In today's episode Coach Jon talks about shaping the path. How we can engineer our environment to make it easier to reach our goals.

In today's episode Jon talks about maybe the most fundamental component to weight management. The first law of thermodynamics.

In today's episode Head Coach Jon talks about narrative therapy and how the stories we tell ourselves impact our ability to reach our goals.

In today's episode Head Coach Jon talks about The GSPA Model and how we use it at Relentless Courage.

Have you ever sat down and set a goal?  

No matter what that might look like there is a process to breaking that goal down into smaller pieces, eventually involving very specific actions.  Research shows that one action at a time is actually best.

In the Precision Nutrition Master Coach Coursework we learned how to take big goals and break them into daily actions.  In order to reach our goals we need to dedicate intentional action to achieving them.  They don't just happen on their own.

This idea goes from broad to specific.  We start with a goal like “not feel so rushed all the time” and give some thought to what skills like “planning ahead” are required to reach that goal.  Then, we break the skill down into practices like “make time and plan ahead” or “plan your meals”.  Once we’ve gotten it down to the practice level we determine what very clear and precise actions we can commit to taking.  For example, if “make time and plan ahead” were the chosen practice, I might decide to "write down my calendar for the next day before going to bed each night".  The idea being that as you get more clear on tomorrow’s calendar the night before, you’ve got a win before you even wake up and more time to decide how you’re going to “fit it all in”.  

If you're interested in exploring how Relentless Courage might be able to help you identify your most meaningful goals and break them into healthy habits for life, schedule your 20 minute discovery call with Jon. 

Whether you gather with family or friends during the holidays, food will likely be at the center of it all.  Today, I’m sharing with you 5 ways to avoid overeating over the holiday season.  

1. Eat ahead of time: Have a meal high in protein before you leave for the gathering. Then you won’t be as hungry and you’ll have a win under your belt before the game even starts.
2. Snack time!: Sample foods, even the ones on the veggie tray. That might actually be a good place to start.  
3. Have a plan: Before you leave, have a plan about how you’re going to manage your eating. Maybe you’re giving yourself permission to enjoy one or two sweet treats, instead of a dozen.  It could even be you’re going to go for it while you’re there and sandwich gatherings with good nutritional choices.
4. Exercise before you go: This might give you the feeling like you can eat more because you can.  Burn off a couple hundred calories before you go and have that extra cookie or piece of cake.
5. Have a goal: Heading into the holiday season it might be helpful to establish a goal for yourself around your health.  Maybe it’s more energy.  It could be a lower body fat percentage.  It might be around an event you’ve signed up for or even swimsuit season.

Give yourself some grace. The holidays are supposed to be a time of love and joy.  Don’t sabotage the season by beating yourself up over your eating choices. Have a plan heading into each food encounter, execute as well as you can, evaluate and repeat.  

If you’d like a coach to help establish a goal and dial in your process, sign up for a 20 minute discovery call with Jon.

How does the average person’s weight change over time? New research from Brigham Young University provides fascinating insights.

In a study of 13,800 Americans, the scientists report that over 50 percent of participants gained at least 5 percent in body weight during the previous 10 years. 

(Thirty-five percent gained 10 percent or more, and 16 percent gained 20 percent or more.)

You might be thinking, ‘That’s not so fascinating.” 

And you’d be correct: What’s fascinating is when people gained the weight.

On average, participants gained the most weight from their 20s to their 30s, and then less in each subsequent decade thereafter. 

• 20s to 30s: +17.6 pounds (7.8 kg) 
• 30s to 40s: +14.3 pounds (6.4 kg) 
• 40s to 50s: +9.5 pounds (4.3 kg) 
• 50s to 60s: +4.6 pounds (2.1 kg) 
• 60s to 70s: +0.7 pounds (0.3 kg) 

Do the math, and for the average American, that comes out to a total weight gain of 46.7 pounds (21.2 kg) over the course of adulthood. 

Why do people gain more weight when they’re younger?

The researchers say it’s likely because your metabolism increases when you gain weight. (Larger bodies require more energy to operate than smaller bodies.)

As a result, you’d have to increase your food intake (and/or decrease your activity levels) in every subsequent decade to continue gaining weight at the same rate. (Over time, people tend to “settle in” and habitually consume the same amount.)

PMID: 35574515
Tucker LA, Parker K. 10-Year Weight Gain in 13,802 US Adults: The Role of Age, Sex, and Race. J Obes. 2022 May 6;2022:7652408. 
Image file name: WeightGain.png

You know that saying, “Every step counts”? 

It’s actually spot on. 

In a recent study published in Sports Medicine, researchers found that, for more than 28,000 adults of all ages, every 1,000 daily step increase was associated with a 12 percent lower risk of death from all causes. 

These findings held true even after accounting for BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, pre-existing health conditions, and step intensity. 

According to the scientists, the benefits began at 2,500 steps and continued up to 17,000 steps. 

The take-home message: While we’re often told to shoot for 10,000 daily steps, just consistently moving more than you are now can make a meaningful difference over the long run.

And after all: If you’re currently taking 3,000 steps, achieving the 10,000 steps “standard” might sound so unrealistic you don’t even bother to try. 

But could you add 1,000 to start? As this research shows, it’s enough to provide a benefit, and you can build from there. 

Besides, that’s how lasting change happens: a little at a time.

PMID: 34417979 Jayedi A, Gohari A, Shab-Bidar S. Daily Step Count and All-Cause Mortality: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Sports Med. 2022 Jan;52(1):89–99.