The Game Plan for A NEW YOU IN 2024

Time to reboot your personal training experience! Here's the adaptable game plan for the next four to eight weeks and beyond (a lifetime of habits doesn’t change in a month, after all). Please note that many of the phases will overlap. Although I recommend checking off each line item before proceeding to the next, feel free to jump around as desired (but know that it was designed and ordered strategically :)).

Whole Food Diet / Photo: Ella Olsson

PHASE 1: Learn about Posture, Proper Form, and the Neutral Spine

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Part 1: Learn about Posture, Proper Form, and the Neutral Spine

• Posture and movement: Review the posture and movement emails from your new favorite Denver personal trainer :)

• Injury prevention for the lower back and posture: Review How I've Prevented More Lower Back Pain in the Last 12 Years (After 2 Bulging Disks) to learn about lower back injury prevention and proper posture.

• Proper sitting: Review Why Your Office Desk Is Destroying Your Posture (And What You Need To Do) about proper form while sitting and change how you sit.

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Part 2: Integrate Exercises for Injury Prevention

Continuum of corrective exercise to limit pain and discomfort:

• Article: A Guide to NASM’s Corrective Exercise Continuum

Daily Rotator cuff/anterior shoulders and lower back/hips Exercises: Watch these videos and incorporate these warm-up range of motion exercises into your routine.

• Video: Shoulder External Rotation in Neutral Position

• Video: Shoulder External Rotation at 90 Degrees

• Video: Alligators

• Video: Hip Stretches

• Video: Glute Bridges

• Video: Kneeling Thoracic Extension

• Videos: Restorative Yoga 1 or Restorative Yoga 2

Core stabilization exercises: Incorporate this proper form for your plank.

• Plank on the Elbows

Lumbar spine exercises to alleviate lower back discomfort:

• Exercises for lower back pain

• Video: Alligators

• Video: Glute Bridges (standard two-foot bridge only, without the bands)

Ankle and hip stabilization exercises:

• Exercise: Static Single-Leg Squat

• Video: Transverse Lateral Woodpecker at the 2:40 mark (Posterior Tibialis Dysfunction)

Thoracic spine mobility exercises to alleviate shoulder and neck discomfort:

• Article: Corrective Exercises for Optimizing Thoracic Spine Mobility

• Video: Kneeling Thoracic Extension

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Part 3: Foster Awareness

• Book: Read Introduction in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 1: You Are Not Alone in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 2: Practice Mindfulness in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

• Book: Read Chapter 3: Listen to Your Inner Voice in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody

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Part 4: Review Additional Resources

• Book: Real Movement: Perspective on Integrated Motion & Motor Control by Gary Gray

• Book: Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook

• Book: Becoming A Supple Leopard 2nd Edition (The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance) by Kelly Starrett

Finding a new awareness with your pup at your side. / Photo: Cottonbro

PHASE 2: Examine the Mental, Emotional, and Environmental Obstacles to Your Success and Adapt

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Part 1: Examine the Environment's Influences on Your Success

• Book: Read Chapter 12: Change Your Environment in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody and make a list of external influences on your behaviors and choices.

• Podcast: Listen to the podcast episode #24-Exploring the Psychology of our At-Home Environment with Dr. Preston

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Part 2: Examine the Underlying Influences on your Behavior

Learn how to manage your stress and anxiety:

• Article: What Being a Parent Taught Me About Managing Stress

• Article: How to Overcome Your Anxiety at Work

• Podcast: Listen to episode #16 - The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

Learn how insecurity and fears influence your behavior:

• Book: Read Chapter 4: Face Your Fears in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how fear influences your behavior.

• Book: Read Chapter 5: Extinguish Your Insecurities in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how insecurities influence your behavior and how to change your perspective.

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Part 3: Examine your Decision-Making Process and Problem-Solving Approach

• Book: Read Chapter 10: Change the Way You Decide in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine your decision-making process and how it influences your behavior.

• Book: Read Chapter 13: Approach New Problems with Confidence in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine your problem-solving approach and how it influences your behavior.

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Part 4: Find Inspiration

Find motivation through the wisdom of others by reviewing these articles and posting one quote on your closet wall to be seen daily:

• Article: 4 Quotes That Steer My Approach to Life Right Now

• Article: 12 Inspirational Quotes that Have Shaped My Life Over the Last Year

• Article: My 10 Favorite Life-Guiding Quotes from the Stoic, Marcus Aurelius

• Article: My Favorite James Clear Quotes and Thoughts (Set 1)

Reexamine the perspective on your daily life and approach:

• Article: The 1 Article that Will Make You Rethink Your Day-to-Day Approach

Rethink your professional (and personal) approach:

• Article: 6 Principles That Will Transform Your Professional Approach

Design a new mindset:

• Podcast: Listen to episode #26 - Designing the Mind in a New Year | Author Ryan A. Bush

No longer limit yourself and literally travel outside of your boundaries:

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for a Journey to Lisbon, Porto, and Madrid and the Best Restaurants in Each

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for a Long Weekend in London and a List of 141 of their Best Restaurants

• Article: The Detailed Itinerary You Need for an Adventure in Australia (You’ll Need to Save This)

Setting new goals and creating new habits are often a chess match. / Photo: Pixabay

PHASE 3: Set New Goals and Create a Supporting Structure of New Habits

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Part 1: Purpose and Goals

• Book: Read Chapter 18: Define Your Purpose in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to guide your reflection on your life’s intent.

Learn how to set sustainable goals:

• Article: How to Set Sustainable Goals

• Read Chapter 19: Create Goals to Maintain Your Positive Focus in the book Redefine Yourself by Michael Moody to examine how to create goals and support a life of positivity and satisfaction.

Examples of goals to steer your short and long-term focus:

• Article: My List of New Year’s Resolutions (and How I’ll Achieve Each)

• Article: My List of Intents for 2020 (and How I’ll Achieve Each)

• Article: A List of My Intents for 2021 (Perhaps a Template for Yours)

• Article: A List of My Intents for 2022 (Perhaps a Template for You, Too)

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Part 2: Specifically Structure and Design Your Fitness, Diet, and Professional Paths

Build a business plan for optimal health :

• Article: Your Business Plan to Lose Weight (or Achieve Optimal Health)

Develop a specific fitness plan:

• Article: The Best All-In (Life Changing) Fitness Plan

• Article: How to Create a Weekly Fitness Plan

Being your diet game plan:

• Article: Weight Loss Diet Introduction: The Game Plan / Immersive Experience

Rethink your professional plan:

• Podcast: Listen to episode #35 - Designing Your New Work Life | Dave Evans

Create more time for your personal training sessions and other fitness efforts:

• Article: How to Create More Time Each Week (And It’s Easier Than You Think)

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Part 3: Creating Habits to Support Your Goals

Examine your current habits and create new habits to support your health and fitness goals:

• Article: 5 Morning Habits That Have Made Me More Successful (and Less Stressed)

• Book: Read Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Find new ways to create time for yourself and fitness:

• Article: How to Create More Time Each Week (And It’s Easier Than You Think)

Time to test new programs in LoHi and beyond! / Photo: LiSun

PHASE 4: Test New Fitness Programs and Activities

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Part 1: Find new ways to amplify your current workouts

• 5 Easy Ways to Amp Up Your Workouts

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Part 2: Test new workouts

• Test Exercise Program: Lower/Upper/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Legs/Upper Body/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Legs/Shoulders/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Back/Triceps/Core (30-40 Minutes)

• Test Exercise Program: Chest Presses/Back Rows/Chest Flyes

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Part 3: Test new hikes (or something else active outside of the gym)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Nymph Lake, Lake Haiyaha Loop via Fire Trail (RMNP)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: North Table Mountain West Loop (Golden)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Elk Falls Lookout and Elk Falls Pond (Staunton State Park)

• Colorado Hikes near Denver: Green Mountain Loop via Chautauqua Trail

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER

As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.

Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).

If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!

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