

The question is: Can you afford to make nutrition and fitness your number one priority — above not just dessert, but also your partner, your kids, your job… all of it?

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up some part of your life to accomplish this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

This is reserved for people who get paid a lot to have that body. (Actors have a staff of professionals making sure they roll into shoots looking ab-tastic, and then of course there’s the magic of post-production digital editing.)

But, even then, That Guy doesn’t look like you think he does all the time. He only looks like that sometimes.

And when he does look like that, his life is much less awesome than you think. He ate three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at last weekend’s family barbecue and then went back to the gym for his second workout of the day.

But that’s not to say getting in shape isn’t worth it. Even more, getting into reasonable, moderate shape isn’t too complicated.

All you need are small consistent changes here and there. Walking the dog after dinner, perhaps a couple weekly lifting sessions at the gym, and including an apple in your lunch is a good start.

Getting into pretty good shape is trickier, but can be done if you’re committed. You might need to focus more on food quality and portion sizes, working out a bit more, and being more careful with your indulgences. Still doable if you’re so inclined.

When Precision Nutrition Coaching clients are finally able to recognize and internalize all this, a major breakthrough usually follows.

Because they’re finally able to see the really great, totally attainable versions of That Guy they can become. They can quit spinning their wheels for a goal that’s actually, it turns out, pretty undesirable. They start focusing on healthy habits that can be squared with the rest of their life’s priorities.

Step 2. Look for real-life role models.

When we see someone in a magazine (or on Instagram) we don’t know who they are, how they feel, or what their life is really like.

If you’re data-driven like me, that’s useless. Especially since real-life role models are around us all the time — and they can give us data to work with.

Think about the grandfather who always has energy to joyfully play with his grandkids. How did he stay fit as he aged?

Or your colleague who sneaks off during lunch to take a yoga class. He’s a little sheepish about it, but he still goes. (And he’s always so calm afterwards.) How does he find the motivation?

Or the neighborhood dad who teaches the kids baseball. (And miraculously never loses his patience.) What does he do to get out of work early?

Small moments of health, fitness, and wellness are everywhere. If you take them you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re playing the role of That Guy.

Step 3. Apply fitness minimalism.

Small steps… they don’t come with much fanfare, do they? But this is the unsexy truth of how we get things done.

Don’t have time to exercise? Some push-ups and air squats before you leave the house in the morning. A 10-minute walk at lunch. A few sets of sprints while dinner’s in the oven. Or a game of “crawl on Daddy’s back while he tries to plank”.

Do what you can, when you can, with what you can.

Think your diet sucks? Just pick one thing about the way you eat — the thing you think will make the biggest improvement to your nutrition — and focus on it exclusively for a couple of weeks.

Want to drink one fewer beer per night? Eat a salad once a day? Skip dessert or replace it with something healthier?

Pick one thing and practice it each day. Forget about everything else. Then, when you’ve got it down, add a new thing.

Maybe you think the effort is so small that it doesn’t “count”. But that’s not true. Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 4. Get help to find your work-arounds.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or eat a certain healthy food, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing. Find a work-around. Get help if you need it.

No, I’m serious.

Do you ask for what you need? Is your pride in the way? Don’t let it be. Figure out what kind of support you require. Ask for it. Then accept the help.

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

Hate working out alone? Join a local running or cycling group, or arrange a workout with a workout partner.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Guy. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one deadlifts 500 pounds on the first try.

Funny thing: we don’t really start getting better until we face up to our own limitations.

We have to ask for help (and accept it). We have to embrace small improvements that add up over time. We have to evolve past an “all or nothing” attitude.

We have to pick ourselves up after we fall down, and make course corrections.

Ironically, realizing you can’t do everything yourself, and allowing yourself to ask for help, is what takes real courage. Shaking hands firmly with reality and looking it in the eye is a much manlier approach than living in la-la land.

Step 5. Heed your dashboard indicator lights.

It’s OK to need a little help. But, sometimes, we need more than a little help. Like when we’re experiencing:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health

Of course, a blinking indicator light — perhaps triggered by a debilitating gym injury, getting a scary medical diagnosis, or ending a relationship — can end up being exactly the wake-up call we needed to start working on ourselves.

But get real with yourself for a second: Is fitness distracting you from a more serious problem that seems too heavy to think about?

If so, try talking to a doctor, trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 6. Embrace the struggle.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your brother’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Guy. You might just not see it. For instance:

33% of our male clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 24% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

17% of our male clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many clients in our men’s coaching program tell us they feel like their schedule has taken over their health. They’re too busy and too stressed.

Plus, many challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

And we’ve definitely had times where we struggled to “get it all done”.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Guy, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection and the reality of being human is your ticket to being your version of That Guy.

You don’t have to wait. Or wish you were someone else. Or both.

You can choose to embrace the struggle, accept your “not OK-ness”, and start to chase your awesome anyway.

Right here, right now.

What to do next

Most guys I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Guy. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching have failed at losing weight and getting in shape before they finally reach out to us.

For guys, that can be tough to get over. They’ve been successful in other areas of their lives. Now they’re pissed.

However, it’s crucial to think of any failed weight loss attempts as feedback that’s going to inform how you’ll succeed this time.

What did you do last time and the time before? What worked and what didn’t?

We’re big on self exploration at PN (if you couldn’t already tell). Understanding what hasn’t worked for you is key to regaining ownership over your health (and your That Guy-ness).

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Build your mental picture of That Guy. What’s he doing? What does he look like?

Is he killing it in a Spartan race? Surfing while on vacation?

Is he climbing trees with his kids? Playing touch football with his buddies — without getting winded?

All of the above?

That’s going to be you in a few months, if you approach your goal with the realities of your life in mind.

Keep your eyes trained on your version of That Guy.

3. Build workarounds and bridges on the path to That Guy.

You’re about to become an engineer of the health-focused strategies that work with your life. Start practicing.

Take one problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and experiment with different workarounds or bridges.

How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Guy.

Adopt his confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things he is. Find ways to relieve your stress so you can feel a little lighter and more free today.

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Guy’s habits, one at a time and little by little. It’ll jump-start your progress in a big way.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Guy”?

Consider who you can recruit to help you achieve your goals. A trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

The post I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. published first on

[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

Ah, That Girl. She’s got a defined waist, hair that looks styled even when it’s not, and a noticeable lack of kid throw-up on her sweater.

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be That Girl can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

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Ever look at someone, and think, “wow, she’s really got it all together”?

Maybe you’ve wondered what her secret is.

Maybe you’ve also wondered why you can’t seem to get things together the same way.

Not. Even. Close.

Your desire to be “That Girl” can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about “That Girl.” (Hint: it’s not something you’ll find on her super-polished Facebook profile or her gorgeous #nofilter Instagram feed.)

And I’ll show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

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Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Girl”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

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So there’s this woman. She’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

She looks fabulous, confident, and comfortable in her own skin. She’s into Pilates or running or Crossfit or kale juice or something else that keeps her full of energy.

She rocks Lululemon pants and skinny jeans. Yes, even after three angelic children.

She totally, completely has it all together. And she’s the number one request from women who join Precision Nutrition Coaching:

I want to be That Girl.

We all know That Girl.

That Girl is a lawyer, or a neurosurgeon, or an international diplomat, or perhaps a stay-at-home mother. Whatever she does, she excels at it and is fulfilled.

You can find her on social media using hashtags like #honored and #grateful and #blessed — and she means it.

“Make me look like That Girl.”

Twenty-plus years ago, That Girl was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.

These days, she’s Jessica Alba or Eva Mendes or Kendall Jenner on Instagram.

And, on the home front, you might have seen That Girl at school drop-off, at the grocery store, or dominating the running trails.

(Of course, while she’s dropping off three well-groomed offspring, you’re shoving aside banana peels and empty soda cups to make room for your kid’s dog-hair-encrusted car seat. And you’re wearing your husband’s track pants with baby spit-up because they’re the only things that fit you right now.)

You can’t help but think…

Why does she have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, That Girl doesn’t have it all together. I know, because I coached her.

At a certain point, no matter who you are, coaching requires you to get a little bit honest and a little bit vulnerable. Yes, I’ve seen it all.

I’ve had women stand before me to get measurements taken, half-naked and feeling exposed in their underwear, without the soft lighting and baby oil used in photo shoots.

I’ve seen a lot of tears, even from the most rock-solid, wall-of-muscle types. (Think That Girl wouldn’t collapse into a ball of sobs on the floor of a public bathroom? Think again.)

I’ve heard it all. I’ve heard about the secret Oreo and Nutella binges, about the even-more-secret eating disorders, about the booze and the sneaky cigarettes and the injuries and the heartbreak and the crazy boss and the reasons why your mom always liked your sister best and why it feels like you can never measure up.

It doesn’t matter what size you are, whether you have abs, whether you know how to apply false eyelashes, or whether you’ve ever lifted a barbell in your life.

I’ve had your emotional throw-up all over me.

And it’s OK. It’s great, actually.

Really. You know why? Because…

“That Girl” doesn’t exist.

It’s easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing so much better than you.

After all, everybody’s social media feed tells you something different. Between Instagram and the fitness magazines and the “best booty beach body bikini bonanza” campaigns, it can seem like Everyone Else can handle their lives.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t.

It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

But the truth is:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Jessica Alba, not Eva Mendes, not anyone.

That Girl doesn’t exist the way you think she does.

We are all imperfect, wonderful, messy, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in their lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, a good enough mom / wife / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Girl.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

I have good news for you, and I have bad news.

The good news is, if you’re looking to get into reasonable, moderate shape — or even pretty good shape — you are completely capable of doing so.

You can regain control of your life and your habits. You can overcome emotional eating issues. You can take care of others while still taking care of yourself. In fact, you can even build a body that you love, and are proud of.

I know. I know. That body-love probably seems crazy and impossible right now. But with some small, consistent changes, and support, these things are totally doable.

On the other hand, getting cover-model lean and ripped (especially if you want it to happen overnight and especially if you want it to last longer than 24 hours) probably won’t be worth your while.

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up a lot of your life to do this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

Sure, some people do this successfully. You could get Cameron-Diaz-ripped if you literally had nothing else to prioritize in your life.

But here’s the secret: Those people you see in the magazines (the people you imagine are “Everybody Else”) are professionals who make their living that way. 99.99 percent of us are not those people.

Those pros only look like that for a few hours or days. They pour thousands of hours and dollars into the project of getting super lean and ripped. Which means that even the 0.01 percent still don’t look like that all the time.

Nor are their lives awesome. In fact, arguably, their lives are much less awesome than you think. They’re eating three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at a family barbecue before they go and do their second workout of the day.

In short:

Getting into slightly better shape, or a slightly healthier routine, doesn’t take much effort. That may be what is realistic for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape takes tremendous sacrifice… and kinda sucks. It probably isn’t worth it for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape creates other problems. Because of the demands of their job, cover models are often less happy, healthy, and balanced than the average person. (If you’ve ever chased this dream, you may have discovered this firsthand in the form of workout injuries, anxiety and depression, disordered eating, hormonal disruption, social isolation, and a host of other problems.)

So if magazine covers are off the table at the moment, what can you do?

Step 2. Find new ‘That Girl’ inspiration.

How about your kid’s preschool teacher? She’s on her feet all day, spends recess playing tag with 4-year-olds, and has patience and calm like you’ve never seen. How does she keep up her energy?

Or the mom on your block who always seems like she’s having fun playing with her kids, and not afraid to get goofy or messy or even a little scratched up in the process. Does she have any advice for you?

What about the seventy-something who’s aging so gracefully? What has her daily routine looked like throughout the years?

Or consider your neighbor who’s so good at growing her own veggies — and always willing to share her sun-ripened tomatoes with you.

When our clients shift their perspective to “good enough”, “a little bit better”, or “just practicing”, their progress tends to pick up noticeably.

Why? They’re able to focus on something that actually works: small moments of health, fitness, and wellness that they can do… today.

Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 3. Learn to be OK with being “not OK”.

Nobody really has it all together; certainly not all the time. And we’re all at least a little bit “not OK”.

And that, paradoxically, is totally OK.

When you’re a Precision Nutrition Coaching client you’ll hear phrases like:

Step into the discomfort.

Let things be a bit messy.

You are human. You are normal. You are not a weirdo. You are not alone.

You’ll also hear questions like:

How might you make things a little bit simpler for yourself?

What does it feel like to sit with the discomfort of change?

How could you stretch yourself just a bit?

We help you deal with that “not OK-ness” because life is never going to be completely OK, 100 percent of the time.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your sister’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Girl. You might just not see it.

For instance:

48% of our female clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 33% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

27% of our female clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many of our female clients struggle with a “let’s call it complicated” relationship with food.

Plus, they feel overdrawn. After work, family, and household responsibilities, they often don’t feel like they have much left over for themselves. And despite all their knowledge about food and fitness, they struggle to be consistent and take care of themselves the way they’d like.

Many of these challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

We’ve been the ones wearing the baby barf sweatpants.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Girl, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection is your ticket to being your version of That Girl.

Step 4. For certain symptoms, explore deeper.

It’s OK to not be OK. None of us are 100 percent OK. At the same time, sometimes things are really not-OK, including:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

not menstruating (if you should be, i.e you’re not pregnant or post-menopause)

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health…

Sometimes, being in the depths of not-OK — maybe it’s triggered by a horrendously stressful situation at work, getting injured, or having lots of family obligations to fulfill — is the wake-up call we need to start working on being a little more OK.

Pay attention to your “dashboard indicator lights”.

Are your current struggles and imperfections more like garden-variety ups and downs? If they are, that’s just fine. It’s all part of being human.

On the other hand, if something feels really off, you might need a little extra help. You might talk to a trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 5. Chase your awesome.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or make the healthy dish you found on Pinterest, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing.

Find a work-around. Get help if you need it. Trust yourself to devise a system that works for you. For example…

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

If you don’t like cooking or working out alone, find someone else to do this with. Grab a friend for Sunday batch-cooking day, or check out a group class.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Girl. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one is good at squats the first time.

But it’s not until we can accept how things are right now — including how lost, overwhelmed, and vulnerable we sometimes feel — that we can change.

If we are willing to start where we are, a whole bunch of truly amazing things can happen:

We discover we don’t have to do it all by ourselves. We can ask for help (and receive that help graciously).

We evolve past an “all-or-nothing” attitude, to see the tiny joys and achievements that are everywhere.

We start to notice small improvements — in our bodies, our behavior, and our mental attitude. And feel really, really good about these things.

We can pick ourselves up after we fall down, and have the courage to keep going. Our confidence increases and we feel stronger and more resilient.

We start to do the things we didn’t think we could do. We look better, feel better, and discover that, somewhere along the way, we became…

… our own, unique, imperfect version of That Girl.

How did we do it?

By finding our own awesome.

Looking for it. Chasing it. Making it happen.

Right here, right now. In the middle of our messy, “so-not-That-Girl” lives.

What to do next

Most women I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Girl. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching feel like they’ve “failed” at losing weight and getting in shape a bunch of times by the time they come to us.

For women, that leads to lots of negative feelings — especially shame and sadness.

But when I look at you, I don’t see a “failure”. I see hope, courage and persistence. Because after every time you’ve fallen off the wagon, even if you’ve fallen so hard that your head is still spinning, you get back up. You keep trying. You keep hoping.

I don’t see every time you ended a fitness program or a nutrition plan. I see every time you tried to start again.

Now that’s courage. So I don’t have to “inspire” or “motivate” you. Your hope springs eternal.

As a coach, my job is to help you start better, and keep going on the right path — a path that works for you, and your busy, messy, real, “imperfect” life.

And, at Precision Nutrition, we want to help you learn and discover what does work for you, so you can just keep on doing it, and enjoying it. Finding the right path for your unique needs is what will help you regain ownership over your body, your health, and your “That Girl-ness”.

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Instead of an imaginary, plastic, magazine-cover That Girl, imagine yourself… living the kind of life you want to live.

Be specific. What is That Girl doing at 3pm on a Tuesday? What does she do, or think about, or remember, when she wakes up in the morning? What does she have for lunch?

How does she think about the world? What kinds of decisions does she make about her life? What kinds of adventures does she have, and what makes those possible?

For example… is she lifting heavy weights and rocking tank tops? Doing ‘mud runs’ with her kids? Finally getting rehab for her old shoulder injury and actually doing chin-ups? Hiking in the Andes?

Don’t box yourself in with a rigid, narrow ideal. Go big and zesty with your imagined future. That Girl is having a juicy life. How?

3. Build workarounds / bridges on the path to That Girl.

OK, now, break that inspirational role model’s daily routine into very, very tiny pieces.

Maybe you imagined what she had for lunch. Now imagine her just opening the fridge. In that moment, what is she thinking? What is she doing? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe you imagined what she did for her exercise, like hiking a gorgeous outdoor trail, or surfing, or tango dancing. Now imagine her just putting her hiking boots on, or stepping into the surf. In that moment, what is she thinking? How is she taking on this adventure? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe your version of “surfing” today is dipping your toes in the local pool at the Y. Maybe your version of mountain climbing today is walking your aging pug up a stiff hill. Maybe your version of sexy tango today is wiggling your slightly arthritic hips to “Bootylicious” as you make dinner for the kids. Good enough. Now you’ve started.

Become an engineer of your life: Start with the outcome you want, and work backward. Break that outcome down into tinier and tinier pieces until you arrive at something you can do in the next five minutes to work towards that goal, and that life, and that ultimate adventure.

Take one small problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and play with different ways to solve it. How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Girl.

Adopt her confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things she is. Strut a little when you walk. Cruise hiking boot websites and dream of mountains. Whisper to yourself that you, and not cruel fate, are the boss of your life.

Would That Girl do an extra rep or an extra 100 meters? Would That Girl sign up for a Zumba class even though she steps on her own feet? Would That Girl wear the crazy-colored workout tights that she loves, even though some jerk told her she had a big bum when she was 15?

How would That Girl kick the world in the ass today? And how can you at least start to pretend to do the same… until you practice so much, you forget that kicking the world in the ass wasn’t your natural habit?

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Girl’s habits, one at a time and little by little, you may eventually find yourself living a much more fabulous life in a much stronger, happier, healthier body.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project. Nobody — not even Beyoncé — is that independent.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Girl”?

Do you need to add people to your “Project OK” team? Such as a trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

The post I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. published first on

[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

You know “That Guy”. He’s confident, his cholesterol’s in check, he’s not embarrassed to take his shirt off in public, and he doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids).

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be ‘That Guy’ can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

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You know “That Guy?” The one who looks good, seems effortlessly fit, exudes confidence, and just seems to have it all together?

Ever wished (maybe secretly) that you could be more like him?

Turns out most guys are (also secretly) wishing the same thing.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about That Guy, and what it takes to live a “That Guy” kind of life.

(Hint: it’s not what you think.)

I’ll also show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

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Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Guy”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

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I want to be That Guy.

For 25 years, I’ve been coaching people on how to improve their bodies, their health, and their lifestyles.

(First on my own, and then as the creator of Precision Nutrition Coaching.)

I’ve coached people from all over the world with different backgrounds, cultures, professions, and family situations.

Interestingly, they’ve all had one thought in common:

I want to be That Guy.

We all know That Guy.

He’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

That Guy maybe has ripped abs, ripped arms, ripped everything. He doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids), and isn’t embarrassed to take his shirt off in public.

That Guy might be 30 or 40 or 50 or 60. Regardless of age, he exudes youthfulness, ease, and freedom. He just throws on a t-shirt and looks like a million bucks.

That Guy doesn’t say “uff” when he bends over to tie his shoes. His doctor isn’t telling him his rotator cuff is messed up, or that his blood cholesterol is too high. Heck, he’s probably a doctor himself, like a neurosurgeon or something.

That Guy isn’t arguing with his wife about who should pick up the dry cleaning. He doesn’t have to clean out eavestroughs, or slog through freeway traffic.

And he’s definitely not suffering anxiety about work or helping his parents move into assisted living. He’s not having thoughts like, I need more time to focus on myself.

That Guy doesn’t have bad knees or get heartburn after eating a chili dog. When you have life figured out like he does, like Rocky’s trainer Mickey says, he can eat lightning and crap thunder.

That Guy gets romance and adventure, kicks life in the ass, and rides off into the sunset. Because he totally, completely, has his shit together.

“Make me look like That Guy.”

Twenty years ago, That Guy was Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Clients begged, “Make me look like Tyler Durden.”

These days, That Guy is Chris Hemsworth or Zac Efron or Michael B. Jordan on Instagram. Pick up any men’s fitness magazine, or scroll through any social media feed, and you’ll see That Guy staring back at you.

And on the subway, at work, or at the pool with your kids, there are local versions of That Guy. Call him That Guy Lite — the more attainable but still envy-inspiring version of That Guy. He’s got his shit together. A well-defined jawline. And biceps.

Let’s be honest. I know you’re sometimes down on yourself for not being That Guy. You can’t help but think…

Why does he have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, here’s the thing. As a coach, I’ve helped create countless That Guys.

And — newsflash — That Guy doesn’t have it all together either.

Before he was That Guy, he was where you are right now. His life was busier than ever with:

chores at home; plus

stress at work; and frankly

just trying to hold it all together; which meant

no time to focus on (and take care of) himself.

And his life wasn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Sure, his social media feed painted a well-curated, living-the-goodlife picture. (Despite his avoidance of “shirt-off” pictures.) However, he was struggling, feeling incompetent, and ready to give up on health, fitness, and vitality.

Now, this might sound weird, but after 25 years of coaching I’ve seen a lot of guys in their underwear. Literally and metaphorically.

Their tailored suits (or baggy sweatshirts) have to come off. Measurements must be taken, progress evaluated, challenges highlighted, obstacles dealt with.

That’s when everyone realizes…

“That Guy” doesn’t exist.

It’s so easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing better than you.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t. It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

The truth:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Chris Hemsworth, not Zac Efron, not anyone.

That Guy doesn’t exist the way you think he does.

We are all imperfect, striving, struggling, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in our lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, isn’t a good enough father / husband / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Guy.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

Here’s the good news: You can get into That-Guy-in-Men’s-Health shape. As in, it is physically possible for your torso to look like that.

The question is: Can you afford to make nutrition and fitness your number one priority — above not just dessert, but also your partner, your kids, your job… all of it?

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up some part of your life to accomplish this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

This is reserved for people who get paid a lot to have that body. (Actors have a staff of professionals making sure they roll into shoots looking ab-tastic, and then of course there’s the magic of post-production digital editing.)

But, even then, That Guy doesn’t look like you think he does all the time. He only looks like that sometimes.

And when he does look like that, his life is much less awesome than you think. He ate three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at last weekend’s family barbecue and then went back to the gym for his second workout of the day.

But that’s not to say getting in shape isn’t worth it. Even more, getting into reasonable, moderate shape isn’t too complicated.

All you need are small consistent changes here and there. Walking the dog after dinner, perhaps a couple weekly lifting sessions at the gym, and including an apple in your lunch is a good start.

Getting into pretty good shape is trickier, but can be done if you’re committed. You might need to focus more on food quality and portion sizes, working out a bit more, and being more careful with your indulgences. Still doable if you’re so inclined.

When Precision Nutrition Coaching clients are finally able to recognize and internalize all this, a major breakthrough usually follows.

Because they’re finally able to see the really great, totally attainable versions of That Guy they can become. They can quit spinning their wheels for a goal that’s actually, it turns out, pretty undesirable. They start focusing on healthy habits that can be squared with the rest of their life’s priorities.

Step 2. Look for real-life role models.

When we see someone in a magazine (or on Instagram) we don’t know who they are, how they feel, or what their life is really like.

If you’re data-driven like me, that’s useless. Especially since real-life role models are around us all the time — and they can give us data to work with.

Think about the grandfather who always has energy to joyfully play with his grandkids. How did he stay fit as he aged?

Or your colleague who sneaks off during lunch to take a yoga class. He’s a little sheepish about it, but he still goes. (And he’s always so calm afterwards.) How does he find the motivation?

Or the neighborhood dad who teaches the kids baseball. (And miraculously never loses his patience.) What does he do to get out of work early?

Small moments of health, fitness, and wellness are everywhere. If you take them you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re playing the role of That Guy.

Step 3. Apply fitness minimalism.

Small steps… they don’t come with much fanfare, do they? But this is the unsexy truth of how we get things done.

Don’t have time to exercise? Some push-ups and air squats before you leave the house in the morning. A 10-minute walk at lunch. A few sets of sprints while dinner’s in the oven. Or a game of “crawl on Daddy’s back while he tries to plank”.

Do what you can, when you can, with what you can.

Think your diet sucks? Just pick one thing about the way you eat — the thing you think will make the biggest improvement to your nutrition — and focus on it exclusively for a couple of weeks.

Want to drink one fewer beer per night? Eat a salad once a day? Skip dessert or replace it with something healthier?

Pick one thing and practice it each day. Forget about everything else. Then, when you’ve got it down, add a new thing.

Maybe you think the effort is so small that it doesn’t “count”. But that’s not true. Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 4. Get help to find your work-arounds.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or eat a certain healthy food, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing. Find a work-around. Get help if you need it.

No, I’m serious.

Do you ask for what you need? Is your pride in the way? Don’t let it be. Figure out what kind of support you require. Ask for it. Then accept the help.

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

Hate working out alone? Join a local running or cycling group, or arrange a workout with a workout partner.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Guy. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one deadlifts 500 pounds on the first try.

Funny thing: we don’t really start getting better until we face up to our own limitations.

We have to ask for help (and accept it). We have to embrace small improvements that add up over time. We have to evolve past an “all or nothing” attitude.

We have to pick ourselves up after we fall down, and make course corrections.

Ironically, realizing you can’t do everything yourself, and allowing yourself to ask for help, is what takes real courage. Shaking hands firmly with reality and looking it in the eye is a much manlier approach than living in la-la land.

Step 5. Heed your dashboard indicator lights.

It’s OK to need a little help. But, sometimes, we need more than a little help. Like when we’re experiencing:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health

Of course, a blinking indicator light — perhaps triggered by a debilitating gym injury, getting a scary medical diagnosis, or ending a relationship — can end up being exactly the wake-up call we needed to start working on ourselves.

But get real with yourself for a second: Is fitness distracting you from a more serious problem that seems too heavy to think about?

If so, try talking to a doctor, trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 6. Embrace the struggle.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your brother’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Guy. You might just not see it. For instance:

33% of our male clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 24% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

17% of our male clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many clients in our men’s coaching program tell us they feel like their schedule has taken over their health. They’re too busy and too stressed.

Plus, many challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

And we’ve definitely had times where we struggled to “get it all done”.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Guy, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection and the reality of being human is your ticket to being your version of That Guy.

You don’t have to wait. Or wish you were someone else. Or both.

You can choose to embrace the struggle, accept your “not OK-ness”, and start to chase your awesome anyway.

Right here, right now.

What to do next

Most guys I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Guy. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching have failed at losing weight and getting in shape before they finally reach out to us.

For guys, that can be tough to get over. They’ve been successful in other areas of their lives. Now they’re pissed.

However, it’s crucial to think of any failed weight loss attempts as feedback that’s going to inform how you’ll succeed this time.

What did you do last time and the time before? What worked and what didn’t?

We’re big on self exploration at PN (if you couldn’t already tell). Understanding what hasn’t worked for you is key to regaining ownership over your health (and your That Guy-ness).

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Build your mental picture of That Guy. What’s he doing? What does he look like?

Is he killing it in a Spartan race? Surfing while on vacation?

Is he climbing trees with his kids? Playing touch football with his buddies — without getting winded?

All of the above?

That’s going to be you in a few months, if you approach your goal with the realities of your life in mind.

Keep your eyes trained on your version of That Guy.

3. Build workarounds and bridges on the path to That Guy.

You’re about to become an engineer of the health-focused strategies that work with your life. Start practicing.

Take one problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and experiment with different workarounds or bridges.

How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Guy.

Adopt his confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things he is. Find ways to relieve your stress so you can feel a little lighter and more free today.

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Guy’s habits, one at a time and little by little. It’ll jump-start your progress in a big way.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Guy”?

Consider who you can recruit to help you achieve your goals. A trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

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[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

You know “That Guy”. He’s confident, his cholesterol’s in check, he’s not embarrassed to take his shirt off in public, and he doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids).

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be ‘That Guy’ can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

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You know “That Guy?” The one who looks good, seems effortlessly fit, exudes confidence, and just seems to have it all together?

Ever wished (maybe secretly) that you could be more like him?

Turns out most guys are (also secretly) wishing the same thing.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about That Guy, and what it takes to live a “That Guy” kind of life.

(Hint: it’s not what you think.)

I’ll also show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

++++

Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Guy”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

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I want to be That Guy.

For 25 years, I’ve been coaching people on how to improve their bodies, their health, and their lifestyles.

(First on my own, and then as the creator of Precision Nutrition Coaching.)

I’ve coached people from all over the world with different backgrounds, cultures, professions, and family situations.

Interestingly, they’ve all had one thought in common:

I want to be That Guy.

We all know That Guy.

He’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

That Guy maybe has ripped abs, ripped arms, ripped everything. He doesn’t get winded playing with his kids (or grandkids), and isn’t embarrassed to take his shirt off in public.

That Guy might be 30 or 40 or 50 or 60. Regardless of age, he exudes youthfulness, ease, and freedom. He just throws on a t-shirt and looks like a million bucks.

That Guy doesn’t say “uff” when he bends over to tie his shoes. His doctor isn’t telling him his rotator cuff is messed up, or that his blood cholesterol is too high. Heck, he’s probably a doctor himself, like a neurosurgeon or something.

That Guy isn’t arguing with his wife about who should pick up the dry cleaning. He doesn’t have to clean out eavestroughs, or slog through freeway traffic.

And he’s definitely not suffering anxiety about work or helping his parents move into assisted living. He’s not having thoughts like, I need more time to focus on myself.

That Guy doesn’t have bad knees or get heartburn after eating a chili dog. When you have life figured out like he does, like Rocky’s trainer Mickey says, he can eat lightning and crap thunder.

That Guy gets romance and adventure, kicks life in the ass, and rides off into the sunset. Because he totally, completely, has his shit together.

“Make me look like That Guy.”

Twenty years ago, That Guy was Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Clients begged, “Make me look like Tyler Durden.”

These days, That Guy is Channing Tatum or Zac Efron or Michael B. Jordan on Instagram. Pick up any men’s fitness magazine, or scroll through any social media feed, and you’ll see That Guy staring back at you.

And on the subway, at work, or at the pool with your kids, there are local versions of That Guy. Call him That Guy Lite — the more attainable but still envy-inspiring version of That Guy. He’s got his shit together. A well-defined jawline. And biceps.

Let’s be honest. I know you’re sometimes down on yourself for not being That Guy. You can’t help but think…

Why does he have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, here’s the thing. As a coach, I’ve helped create countless That Guys.

And — newsflash — That Guy doesn’t have it all together either.

Before he was That Guy, he was where you are right now. His life was busier than ever with:

chores at home; plus

stress at work; and frankly

just trying to hold it all together; which meant

no time to focus on (and take care of) himself.

And his life wasn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Sure, his social media feed painted a well-curated, living-the-goodlife picture. (Despite his avoidance of “shirt-off” pictures.) However, he was struggling, feeling incompetent, and ready to give up on health, fitness, and vitality.

Now, this might sound weird, but after 25 years of coaching I’ve seen a lot of guys in their underwear. Literally and metaphorically.

Their tailored suits (or baggy sweatshirts) have to come off. Measurements must be taken, progress evaluated, challenges highlighted, obstacles dealt with.

That’s when everyone realizes…

“That Guy” doesn’t exist.

It’s so easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing better than you.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t. It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

The truth:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Channing Tatum, not Zac Efron, not anyone.

That Guy doesn’t exist the way you think he does.

We are all imperfect, striving, struggling, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in our lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, isn’t a good enough father / husband / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Guy.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

Here’s the good news: You can get into That-Guy-in-Men’s-Health shape. As in, it is physically possible for your torso to look like that.

The question is: Can you afford to make nutrition and fitness your number one priority — above not just dessert, but also your partner, your kids, your job… all of it?

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up some part of your life to accomplish this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

This is reserved for people who get paid a lot to have that body. (Actors have a staff of professionals making sure they roll into shoots looking ab-tastic, and then of course there’s the magic of post-production digital editing.)

But, even then, That Guy doesn’t look like you think he does all the time. He only looks like that sometimes.

And when he does look like that, his life is much less awesome than you think. He ate three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at last weekend’s family barbecue and then went back to the gym for his second workout of the day.

But that’s not to say getting in shape isn’t worth it. Even more, getting into reasonable, moderate shape isn’t too complicated.

All you need are small consistent changes here and there. Walking the dog after dinner, perhaps a couple weekly lifting sessions at the gym, and including an apple in your lunch is a good start.

Getting into pretty good shape is trickier, but can be done if you’re committed. You might need to focus more on food quality and portion sizes, working out a bit more, and being more careful with your indulgences. Still doable if you’re so inclined.

When Precision Nutrition Coaching clients are finally able to recognize and internalize all this, a major breakthrough usually follows.

Because they’re finally able to see the really great, totally attainable versions of That Guy they can become. They can quit spinning their wheels for a goal that’s actually, it turns out, pretty undesirable. They start focusing on healthy habits that can be squared with the rest of their life’s priorities.

Step 2. Look for real-life role models.

When we see someone in a magazine (or on Instagram) we don’t know who they are, how they feel, or what their life is really like.

If you’re data-driven like me, that’s useless. Especially since real-life role models are around us all the time — and they can give us data to work with.

Think about the grandfather who always has energy to joyfully play with his grandkids. How did he stay fit as he aged?

Or your colleague who sneaks off during lunch to take a yoga class. He’s a little sheepish about it, but he still goes. (And he’s always so calm afterwards.) How does he find the motivation?

Or the neighborhood dad who teaches the kids baseball. (And miraculously never loses his patience.) What does he do to get out of work early?

Small moments of health, fitness, and wellness are everywhere. If you take them you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re playing the role of That Guy.

Step 3. Apply fitness minimalism.

Small steps… they don’t come with much fanfare, do they? But this is the unsexy truth of how we get things done.

Don’t have time to exercise? Some push-ups and air squats before you leave the house in the morning. A 10-minute walk at lunch. A few sets of sprints while dinner’s in the oven. Or a game of “crawl on Daddy’s back while he tries to plank”.

Do what you can, when you can, with what you can.

Think your diet sucks? Just pick one thing about the way you eat — the thing you think will make the biggest improvement to your nutrition — and focus on it exclusively for a couple of weeks.

Want to drink one fewer beer per night? Eat a salad once a day? Skip dessert or replace it with something healthier?

Pick one thing and practice it each day. Forget about everything else. Then, when you’ve got it down, add a new thing.

Maybe you think the effort is so small that it doesn’t “count”. But that’s not true. Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 4. Get help to find your work-arounds.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or eat a certain healthy food, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing. Find a work-around. Get help if you need it.

No, I’m serious.

Do you ask for what you need? Is your pride in the way? Don’t let it be. Figure out what kind of support you require. Ask for it. Then accept the help.

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

Hate working out alone? Join a local running or cycling group, or arrange a workout with a workout partner.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Guy. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one deadlifts 500 pounds on the first try.

Funny thing: we don’t really start getting better until we face up to our own limitations.

We have to ask for help (and accept it). We have to embrace small improvements that add up over time. We have to evolve past an “all or nothing” attitude.

We have to pick ourselves up after we fall down, and make course corrections.

Ironically, realizing you can’t do everything yourself, and allowing yourself to ask for help, is what takes real courage. Shaking hands firmly with reality and looking it in the eye is a much manlier approach than living in la-la land.

Step 5. Heed your dashboard indicator lights.

It’s OK to need a little help. But, sometimes, we need more than a little help. Like when we’re experiencing:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health

Of course, a blinking indicator light — perhaps triggered by a debilitating gym injury, getting a scary medical diagnosis, or ending a relationship — can end up being exactly the wake-up call we needed to start working on ourselves.

But get real with yourself for a second: Is fitness distracting you from a more serious problem that seems too heavy to think about?

If so, try talking to a doctor, trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 6. Embrace the struggle.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your brother’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Guy. You might just not see it. For instance:

33% of our male clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 24% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

17% of our male clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many clients in our men’s coaching program tell us they feel like their schedule has taken over their health. They’re too busy and too stressed.

Plus, many challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

And we’ve definitely had times where we struggled to “get it all done”.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Guy, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection and the reality of being human is your ticket to being your version of That Guy.

You don’t have to wait. Or wish you were someone else. Or both.

You can choose to embrace the struggle, accept your “not OK-ness”, and start to chase your awesome anyway.

Right here, right now.

What to do next

Most guys I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Guy. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching have failed at losing weight and getting in shape before they finally reach out to us.

For guys, that can be tough to get over. They’ve been successful in other areas of their lives. Now they’re pissed.

However, it’s crucial to think of any failed weight loss attempts as feedback that’s going to inform how you’ll succeed this time.

What did you do last time and the time before? What worked and what didn’t?

We’re big on self exploration at PN (if you couldn’t already tell). Understanding what hasn’t worked for you is key to regaining ownership over your health (and your That Guy-ness).

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Build your mental picture of That Guy. What’s he doing? What does he look like?

Is he killing it in a Spartan race? Surfing while on vacation?

Is he climbing trees with his kids? Playing touch football with his buddies — without getting winded?

All of the above?

That’s going to be you in a few months, if you approach your goal with the realities of your life in mind.

Keep your eyes trained on your version of That Guy.

3. Build workarounds and bridges on the path to That Guy.

You’re about to become an engineer of the health-focused strategies that work with your life. Start practicing.

Take one problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and experiment with different workarounds or bridges.

How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Guy.

Adopt his confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things he is. Find ways to relieve your stress so you can feel a little lighter and more free today.

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Guy’s habits, one at a time and little by little. It’ll jump-start your progress in a big way.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Guy”?

Consider who you can recruit to help you achieve your goals. A trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

The post I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

I want to be ‘That Guy’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

Ah, That Girl. She’s got a defined waist, hair that looks styled even when it’s not, and a noticeable lack of kid throw-up on her sweater.

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be That Girl can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

++++

Ever look at someone, and think, “wow, she’s really got it all together”?

Maybe you’ve wondered what her secret is.

Maybe you’ve also wondered why you can’t seem to get things together the same way.

Not. Even. Close.

Your desire to be “That Girl” can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about “That Girl.” (Hint: it’s not something you’ll find on her super-polished Facebook profile or her gorgeous #nofilter Instagram feed.)

And I’ll show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

++++

Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Girl”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

++++

So there’s this woman. She’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

She looks fabulous, confident, and comfortable in her own skin. She’s into Pilates or running or Crossfit or kale juice or something else that keeps her full of energy.

She rocks Lululemon pants and skinny jeans. Yes, even after three angelic children.

She totally, completely has it all together. And she’s the number one request from women who join Precision Nutrition Coaching:

I want to be That Girl.

We all know That Girl.

That Girl is a lawyer, or a neurosurgeon, or an international diplomat, or perhaps a stay-at-home mother. Whatever she does, she excels at it and is fulfilled.

You can find her on social media using hashtags like #honored and #grateful and #blessed — and she means it.

“Make me look like That Girl.”

Twenty-plus years ago, That Girl was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.

These days, she’s Jessica Alba or Michelle Rodriguez or Kendall Jenner on Instagram.

And, on the home front, you might have seen That Girl at school drop-off, at the grocery store, or dominating the running trails.

(Of course, while she’s dropping off three well-groomed offspring, you’re shoving aside banana peels and empty soda cups to make room for your kid’s dog-hair-encrusted car seat. And you’re wearing your husband’s track pants with baby spit-up because they’re the only things that fit you right now.)

You can’t help but think…

Why does she have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, That Girl doesn’t have it all together. I know, because I coached her.

At a certain point, no matter who you are, coaching requires you to get a little bit honest and a little bit vulnerable. Yes, I’ve seen it all.

I’ve had women stand before me to get measurements taken, half-naked and feeling exposed in their underwear, without the soft lighting and baby oil used in photo shoots.

I’ve seen a lot of tears, even from the most rock-solid, wall-of-muscle types. (Think That Girl wouldn’t collapse into a ball of sobs on the floor of a public bathroom? Think again.)

I’ve heard it all. I’ve heard about the secret Oreo and Nutella binges, about the even-more-secret eating disorders, about the booze and the sneaky cigarettes and the injuries and the heartbreak and the crazy boss and the reasons why your mom always liked your sister best and why it feels like you can never measure up.

It doesn’t matter what size you are, whether you have abs, whether you know how to apply false eyelashes, or whether you’ve ever lifted a barbell in your life.

I’ve had your emotional throw-up all over me.

And it’s OK. It’s great, actually.

Really. You know why? Because…

“That Girl” doesn’t exist.

It’s easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing so much better than you.

After all, everybody’s social media feed tells you something different. Between Instagram and the fitness magazines and the “best booty beach body bikini bonanza” campaigns, it can seem like Everyone Else can handle their lives.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t.

It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

But the truth is:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Jessica Alba, not Michelle Rodriguez, not anyone.

That Girl doesn’t exist the way you think she does.

We are all imperfect, wonderful, messy, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in their lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, a good enough mom / wife / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Girl.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

I have good news for you, and I have bad news.

The good news is, if you’re looking to get into reasonable, moderate shape — or even pretty good shape — you are completely capable of doing so.

You can regain control of your life and your habits. You can overcome emotional eating issues. You can take care of others while still taking care of yourself. In fact, you can even build a body that you love, and are proud of.

I know. I know. That body-love probably seems crazy and impossible right now. But with some small, consistent changes, and support, these things are totally doable.

On the other hand, getting cover-model lean and ripped (especially if you want it to happen overnight and especially if you want it to last longer than 24 hours) probably won’t be worth your while.

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up a lot of your life to do this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

Sure, some people do this successfully. You could get Cameron-Diaz-ripped if you literally had nothing else to prioritize in your life.

But here’s the secret: Those people you see in the magazines (the people you imagine are “Everybody Else”) are professionals who make their living that way. 99.99 percent of us are not those people.

Those pros only look like that for a few hours or days. They pour thousands of hours and dollars into the project of getting super lean and ripped. Which means that even the 0.01 percent still don’t look like that all the time.

Nor are their lives awesome. In fact, arguably, their lives are much less awesome than you think. They’re eating three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at a family barbecue before they go and do their second workout of the day.

In short:

Getting into slightly better shape, or a slightly healthier routine, doesn’t take much effort. That may be what is realistic for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape takes tremendous sacrifice… and kinda sucks. It probably isn’t worth it for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape creates other problems. Because of the demands of their job, cover models are often less happy, healthy, and balanced than the average person. (If you’ve ever chased this dream, you may have discovered this firsthand in the form of workout injuries, anxiety and depression, disordered eating, hormonal disruption, social isolation, and a host of other problems.)

So if magazine covers are off the table at the moment, what can you do?

Step 2. Find new ‘That Girl’ inspiration.

How about your kid’s preschool teacher? She’s on her feet all day, spends recess playing tag with 4-year-olds, and has patience and calm like you’ve never seen. How does she keep up her energy?

Or the mom on your block who always seems like she’s having fun playing with her kids, and not afraid to get goofy or messy or even a little scratched up in the process. Does she have any advice for you?

What about the seventy-something who’s aging so gracefully? What has her daily routine looked like throughout the years?

Or consider your neighbor who’s so good at growing her own veggies — and always willing to share her sun-ripened tomatoes with you.

When our clients shift their perspective to “good enough”, “a little bit better”, or “just practicing”, their progress tends to pick up noticeably.

Why? They’re able to focus on something that actually works: small moments of health, fitness, and wellness that they can do… today.

Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 3. Learn to be OK with being “not OK”.

Nobody really has it all together; certainly not all the time. And we’re all at least a little bit “not OK”.

And that, paradoxically, is totally OK.

When you’re a Precision Nutrition Coaching client you’ll hear phrases like:

Step into the discomfort.

Let things be a bit messy.

You are human. You are normal. You are not a weirdo. You are not alone.

You’ll also hear questions like:

How might you make things a little bit simpler for yourself?

What does it feel like to sit with the discomfort of change?

How could you stretch yourself just a bit?

We help you deal with that “not OK-ness” because life is never going to be completely OK, 100 percent of the time.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your sister’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Girl. You might just not see it.

For instance:

48% of our female clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 33% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

27% of our female clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many of our female clients struggle with a “let’s call it complicated” relationship with food.

Plus, they feel overdrawn. After work, family, and household responsibilities, they often don’t feel like they have much left over for themselves. And despite all their knowledge about food and fitness, they struggle to be consistent and take care of themselves the way they’d like.

Many of these challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

We’ve been the ones wearing the baby barf sweatpants.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Girl, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection is your ticket to being your version of That Girl.

Step 4. For certain symptoms, explore deeper.

It’s OK to not be OK. None of us are 100 percent OK. At the same time, sometimes things are really not-OK, including:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

not menstruating (if you should be, i.e you’re not pregnant or post-menopause)

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health…

Sometimes, being in the depths of not-OK — maybe it’s triggered by a horrendously stressful situation at work, getting injured, or having lots of family obligations to fulfill — is the wake-up call we need to start working on being a little more OK.

Pay attention to your “dashboard indicator lights”.

Are your current struggles and imperfections more like garden-variety ups and downs? If they are, that’s just fine. It’s all part of being human.

On the other hand, if something feels really off, you might need a little extra help. You might talk to a trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 5. Chase your awesome.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or make the healthy dish you found on Pinterest, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing.

Find a work-around. Get help if you need it. Trust yourself to devise a system that works for you. For example…

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

If you don’t like cooking or working out alone, find someone else to do this with. Grab a friend for Sunday batch-cooking day, or check out a group class.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Girl. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one is good at squats the first time.

But it’s not until we can accept how things are right now — including how lost, overwhelmed, and vulnerable we sometimes feel — that we can change.

If we are willing to start where we are, a whole bunch of truly amazing things can happen:

We discover we don’t have to do it all by ourselves. We can ask for help (and receive that help graciously).

We evolve past an “all-or-nothing” attitude, to see the tiny joys and achievements that are everywhere.

We start to notice small improvements — in our bodies, our behavior, and our mental attitude. And feel really, really good about these things.

We can pick ourselves up after we fall down, and have the courage to keep going. Our confidence increases and we feel stronger and more resilient.

We start to do the things we didn’t think we could do. We look better, feel better, and discover that, somewhere along the way, we became…

… our own, unique, imperfect version of That Girl.

How did we do it?

By finding our own awesome.

Looking for it. Chasing it. Making it happen.

Right here, right now. In the middle of our messy, “so-not-That-Girl” lives.

What to do next

Most women I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Girl. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching feel like they’ve “failed” at losing weight and getting in shape a bunch of times by the time they come to us.

For women, that leads to lots of negative feelings — especially shame and sadness.

But when I look at you, I don’t see a “failure”. I see hope, courage and persistence. Because after every time you’ve fallen off the wagon, even if you’ve fallen so hard that your head is still spinning, you get back up. You keep trying. You keep hoping.

I don’t see every time you ended a fitness program or a nutrition plan. I see every time you tried to start again.

Now that’s courage. So I don’t have to “inspire” or “motivate” you. Your hope springs eternal.

As a coach, my job is to help you start better, and keep going on the right path — a path that works for you, and your busy, messy, real, “imperfect” life.

And, at Precision Nutrition, we want to help you learn and discover what does work for you, so you can just keep on doing it, and enjoying it. Finding the right path for your unique needs is what will help you regain ownership over your body, your health, and your “That Girl-ness”.

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Instead of an imaginary, plastic, magazine-cover That Girl, imagine yourself… living the kind of life you want to live.

Be specific. What is That Girl doing at 3pm on a Tuesday? What does she do, or think about, or remember, when she wakes up in the morning? What does she have for lunch?

How does she think about the world? What kinds of decisions does she make about her life? What kinds of adventures does she have, and what makes those possible?

For example… is she lifting heavy weights and rocking tank tops? Doing ‘mud runs’ with her kids? Finally getting rehab for her old shoulder injury and actually doing chin-ups? Hiking in the Andes?

Don’t box yourself in with a rigid, narrow ideal. Go big and zesty with your imagined future. That Girl is having a juicy life. How?

3. Build workarounds / bridges on the path to That Girl.

OK, now, break that inspirational role model’s daily routine into very, very tiny pieces.

Maybe you imagined what she had for lunch. Now imagine her just opening the fridge. In that moment, what is she thinking? What is she doing? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe you imagined what she did for her exercise, like hiking a gorgeous outdoor trail, or surfing, or tango dancing. Now imagine her just putting her hiking boots on, or stepping into the surf. In that moment, what is she thinking? How is she taking on this adventure? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe your version of “surfing” today is dipping your toes in the local pool at the Y. Maybe your version of mountain climbing today is walking your aging pug up a stiff hill. Maybe your version of sexy tango today is wiggling your slightly arthritic hips to “Bootylicious” as you make dinner for the kids. Good enough. Now you’ve started.

Become an engineer of your life: Start with the outcome you want, and work backward. Break that outcome down into tinier and tinier pieces until you arrive at something you can do in the next five minutes to work towards that goal, and that life, and that ultimate adventure.

Take one small problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and play with different ways to solve it. How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Girl.

Adopt her confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things she is. Strut a little when you walk. Cruise hiking boot websites and dream of mountains. Whisper to yourself that you, and not cruel fate, are the boss of your life.

Would That Girl do an extra rep or an extra 100 meters? Would That Girl sign up for a Zumba class even though she steps on her own feet? Would That Girl wear the crazy-colored workout tights that she loves, even though some jerk told her she had a big bum when she was 15?

How would That Girl kick the world in the ass today? And how can you at least start to pretend to do the same… until you practice so much, you forget that kicking the world in the ass wasn’t your natural habit?

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Girl’s habits, one at a time and little by little, you may eventually find yourself living a much more fabulous life in a much stronger, happier, healthier body.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project. Nobody — not even Beyoncé — is that independent.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Girl”?

Do you need to add people to your “Project OK” team? Such as a trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

The post I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action. published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

[oovitus]

I want to be ‘That Girl’. How you can successfully turn body envy into action.

Ah, That Girl. She’s got a defined waist, hair that looks styled even when it’s not, and a noticeable lack of kid throw-up on her sweater.

After coaching thousands of clients, I can confidently say: Wanting to be That Girl can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you. Here’s what to do about it.

++++

Ever look at someone, and think, “wow, she’s really got it all together”?

Maybe you’ve wondered what her secret is.

Maybe you’ve also wondered why you can’t seem to get things together the same way.

Not. Even. Close.

Your desire to be “That Girl” can either propel you toward your goal… or completely paralyze you.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the truth about “That Girl.” (Hint: it’s not something you’ll find on her super-polished Facebook profile or her gorgeous #nofilter Instagram feed.)

And I’ll show you how to use this kind of comparison to work for you, instead of against you.

++++

Before digging in, however, I wanted to let you know that soon we’ll be opening up spots in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program.

You see, twice a year we work with small groups of men and women hoping to look better, feel better, and gain control over their health and fitness.

Over the course of 12 months together, we help them get into the best shape of their lives… and stay that way for good.

For a sneak peek at the amazing things we’ve helped our clients accomplish, check out this short video:

Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.

  Want to learn even more? Join the Presale List Today.

  During the Precision Nutrition Coaching program we’ll guide you through important, permanent improvements in your eating, exercise, body, and health.

The results?

You’ll lose the weight (and body fat) you haven’t been able to shed for years. You’ll build physical strength and gain confidence. And you’ll end up feeling like the healthiest, strongest, fittest version of yourself.

In other words, we’ll help you become your own version of “That Girl”.

Which brings us back to today’s article…

++++

So there’s this woman. She’s awesome. Inspiring, even.

She looks fabulous, confident, and comfortable in her own skin. She’s into Pilates or running or Crossfit or kale juice or something else that keeps her full of energy.

She rocks Lululemon pants and skinny jeans. Yes, even after three angelic children.

She totally, completely has it all together. And she’s the number one request from women who join Precision Nutrition Coaching:

I want to be That Girl.

We all know That Girl.

That Girl is a lawyer, or a neurosurgeon, or an international diplomat, or perhaps a stay-at-home mother. Whatever she does, she excels at it and is fulfilled.

You can find her on social media using hashtags like #honored and #grateful and #blessed — and she means it.

“Make me look like That Girl.”

Twenty-plus years ago, That Girl was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.

These days, she’s Jessica Alba or Michelle Rodriguez or Kendall Jenner on Instagram.

And, on the home front, you might have seen That Girl at school drop-off, at the grocery store, or dominating the running trails.

(Of course, while she’s dropping off three well-groomed offspring, you’re shoving aside banana peels and empty soda cups to make room for your kid’s dog-hair-encrusted car seat. And you’re wearing your husband’s track pants with baby spit-up because they’re the only things that fit you right now.)

You can’t help but think…

Why does she have it all together, when I so clearly do not?

Actually, That Girl doesn’t have it all together. I know, because I coached her.

At a certain point, no matter who you are, coaching requires you to get a little bit honest and a little bit vulnerable. Yes, I’ve seen it all.

I’ve had women stand before me to get measurements taken, half-naked and feeling exposed in their underwear, without the soft lighting and baby oil used in photo shoots.

I’ve seen a lot of tears, even from the most rock-solid, wall-of-muscle types. (Think That Girl wouldn’t collapse into a ball of sobs on the floor of a public bathroom? Think again.)

I’ve heard it all. I’ve heard about the secret Oreo and Nutella binges, about the even-more-secret eating disorders, about the booze and the sneaky cigarettes and the injuries and the heartbreak and the crazy boss and the reasons why your mom always liked your sister best and why it feels like you can never measure up.

It doesn’t matter what size you are, whether you have abs, whether you know how to apply false eyelashes, or whether you’ve ever lifted a barbell in your life.

I’ve had your emotional throw-up all over me.

And it’s OK. It’s great, actually.

Really. You know why? Because…

“That Girl” doesn’t exist.

It’s easy to believe that Everyone Else is doing so much better than you.

After all, everybody’s social media feed tells you something different. Between Instagram and the fitness magazines and the “best booty beach body bikini bonanza” campaigns, it can seem like Everyone Else can handle their lives.

Everyone Else is losing weight or gaining muscle or getting fitter so much faster and more effortlessly than you.

Everyone Else has their shit together. Everyone Else has everything you don’t.

It feels like you’re the only person in the world with your problems. That it’s much harder for you than for everyone else.

But the truth is:

There is no Everyone Else.

You see…

No one can escape the reality of family and deadlines and the thermodynamic laws that govern metabolism.

Not Jessica Alba, not Michelle Rodriguez, not anyone.

That Girl doesn’t exist the way you think she does.

We are all imperfect, wonderful, messy, very-much-human beings with hopes and fears and desires and neuroses and jobs and lives and kids and dogs or cats and family demands and toilets that need unclogging and lines-becoming-wrinkles and hangnails and alarms that go off too early and a love of chocolate-chip cookies… and all the rest of reality.

None of it gets easier with make-believe.

It’s only once we’re able to be honest about what’s going on in their lives — to stop worrying about being the only person who isn’t fit enough, smart enough, together enough, getting enough things done in a day, a good enough mom / wife / worker, whatever — that we can start becoming our own versions of That Girl.

Want to know how it’s done? Check out these 6 steps.

Step 1. Reconsider your expectations.

I have good news for you, and I have bad news.

The good news is, if you’re looking to get into reasonable, moderate shape — or even pretty good shape — you are completely capable of doing so.

You can regain control of your life and your habits. You can overcome emotional eating issues. You can take care of others while still taking care of yourself. In fact, you can even build a body that you love, and are proud of.

I know. I know. That body-love probably seems crazy and impossible right now. But with some small, consistent changes, and support, these things are totally doable.

On the other hand, getting cover-model lean and ripped (especially if you want it to happen overnight and especially if you want it to last longer than 24 hours) probably won’t be worth your while.

As we explored in our article The Cost of Getting Lean, getting into magazine-cover shape is intense. You have to give up a lot of your life to do this.

You eat out of Tupperware. You measure everything that goes into your mouth. Your entire routine revolves around eating (or not eating), working out, and sleeping so you have enough energy to work out again.

Sure, some people do this successfully. You could get Cameron-Diaz-ripped if you literally had nothing else to prioritize in your life.

But here’s the secret: Those people you see in the magazines (the people you imagine are “Everybody Else”) are professionals who make their living that way. 99.99 percent of us are not those people.

Those pros only look like that for a few hours or days. They pour thousands of hours and dollars into the project of getting super lean and ripped. Which means that even the 0.01 percent still don’t look like that all the time.

Nor are their lives awesome. In fact, arguably, their lives are much less awesome than you think. They’re eating three ounces of plain cold chicken out of a Ziploc bag at a family barbecue before they go and do their second workout of the day.

In short:

Getting into slightly better shape, or a slightly healthier routine, doesn’t take much effort. That may be what is realistic for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape takes tremendous sacrifice… and kinda sucks. It probably isn’t worth it for most of us, right now.

Getting into epic shape creates other problems. Because of the demands of their job, cover models are often less happy, healthy, and balanced than the average person. (If you’ve ever chased this dream, you may have discovered this firsthand in the form of workout injuries, anxiety and depression, disordered eating, hormonal disruption, social isolation, and a host of other problems.)

So if magazine covers are off the table at the moment, what can you do?

Step 2. Find new ‘That Girl’ inspiration.

How about your kid’s preschool teacher? She’s on her feet all day, spends recess playing tag with 4-year-olds, and has patience and calm like you’ve never seen. How does she keep up her energy?

Or the mom on your block who always seems like she’s having fun playing with her kids, and not afraid to get goofy or messy or even a little scratched up in the process. Does she have any advice for you?

What about the seventy-something who’s aging so gracefully? What has her daily routine looked like throughout the years?

Or consider your neighbor who’s so good at growing her own veggies — and always willing to share her sun-ripened tomatoes with you.

When our clients shift their perspective to “good enough”, “a little bit better”, or “just practicing”, their progress tends to pick up noticeably.

Why? They’re able to focus on something that actually works: small moments of health, fitness, and wellness that they can do… today.

Success is almost always built from putting small things on top of small things on top of small things… until they’re transformed into big things.

Step 3. Learn to be OK with being “not OK”.

Nobody really has it all together; certainly not all the time. And we’re all at least a little bit “not OK”.

And that, paradoxically, is totally OK.

When you’re a Precision Nutrition Coaching client you’ll hear phrases like:

Step into the discomfort.

Let things be a bit messy.

You are human. You are normal. You are not a weirdo. You are not alone.

You’ll also hear questions like:

How might you make things a little bit simpler for yourself?

What does it feel like to sit with the discomfort of change?

How could you stretch yourself just a bit?

We help you deal with that “not OK-ness” because life is never going to be completely OK, 100 percent of the time.

It’s not going anywhere. Grappling with pain — whether that’s actual pain and suffering, or just small daily annoyances — is part of being human.

As adults, we recognize life’s complexity and richness. Wanting to “be perfect” or “have it all” is not an adult wish. It’s a child wish: to have all the toys, all the time, even your sister’s.

Everyone has a struggle, even That Girl. You might just not see it.

For instance:

48% of our female clients take prescription medication.

Of those taking meds, 33% take antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication.

36% of our clients have injuries. And many struggle with chronic pain.

27% of our female clients are over 50. (Even if you’re healthy, aging brings its own challenges.)

In addition, many of our female clients struggle with a “let’s call it complicated” relationship with food.

Plus, they feel overdrawn. After work, family, and household responsibilities, they often don’t feel like they have much left over for themselves. And despite all their knowledge about food and fitness, they struggle to be consistent and take care of themselves the way they’d like.

Many of these challenges are invisible. You often can’t see pain or disability. You often can’t see psychological distress. Unless you see someone pop a pill, you don’t know what they’re taking.

And guess what — the PN staff struggle with the exact same things.

We have injuries. Or had them. Or will have them.

We’ve struggled with mental and emotional health sometimes. Or often.

We’ve struggled with addictions — whether that’s to work, or exercise, or food, or alcohol, or anything else that someone could get hooked on.

We’ve gained too much weight, or been scrawny, or gone weeks or months without working out.

We’ve been the ones wearing the baby barf sweatpants.

No matter what the challenge is, at least a few of us have faced it.

And remember, That Girl, who looks so fit and healthy, may be in the middle of a long and difficult journey.

Like the cancer survivors whom we coached through post-treatment rehab.

Like people who are coming back from an injury or illness.

Like people who just have so much on their metaphorical plate, and feel every emotion — stress, happiness, sadness, you name it — as hunger.

No matter how someone looks, you don’t know what it’s taken to get where they are today. We’re all out here in the field together. Trying our best under imperfect circumstances.

Accepting imperfection is your ticket to being your version of That Girl.

Step 4. For certain symptoms, explore deeper.

It’s OK to not be OK. None of us are 100 percent OK. At the same time, sometimes things are really not-OK, including:

chronic insomnia or poor quality sleep

chronic pain or lack of mobility

frequent injuries and/or illnesses

chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns

chronic social isolation and relationship difficulties

chronic lethargy and lack of energy

not menstruating (if you should be, i.e you’re not pregnant or post-menopause)

feeling like you need alcohol or recreational drugs to function

concerns with food, eating, and/or exercise that seem to be taking over your life and/or harming your health…

Sometimes, being in the depths of not-OK — maybe it’s triggered by a horrendously stressful situation at work, getting injured, or having lots of family obligations to fulfill — is the wake-up call we need to start working on being a little more OK.

Pay attention to your “dashboard indicator lights”.

Are your current struggles and imperfections more like garden-variety ups and downs? If they are, that’s just fine. It’s all part of being human.

On the other hand, if something feels really off, you might need a little extra help. You might talk to a trained coach, counselor, or other health care professional.

Step 5. Chase your awesome.

It’s not all-or-nothing. If you can’t do an exercise or make the healthy dish you found on Pinterest, don’t let it be a reason to do nothing.

Find a work-around. Get help if you need it. Trust yourself to devise a system that works for you. For example…

If your knees aren’t as sturdy as they used to be, think about branching out from your usual running routine. Or ask a coach how an exercise can be modified.

If you don’t like cooking or working out alone, find someone else to do this with. Grab a friend for Sunday batch-cooking day, or check out a group class.

Having trouble “finding time” for things? Get out a calendar and start planning. Book appointments with yourself. Track your time so you spot inefficiencies. Set alarms and reminders, stick Post-it notes, do whatever it takes.

Everyone has to work at it, even That Girl. Especially at the beginning.

People hate the feeling of exercise when they’re out of shape. People suck when they start a new sport. No one is good at squats the first time.

But it’s not until we can accept how things are right now — including how lost, overwhelmed, and vulnerable we sometimes feel — that we can change.

If we are willing to start where we are, a whole bunch of truly amazing things can happen:

We discover we don’t have to do it all by ourselves. We can ask for help (and receive that help graciously).

We evolve past an “all-or-nothing” attitude, to see the tiny joys and achievements that are everywhere.

We start to notice small improvements — in our bodies, our behavior, and our mental attitude. And feel really, really good about these things.

We can pick ourselves up after we fall down, and have the courage to keep going. Our confidence increases and we feel stronger and more resilient.

We start to do the things we didn’t think we could do. We look better, feel better, and discover that, somewhere along the way, we became…

… our own, unique, imperfect version of That Girl.

How did we do it?

By finding our own awesome.

Looking for it. Chasing it. Making it happen.

Right here, right now. In the middle of our messy, “so-not-That-Girl” lives.

What to do next

Most women I’ve coached spend a lot of time thinking about That Girl. But instead of feeling inspired, they feel paralyzed. That’s when we focus on the following:

1. Don’t get hung up on failures.

Most people who enroll in Precision Nutrition Coaching feel like they’ve “failed” at losing weight and getting in shape a bunch of times by the time they come to us.

For women, that leads to lots of negative feelings — especially shame and sadness.

But when I look at you, I don’t see a “failure”. I see hope, courage and persistence. Because after every time you’ve fallen off the wagon, even if you’ve fallen so hard that your head is still spinning, you get back up. You keep trying. You keep hoping.

I don’t see every time you ended a fitness program or a nutrition plan. I see every time you tried to start again.

Now that’s courage. So I don’t have to “inspire” or “motivate” you. Your hope springs eternal.

As a coach, my job is to help you start better, and keep going on the right path — a path that works for you, and your busy, messy, real, “imperfect” life.

And, at Precision Nutrition, we want to help you learn and discover what does work for you, so you can just keep on doing it, and enjoying it. Finding the right path for your unique needs is what will help you regain ownership over your body, your health, and your “That Girl-ness”.

2. Think about what success looks like for you.

Instead of an imaginary, plastic, magazine-cover That Girl, imagine yourself… living the kind of life you want to live.

Be specific. What is That Girl doing at 3pm on a Tuesday? What does she do, or think about, or remember, when she wakes up in the morning? What does she have for lunch?

How does she think about the world? What kinds of decisions does she make about her life? What kinds of adventures does she have, and what makes those possible?

For example… is she lifting heavy weights and rocking tank tops? Doing ‘mud runs’ with her kids? Finally getting rehab for her old shoulder injury and actually doing chin-ups? Hiking in the Andes?

Don’t box yourself in with a rigid, narrow ideal. Go big and zesty with your imagined future. That Girl is having a juicy life. How?

3. Build workarounds / bridges on the path to That Girl.

OK, now, break that inspirational role model’s daily routine into very, very tiny pieces.

Maybe you imagined what she had for lunch. Now imagine her just opening the fridge. In that moment, what is she thinking? What is she doing? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe you imagined what she did for her exercise, like hiking a gorgeous outdoor trail, or surfing, or tango dancing. Now imagine her just putting her hiking boots on, or stepping into the surf. In that moment, what is she thinking? How is she taking on this adventure? Start there, in that small moment.

Maybe your version of “surfing” today is dipping your toes in the local pool at the Y. Maybe your version of mountain climbing today is walking your aging pug up a stiff hill. Maybe your version of sexy tango today is wiggling your slightly arthritic hips to “Bootylicious” as you make dinner for the kids. Good enough. Now you’ve started.

Become an engineer of your life: Start with the outcome you want, and work backward. Break that outcome down into tinier and tinier pieces until you arrive at something you can do in the next five minutes to work towards that goal, and that life, and that ultimate adventure.

Take one small problem at a time — one barrier to eating well or working out, and play with different ways to solve it. How can you overcome that one obstacle today? Can you do it again tomorrow?

4. Just start acting like That Girl.

Adopt her confidence. Assume you’re capable of the things she is. Strut a little when you walk. Cruise hiking boot websites and dream of mountains. Whisper to yourself that you, and not cruel fate, are the boss of your life.

Would That Girl do an extra rep or an extra 100 meters? Would That Girl sign up for a Zumba class even though she steps on her own feet? Would That Girl wear the crazy-colored workout tights that she loves, even though some jerk told her she had a big bum when she was 15?

How would That Girl kick the world in the ass today? And how can you at least start to pretend to do the same… until you practice so much, you forget that kicking the world in the ass wasn’t your natural habit?

No, you can’t lose 40 pounds or get ripped overnight. But if you just take on a few of That Girl’s habits, one at a time and little by little, you may eventually find yourself living a much more fabulous life in a much stronger, happier, healthier body.

5. Start assembling your team.

Truth: Life is not a do-it-yourself project. Nobody — not even Beyoncé — is that independent.

So, ask yourself:

Who do you need in your life to help you become the person you want to be?

What support systems will you need to become your own version of “That Girl”?

Do you need to add people to your “Project OK” team? Such as a trusted buddy or family member, a coach, counselor, or other health care provider? If so, find them and share your vision with them. Ask for what you need. Let them help.

Change does not happen spontaneously. Along with helpers, you need systems. Things that remind you, guide you, help you, fill in the gaps for you, and generally help you stay more or less on track.

Start actively seeking out the support systems that will help you get to where you want to go.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

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