Full Strength LIFE

How to Restore, Revive, Renew and Reboot Your Energy

If you’re couch gets ripped or torn, you repair it. When you’re lawn or garden wilt, you revive it.

Do you treat your most precious resource—yourself—with anywhere near equal respect?

Congratulations if you do for most people don’t even come close to offering their body-minds the sort of attention they’d give their car.

I just ran across this ad from a local marketing expert (I found him reading his review of The Last Lecture… but that’s a story for another day).

This ad got me thinking about the importance of self-care and the single most overlooked aspect living a vibrant, healthy, fit life: Renewal.

Renewal, or rejuvenation, is the Yin to exercise and training’s Yang. It’s no less vital to your life energy and fitness than the exhale is to the inhale. In the absence of one, there other is not. 

This is why in Strength for Life the first move towards a life @ Full Strength is not one of action but inaction. It’s not to “do” but to “undo.” This reset is achieved through a simple, yet stunningly effective, 12-day Reboot for Body and Mind.

As I suspected, and the feedback has affirmed, this Reboot is the best, most vital first move towards any effective fitness pursuit, be it Transformation or a season of racing.

The black-hole where recovery would normally go is where the energy is escaping from our lives. It’s a hole you can’t plug with more coffee and sound you can not quiet without rest.

It’s the elephant in the room, the not-so-secret secret no one wants to talk about. Perhaps to mention it is to reconnect people with the limits of being human. Yet, choosing to pretend it’s not there, to continue to walk around it, makes all life many times more difficult.

As a result of ignoring your nature, cutting of your half that rests, we end up climbing harder and seeing fewer tangible results. It’s what’s making you crazy, driving you harder and killing your progress.

Ready to elevate your results—in fitness, relationships and life?

Revive your Strength and Energy with the the 12-Day Reboot from Strength for Life. In less than 2 short works you’ll feel more energy, more alive and better, stronger and clearer than you have in years—and be asking, “Shawn, why didn’t you tell me this a year ago?”

GUYS: get Focused, Get Fit for Summer...FAST with "The 2 for 2 in 2 CHALLENGE"

I was speaking with my buddy, Matt, last night who's been kicking his body into shape... losing the middle and shaping up all around. He's not doing anything crazy--just drinking his Full Strength every day and it's helped him get control of cravings and his eating... and he's training, Strength for Life "style."

Matt and I get together the first week of every month so I get to see his progress on these regular intervals. It's inspiring to see first hand the progress one can make in just 4 weeks. It's like seeing a new man every month!

The Origin of the 2 - 2 - 2 Challenge
The idea of the 2 for 2 in 2 Challenge came up when Matt was looking for a solid goal to continue his progress for the next 60 days. He knows I'm rough him up if he chose some silly "scale only" goal--as weight is the wrong measure for most and certainly for a man.

He asked me to come up with the goal. "Shawn, give me something to focus on, to strive for that's realistic and inspiring." Put on the spot, I gave it some thought and rather than reach for my customary style of complexity, I just looked at him and said add 2 inches and drop 2 inches.

That simple. Add 2" and drop 2".

Specifically, the Drop 2 inches means to drop 2 around your midsection, you waistline. The add 2 inches would be to add 1 inch around your chest measurement and 1/2" to each arm for a total of 2".

Oh yes, and the time frame? In 2 months!

Hence the, Trade 2" for 2" in 2 Months Challenge, to be specific.

Talk about simple--and both challenging and attainable. And think about what the result would be--if you had an extra couple inches of muscle on your frame and dropped 2 around the middle, that would be a dramatic transformation in your being.

What you think guys? You in?

I have to admit, the simplicity and clarity of focus has me inspired. And it's a perfect time to make this sort of tangible, visible change.

Here's to adding 2", losing 2" in the next 2 months!

The Opposite of DIET = TI < EDHow to eat more and weigh less

Dieting sucks! And yet, at this moment nearly half of the US population is engaged in an ongoing struggle with food.

You can flip dieting around and stop focusing on deprivation, on less and embrace the freedom to eat more and still weigh less.

For most, a diet is a period of suffering, deprivation and a moment to moment battle between willpower and desire. Certainly not a long term success strategy for life. As I share in my book, Strength for Life, you can free yourself from this battle with the “10-steps to Dieting Freedom” in chapter 11 but today I want to go farther and expose the major flaws of the dieting mindset.

You see, dieting as a strategy for losing weight is at best half the equation. It’s focus is on limiting your total intake (TI). It’s got nothing to do with the other half of the equation: the energy you use through exercise, movement or your metabolism (Energy Depletion ED).

Trying to get thinner with nutritional limbo—eating less and less—is like trying to budget your way to wealth. Controlling your expenses does not wealth create. Want more wealth, create more value, offer more, generate more. Just the same, want to enjoy eating more freely? Take real action and use more energy in your life.

Dieting works on the simple (and relatively if not entirely accurate) concept that losing weight has simply to do with consuming fewer calories than your body utilizes each day. Thus, if you eat less than you “burn” you will utilize energy reserves which is in some part body fat.

Like I say, this is a relative truth for not only are all calories NOT created equal but when using ONLY calories in (Total Intake in this equation) to regulate fat loss, it’s a slippery slope. Try a little too hard to encourage fat loss, drop the calories just a wee-bit too low and the body will freak out and start holding more fat.

The opposite of dieting—and the more sound, sensible and complete solution for weight loss is to emphasize Energy Depletion (ED). It’s simple, rather than simply trying to eat less than you burn each day, focus on burning more calories than you eat. For when you’re (TI) Total energy Intake is less than your (ED) Energy Depletion you’ll lose weight. And as bonus you will be gaining a leave of fitness, a stronger more energized body.

This may seem rather obvious as I point it out but be honest… how often have you been told and or wanted to believe that it’s ALL about the diet, it’s about intake? It’s not. Effective, sustainable fat loss requires that you manage both with some level of clarity and mastery.

A Strong Mind in a Strong Body

Love the Greeks!

Not only is it the birthplace of western civilization, medicine, mathematics, written language as we know it, the Olympic games... it's also the birth place of my wife's father.

Yes, my wife Angie is Greek and that makes my son part Greek too. Nice to have a connection to that amazing civilization -- there ample reason to have loads of pride for all Greeks.

But that leads me to share today's mystery... have you seen the following quote or reference?

“mens sana in corpore sano”

You probably know it's translation as "A sound mind in a sound body" or perhaps the other popular version, "A healthy mind in a healthy body."

Well, I know the quote is in Latin but everything I'd ever read attributed the origin as Greek. So, I've been living for years with the belief that it was the Greeks, at times even believing it was Socrates who said it...

Now I come to see that perhaps it's not from the Greeks! Hummm... Wikipedia is attributing it to a first century Roman poet, Juvenal.

Well, I liked it better when it was of Greek origin... and who knows, one can hope this is inaccurate but likely not. And heck, isn't it all pretty much of Greek origin any way... Either way, there's no doubt that the Greeks lived to this philosophy - they knew that a strong mind could only be found in a strong body.

Yes, that's my version of this still ancient quote, A Strong Mind in a Strong Body.

The time when health was enough has passed... if you want to excel, to achieve, to contribute in this world today you need more than passing grade of health -- it is a time for strength!

A Little Greek History

The word gymnasium is derived from gumnazo, meaning exercise, and gumnos, meaning naked or loin-clothed. The gymnasia were the ancient Greek equivalent of a sports centre, and several were located just outside Athens' city walls. The ancient Greeks regarded a healthy body almost as highly as a good education, and young men of wealthy background would spend a good portion of each day exercising there. Favourite sports included wrestling, javelin and discus throwing, and boxing.
For more Greek History from PBS, click here

Until next time... carpe diem!

Giant Ass Shows Results...Yours Up Next?

Now that's creative.

A giant ass (let us not overlook the sexy blonde) being used to sell boxers. Effective? Who knows but it's certainly creative.

When I saw this "pop" into my inbox this morning, I thought, "Now there's the ultimate 'after shot' to one motivated." What if... as a part of your involvment in "a Transformation" you'd agreed to have your ass plastered 20 feet high, across Sunset strip?

Now that might be motivation, especially if you're name goes right above the buns.

You in? Tomorrow morning, take a look in the mirror and think about it. Who knows...it may be the next frontier.

 

How long do you plan to live?

How long would you choose to live... if you knew you'd stay healthy and strong?

How's 100 sound?

How about 120...or what's you say we round up to 150, why hurry to "check-out" when you're still going strong?

Sound too good to be true?  Trust me, this is very real.

Read on...and please do bring your skeptic along.

A past Body-for-LIFE success story, wildly successful entrepreneur and one of the smartest, most inspiring people I know, Dave Kekich, a man who will have you believing too. 

Despite a setback that left him confined to a wheelchair, Dave pursues health and fitness with the vigor of a high-school football star. His desire to see the end of paralysis, along with his passion for living strong has led him to the forefront of the life-extension.

More specifically, he's involved in helping "extend healthy lifespan" - not simply extending-life. There's a not so subtle difference there as I'm sure you can see.

If you're interested at all in living stronger and longer, tune-in to a 2-part, in-depth interview with Dave on Jon Benson's amazing MPower: Total Transformation Series

This is an important chance for you to learn things about your future that YOU WILL NOT HEAR anywhere else. This is special, FREE access to a members-only site created exclusively for my friends - to share this information.

Click here to learn more about Jon's MPower Total Transformation Series and how it's helped thousands to stay motivated and make real, lasting change and the benefits that members enjoy.

"If we are strong, our strength will speak for
itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help."
                   - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The Mysterious Metabolic Miracle : Metabolism

“If only I had YOUR metabolism,” the heavy-set woman said to her much smaller friend…then she promptly chowed down on a cheese Danish and chased it with a venti latte.

Have you noticed it too...the increased focus on the metabolism in recent years? A “fast metabolism” is nirvana for some while a “slow” one a crutch for others.

What do you think? Among those who have placed a high importance on their metabolism, how many really know what it is or what they might do to impact theirs?

I’ve received a massive volume of questions about metabolism in recent years. Yet, it’s been my experience that most people have little to no idea what it really is.

I was speaking with my friend Brent, a few weeks back. He’s frustrated. You could see it on his face. With forehead crumpled and brow furrowed…he said, “I’ve been exercising and eating really well and I still can’t drop more than a few pounds!”

Brent goes on to say, “I’ve just got a slow metabolism…yeah, that has to be it.”

Not wanting to sound like I was challenging his diagnosis – yet very curious as to how he’d come to assign himself this all too common “catch-all” diagnosis, I asked him, “How do you know you’ve got a slow metabolism?”

Brent quickly replied, “Like I told you, I’m dieting, exercising and not losing weight. What else could it possibly be?”

The story continued as I ask him the $64,000 question : “What is your metabolism?”

Unfortunately, the full story's too long for this BLOG. If you’d like hear the rest of the story, as I grill my friend and go on to explain to him how to build a strong, vibrant, fat-burning metabolism; you’ll find it all in a FREE report I put together called, “The 8 Keys to Super Charging Your Metabolism.”

Actually, this 44-page special report on metabolism is not exactly free – I ask for only one thing from you: tell me what you’re most important question on metabolism is and then, this enlightening report is yours free.

To receive your copy of my metabolism maximizing special report simply click here to visit Askshawnphillips.com – where you can share your most important question in exchange for the free report. It will only take you a minute or less to do.

In the report I cover some of the greatest mysteries of metabolism, the questions that I’ve heard over and over… including:

- Is your metabolism really the central issue in weight loss?

- How do you know if your metabolism is fast or slow?

- What can you do about it if it’s not what you want it to be?

- Is your metabolism in your control? Can you turn it up?

- Is it possible to “DOUBLE your metabolism” as some people have claimed?

- How much do fat-burners really help?

- How much of your metabolism is set by genetics?

- What causes your metabolism to increase / decrease?

- And much more…

If you’re interested in receiving the answers to any or all of these questions and pulling back the covers on metabolism, discovering once and for all what it’s all about, please do visit www.AskShawnPhillips.com and pick up that free special report. I promise, you will be glad you did.

Twice the results, effortlessly?

This morning I saw a commercial for a new stair-climber (from the people who bring us BowFlex) that I’ve seen this umpteen times before. yet this time was different as I actually heard what they were saying.

I often tune these things out as the all too frequent, ridiculous claims for health and fitness products, like the always popular, "lose all the weight you want without changing the way you eat, without exercise," have been known to get me riled up. But in this case, I found myself laughing at the silliness of the statement.

It went something like this, "…burn twice the calories in one half the time, effortlessly."

Do you see the absolute absurdity of it? Since when are any calories, any results, achieved without effort? Anyone really listening to this would have to know that this is an absurd statement — unfortunately the line hits home ever-expanding (pun intended) entitlement mentality in this country.

People want, want, want…something for nothing, everything for less…to be healthy, happy and wealthy without sacrifice, discipline, commitment or effort. When did our society become so damned lazy? How have we been transformed from the most productive society on earth to highest consumers?

The challenge with those in this insatiable state of “want”, to be sexy, rich, and powerful, is that they are not open to nor willing to accept the truth — the truth that only those who sustain the path to achievement know, that it’s not the destination that holds the rewards but rather the path that transforms.

I accept that this may sound cliché and will be hard for some of you to accept but I promise, what I’m saying is true. It’s not having the luxury car, the expansive house, the tight buns or even chiseled abs that holds the reward, it’s being on purpose and developing mastery will transform you.

I'm waiting for the fitness machine provider whose willing to promise me that I'll get out of this machine no more than I'm willing to put into it, who is courageous enough to be honest and admit that being in any semblance of decent shape requires a considereable level of effort; that's the next peice of equipment I'm buying. Then you have to consider I'm one of the few people in fitness foolhardy enough to be selling it!