Hello Everyone,

Welcome to another edition of ‘Life’ Ingredients, the newsletter where I share a workout, a healthy recipe, and a piece of motivational advice.

I know it’s only February, but it feels like the year is really flying by. It certainly is for me, but that tends to be the case when you stay busy and have a lot of fun. I hope you’ve stayed focused on whatever it is you were committed to accomplishing this year. If you stay consistent—and don’t freak out at minor failures (and over-celebrate the minor victories)—you’re going to be just fine. More on that in the motivation section at the end of the newsletter.

For now, let’s dive right in and start, as we always do, with a great workout!

This month’s workout is brought to you, courtesy of Steve Wrona, my very own personal trainer. Steve is a brilliant trainer who recognizes that long, intense workouts can never take the place of shorter workouts that are done consistently.

This month’s workout isn’t just a good calorie burn, but a terrific way to improve posture, something that all desk jockeys of the modern workforce need to address. The full workout is listed below but be sure to watch the video to have Steve walk you through it.

STRETCHES

Band Pass-Through 2 x 5-10

Couch Stretch 2 x 5-10 each

STRENGTH

A) Barbell RDL 4 x 12,10,8,6 rest 90-120 seconds between sets

B) T-Bar Row 4 x 15,12,10,8 *Last Set Drop Set rest 60-90 seconds between sets

C) Bench Y-Raise 3 x 10-15 rest if needed up to 45 seconds before bridge

D) Glute Bridge 3 x 60 second isometric. rest if needed up to 45 seconds before returning to Y-raise

E) Face Pull 3 x 10-15 rest if needed up to 45 seconds before dead bug

F) Dead Bug 3 x 60 second running clock rest if needed up to 45 seconds before returning to face pull

As I mentioned in the intro, this month is all about consistency. I want you to think of your health the same way a financial advisor would talk to you about saving for your future. It isn’t about HOW MUCH you save for retirement and college funds, especially in the beginning. The most important thing is merely THAT you save at all. A few dollars a month may not seem like a lot, but if you do this consistently, time and interest are the great equalizers. When a few years and then decades have elapsed, suddenly, you look at your statement and realize that you’ve got a nest egg to rely on that you couldn’t have possibly put away in a handful of infrequent deposits.

Diet and exercise function on the same level. A salad for lunch can’t wipe away the effects of mostly eating fast food. A few intense workouts can’t correct for a mostly sedentary life. Returning to the metaphor, the key is to make small, consistent deposits. Exercise every day, even if it’s just a walk. Eat mostly home-cooked, healthy food, even if you’re tired or not in the mood to cook and it would be so much easier to just order a pizza. The moment you’re making them, these small deposits may not feel like you’re making significant progress toward your goal. But when you build the habit and it becomes second nature, they add up to big changes—to your bloodwork, the number on the scale, and your general sense of well-being—over time.

“You really screwed that up,” or “God, I’m such an idiot,” are well-worn phrases that most of us are comfortable repeating to ourselves. There may even be an inner sense that using this kind of self-talk is merely self-deprecating or a way of staying humble. I don’t think that’s true; in fact, I think it can be quite damaging. To strain the metaphor one more time, negative self-talk has a compounding effect over time, and can transform an intelligent, ambitious, and perfectly capable person into one whose default position is that everyone else is smarter, better-looking, and generally enjoying a better life.

So, for the next month, I want you to try this: at least once a day, have a look in the mirror and practice positive self-talk. Say, “God, I look good today,” or “You’re doing a great job as a mom [or dad],” or “When I put my mind to it, nothing can stop me.”

This might feel awkward at first, but with practice it will become a habit, and with consistency, it has a compounding effect of increasing your sense of self-worth, making you more capable of chasing your big dreams, and letting you enjoy more of this wonderful life we’ve been given. We only get one, so let’s make it as good as we possibly can.

As you go forward, remember the words I live by:

Nothing is impossible.

 Until next time,