To read how I joined the Elite24 Group, click here.
To learn about Elite24's Mission & Values, click here.
To buy the single most valuable book on fitness and nutrition, click here (men) or here (women).
Disclaimer: There will be many pictures of me shirtless, flexing, and showing off my body in this post. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!
On March 12, 2018, my fitness journey alongside Elite24 began. Elite24 is led by two men, Randy and Andre, who are considered Extreme Athletes. Extreme Athletes are those who live for hiking to the top of the highest peaks, skydiving, rock climbing, and all things that require the MAX from one's body. (To learn more of Elite24's Mission and Values, click here or read to the end of this post and it will be there)
Although I never dreamed of being an extreme athlete, I've always had the desire to be in my best physical shape and be the physically sexiest version of me (aka six pack!). Take one look at Andre or Randy and it's clear that Extreme Athletes indeed have what I want.
Elite24 Coaches Andre (left) and Randy (right)
For the next 30 days, the intention was to experience what the lifestyle of a true athlete is like in terms of nutrition, exercise, and most of all character. My ultimate goal is to have a six pack that shows without flexing. What I discovered is that by joining a group of people who already have the results I want, and walk the talk in terms of being in line with their fitness goals, that I too will achieve my fitness goals with relative ease.
In this post I will share with you the action steps that led to this loss of 4.5% body fat. Along with the action steps, I'll share with you the mindset that had me STICK to the action steps. Lastly, I'll share with you some key breakthroughs that had me create the type of certainty, energy, and motivation to keep going despite those moments of laziness, resistance, and fear of failure (and success).
The Action Steps
The formula to getting the results I have is straightforward:
calorie deficit + proper nutrition + proper exercise + adequate rest = lose 4.5% body fat
I'll break each of those down now.
Calorie Deficit: To expend (exercise) more calories than you intake (eat/drink).
If you lose more calories than you gain, every day, consistently, you'll lose weight. It's simple science. Notice that I didn't even say healthy/unhealthy calories. If you eat 2,000 calories of all cheetohs, and exercise 2,500 calories out, you'll have a deficit of -500 calories and you'll have lost weight that day.
However, the goal isn't simply weight loss or loss of body fat, the goal is to have a body that functions optimally such that you can perform at a high level physically, and you can metabolize and recover efficiently.
So, the goal isn't to just lose calories, it's to eat the right foods that will create the ideal internal situation for your body, and at the same time expending more energy than you take in (aka calories).
Action wise, I enter my foods on calorie tracker app called "MyFitnessPal" and keep a widget on the home page of my phone so I can see how my calorie count is throughout the day.
However, because I exercise hard on a daily basis, and eat well, I'm not that concerned about making sure I have a calorie deficit on the app itself. I KNOW that I'm getting a calorie deficit just with the way I exercise and eat.
BUT, by tracking on the app itself, on those days when I DO eat a little more sugary and calorie rich foods that AREN'T healthy, I can clearly see the effects.
These two links include what a Calorie Deficient and Calorie Surplus day looks for me
Example of Calorie Deficient (lose weight)
Example of Calorie Surplus (gain weight)
Proper Nutrition: Eating the right amount of proteins, fats, and carbs that create the optimal body functions aka metabolism and recovery.
This is what the first grocery run looked like once I joined Elite24. Most grocery runs look similar now a days.
Continuing with the cheetoh example, cheetohs and most processed foods are rich in carbs, sugar, and fat. Although they taste delicious, they effect the way the body works in ways that usually hinder or make things less efficient for the body.
Furthermore, the body is a chemical factory and needs certain settings in order to work optimally. When we have the right amount of protein, carbs, and fats going, aka the right settings, then things work as best as possible. When the settings are off, and we have a surplus of carbs and a deficiency in protein for example, then things will not go smoothly.
Action wise, this is what I do:
Elite24 have a general meal plan and meal structure we follow:
1. Eat every three hours
2. Have at least 15g of protein every meal
3. Veggies on veggies
4. Clean protein sources (aka salmon or chicken breast)
5. VERY LIMITED PROCESSED FOODS AND SUGARS.
6. Set yourself up for success; aka PREPARE/PLAN
Here's a sample of my daily meal plan when it's perfect (lol):
- 7am breakfast: Herabalife Meal Replacement Shake
- (Carbs 23g, Fat 6g, Protein 17g, Cals 220)
- 10am snack: Hummus/Rice Cake/Mozzarella Cheese Stick
- (Carbs 23g, Fat 16g, Protein 12g, Cals 290)
- 1pm lunch: Salmon, Broccoli, Sweet Potato, Avocado
- (Carbs 34g, Fat 12.5g, Protein 28.5g, Cals 367)
- 3pm snack: Half of a Kombucha/Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels
- (Carbs 30g, Fat 10.5g, Protein 7.5g, Cals 30)
- 6pm dinner: Salmon, Broccoli, Egg
- (Carbs 6.4g, Fat 6.8g, Protein 30g, Cals 219)
- 9pm snack: Hummus/Rice Cake/Mozzarella Cheese Stick
- (Carbs 23g, Fat 16g, Protein 12g, Cals 290)
Total: Carbs 110g, Fat 70g, Protein 115g, Cals 1500
Mind you, RARELY does my meal plan look this PERFECT. Here's more accurately what my meals look like lately:
- 9am: Meal Replacement Shake
- 11am: Two Cheese Sticks
- 2pm: Poki Bowl
- 5pm: Two Bags of SunChips and a Cheese stick
- 8pm: Salmon and Broccoli
- 11pm: Sunflower Seeds, Sunchips, and Granola Bar
My whole point is this, I'm not perfect, but I follow rules and stick to them at a rate that leads to my results. I truly limit my processed food consumption and don't get much sugar in. Especially during the 6 week period when I lost nearly 5% body fat, I was VERY consistent.
The take away message in terms of food and nutrition is that you MUST limit your processed food and sugar intake, replace it with balanced, nutritious rich meals/snacks, and treat your body like a machine.
Eat less for pleasure and more for function.
OH, and on the topic of eating foods you love, DO IT. Do not starve yourself of them. HOWEVER, be clear of the effects of eating them. Therefore, 75-85% of the time, be on top of your macros (carbs, fats, proteins) and calories, and 15-25% of the time just eat for pleasure with FULL PERMISSION.
I can bet, that for those who are not in shape, you're eating shitty 75-85% of the time and eating well 15-25% of the time (if that). Just switch it around. No need to go ALL IN. No need to go the rest of your life without a soda. You've already tried that shit 100 times and never made it to your deathbed going completely soda-free. My guess is that's not what you really want.
It's not that you want to go soda-less. It's that you want to be thinner, stronger, faster, and more in shape in general. Find a way to get the results you want AND enjoy the process.
Proper Exercise: The exercises that will lead to your fitness/performance goals.
To get the 5% body fat loss, my workout regimen consisted of three things:
1) a workout of the day (WOD) supplied by my coach (10-40 minutes of HIIT cardio)
2) Saturday HIIT cardio Bootcamp
3) Pick-up basketball 2x a week
Every day, EVERY SINGLE FUCKING DAY, I do a HIIT cardio workout that lasts between 10-40 minutes. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. You know that "Insanity" workout? or "P90X"? Those are classic, popular HIIT workouts.
Every night I get a text from my coach like this explaining the tomorrow's WOD.
Workouts of the day typically look like the one above, or like the ones below(no equipment or gym membership required):
3 Rounds of 20 burpees, 20 situps, 20 squats, 20 pushups
OR
Run a mile, 10 burpees, Run a mile, 10 burpees, Run a mile , 10 burpees
Guess what though, these workouts BURN, they HURT, but they WORK. And honestly, they don't hurt that bad. And really, it gets "easier" over time.
The pain and suffering I used to experience at the beginning has been replaced with a "game-on" mentality.
As for the the Saturday Bootcamps, I recommend reading this: https://www.gfsantos.com/dailyblog/2018/3/31/why-being-the-weakest-link-makes-you-stronger?rq=elite24
Here's the take away message for the exercise part: The goal isn't just to do the exercise, the goal is to EXERT yourself and work your body (muscles and heart). Don't just have ass it. GO for it. Push your limits. Be willing to FAIL. Be willing to push it where you have to fucking scream and yell in order to finish the set. Don't be a bitch (lol).
There's no escaping the need for exercise. The goal is to find a plan that WORKS, first of all, and then make sure it's something you actually enjoy and can SUSTAIN.
Just because Arnold Schwarzenegger worked out 7 days a week, 3x a day does not mean you have to do it. That said, if you want results like his, your regimen will probably require something VERY similar.
If you don't like running, you have two options - don't run, or learn to run. Point is, there's SO many creative ways to get the results you want and ENJOY it. By ENJOY, I don't mean feel like you're on the couch watching your favorite TV show and eating a bag of chips. By ENJOY I mean at the very least its tolerable, and ideally it's something that feels less like you HAVE to do it and something you can actually find pleasure in.
The reality is that having the body you want takes time, and in order to KEEP the body you want you must CONTINUE doing things that sustain those results. Not for a fucking day or even a year, BUT FOR FUCKING LIFE. So, yes, create a exercise process that you enjoy and can do for a lifetime, cause that's what you'll be doing.
Adequate Rest: The amount of rest required for your muscles and body to recover
In my past "fitness journeys" I never actually knew how important rest is in the equation. Logically, it makes sense.
Just as you need to fuel your body in order for it to work optimally, you need to let your body rest in order for it to work optimally. Therefore, REST has a purpose. REST is just as important as exercising, eating nutritiously, and maintaining a calorie deficit.
You MUST treat rest like you would going to the gym - MUST do it. It's EQUALLY as important. Cannot stress that enough.
Plus, it's not just necessary for your fitness results, it's also necessary for your daily energy and focus.
Personally, I averaged about 5.5 hours of sleep in order to get those results. I learned, through experimentation, that 5.5 hours is the minimum amount of sleep I need in order to wake up refreshed and energized. Apparently, it's also adequate enough for me to lose 5% body fat and look the way I do.
LIKE THIS:
My Elite24 Mindset: Only Champions Do What I Do, & I'm A Champion
Something I learned from my time at Landmark was the importance of creating an Empowering Context. An Empowering Context is a mental framework, kind of like a belief system, that fuels the way we experience something.
For example, a DISempowering context around fitness and eating right is something like "this sucks, I hate this, I don't want to do it." This is literally the mindset, or disempowering context, I had when I first joined Elite24.
I quickly realized that if I wanted to make it through this Elite24 challenge and actually enjoy it, I needed to create an EMPOWERING context.
So, I created this: I Am A Champion, Only 1% Of People Actually Do What I Do, and I'm Part of That 1%.
You see the difference? This mindset has me be a fucking CHAMPION. It EMPOWERS me to take action cause it hits certain values and emotions that work for me.
Whereas a shitty context like "I hate this" or "this sucks" literally would make anyone NOT want to do something. Doesn't matter if it were a 5 mile run or taking out the trash.
Think about what your context is around certain things. Say you love being on social media. What's your default context? It may be subconscious at first, but if you take some time to discover it, it's probably something like "this is fun, I love this, I'm so addicted to this."
Whereas something you hate, or resist, like getting up early in the morning, has a context like "omfg, I want to die right now, all I want to do is sleep."
It's pretty clear the power of both the negative and positive contexts we have. Thing is, we MUST be responsible for creating empowering contexts around areas that we resist, but are necessary in order for us to achieve the results we want AND enjoy it.
Feel me?
Breakthroughs
I've had a ton of breakthroughs throughout this experience. I list them in bullet form for ya now:
- accountability is key
- it's 100% my fault if I succeed or fail
- Heart Rate is key
- REST is key
- NUTRITION is key
- being a part of a group of people who ALREADY have my results is key
- following leaders that walk the talk is key
- surrounding myself with people who are dedicated to success is key
- you don't have to love it, but you do have to do it
- NUMBERS DON'T LIE
- progress is addicting
I'd say out of all the breakthroughs I've listed, the BIGGEST one was realizing the importance of accountability and being a part of a group that is ALREADY producing results. OH, and the fact that I PAY $50 a month (soon to be $175 for full price) is important. That money is my "skin in the game" so to speak. It's a cheap price to pay for the results I'm getting and the support to goes with it.
TRUST.
CONCLUSION: I am a Champion and so are you.
Prior to joining Elite24 on March 12, I had created a personal fitness goal of having less than 12% body fat by the end of 2018. I was 20.1% body fat at the time. As you can see, I'm going to obliterate that goal with ease and achieve it well before the end of the year.
Had I known what's possible, I wouldn't have made the target date so long. But, I didn't know. Plus, I'd never reached 12% body fat before, so I was just guessing.
For anyone reading this, I've had dreams of having abs without flexing for YEARS. Thing is, in all those years I never had it. I'd always go 1 month of being on top of it and then falling off. I'd literally fluctuate between 20% and 15% body fat for years.
What's transformed in my journey is that I am surrounded by people who have the results and who will keep me accountable. Literally, I know with FULL certainty that my goal of having less than 12% body fat and having abs that show without flexing will happen soon.
I'm clear what the action steps are. I'm clear that I'm 100% responsible for my results. I'm clear that this is a lifestyle, not a short-term thing. I'm clear that in order for me to keep this up, I must live under the empowering context that I AM A CHAMPION.
Guess what? I AM A CHAMPION.
If you are reading this and you don't have the body you want, it's cause you don't identify as a champion in some way. Champions don't treat their bodies anything less than a temple.
You are a champion, but you believe otherwise. It's the grand illusion, amongst others.
You do not win the championship in order to be a champion. That's just validation of what's inside. That's for others to know.
You are a champion well before you win. You MUST be a champion in order to win a championship. Get that?
Ask Kobe. Ask Conor Mcgregor. Ask Mayweather. Ask Obama. Ask Kanye. Ask Logic. Ask Curry.
All of them, champions before they championed. Promise you.
We are the same. They are no different than any of us.
We are all champions. Now live it.
Much Love,
GS (p.s. be sure to buy the books below to gain the knowledge that will empower you to create the results you want in fitness and in life; the Elite24 Mission and Values are below)
ABOUT ELITE 24:
OUR MISSION: To turn athletes into extreme / high performing sports & recreation athletes by creating a roadmap using FITNESS, NUTRITION and ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES as a foundation. To encourage and give our athletes the tools to be diverse with their lifestyle and provide coaching as a means of achieving their fitness, sports and adventure goals.
OUR VALUES: To treat our MALE, FEMALE and YOUTH athletes with respect and encourage them to be united in their fitness, nutrition and sports/adventure goals. To challenge our athletes to be physically and mentally prepared for the lifestyle they are about to experience. To encourage our athletes to be diverse with their sports/adventures.
OUR COMMITMENT: To make YOU, the extreme / high performing lifestyle athlete you have always dreamt of!
