Tell me who your best friends are and I will tell you who you are.

We are all influenced by people and when it comes to fitness, strength and performance, the people we surround ourselves with can make or break us.  Getting in shape requires change and its not always easy.  Most times it requires discipline, sacrifice and overcoming lots of obstacles to achieve our goals.  If we have the wrong people around us, they can distract us, break us down or convince us that it cannot be done…BUT the right people can lift you up, challenge us to do better and keep our head in the game.

If you want to achieve great things, surround yourself with great people.

Surround yourself with people that believe in you – people can do incredible things when they have a support team.  Life can distract us, beat us down and wear down our confidence, but, with good people around us, we can handle more, dig deep and conquer more than we ever dreamed.

Who are the most encouraging people in your life?

Surround yourself with people that lift you up – Some people are vampires and just wear us out, while others are a pleasure to be around.   Usually the people that you enjoy the most are the ones who lift you up, congratulate you on accomplishments and lead you to doing better things.

Who do you enjoy being around the most?

Surround yourself with people that will hold you accountable – We all need people that can keep us grounded and tell it to us straight.  No matter what the goal, it is easy to get distracted and stray off course.  Keep people close that will hold you to the things that are most important.

Who is holding you accountable right now?

Surround yourself with people that know your flaws and support you anyway – I believe that we become closest to the people that we go through battles with and come out the other side.  Maybe its from sports, the military, a traumatic life event or other hard times.  However it comes about, there is trust and strength built during tough times.

Whose got your back?

Surround yourself with people that are disciplined – It is easy to be lazy, eat rich foods, party, etc.  I believe that this desire for pleasure is what leads people astray and causes most of our headaches in life.  Do you have the ability to avoid bad situations?  I didn’t for a lot of years, but I do now and my life has changed for the better.

Do the people around you model good behavior or try to influence bad habits?

Surround yourself with people that work hard – Do the people you spend time with work hard?  Are they afraid to break a sweat or do they actively seek out new challenges?  There are a lot of valuable lessons from working hard.  Get out there and get your hands dirty.  It can clear your mind and build confidence.

“The harder I work, the luckier I get”

Surround yourself with people that are successful (in many ways) – You can break life down into a lot of different categories (spiritual, family, health, finances, etc)  As far as health goes, do you surround yourself with healthy people?  Are the people around you making good decisions, eating good foods, moving around, living healthy lifestyles…or are they gluttonous, lazy and constantly wearing themselves down?

Who are the most healthy people you know?

Surround yourself with people you respect.  A lot of people won’t change for themselves, but they may change to earn the respect of someone they look up to or admire.  Funny how this works, but I’ve seen it in business, families, martial arts, sports and many other areas.

Who are the people you respect most?

These questions are just thoughts that I have had over the last few weeks.  They are designed to get you thinking about the people you spend time with and how they affect your life.

Think about the 5-10 people you spend most of your time with during the week.

Are they helping you become a better person or are they dragging you down?

Are they encouraging and supportive or always criticizing your efforts?

Take some time and give this some thought.  If the people you currently spend time with are not helping you, then it may be time to find some new friends or people that can help.  Building this support system can help all of us excel and become better people.

Leave us a comment and let us know about the people that have impacted your life in a positive way.

Gym, Jog, Yoga, Pilates, Bootcamp, Personal Trainer, Strength Coach: Which Workout is Best for Me?

Some people run or bike outside.

Others do hours of ‘cardio’ at the local gym.

Then you have the weight lifting crowd that uses a lot of equipment to develop a better physique.

Which is best?

Well, that completely depends on your goals and how that activity stimulates your brain.

Think about it, do you really enjoy going to the gym?  Some do and they truly feel better when they leave.  Awesome.

I can’t stand regular corporate gyms.  Maybe its because I worked for so many years in that environment…or because I am not able to train the way I want to…either way I just don’t get a good workout in that type of place.

If you are a typical bodybuilder type lifter, you probably depend on that equipment to hit big lifts and focus on muscle hypertrophy.

If you are an athlete, then big gyms don’t usually hit all the pieces of the puzzle.  Athletes should not train like bodybuilders and need more space and benefit from a variety of other tools to reach their potential.  Big gyms don’t typically have sleds, sandbags, heavy ropes, and other tools that help build  athletic performance

Maybe you enjoy yoga or pilates classes.  If that’s your thing and you love the results, by all means get in there.

The key point here is this:  Determine your goals and find a place that supports those goals.

Here are some things to look for in a great activity or gym:

1. Do you like the people?  Honestly, do you enjoy the people that you workout with?  Maybe you workout on your own, maybe classes, a bootcamp or with a trainer…but do the people encourage you and support you on your road to success?  If not, you need to find a better place.  The gym should feel like a community and you need to be a part of it.
2. Are you inspired?  I have been in a lot of gyms…some big, some small.  Only a handful were inspiring.  I mean, when you walked in you could feel the energy.  A place where you literally wanted to workout and looked forward to every session.  Other people’s performance or energy can be contagious.  Get around people that inspire you…your results will go through the roof!
3. Do you get RESULTS?  This is why you joined in the first place, right?  If you are just a member of a health club and DON’T get results, ask for help.  If you are in a bootcamp, take classes, watch videos or workout with a coach…and DON’T get results, you have to try something new or assess other areas of your life.

So, does it really matter where you workout?

NO

I know a lot of people that never set foot in the gym, but they are strong and healthy.  I have other friends that thrive in health clubs.

Just find a place that you love, with people that encourage you and help you reach the goals that motivated you to join in the first place.

Where is your favorite place to workout?

Leave us a comment and tell us more about it…

Wanna Get in Shape, Lose Body Fat and Perform Like a Champion? It All Starts Between Your Ears…

I have met thousands of people over the past 14 years…people that want to lose weight, drop bodyfat, gain muscle, improve their athletic performance and more.
Only a fraction of those people actually focused and attained their goals.

Why?

I believe its because they didnt have the right mindset.

Here is a great quote that I heard a few years back…

Be careful what you think…
Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your character
Your character is everything

Be careful what you think, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful what you say, for your words become your actions.
Be careful what you do, for your actions become your habits.
Be careful what becomes habitual, for your habits become your destiny.

Be careful what you think, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful what you say, for your words become your actions.
Be careful what you do, for your actions become your character.
And character is everything.

So, what does that have to do with your fitness goals?

Well, if everything starts from your thoughts, then getting the right mindset is crucial to your success in the gym.

Here’s a few articles to help you get your mind right:

Start here

Then you need to read this…

Thinking for a Change

Next you need to figure out What Drives You…read the full article here

What Drives You

and you should finish up by Watching THIS…

Stuff You Should Watch

Pretty awesome stuff, right?

Get your mind right and the rest seems pretty easy.

Got any other tips, videos or articles we should read?  Leave Us a Comment…

Talk soon!

Leave your problems at the door…it’s time to workout!

I’m not sure about you, but time seems to go by really fast.  Weeks are full of work, errands, and other tasks that keep my mind going 24 hours a day.

Some days are tougher than others…thats true for all of us, right?

But what I really want to discuss is not letting the challenges of the day affect our workouts or attitude in the gym.

Working out is probably the most effective stress reliever I have ever found.  Tough day, bad meetings, long hours, stuck in a chair, boredom and other emotions can weigh on us, but their is truly something theraputic about a good workout.  Could be a hike outside or a brutal leg workout, but either way, sweating and getting your heart pumping is good for your mind and body.

You’ve probably experienced this before.

But here’s where most people screw up…

1   Alarm goes off, and you hit snooze and don’t make it to the gym.

2.  You had along day at work, feel tired and don’t make it to the gym.

3.  Your schedule is packed, and you put it off.

Workouts have to be a become a habit…and, not only a habit that you feel like you HAVE to do, but one that you actually look forward to doing.  

I am just as guilty as anyone, when it comes to this stuff.  Opening the gym, managing trainers and expanding our business has worn me down at times, I’ve gotten lazy and slacked on my workouts.  Why?  I got distracted and lost focus on my own goals.  The weird part is that I know that I will feel better afterwards!

I don’t have the scientific reason why this occurs, but I do know that we all feel better after a workout.

Super Stressed and Tired?  Try a light body weight workout, light jog, a walk, swim or other low intensity exercise.  Every day doesnt need to be (or should be) a barn burner, crazy intense workout.  Sometimes its good to get the blood flowing and recover.  Foam rolling and other mobility work would also be perfect here.

Lazy in the morning?  Get all of your stuff prepared the night before.  I personally get all of my food, coffee, water, protein, vitamins, backpack and clothes organized before I go to sleep.  Sounds funny, but I don’t like to think at all in the morning.  To do lists and all of the stuff I need is prepared and ready to go.  Nothing worse than trying to find your keys while rushing out the door.

Busy Day?  Some people have crazy schedules.   I understand that, but its still not an excuse.  Everyone has time for the things that are important to them.  You just need to put a high level of importance on your workouts, plan them ahead of time and stay committed.  Life is full of distractions, but few things have such a positive effect on your life.

Not Motivated?   Go to the gym anyway.  You know that you will feel better after your workout, right?  So, I would recommend reminding yourself about your goals.  Seriously contemplate why your are going to the gym.  Is it weight loss, an event, a competition, the camaraderie, or something similar?  I understand that some days are tougher than others, but simply shifting your focus to your goals can help turn your attitude around and save the day.  Consistent workouts will have apositive effect on every aspect of your life.

Got any other tips to reduce stress?

We would love to hear em!

Leave us a comment!

Over the next few weeks, we will discuss other aspects of our IR3 system, including mindset, movement and recovery.

Stay tuned!

The Value of Time

We believe that health involves a lot more than 6pack abs or a certain dress size.  Learning to appreciate what you have and being grateful for the girts around us, have an enormous impact on our well being.

After reading this poem, I thought it had to be shared.

Enjoy!

The value of time poem

To realize
The value of a sister,
Ask someone
Who doesn’t have one.

To realize
The value of ten years,
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years,
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year,
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months,
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
To realize
The value of one month,

Ask a mother
who has given birth to
A premature baby.

The value of one week,
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute,
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second,
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.
Time waits for no one

Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when

you can share it with someone special

To realize the value of a friend or family
member:

LOSE ONE.

Powerful, right?  We are so thankful for all of our friends, family, fans and everyone that has stepped up and supported us over the last few years.

You are all special to us and we appreciate who you are and what you do.

Thank you!

Incredible feats of strength – 3 Videos

Sometimes we all just need a little motivation.  Lets face it, simply watching someone do something incredible, rubs off on us a little bit.  People can do incredible things when they put their mind to it and stay consistent.

Here are some of my favorite videos

1.  Sergey Rudnev doing some incredible drills at the IKSFA workshop at IR.

2. Who needs a ton of equipment…not this guy!

3. Don’t try this at home…

Out of Shape? Start here!

These days over 50% of Americans are overweight and out of shape.  Most people spend their days in front of a desk, in a car or in front of the tv.  These sedentary habits combined with a diet of refined sugars and processed foods is a recipe for weight gain and disease.

This probably doesn’t come as a shock to many of us, but the challenge is how to overcome these bad habits.

Where do we start?

We are all creatures of habit.  Don’t believe it?  Try going to bed an hour early, change your pillow, wake up an hour early, try another toothpaste, don’t drink coffee, drive a different route to work, don’t look at your cell phone for an hour, don’t go on Facebook for a day, don’t eat at a restaurant for a week, etc, etc…you get the idea.

Habits are powerful.  The goal should be to replace bad habits with better ones.  Now this is easier said than done, which is why I want to start with your mindset.

Our mindset (how we think, our attitudes, and our input) plays a huge role in our success.  TV infomercials may sell you a dvd set or piece of equipment, we all have gym memberships and a few vitamins, but has this really helped you transform your body?  Probably not.

Successfully creating the body you want starts with your mindset.  At Innovative Results we break mindset down into three categories (Attitude, Motivation and Support).  Lets walk through these categories briefly.

1.  Attitude

Attitude will make or break your success in the gym.  When you think about working out, what is the first thought you have?  Is it positive or negative?  When the alarm goes off early, how do you react?  When you choose to eat healthier food, is it a positive experience or a hassle?   When you don’t feel like being at the gym, how is your workout?

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

2.  Motivation

Motivation is another vital aspect of a healthy mindset.  This can be summarized by “what you want”, “why you want it” and “recognizing hurdles in the way”.  The key here is to brainstorm on what you truly want to have happen.   Your goal should be important to you and make you a little emotional.

Write your goals down now.

After you have set a goal, the next step is to clarify why you want this to happen.  Lots of people wanna lose weight, but understanding why is critical.  Why you want to change has to be bigger and more important than the obstacles that will surface on your journey.   We have found that the more emotional the goal, the more motivated the person is to walk through the necessary steps to accomplishing their goal.  For example, if a woman is going to stand in a white dress, in front of 600 friends and family members, she is usually more motivated than if they simply wanna lose 5lbs before a trip to Vegas.

Write down why these goals are important to you.

3.Support

Now that you have your goals and your reasons written down, the next step is to think about your current lifestyle.  Mentally walk though your day/week and think about your current habits.

Who do you surround yourself with? What do you read/watch/listen to?

Change is never easy, so it is important to surround yourself with a support system of like minded people.  Friends will unintentionally drag you back into the bar, into ordering deserts or back into bad habits.  So plan ahead and protect yourself from these potential distractions.

Your level of success depends upon the people you surround yourself with and the books you read

Which habits are keeping your from achieving your goals?  This could start with sleep schedule, eating habits, time in the car, time at work, time in front of the tv and more.  Write these habits down on a piece of paper.

The next step is to brainstorm ways to improve your current habits and align them with your goals.  How can you improve your habits or schedule?  You can probably figure most of this out on your own, but if you need advise or outside opinions, feel free to comment on this article and ask questions.  We can always help point you in the right direction.

Write down your current habits and replace them with healthier alternatives.

**Be sure and share these thoughts with people close to you.  When people understand your motivation and your goals, they will be more likely to support you and hold you accountable along the way.  Who knows, you may even motivate them to join you in your journey! 

So, if you are struggling to get started in a workout program, then review this article again, get your thoughts on paper and lets get this party started today!

Our next article will talk about movement and how to get started with a new workout program, no matter what your ability level may be.

So stay tuned!

Thinking for a Change: Adapting a Fitness Plan to Your Crazy Life

When most people want to lose weight they tend to rush into a fad diet, gym membership, tv gimmick or whatever they stumble across that seems to offer a solution.  The problem with this approach is that it typically leaves the person a few bucks lighter and not where they wanted to be.  Real results take time, adaptation and effort over time. Here are 3 simple tips to get on track, stay on track and making progress toward your goals.

1.  Understand where you are. Having a clear picture of your current situation helps you goal set and execute a plan that fits your needs, ability level and availability.  Simply diving into a high intensity workout program and a hardcore diet might work for the model in the magazine, but will probably leave the average joe defeated, frustrated and burnt out.

2.  Reflect along the way. Once you start working towards any goal, you have to take time to reflect, review and analyze your efforts.  What is working?  What is NOT working?  This is a critical step that very few trainers or coaches address when it comes to strength, conditioning and getting into shape.

3.  Stop talking and start moving. A bad plan executed is better than a great plan on paper.  Now, maybe your plan seemed great on paper and life got in the way.  Oh well, welcome to the club.  That’s why you reflect, adapt and make changes to improve your situation.

Here are some questions that may help you on your path to fitness success:

Do I have a clear fitness goal to work towards over the next 3 months? This could be a race, event, weight goal, bodyfat, etc. Once you have a clear objective, then it becomes easier to work backwards and set weekly, smaller goals to make sure you are staying on track.  For example, if your 3 month goal is to lose 15lbs, then you know that you need to lose 5lbs/month, or a little over 1lb/week.  Simple, right?

Did I workout today? I typically recommend people exercise or move daily, even if its just a walk.  We were designed to move, so sitting in the car, couch or in front of the computer all day isnt gonna help any of us get healthier.  Reminding yourself to move daily is a great start, while other athletes may be focused on more detailed exercise regimens.

Did my meals reflect my fitness goals? This can be a great addition to keeping a food log.  Recording your food intake helps all of us become more conscious of our eating habits.  It is pretty easy to look at a week’s worth of food and see problematic habits.  Missing meals, poor food choices, sweets, snacks, drinks, and other bad choices are easy to spot.

Did I communicate with my team, coach or support group? We all need support when we are chasing a goal.   Surrounding yourself with a good support team is vital for long term success.  So, if don’t have someone to hold you accountable, then find someone quickly! It can be a friend, loved one, coach, trainer, support group or a workout partner.  The key is that they understand your goal, why its important to you and they are willing to hold you accountable along the way.  So, once that person (or group) is in place, make sure to communicate with them daily.  Talk about successes, difficulties and ask questions along the way.

Did I read or watch something inspiring today? Once the emotion of your initial decision has passed, you have to keep the flame alive daily.  New healthy habits can be difficult when life gets busy, kids are sick, work is crazy, you’re traveling, etc.  Life gets in the way.  The good news is that the web is full of inspiring videos, stories, pictures and articles.  I’ve also found it helpful to read more books.  Find a few things that move you and keep them close.  Whenever you need a little pick me up, read a new article or watch a great video.

Did I take time for myself today? Working out and eating well doesn’t complete the puzzle.  Most of us are busy, stressed and pulled in a hundred directions.  Taking a few minutes of “me” time is important for our physical and mental health.  Maybe its 5 minutes of controlled breathing, a manicure, a massage, reading a book, a walk on the beach, or whatever makes your mind relax.

Did I learn any lessons from today? Being healthy is a lifestyle, so we are constantly learning what works, what doesn’t and how to adjust our habits to fit our current situation.  Keep tabs on each days events and how they helped you or hurt you.  Maybe you learned a new exercise, a new recipe or met a person that inspired you.

These are just a few questions to help you reflect.  As you develop a specific plan for yourself, take some time and create specific questions that apply to your journey.  Review them daily, weekly and monthly to make sure you are on track, moving in the right direction and making progress.

Just because you are busy doesn’t mean you’re productive.

If you need help, all you gotta do is ask!  Innovative Results’ program helps people mentally, physically, and provides unparalleled support to help you look better, feel better and perform at your best.

Give us a call today 866.243.4472

What Drives You?

All of us have some type of Motivation!

The dictionary defines motivation as “Willingness of action especially in behavior.” Another description is “the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic.”

Remember the Movie ‘Rudy’? The true story about Rudy Ruettiger who loves football and wants to play football for Notre Dame? He had many obstacles to overcome. Poor grades, dyslexia a short stature but a big heart! Rudy, as you know the story, fought through his obstacles and achieved his goal! How did he do it?

Focus with a Plan

When Rudy set his course, he didn’t let the first time he was rejected from Notre Dame, He kept his focus, developed his plan and kept moving forward.

How Do We Stay Motivated?

The same applies for us as well! Whether it’s our career, health, family or faith, those who stay focused on what they want to achieve will ultimately achieve their goals. They may not achieve all 100%, but they stay focused, they don’t let failures or roadblocks stop them, they set another course of action and then move forward.

How Does This Translate to Our Health or Fitness Goals?

The same way! If your goal is to lose 15 or 50 pounds or be able to run a 10k or marathon or to do 50 push-ups, etc. It’s simple! Set your achievable goals everyday, whether it’s what you’ll eat or don’t eat, how many miles you’ll run or whatever exercise routine you do for the day, stay focused on your plan. If your plan has to change because of other commitments or interruptions in life, stay focused, set a new course of action or goals you can achieve and then ‘GO FOR IT’!

Success is not measured by the amount of failures one has in their life but the amount of achievement one attains and so often, those who are successful in life have many failures but get up everyday, re-focus their goals, and move forward. These are people who have a ‘Willingness of action especially in behavior’!

Are you Willing to Act?

Today, are you going to get up, or let the days events take it’s course of action and then just go with the flow or are you going to get up, have a plan of action, set a course, focus on what needs to be done and then realize that distractions will occur and then readjust your plan and move forward?

Start right now with a plan and a purpose, move forward with ACTION and see the results! In no time, you will be surprised at what you achieve and with this success, you’ll be able to achieve more or even higher goals! Just look at what little Rudy did!

Our Top 10 Fitness Articles of All Time!

#10 Top 10 places to get outside and workout in OC

#9 Hand and Forearm Strength

#8 Trail Running vs Road Running

#7 Is there a better way to get in shape?

#6 Should I focus on muscles or movements?

#5 3 keys to quick weight loss, gaining muscle and permanent fat loss

#4 11 simple tips to burn fat and boost your metabolism

#3 You’re never too old to get in amazing shape

#2 My 3 favorite battling ropes exercises

#1 I do crunches everyday, where are my abs?

Do you have a personal favorite?  If so, let us know whatcha like.

Also, if you have specific questions or topics you’d like us to cover, let us know and we will post a article just for you!