Personal Trainer Blog
Fitness | Wellness | Diet Self-Improvement
Health and Fitness at your finger tips
Learn fitness, healthy whole food diets, wellness, and other personal training tips/recipes from Denver's weight loss personal trainer.
Exercise Program: Lower/Upper/Core (30-40 Minutes)
Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 12-15 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12-15 reps on each leg if you’re performing a single-leg exercise. Please substitute kettlebells and dumbbells as needed. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout.
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 1
1st: Squat with dumbbell curl (non-alternating)
2nd: Pushups: Standard or on your knees
3rd: Plank with alternating foot raise and arm extension (opposite)
4th: Alternating backward lunge with lateral shoulder raise: Slide foot back instead of planting.
5th: Pulldown or pullup (substitute: 1-arm kettlebell row)
6th: Lateral shuffle with a kettlebell hold at your chest for 20 yards (or 15 seconds)
30-second break
7th: Squat jumps with your arms behind your head (prisoner squat)
8th: Alternating pushup extension: After the pushup, rotate your hips and reach a straight arm to the ceiling.
9th: Plank on a stability ball and roll it in and out: Extend the ball in front using your elbows.
10th: Single leg squat while extending a kettlebell towards the floor: 1 side at a time, keep your torso squared
11th: Single-arm kettlebell row on a flat bench with 1 leg extended.
12th: High knees while holding a kettlebell at your chest (20 seconds)
30-second break
Pushing to new limits with a Denver personal trainer! / Photo: Ketut Subiyant
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 2
1st: Walking lunge with a dumbbell curl (non-alternating)
2nd: Dumbbell fly on a flat bench with leg extension
3rd: Dumbbell or cable chopper: 1 side at a time, swivel your hips and control the momentum of the swing with your abs, allow your outside foot to follow the hips.
4th: Alternating step-down with the kettlebell at your chest
5th: Dumbbell press on a flat bench with a leg extension
6th: Burpees off the bench (instead of the floor)
30-second break
7th: Walking lunge with dumbbells at your side
8th: Cable press (chest height) with an alternating step forward
9th: High knees (20 seconds)
10th: Squat and rotate with the kettlebell at your chest: Allow your outside foot to follow the hips.
11th: Single-leg squat pose with dumbbell kickback
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (20 seconds)
30-second break
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include a different ratio of exercises instead?
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which Michael gives to all of his clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcast platform!
How to Set Sustainable Goals
It’s time to continue your movement journey! This is another fitness activity for my personal training clients in Denver.
OUR GOAL TODAY
To set sustainable goals.
Mountain Biking with a Personal Trainer in Denver/ Photo: Pixabay
Principles of Sustainable Goals
Whether in our professional or personal life, we often need to dangle a "carrot" to push ourselves to reach a goal. I would be willing to accomplish quite a bit for an 80" television that my wife believes is unnecessary (although Sammy would benefit from the at-home immersive film experience too :)). While extrinsic motivation can drive one's approach, intrinsic motivation connects a richer relationship with the goal. It extends from your principles and emotional connection to a path more critical than driving to a grocery store. Today, I want you to consider possible goals that can elevate your health and fitness with this in mind. How can I help you reach your best health (and self) with a goal based on intent and purpose?
I've included an activity below to guide your process. I believe there are four requirements for a sustainable goal:
a built-in emotional connection.
competitive qualities to compare against past personal achievements or achievements of others (with positive self-talk).
principle/ethically driven characteristics.
determination with a specific plan, realistic objectives, and awareness of your current approach and future obstacles.
Possible Goals
Triathlon, marathon, or 5k race in a location you've always wanted to visit (think big: Rome, Maui, etc.).
Manitou Climb in Colorado Springs on your birthday or the day a loved one passed.
Hike a 14,000-foot mountain with your spouse on your anniversary.
Bike your age in miles in the top seven largest US/Global cities.
Hike a new trail each week for 52 weeks.
Exercise 5 days per week for 50 weeks.
Lose 15lbs for your best friend's wedding in 15 weeks.
The Process
After you identify a specific goal similar to the aspirations above, your next step is to fill in the answers on each line. Brainstorm, reflect, and begin mapping your plan. Here is the breakdown for each line.
Emotional Connection: Why are the goal and path vital to you? Is it connected to your family history or someone who passed? Is it related to an untouched passion?
Competitive Quality: How can you elevate the goal into a game or a challenge to yourself?
Driving Principles: Is there a driving force higher than yourself that makes this effort non-negotiable? E.g., Choosing a vegan lifestyle to minimize the harm to animals.
Present Approach: What is your current routine related to this goal? Be specific! It provides the baseline for your transition. My suggestions may vary depending on this starting point. E.g., Goal: I want to climb a mountain with a 14,000-foot elevation. You can imagine that the training program may differ for the person starting with experience at 16 feet elevation (Chicago, Illinois) versus 8400 feet elevation (Mammoth Lakes, California). You need to know where you are before choosing the path you want to go.
Possible Obstacles: Troubleshoot before you need to. We want tools to break through the wall when we hit it (and everyone will cross a wall or hill sooner or later). Our awareness in this area will shape your overall strategy.
Specific Strategies: How do you think you'll be able to achieve this goal? Would you change your schedule to accommodate this intent? How will you overcome current and future obstacles? What (or who) needs to change in your environment?
Accountability Tools: What tools will you use to hold yourself accountable? E.g., Schedule sessions or time each day to achieve the goal on a new calendar or adapt your current one, choose smaller plates for your meals or box half of your emails right away, develop a reuseable grocery list and only buy groceries that fit your goals, take charge of the restaurants you visit on vacation by maintaining lists of healthy restaurants or blogs, prioritize mediation and sleep with alarm cues, etc.
***Please note that the answer field below is intended for active clients of Michael Moody Fitness. Hope it helps you with your journey though!
Goal Setting Activity
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
WEIGHT LOSS DIET PHASE 1: The Taste and Texture Profile
It’s time to continue your nutrition journey! This is another weight loss activity for my personal training clients in Denver. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet!
OUR GOAL TODAY
To identify your taste and texture preferences under normal circumstances (as best as possible).
Establishing Your Taste and Texture Preferences/ Photo: Lisa Fotios
ESTABLISH YOUR TASTE AND TEXTURE PREFERENCES
Instructions: I’ve presented a list of foods with sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, and fattiness in mind (Is this a real word?). Do you love each of these options? Let me know and check where you stand on the spectrum of ‘strongly disagree’ and ‘strongly agree,’ and then hit submit! Please complete this survey within an hour of your last meal (preferably in the morning). Why? Bouts of hungriness and fatigue may affect your evaluation of foods (as it might be affecting your decision-making process from time to time). Please note that only active personal training clients will receive a response for submissions.
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
WEIGHT LOSS DIET PHASE 2/3: WFPB Pyramid / 10 Phase Diet Progression
It’s time to continue your nutrition journey! This is another weight loss activity for my personal training clients in Denver. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet!
OUR GOAL TODAY
-Establish the dietary anchors based on your "needs" (the "wants" come later)
-Reframe anchors into a pyramid (not your parent's food pyramid)
-Introduction of the 10 phases of dietary change and reassessment every two weeks (or sooner) based on progress
Establishing Weight Loss Phases and Your Diet Progression / Photo: destiawan nur agustra
ESTABLISHING ANCHORS AND PHASES
Please click the following links to guide your eating choices over the next two weeks. Save them on your phone for quick reference.
-THE WHOLE FOOD PLANT-BASED PYRAMID OF NUTRITION PRINCIPLES
-A 10 PHASE DIET PROGRESSION FOR WEIGHT LOSS (AND IT'S SIMPLER THAN YOU THINK)
Time to eat with intent!
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
WEIGHT LOSS DIET PHASE 1: Connecting our Emotional Experience to Food
It’s time to continue your nutrition journey! This is another weight loss activity for my personal training clients in Denver. Please answer the questions thoroughly and submit them once completed. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet!
OUR GOAL TODAY
To connect our emotional experiences to the food we love....and hate.
WEIGHT LOSS DIET PHASE 1: Connecting our Emotional Experience to Food / Photo: RODNAE Productions
MAKE A LIST OF 5 FOODS YOU LOVE as well as 5 FOODS YOU HATE
Please create a list of food you like/love and dislike/hate based on the taste/texture survey you emailed me last week. Then, write 1-2 sentences describing your EARLIEST experiences with that particular food. For example, I hated Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage for nearly 15 years because it made me sick when I was 7. Such a sad, sad story..... Please note that only active personal training clients will receive a response for submissions.
Answer Section
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
WEIGHT LOSS DIET PHASE 1: Evaluating Our Situational Experiences with Food
It’s time to continue your nutrition journey! This is another weight loss activity for my personal training clients in Denver. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet!
OUR GOAL TODAY
Complete the "Situational Experiences with Food" questionnaire below. You’ll find the field boxes at the bottom of the questions. Fill out your answers and hit submit! Active personal training clients in Denver and Chicago will receive an assessment within seven days. Reflect away!
Eating at a restaurant can still support your diet goals with the proper awareness / Photo: Fauxels
EVALUATING OUR SITUATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FOOD
Your intent isn't to eliminate the eating experience from your life. It's to heighten it from day to day (not just on special experiences)! To do this, you must examine your relationship with food in various situations over the 1-2 weeks. While you may need to dig into the memory bank to answer a few of these questions, try to use present examples as often as possible (we are examining your current trends and patterns, after all). By the way, you'll notice reoccurring questions in each category (important for comparison).
Please remember that your awareness in these areas will be the key to overturning years of habits and rewiring a new approach on autopilot. Also, please note that only active personal training clients will receive a response for submissions below.
Restaurant Eating
What defines an enjoyable social dining experience IN A RESTAURANT with friends and/or family? Any particular elements? Do you typically order meals that you never make at home? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.? Be specific when describing different scenarios. My example: I love sharing a dining experience in a new (neighborhood-size) restaurant with 3-4 other people (6 or more gets too cliquish to me). We order 5-10 different dishes and share them while we taste a variety of exquisite big red wines. No dessert is necessary to complete my experience.
Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? E.g., Mama needs her Old Fashioned before the steak, and compound butter hits the table :) (there goes Mama and her Old Fashioneds again!) Sidenote: My great-grandmother (Nani) always drank a Manhatten before dinner with my great-grandfather.
At-Home Dinner Party Eating
What defines an enjoyable social dining experience AT HOME with friends and/or family? Do you serve appetizers or other dishes you typically don't day-to-day? Any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what?
Vacation Eating
What defines an enjoyable social dining experience ON VACATION with friends and/or family? Any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? My example: If I'm near a body of water, I'll most certainly order fish or seafood for many of my meals.
Day-to-Day Eating
What defines an enjoyable eating experience DAY-TO-DAY? Any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: If my work schedule bleeds into the evening, the prep time for a meal will diminish exponentially.
In-the-Office/At-the-Laptop Eating
What defines an enjoyable eating experience while working IN-THE-OFFICE or AT-THE-LAPTOP? And, yes, I said enjoyable. What would an enjoyable eating experience look like while professionally multi-tasking? Any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
Do you have a typical eating routine that you follow in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: My meals tend to be served in a pyrex dish next to my laptop so that I can mindlessly fork my veggie mix into my mouth. Insert trough joke here.
When-I'm-Stressed/Tired Eating
What do you tend to grab when you're stressed or tired?
How do your portions vary when you're stressed or tired?
Eating with Particular People
Do you tend to eat differently with different people? If so, describe the differences. My example: Ill eat more plant-based options with my friend Craig than with my buddy Jeff. I may consume more alcohol with Stu than I would with Erik.
Answer Section
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
4 Healthy Substitutes for the Foods I Crave the Most
While you’re personal training, you probably think you need to avoid your favorite foods, including pasta and ice cream. Is there a way to still indulge without feeling guilty? You bet! Here are my top four substitutes that will convince you they’re the real thing (and they're plant-based!).
You no longer have to stare at pictures of ice cream.
LUNA AND LARRY’S ORGANIC COCONUT BLISS ICE CREAM
Ingredients: Coconut Milk (Water, Coconut, Guar Gum), Agave Syrup, Coconut Cream, Dried Coconut, Coconut Extract, Vanilla Extract.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Why I like it: It’s a non-dairy product with all its fat from coconuts. While you still need to be mindful of your serving size since it has 22g of fat and 16g of sugar, it will satisfy your craving for a milk-based product (which is more inflammatory)—an alternative: Any all-fruit sorbet with no added sugar.
RedHot!
FRANK’S REDHOT BUFFALO WING SAUCE
Ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Salt, Water, Canola Oil, Paprika, Xanthan Gum, Natural Butter Type Flavor And Garlic Powder.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I love buffalo sauce, but it’s typically 1 part butter, 1 part hot sauce….a no-no for an ideal diet. Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce is the best-tasting alternative on the market. You can add it to anything. Be mindful of your amount. It packs 460mg of sodium per serving. That’s a big chunk of the recommended 1500 mg of sodium daily in a healthy diet. Photo Credit: Live kindly. co
Bringing pasta back to the healthy table!
BANZA ELBOWS MADE FROM CHICKPEAS
Ingredients: Chickpeas, Tapioca, Pea Protein, Xanthan Gum.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: No way around it: All pasta is highly processed and loses some nutritional value through heating. The Banza pasta noodles give you a higher dose of the valuable fiber and protein (14g) than the white AND wheat noodle options. It contains only four ingredients and avoids toxic additives and preservatives in other boxed foods. Cooking tip: Boil the noodles until they’re al dente, and then quickly rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process (otherwise, they’ll soften too much).
Time for sausage!
BEYOND MEAT BEYOND SAUSAGE
Ingredients: Water, Pea Protein Isolate, Refined Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Contains 2% or less of: Rice Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Potato Starch, Salt, Fruit Juice (For Color), Vegetable Juice (For Color), Apple Fiber, Methylcellulose, Citrus Extract (To Protect Quality), Calcium Alginate Casing.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: My Lithuanian and German ancestors may scoff at the idea of a sausage substitute, but Beyond Meat has magically found the recipe to convince you it could be the real thing. If your focus is a diet with less inflammation and cholesterol, this may still satisfy part of your sausage craving. Disclaimer: Like the pasta recommendation, it’s still a highly processed product containing 500mg of sodium and 12g of fat. Photo Credit: The Happy Pear on Twitter
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!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
A List of My Intents for 2022 (Perhaps a Template for You, Too)
“We are defined by how we care for ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Be the one to steer your presence and perception.”
The sun has set in 2021, and it’s time to rise with resiliency in 2022….
I guess it’s ironic that the face of my 2021 list of intents included a picture of a mountain. Twelve months later, I'm writing this list forty short minutes from the mountains outside Denver, Colorado. I never imagined moving away from Chicago, where I was born and raised. My family lived there for nearly a hundred years, and it's sad to think that the last Moody (me) left. Perhaps not a surprise during a pandemic that has left many of us questioning how we live our days. As I reflect on my 2021 list, I realize this transition may not be as big of a surprise as I originally thought. My first principle says it all: Define a life that serves my personal needs and contributes to society and humanity's greater good. I served this purpose by forming my podcast (The Elements of Being) to bring new awareness to the 'self' and the unconscious of our society and a Chicago neighborhood association (Racine Triangle Association) to build a community and diminish crime while in Chicago. My efforts with the Alliance Center in Colorado, though, have allowed me to influence policy in once unimaginable ways in the environmental sector and expand my impact. I've never advocated fleeing challenges, but I encourage enhancing your life by seeking suitable environments and employing the right structure to live a life aligned with your purpose. I believe I have achieved this agenda in 2021 and more.
While my effect on the greater good of the individual and society has reached new heights, my work isn't done in the environmental or health sectors. My new list of intents below will embody these efforts and my agenda to achieve my best self. The list may be seen as extensive and exhaustive, but it reflects my approach to projects and the necessity to line out a focus to steer my approach and behavior. I don't mind falling short on goals. I don't perceive the lack of completion as a failure. My life isn't perfect, and I know this list will keep me somewhat on the path. I've separated the list into the areas that define my life the most. I encourage you to use it as a template for your approach to 2022.
Principles
Take the necessary actions and set the required routines to achieve optimal health.
Define a life serving my needs and contributing to society and humanity's greater good.
Act and think with a baseline of empathy, compassion, and kindness.
Seek understanding of myself and others before judgment.
Choose the most appropriate path despite the effort or personal sacrifice.
Celebrate equality and diversity of living things and perspectives.
Stretching for new heights as a personal trainer in Denver / Photo: Ketut Subiyanto
Area 1: My Physical Health Intentions
My Workout Intent
Goals:
Increase cardio endurance by 30-40% by increasing daily steps, Peloton biking sessions, and hiking.
Hike a different Colorado trail once per week.
Complete 4 sessions of strength and muscular endurance exercise, 1 session of restorative yoga, 3 sessions of cardio (including a hike), 5 short sessions of the lower limb (foot, ankle, and calf), and glute strengthening (for hiking).
Achieve a milestone of 50 pushups and 20 pullups (again :)).
Monday
45 min Strength Circuit Session
Circuit Equipment: Dumbbells, Cables
Circuit Muscle Focus: Chest, Back, Core, Lower Limb/Glute Routine
Tuesday
30 min Strength Circuit Session and 20 min Peloton Ride
Circuit Equipment: Dumbbells, Cables
Circuit Muscle Focus: Arms, Shoulders, Core, Lower Limb/Glute Routine
Wednesday
20 min Restorative Yoga Session, 10 min Lower Limb/Glute Routine, and 2-hour hike (may be added to another day depending on schedule)
Thursday
30 min Muscular Endurance Circuit Session and 20 min Peloton Ride
Circuit Equipment: Bodyweight, Bands
Circuit Muscle Focus: Chest, Back, Core, Lower Limb/Glute Routine
Friday
30 min Muscular Endurance Circuit Session
Circuit Equipment: Bodyweight, Bands
Circuit Muscle Focus: Arms, Shoulders, Core, Lower Limb/Glute Routine
Every Day
1 set of 45-sec Planks, 20 Perfect Pushups, 14-20k steps per weekday
My Recovery Intent
Goals: Sleep 7.5-8 hours every night and rest from workouts on Saturdays and Sundays (unless a hike).
My Dietary Intent
Goals: To minimize inflammation, triglyceride levels, and fluctuating blood sugar levels resulting from dietary choices.
Daily Dietary Objectives
Never feel stuffed or starved, and eat within 5 hours of the last meal (unless overnight).
No snacks.
Stop eating a meal at the first sign of feeling satisfied.
Mindfully prepare the size of my 4-year-old’s leftovers, and don’t eat his leftovers :).
At least 4 days without a sip of alcohol and alternate sips of water and alcohol when indulging.
21 out of 28 meals per week are whole food, plant-based, and free of oil, meat, processed foods, and refined sugars.
Only 1-2 servings of dairy per week (less is better).
Minimize the consumption of anything processed (including vegan and vegetarian products....choose whole food plant-based options as often as possible).
3/4 of every meal must be plant-based, and at least 2 out of 4 daily meals must be plant-based.
Calories: 500-700 per meal.
Plate Ratio: 25-50% Vitamins, phytonutrients, and other micros and macros, 25-40% Protein, 5-15% Good Fat, 25% Fiber.
Social Dietary Objectives
Use the Daily Dietary Objectives as a baseline.
Eat a complete meal before snacking.
Restrict extracurricular eating to 1-2 servings.
Whole Food Plant-Based Personal Trainer Denver - Photo: Ella Olsson
Area 2: My Emotional and Mental Health Intentions
My Reflection Intent
Goal: Identify one positive characteristic of the day while brushing my teeth in the evening.
My Relationship Intent
Goals: Foster positive relationships that support and enhance my life.
As a Parent/Husband
Make myself more emotionally available with the removal of electronic devices during interactions. Allow at least 1 hour of connection with my wife and son. Utilize the features of the Garmin watch to limit phone time.
With Friends/Family/New People
Engage in more meaningful conversations with friends, family, and new people (even if I spend only a minute on the elevator with them). Foster new relationships with people who embody empathy, compassion, and kindness as a foundation for their behaviors and perspectives.
My Attention Intention
Goals:
Limit social media interaction to twice per day (preferably on my desktop).
Limit email actions on my phone to responses that require a response within 60 minutes.
No Mountain is High Enough as a Personal Trainer in Denver / Photo: Sagui Andrea
Area 3: My Environmental and Regenerative Agriculture/Civic Duty Intentions
Goals: To reduce my carbon footprint, steer a new conscience about the environment and agriculture (and help create the systems to support them).
Whole Food Plant-Based Diet
Aim for a 75% plant-based diet foundation. Reminder to myself: This is the most effective action any individual can take to influence global warming and preserve our environment.
Waste/Pollution Reduction
Minimize the use of Ziploc bags and any single-use plastics.
Purchase in bulk and/or order several items in advance and at the same time online.
Use biodegradable bags for trash.
Place all expired food in our compost bin.
Limit the wasted food by reviewing the sizes of prepared meals.
Lease a hybrid or electric car and replace most car travel within 5 minutes with walking.
Advocacy
Dedicate at least 5 podcast episodes to climate change and regenerative agriculture.
Play a pivotal and influential role in the ‘Bridging the Divide: The Farm Tours and Regenerative Agriculture Network’ Initiative with the Alliance Center: This initiative fosters awareness, alliance, and commitment to community-supported, regenerative agriculture. These efforts will seed new economic opportunities within an equitable food system and build Colorado's more resilient and sustainable food future. It also diminishes the ongoing risk of depleting resources, improves soil health for future generations of farming, enhances water quality, reduces waste and the social cost of volatile weather patterns due to climate change, and increases crop yields and carbon sequestration in the soil. Although the Farm Tours will spotlight agricultural regenerative practitioners across ten (10) conservation districts of Colorado, the greater goal is to collect and present data focused on the local and regional food systems within the districts to build the structure of a self-sustaining, unified, state-wide regenerative agriculture network.
Our civic duty is necessary for the preservation of our communities. / Photo: Toronto.com
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Test Exercise Program: Legs/Upper Body/Core (30-40 Minutes)
Time to be your own personal trainer in LoHi! You still need to exercise outside of your personal training sessions, right??? Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 16 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 16 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Try maintaining a 140-160 HR (although it’ll fluctuate depending on the exercise). Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout. Cheers to a great personal training session wherever you are in Denver!
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 1
1st: Prisoner squat
2nd: Pushup with feet on medicine balls (failure)
3rd: Side plank
60-second sprint/30-second break
4th: Squat jumps with a medicine ball at your chest
5th: Pullups/pullup assist machine
6th: Plank with alternating plate lift (extend your arm forward and lift the plate before switching)
60-second jump rope/30-second break
7th: Split squat jump with a medicine ball at your chest
8th: Burpee pushups off of the bench (hands on the edge of a bench instead of the floor to start)
9th: Medicine ball toss at the wall while rotating
60-second Stairmaster/30-second break
10th: Alternating single leg squat with dumbbell hammer
11th: Pushups with your feet elevated on a bench
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Push yourself to new levels with a personal trainer in LoHi! / Photo: The Lazy Artist Gallery
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 2
1st: Walking lunge with dumbbell press overhead
2nd: Pullup/pullup assist machine
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (alternating sides)
60-second sprint/30-second break
4th: Alternating step-up with medicine ball toss and catch
5th: Pushup with alternating dumbbell lift (see picture)
6th: Alternating toe-touch crunch
60-second Stairmaster/30-second break
7th: Alternating backward lunge with cable row
8th: Squat with the shoulder press while rotating
9th: Alternating leg lift while planking
60-second jump rope/30-second break
10th: Step-up from kneeling position with a medicine ball extension
11th: Pullup/pullup assist machine
12th: Bicycle crunch
Naptime!
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which Michael gives to all of his clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Weight Loss Plan Phase 1: Examining Your Situational Experiences with Food
“Knowing is half the battle (I think that’s what someone said once....).”
YOUR GOAL TODAY
Complete the "Situational Experiences with Food" questionnaire below. It’s that simple, right? Unfortunately, not. It actually requires quite a bit of reflection. Even armed with the perfect optimal or weight loss diet, your ingrained social or cultural habits will influence you more than you realize. Today’s step may be the most important.
Who’s really in control when eat in different environments? / Photo: Cottonbro
SITUATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FOOD
Your intent isn't to eliminate the eating experience from your life. It's to heighten it daily (not just on exceptional experiences)! To do this, you must examine your relationship with food in various situations over the 1-2 weeks. While you may need to dig into the memory bank to answer a few of these questions, try to use present examples as often as possible (we are examining your current trends and patterns, after all). By the way, you'll notice reoccurring questions in each category (important for comparison).
Restaurant Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience IN A RESTAURANT with friends and family? Are there any particular elements? Do you typically order meals that you never make at home? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.? Be specific when describing different scenarios. My example: I love sharing a dining experience in a new (neighborhood-size) restaurant with 3-4 others (6 or more gets too cliquish to me). We order 5-10 dishes and share them while tasting exquisite big red wines. No dessert is necessary to complete my experience.
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? For example, Mama needs her Old Fashioned before the steak and compound butter hit the table :) (There goes Mama and her Old Fashioneds again!) Sidenote: My great-grandmother (Nani) always drank a Manhatten before dinner with my great-grandfather.
At-Home Dinner Party Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience with friends and family at home? Do you serve appetizers or other dishes you typically don't do day-to-day? Are there any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what?
Vacation Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience with friends and family ON VACATION? Are there any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? For example, if I'm near water, I'll order fish or seafood for many of my meals.
Day-to-Day Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience DAY-TO-DAY? Are there any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: If my work schedule bleeds into the evening, the prep time for a meal will diminish exponentially.
In-the-Office/At-the-Laptop Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience while working IN THE OFFICE or AT THE LAPTOP? And, yes, I said enjoyable. What would an enjoyable eating experience look like while professionally multi-tasking? Are there any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? For example, my meals are in a Pyrex dish beside my laptop so I can mindlessly pour my veggie mix into my mouth. Insert a trough joke here.
When-I'm-Stressed/Tired Eating
-What do you tend to grab when you're stressed or tired?
-How do your portions vary when you're stressed or tired?
Eating with Particular People
-Do you tend to eat differently with different people? If so, describe the differences. For example, I’ll eat more plant-based options with my friend Craig than with my buddy Jeff. I may consume more alcohol with Stu than I would with Erik.
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Weight Loss Plan Recap: The Game Plan / Immersive Experience
“Create a business plan for your life and you’ll find a clear direction on your path.”
Your New Beginning
I know what you're thinking - "Uh-oh, here's Michael with all his words again. Words, words, words, etc., etc., nutrition this, nutrition that." Believe it or not, this email is a quick reference guide. Most importantly, it will steer our following activities to rewire a new optimal you! Please review it carefully, and then we'll discuss it. If you need motivation, check out The Evolution of My Personal Diet! Don't forget to review the quick resource guide at the bottom!
A side note: A diet full of vegetables has evolved from the typical side dish of asparagus next to your piece of Midwestern steak and the salad served in the local diner before the main course. Any pivot out of your status quo/routine may feel uncomfortable, and you may also feel uncertain and frustrated. As a former player in the restaurant industry and a long-time food and drink enthusiast, I assure you that the plant options are now overwhelming with flavor and bursting with creativity. I'm not asking you to jump in 100% for your health. A pivot of 20% may offer incredible dividends, too. Be a researcher and seek out the best of what's out there (just as you may have done with your traditional meat preparations, soups, and stews).
PART 1: ESTABLISH THE WEIGHT LOSS GAME PLAN
Here's our adaptable game plan for your diet over the next 4 weeks. Please note that many of the phases will overlap.
PHASE 1: Assessing the trends and patterns of you (Week 1)
Complete the 3-day diet log
Experiment with several quick and easy dietary changes/pivots
Complete the taste and texture profile
Complete the emotional association assessment
Complete the situational assessment of food choices (e.g., social settings versus when stressed)
PHASE 2: Laying the foundation of eating (Weeks 1/2)
Establish the dietary anchors based on your "needs" (the "wants" come later)
Introduce the principles of diet and the science behind digestion and absorption, as well as your biological clock and circadian rhythm
Highlight Fuhrman concepts and principles that relate to your dietary approach.
PHASE 3: Testing (Weeks 2/3)
Reframe anchors into a pyramid (not your parent's food pyramid)
Introduction of the 10 phases of dietary change and reassessment every 2 weeks (or sooner) based on progress
Introduction of self-assessment/fostering dietary awareness
Introduction of several meal plans
PHASE 4: Creating a New Normal (Weeks 3/4)
Create a base meal plan from our observations, tests, books, and many, many resources
Assess the meal plan every 2 weeks
Your weight loss path in Denver should begin with a clear vision of your next step. / Photo: RF._.Studio
PART 2: IMMERSE YOURSELF
We're building a new normal, and it’s time to pull from multiple resources and hold ourselves accountable. Joining vegan, plant-based, and fitness-related social media groups has added another layer of motivation and accountability. I'm more likely to choose a healthier plate because I take a photo and share it with the world.
I'm also likelier to maintain a healthier mindset when consistently reading self-improvement and nutrition books. At times, these books are feeding me new information, but the real value is the reminder and the mental structure I maintain while digging in daily. My crazy mind, when tamed, is an incredible force that amplifies the enjoyment of experiences. It drives my endeavors. It could also be a wild beast if not contained. Think about how you want to tame your inner beast.
RESOURCES TO CREATE AN IMMERSIVE DIETARY EXPERIENCE
Indulge in these resources. You'll likely stick to your path if you immerse yourself in the content and lifestyle!
Cooking Websites: Cookie and Kate, The Minimalist Baker, Rainbow Plant Life
Eat for Life book: If you need science to back up my thoughts on nutrition.
End of Dieting book: Breakdown on nutrition, meal plans, and recipes in the back.
Tools of Titans book: If you want to learn about the habits of successful people from different industries. It might help to see other habits people use to reach their goals.
Redefine Yourself book: Hahahahahaha.....how did this get on the list? It's a simple guide to help you steer reflection and refine your awareness, acceptance, and adaptation cycle. That's why!
Listen to "The Elements of Being" podcast episode #10 with Dr. Fuhrman: If you find yourself saying, "Hogwash," you may want to explore why. Do you wish to change or continue your same habits because they're familiar and more accessible, though less comfortable?
Cookie and Kate Cookbook (vegan and vegetarian options)
The Minimalist Baker Cookbook (vegan and vegetarian options)
The Game Changers documentary: The documentary dispels the common misconceptions about nutrition through the lens of the active person. I must emphasize an important point: The principles apply to males and FEMALES.
What the Health documentary: An excellent documentary that demonstrates the compromised nutritional influences on our lives and the power of a plant-based approach.
Whole-Food-Plant-Based-Diet.com Facebook Group: People posting food pictures, recipes, and inspirational stories.
Chicago Vegans Facebook Group: More people post food pictures, recipes, and inspirational stories.
Train with Michael Moody Fitness!!! Another shameful plug, yes.
Time to eat with intent!
Time to plant the seed for a new approach to weight loss. // Photo by Ella Olsson
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Test Exercise Program: Legs/Shoulders/Core (30-40 Minutes)
Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 12-15 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12-15 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout.
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 1
1st: Stationary squat with arms raised in a V shape
2nd: Plank with your feet on a bench (30 seconds)
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (same side)
60-second break
4th: Squat with alternating lateral step and dumbbell hammer
5th: Alternating straight arm raise to the ceiling from the pushup position (30 seconds)
6th: Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Squat from a seat with your hands behind your head (don’t round your back)
8th: Dumbbell shoulder press
9th: 60-second jump rope, Stairmaster, or bike
60-second break
10th: Single leg squat while holding a bar (keep your torso squared)
11th: Prone shoulder raise on a bench
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Stretch your body to new boundaries with a Denver personal trainer! / Photo: Dinielle De Veyra
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 2
1st: Walking lunge with straight arm rotation (rotate arms until they’re above the knee in front)
2nd: Deadlift, dumbbell hammer curl, and dumbbell shoulder press (1 fluid movement)
3rd: Cable chopper with a step (alternating sides)
60-second break
4th: Step-up with a medicine ball at your chest
5th: Squat with a dumbbell shoulder press
6th: Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Backwards lunge with dumbbell curl
8th: Kneeling dumbbell shoulder raise in front of armpits (thumbs up)
9th: 60-second jump rope, Stairmaster, or bike
60-second break
10th: Step-up and backwards lunge with dumbbells at your side
11th: 1 arm shoulder press on a seat
12th: Mountain climbers with a twist (30 seconds)
60-second break
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which Michael gives to all of his clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Test Exercise Program: Back/Triceps/Core (30-40 Minutes)
“True physical success begins with observation and reflection.”
Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., position of the bench or cables) and perform 12-15 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12-15 reps on each arm if you perform a single-arm exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout.
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 1
1st: Wide grip pulldown with a slight slant back or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
2nd: Tricep cable pushdown with a bar
3rd: Plank on your elbows with alternating arm reach (45 seconds)
60-second break
4th: Wide grip pulldown with a slight slant back or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
5th: Tricep cable pushdown with a curved bar
6th: Plank on your elbows with alternating arm reach and toes on medicine balls (45 seconds)
60-second break
7th: Wide grip pulldown kneeling on a Bosu or sitting on a stability ball or Assisted wide grip pull-up machine
8th: Tricep cable pushdown with a straight bar
9th: Squat and twist with the medicine ball at your chest (45 seconds)
60-second break
10th: 1 arm cable lateral pulldown
11th: 1-arm cable pushdown with a handle
12th: Plank with elbows on the floor and feet on the bench (45 seconds)
60-second break
Be creative when trying to perform a pull-up during your fitness session! / Photo: Jonathan Borba
EXERCISE CIRCUIT 2
1st: Wide grip cable row (knee height)
2nd: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench
3rd: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
4th: Wide grip cable row with squat (hip height)
5th: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench with a wrist twist
6th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
7th: Close grip cable row seated on a stability ball (chest height)
8th: Pushup with your feet on the bench
9th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
10th: 1 arm cable bow and arrow (chest height, row with a step back)
11th: Tricep dumbbell kickback on the bench
12th: 60-seconds on the Stairmaster or jump rope
60-second break
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which Michael gives to all of his clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Test Exercise Program: Chest Presses/Back Rows/Chest Flyes
“Become a human scientist and rediscover your physical self.”
Perform the exercises in this order. Note the descriptions next to each exercise (e.g., the position of the bench or cables) and perform 12 reps for every exercise. Also, perform 12 reps on each arm if you’re performing a single-arm exercise. Don’t forget to answer the questions in the “Assessment Section” after your workout.
1st: Dumbbell Chest press on a flat bench
2nd: 2-arm cable back row (close grip handle/facing machine: position cable at chest height and pull your elbows past your sides)
3rd: Cable chest flyes (facing away from the machine: position cable at chest height and fly your straight arms in front of the chest)
-Now perform ten standard pushups before jumping on the Stairmaster for 60 seconds.
60-second break
4th: Dumbbell Chest press on an incline bench
5th: 2-arm cable back row with a squat (wide handle/facing machine: position cable at shoulder height and pull your elbows past your sides)
6th: Cable chest flyes with an alternating lunge (facing away from machine: position cable at shoulder height and fly your straight arms downward…just below the chest)
Now perform 10 pushups with your feet on the bench before jumping on the Stairmaster for 60 seconds.
60-second break
7th: Dumbbell Chest press on a flat bench with elevated feet and knees
8th: 1-arm cable back row (facing machine: position cable at chest height and pull your elbows past your sides)
9th: Cable chest flyes (facing away from the machine: position cable at chest height and fly your straight arms in front of the chest)
-Now perform ten pushups with your right foot on the bench before jumping on the Stairmaster for 60 seconds.
60-second break
10th: 1-arm cable chest press with a lunge
11th: 1-arm cable back row (facing machine: position cable at shoulder height and pull your elbows past your sides)
12th: Cable chest flyes with a squat (facing away from the machine: position cable at shoulder height and fly your straight arms downward…just below the chest)
-Now perform ten pushups with your left foot on the bench before jumping on the Stairmaster for 60 seconds.
60-second break
13th: Dumbbell Chest press on a flat bench
14th: 2-arm cable back row with single leg squat (wide handle/facing machine: position cable at knee height and pull your elbows past your sides)
15th: Dumbbell chest flyes (facing away from the machine: position cable at chest height and fly your straight arms in front of the chest)
-Now perform ten standard pushups before jumping on the Stairmaster for 60 seconds.
Time for a nap!
It might be dry in Denver, but it doesn’t mean you won’t sweat with this fitness program! / Photo: Cottonbro
Assessment Section
No fitness or personal training program is perfect. Let’s reflect and adapt! Answer the following questions:
How would you adapt this training program?
Which back and chest exercises would you swap out?
How could you make this fitness program more challenging?
How would you change the order of the exercises?
Would you include more breaks in between the sets?
Would you include an even ratio of back and chest exercises instead?
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which Michael gives to all of his clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Weight Loss Plan Week 1: A Fresh Start to Optimal Health (and a Flat Waistline)
“Your tiny efforts each day will have a cumulative effect on your optimal health. ”
Starting Your Journey
For the next four weeks, you'll review several nutrition-focused articles to help you achieve your health goals (always check your spam). They are the essential supplements to Dr. Fuhrman's book End of Dieting! As you read the book, you might say "This guy is nuts....there's no way I can follow this plan!". Remember our main goal: To understand how we can operate optimally. We'll learn what our body truly needs and then we'll determine what we can get away with (our body's sensitivity to different foods). If you're patient and don't mind experimenting with your diet a bit, you'll definitely lose weight and improve your health and the way you feel every day!
When you start the next section of the plan, 1. Read the article, and 2. Complete the "Human Scientist Activities" section at the end (if you haven't already). While the homework is never required, it is always expected :) Let's be honest, though, you're an adult, and I can't make you do anything you don't want to. But.......Let's figure this out together if you've been frustrated with your poor health or feelings. Become a human scientist! The more I know about you, the better. Make the next four weeks life-changing! Do the work!
Alright....you're about to be brainwashed slowly..... give in (your body will thank you!). Here is an introduction to Dr. Fuhrman’s approach. We’ll figure out what you can get away with later!
The Nutritarian Diet
Achieve sustainable weight loss, optimal health, and enhanced longevity by fueling your body with delicious, high-nutrient foods.
The most essential life skill is to learn how to take the best care of ourselves—nutritionally, physically, and emotionally—and that is what the Nutritarian diet is all about. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., a board-certified family physician with over 25 years of experience practicing nutritional medicine, has created an eating plan that incorporates the latest advances in nutritional science to empower you to reach your ideal weight and reverse chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, migraines and even early stages of some cancers.
Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe a diet that is nutrient-dense and plant-rich and includes anti-cancer superfoods, which also facilitate weight loss. These foods supply both the right amount of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and the vital micronutrients (vitamins, phytochemicals and minerals) that unleash the body’s incredible power to heal itself and slow the aging process, giving the body renewed vitality.
Who doesn’t love a little color on their whole food plant-based plate?? / Photo: Karolina Grabowska
Benefits of the Nutritarian Diet
No more calorie counting
No more feeling hungry between meals
Eating delicious, satisfying foods that have anti-cancer properties
Reversing heart disease, diabetes, and most autoimmune diseases
Detoxifying your body and overcoming food cravings
Feeling great and enjoying increased energy
The Nutritarian diet uses no gimmicks or fads. There’s no yo-yo dieting. You’ll achieve your ideal weight while maintaining excellent muscle and bone mass for the rest of your life. This will pay incredible dividends in your life, and in the lives of those you love.
Reverse Disease
Harness your body’s tremendous power to heal itself through proper nutrition. You don’t have to live with a debilitating, chronic disease—the Nutritarian diet allows you to take control of your health destiny through superior nutrition. You’ll eat a nutrient-dense, plant-rich diet of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, and seeds, with the option of including a small amount of animal products.
Designed to Heal
The Nutritarian diet is designed to help you reach your ideal weight as your body heals. And, as your body and palate adjust to the Nutritarian eating style, you’ll lose your cravings for unhealthy and disease-promoting foods such as sugar, salt, white flour, oil, and processed foods.
By following the Nutritarian eating style, you will:
-Feel your energy levels soar as you detox from unhealthful, addictive foods
-Reverse high blood pressure, high cholesterol, headaches, indigestion, acne, asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome
-Protect yourself against heart disease, stroke, dementia, osteoporosis and cancer
-Don’t assume that excellent health and ideal weight result from genetics or luck. The reality is that our health is largely tied to our dietary choices. The Nutritarian diet can help you achieve optimal health.
Refilling your plant-based baskets with a new plan!! // Photo by Sarah Chai
Lose Body Fat
Achieve sustainable body fat loss while enjoying delicious and nourishing foods. Conventional diets force you to count calories and live in constant deprivation. The Nutritarian diet is a game-changer: it’s the only diet designed to help you lose weight as you eat larger quantities of nutrient-dense, plant-rich (and delicious) foods. You’ll feel satisfied and more invigorated as the weight drops off, your overall health improves, and your energy levels increase.
Your Journey Begins Here
Based on the latest scientific literature and his own experience helping thousands of people successfully recover their health and transform their lives, Dr. Fuhrman designed this program, which:
Does not involve any calorie counting
Does not require consuming a completely vegan or vegetarian diet
Is instrumental in reversing many chronic health problems
Provides the key to overcoming food addiction
Puts an end to “yo-yo” dieting and the health dangers that go along with it
Outlines a diet plan with foods that you will come to prefer
Helps you feel and look younger
Helps protect against certain types of cancer
May add healthy years to your life
When you follow the Nutritarian diet, you can eat until you feel satisfied, and over time, your appetite for empty-calorie foods will decrease. You’ll feel great and give your body the tools to fight and reverse chronic disease.
A little garlic will heightened your culinary experience. / Photo: Karolina Grabowska
Activity Section
It's time to focus on the trends and patterns of you! With this being said, I need a little data:
1. Journal: Please complete three days of a food journal. Write down what you ate with the time and general amounts (no calories). Be honest- I won't judge! I want to help you find the proper substitutes or modify them wherever needed.
2. Goals: I'm asking you to email three specific goals to increase accountability. Always keep last month's goals in mind. Did you reach your goals? Why or why not? What would you have done differently? Were the goals realistic?
Please take two minutes to respond to this; it will guide your programs and behaviors for the next four weeks. The more specific, the better. The greater the focus for you, the more likely you'll reach your larger goals.
Dietary Goal: 1 soda per week, 4 glasses of wine per week, 1 cheat meal per week, 50% veggies with every meal, etc.
Fitness Goal: 4 days of exercise, walk 12,000 steps per day, perform a perfect lunge, perform a pullup, etc.
Life Goal: Don't work over the weekend, Take a breath whenever I'm stressed, Spend more time with my spouse, etc.
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
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!
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).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
A List of My Intents for 2021 (Perhaps a Template for Yours)
“Now is the time to redefine your principles and live with a new intent. Your choices for a new physical being will not only benefit your long-term health but will simultaneously contribute to a sustainable natural environment and less dependence on healthcare. Your new identity will serve means beyond your imagination, including the preservation of your legacy and impact on society. The cumulative effect of all of our habits steers a new social consciousness with this model of comprehensive health.”
In 2020, our will was challenged, as well as the habits and routines that defined our lives up to that point. The pandemic, social unrest, and election friction certainly shook the best of our physical, emotional, and mental selves in different ways. Like in past years, I take this time to reflect on the prior 12 months, adopt new mental software (habits, perspectives, and patterns of thinking), and reboot. As my best friend Craig mentioned in May, this historic period is what we've been preparing for over the last decade: The steps to improve physical health. The steps to manage stress effectively. The steps to adapt effectively and efficiently. Having been tested, it's time to reexamine my adaptability and the protocol needed to move forward with my best self. I challenge you to pledge the same.
Although the popular approach is to list desired behaviors and actions first, the most critical step (and the first) is identifying the principles that steer my behavior. All behaviors and perspectives extend from this moral/ethical/philosophical base. Although I don't expect to live perfectly and follow every principle and intent to a "T," they will certainly steer my conscious and unconscious daily. It is my "business plan" for the new "fiscal year" of my personal life. For example, I encourage you to review this plan below and formulate your approach within a similar template.
Please remember that "living" always requires effort, and interaction is the root of all being. The universe is truly interconnected, and true isolation is non-existent. My presence, actions, and movements....all affect my environment and other living things. Although the following intents serve my selfish needs, they also serve a good beyond myself (e.g., being there for my family for years to come, protecting our natural environment, depending less on healthcare, contributing to empathetic and compassionate energy in the community, etc.). All of us can curate a better world with the same intent.
Principles
Define a life serving my needs and contributing to society and humanity's greater good.
Act and think with a baseline of empathy, compassion, and kindness.
Seek understanding of myself and others before judgment.
Choose the most appropriate path despite the effort or personal sacrifice.
Celebrate equality and diversity of living things and perspectives.
Yoga has many benefits and there’s any better of a time to reach for new lengths / Photo: verywellhealth.com
Area 1: My Physical Health Intentions
My Workout Intent
Goals: Increase muscle and cardio endurance by 15% and integrate movements that support my next 40 years (including those that improve posture and range of motion). Vary the demand on the body through different equipment each workout day (Bodyweight, Cables, Bands, Machines, and Dumbbells). Minimize my dependence on healthcare needs through active movements and proper diet.
Monday
30-minute Strength Endurance Circuit Session and 30-minute Peloton Ride
Circuit Equipment: Bodyweight and Dumbbells
Circuit Muscle Focus: Chest, Back, Legs
Tuesday
30-minute Strength Endurance Circuit Session and 30-minute Restorative Yoga Session
Circuit Equipment: Bodyweight and Bands
Circuit Muscle Focus: Arms, Core, Legs
Wednesday
30-minute Strength Endurance Circuit Session and 30-minute Peloton Ride
Circuit Equipment: Bodyweight and Cables
Circuit Muscle Focus: Chest, Back, Legs
Thursday
30-minute Strength Endurance Circuit Session and 15-minute Stairmaster Climb
Circuit Equipment: Mix of Bodyweight, Cables, Bands, Machines, and Dumbbells
Circuit Muscle Focus: Total Body
Friday
30-minute Restorative Yoga Session and 15-minute Stairmaster Climb
Every Day
Two sets of 30-second Planks and two sets of Perfect Pushups, 14-20k steps per weekday
My Recovery Intent
Goals: Sleep 7.5-8 hours every night and rest from workouts on Saturdays and Sundays.
My Dietary Intent
Goals: To minimize inflammation and fluctuating blood sugar levels that result from dietary choices.
Meal Substance
21 out of 25 meals per week are free of dairy, oil, meat, and refined sugars.
Minimize the consumption of anything processed (including vegan and vegetarian products....choose whole food plant-based options as often as possible).
3/4 of every meal must be plant-based.
Whole food plant-based tacos??? Yes, please!!!
Area 2: My Emotional and Mental Health Intentions
My Reflection Intent
Goal: Complete 1 line in my journal daily (One Line A Day: A Five-Year Memory Book).
My Relationship Intent
Goals: Foster positive relationships that support and enhance my life.
As a Parent/Husband
Make myself more emotionally available with the removal of electronic devices during interactions. Allow at least 1 hour of connection with Sammy and Preston.
With Friends/Family
Engage in more meaningful conversations with friends and family. Foster new relationships with people who embody empathy, compassion, and kindness as a foundation for their behaviors and perspectives.
My Attention Intention
Goals: Refrain from checking social media on my phone and only checking social media twice daily on my desktop.
Cruise America: I’ve always wanted to rent an RV to see the national parks in the United States. With a new focus on the environment, I hope my son’s son will be able to do the same!!!
Area 3: My Environment Preservation Intentions
Goals: To reduce my carbon footprint and steer a new conscience about the environment.
Whole Food Plant-Based Diet
-Aim for a 90% plant-based diet (at least 75% will be whole food plant-based). Remind me that the most effective action any individual can take is to influence global warming and preserve our environment.
Waste
-Minimize the use of Ziploc bags and any single-use plastics.
Community
-Plant five trees within one block of our home.
-Organize neighborhood cleanup in May again.
Advocacy
-Dedicate at least five podcast episodes to the environment and plant-based advocacy.
Our civic duty is necessary for the preservation of our communities. / Photo: Toronto.com
Area 4: My Civic Duty Intentions
Goals: To organize community events to connect neighbors.
Events
Organize community 3-5 events in 2021.
Advocacy
Dedicate at least 5 podcast episodes to the psychology surrounding political and social issues.
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
Why 'Follow Your Dreams' May Be the Worst Advice You Ever Heard
"'Follow your dreams.' It's impossible to do without self-knowledge, what takes years. You discover your 'dream' (or sense of purpose) in the very act of walking the path, which is guided by equal parts choice and chance." Maria Popova's response to Tim Ferriss's question regarding the worst advice she ever heard in the book Tools of Titans.
WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS BASED ON
'Follow your dreams.' You've probably heard this advice as often as I did growing up. Indeed, the most common words of inspiration given to a youngster are seen in coffee table books and wall art. What does it mean, and how seriously should we consider this advice? Do you know?
As a psychology student for the last 20 years, I've learned one crucial thing: Most people aren't aware of themselves (or the influences on their thinking). I fell into this category for a long time, and it's taken much effort to recognize and understand the trends and patterns of me....including my dreams. I'd love to believe that my dreams were an inspirational inner voice that always had my best interest in mind and guided me with knowledge and understanding beyond my being.
Unfortunately, and fortunately, they most likely resulted from environmental influences, interactions, emotional interpretations, and unconscious cues from my history. Sometimes, my dreams reflected insecurities and fears that plagued my unconscious or disorientated interpretation of the day’s events. Often, they reflected on a film I watched that day or an emotion I recently experienced. While I recognized the symbolism of those dreams, I also understand how easily misleading they can be.
THE INTERPRETATION OF YOUR DREAMS
You may not be any different. Have you observed your physical, mental, and emotional self? Have you ever observed your trends and patterns? Have you identified the underlying influences on your behavior (i.e., fears and insecurities)? Have you ever examined the underlying influences on your dreams? If you're like most people, you will say "No." Would you follow any other prompt or cue like a dream with so many unanswered questions?
Don't forget that, at times, your dreams are also completely ridiculous and nonsensical. You may disregard those dreams, but it doesn't mean you should follow your dream just because it possesses a sensible, relatable narrative that seems like the truth about your path. As Maria points out, we learn about our true selves and what's best for us by walking the path and interacting with people and the world. If you don't know what you want to do next, be curious instead of following your dreams initially. Find invigoration and direction through the collision of your being and experiences in different environments with different people and see how it manifests later. Maybe at some point, you can consider the prompt of your dreams or your gut instinct. Be sure to understand yourself first, though, indeed.
YOU'RE A LEADER NOT A FOLLOWER
Also, the simple act of following infers that you are not leading. It is an unconscious nudge to wait for a sign to help you make lifelong personal and professional decisions without sound evidence. Do you want only to follow something that can be interpreted differently? Let's be honest. Most of our interpretations aren't 100% accurate and often are self-serving depending on the influences (which isn’t always a bad thing when it comes to survival but should be recognized). Why not follow the mantra ‘Create the life you want’?
While I always love words of inspiration, you may want to reconsider how sound the advice might be. No path is as easy as following your dreams.
PERSONAL TRAINER WISDOM
Whether you believe that your dreams result from your personal history or a spiritual push, you can’t argue with the importance of self-awareness. Whatever cue you receive, you should still examine the path you walked and the ground you stand on. Your assessment may provide the direction you need.
Photo Credit:
Thefinancialdiet .com–Should you follow your dreams?
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
My Advice to a Friend’s Frustrations While Trying to Lose Weight (And Why it Worked)
Recently, a friend reached out about his frustrations with losing weight. Here is my advice. It might help you overcome the weight loss wall you’ve hit, too.
MY ADVICE TO A FRIEND
Hey! Thanks for the specific notes and questions! It says a lot about your dedication to this process.
Losing weight is a complicated goal. It is a constant battle with your needs and wants. No matter how hard you try...you will compare everything to your long-term eating habits and what you want. This makes change very challenging. You've already established a foundation on autopilot that is comfortable and free of deciding or testing (even though it hasn't helped you reach your goal). No wonder you may be more likely to talk yourself out of the new food than figure out how to integrate it into your diet. Unfortunately, you may spend a lifetime of dietary cycles and weight fluctuations to protect what you love the most (which I understand firsthand).
If you follow the guidelines in the article How to Lose Weight Without Exercise, “ you will....absolutely....without a doubt....achieve your weight loss goal number. Surprisingly, it can be achieved without killing yourself in the gym. Other people would instead never attempt this approach for reasons that make sense: It is a drastic contrast from their norms (as mentioned above). They have to revise their social lifestyle (to a degree not as great as most people think) and their decision-making process, conduct necessary check-ins on their health, etc. It's a lot of work (in the beginning). However, once you set your new normal on autopilot, it no longer works automatically (similar to your food interests now). You're building a new physical and emotional relationship with your food.
Your questions are fair, and you deserve an extensive, comprehensive answer. At this point, I've reframed the answers in many different ways. Nothing will explain them more thoroughly than Dr. Fuhrman's book End of Dieting. I highly recommend reading the first 180 pages of this book this weekend. If you need a copy, I have an extra one for you!
Never forget that usually, the one thing you're avoiding doing is probably the one you need to do the most. You can exercise 2 hours per day, seven days per week, but it will still be avoiding the dietary change you probably need to make. Eventually, you should figure out what you can get away with (drinking beer, restaurant dinners, etc.). Right now, though, you should figure out how you should eat. And if you read the book and begin disqualifying the claims, you should consider where those opinions stem from. Are they threatening your current habits? Would you rather believe a theory closer to your wants?
This isn't an easy road, and I have the most respect for you hitting it dead on! Let's reach that number! Let's make this happen!
Personal Trainer Wisdom: When Tom (name changed) initially emailed me about his recent frustrations with the weight loss process, his pain, anguish, and frustration bled through each of his written words. He battled two cycles of losing 9 lbs and gaining it back in the following months. At the time of the email, Tom had again reached his highest weight. You can imagine the emotional ups and downs for him during that time. While it appears that Tom failed over the last year, it revealed a mindset and habits that led to these patterns. It is valuable information for a long-term change. It also showed that he is persistent and can set boundaries…even though these aren't ideal right now for his health.
I wish I could say that weight loss is as easy as commonly advertised. No matter what any plant-based personal trainer, advertisement, or “weight loss professional” tells you, it REQUIRES a mental, emotional, and physical approach. While it may seem daunting, it could be the push to learn about yourself genuinely. It’s time to think about the advice above. Update: Tom has lost 12.5 lbs with consistency, patience, and persistence since my email response.
Photo Credit:
Health US News .com–What will cause a change on your scale?
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
PERSONAL TRAINER BLOG
3 Nonverbal Gestures that Will Change Your Romantic Relationship Forever
Have you ever considered the mixed messages you send your partner during a conversation? Your nonverbal gestures could be sending a message you didn’t intend. Make these three simple changes and redefine how you communicate in a romantic relationship.
KEEP YOUR HANDS FOLDED IN FRONT OR YOUR ARMS ON YOUR SIDE
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Have you ever been in an argument while keeping your hands folded in front of you? Probably not. If you’re like most people, you become animated when upset: Arms flailing, convulsive head ticks, and a blend of sitting, standing, and fidgeting. Does this reaction typically help the situation? The answer is never yes.
Whether you intend to or not, your reaction probably makes your partner feel defensive (which could filter the message you’re trying to communicate). The biggest threat: Your hands! During your following conversation with your partner, move your arms and watch his eyes follow your hands. He’s worried about your hands and what they’ll do next (something to compromise his safety???)! It’s a protective instinct (like a warrior), and it places him in a defensive mode (even if it’s only unconscious).
Even if your nonverbal gestures aren’t an interpretative dance of the devil, placing your hands on your hips or folding your arms might also reflect discontent, anger, disgust, and boredom. Shame on you if this is your intent, and save the show for the stage. Most likely, you’re doing this unconsciously and don’t realize the effect of your nonverbal gestures.
Perform a check-in during your conversations. Ask yourself: What message are you sending with your physical position or reactions? You can offer your attention without expressing confrontational mannerisms. Try sitting with your hands folded in front of you (shows patience and attentive listening) or standing with your arms on your side (a non-combative stance). Communication in a relationship requires trust and security. Don’t undermine this safe zone and muddle your message with nonverbal gestures you didn’t intend.
FACE YOUR PARTNER WITH YOUR SHOULDERS SQUARED
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Similar to the placement of your hands and arms, your hips could tell a different nonverbal story. When you turn your body away from your partner, you could signal that you’re about to run away (which could be true) or fight her in a martial arts match. Most importantly, you’re not showing your vulnerability with the display of your whole torso (think opening yourself to someone instead of closing yourself off). Make your partner believe that she’s safe during this conversation and that you’re fully interested in what she says. Keep your hips parallel to her hips and square your shoulders upright.
LOOK YOUR PARTNER IN THE EYES WHILE SPEAKING AND LISTENING (ASSUMING YOU LISTEN :) )
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Nothing shows more respect to another human being (and dog) than looking at them in the eyes during a conversation. It’s another sign of attentiveness and respect. Most people find this nonverbal gesture challenging because they feel inferior or intimidated by the other person. I often look away to find a thought (as if I could picture the word I’m grasping for in my mind). Your reason may not be out of disrespect to the other person, either.
Nevertheless, it is the most regarded in any personal or professional setting. Your eye contact says, “I respect you…I’m listening to you,” is an essential nonverbal message when building intimacy in any relationship. Practice and stop overthinking.
Photo Credit:
Alberto Bogo – Is your body conveying a different message to your partner?
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here…..You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
The 1 Article that Will Make You Rethink Your Day-to-Day Approach
No commentary on life, living, and pursuing goals has influenced me more than what you’re about to read here (or see). Invest in this moment and read this post from start to finish…it will make you rethink your day-to-day approach and how you approach goals (especially since the speaker committed suicide three years later). I’ve included the full transcript of David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech, “This is Water.”
TRANSCRIPTION OF THE 2005 KENYON COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS WRITTEN AND DELIVERED BY DAVID FOSTER WALLACE (MAY 21, 2005)
(If anybody feels like perspiring [cough], I'd advise you to go ahead, because I'm sure going to. In fact I'm gonna [mumbles while pulling up his gown and taking out a handkerchief from his pocket].) Greetings ["parents"?] and congratulations to Kenyon's graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says "Morning, boys. How's the water?" And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes "What the hell is water?"
This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches, the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories. The story ["thing"] turns out to be one of the better, less bullshitty conventions of the genre, but if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don't be. I am not the wise old fish. The point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about. Stated as an English sentence, of course, this is just a banal platitude, but the fact is that in the day to day trenches of adult existence, banal platitudes can have a life or death importance, or so I wish to suggest to you on this dry and lovely morning.
Of course the main requirement of speeches like this is that I'm supposed to talk about your liberal arts education's meaning, to try to explain why the degree you are about to receive has actual human value instead of just a material payoff. So let's talk about the single most pervasive cliché in the commencement speech genre, which is that a liberal arts education is not so much about filling you up with knowledge as it is about quote teaching you how to think. If you're like me as a student, you've never liked hearing this, and you tend to feel a bit insulted by the claim that you needed anybody to teach you how to think, since the fact that you even got admitted to a college this good seems like proof that you already know how to think. But I'm going to posit to you that the liberal arts cliché turns out not to be insulting at all, because the really significant education in thinking that we're supposed to get in a place like this isn't really about the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about. If your total freedom of choice regarding what to think about seems too obvious to waste time discussing, I'd ask you to think about fish and water, and to bracket for just a few minutes your skepticism about the value of the totally obvious.
Here's another didactic little story. There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer. And the atheist says: "Look, it's not like I don't have actual reasons for not believing in God. It's not like I haven't ever experimented with the whole God and prayer thing. Just last month I got caught away from the camp in that terrible blizzard, and I was totally lost and I couldn't see a thing, and it was fifty below, and so I tried it: I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out 'Oh, God, if there is a God, I'm lost in this blizzard, and I'm gonna die if you don't help me.'" And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. "Well then you must believe now," he says, "After all, here you are, alive." The atheist just rolls his eyes. "No, man, all that was was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp."
It's easy to run this story through kind of a standard liberal arts analysis: the exact same experience can mean two totally different things to two different people, given those people's two different belief templates and two different ways of constructing meaning from experience. Because we prize tolerance and diversity of belief, nowhere in our liberal arts analysis do we want to claim that one guy's interpretation is true and the other guy's is false or bad. Which is fine, except we also never end up talking about just where these individual templates and beliefs come from. Meaning, where they come from INSIDE the two guys. As if a person's most basic orientation toward the world, and the meaning of his experience were somehow just hard-wired, like height or shoe-size; or automatically absorbed from the culture, like language. As if how we construct meaning were not actually a matter of personal, intentional choice. Plus, there's the whole matter of arrogance. The nonreligious guy is so totally certain in his dismissal of the possibility that the passing Eskimos had anything to do with his prayer for help. True, there are plenty of religious people who seem arrogant and certain of their own interpretations, too. They're probably even more repulsive than atheists, at least to most of us. But religious dogmatists' problem is exactly the same as the story's unbeliever: blind certainty, a close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn't even know he's locked up.
The point here is that I think this is one part of what teaching me how to think is really supposed to mean. To be just a little less arrogant. To have just a little critical awareness about myself and my certainties. Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded. I have learned this the hard way, as I predict you graduates will, too.
Here is just one example of the total wrongness of something I tend to be automatically sure of: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe; the realist, most vivid and important person in existence. We rarely think about this sort of natural, basic self-centeredness because it's so socially repulsive. But it's pretty much the same for all of us. It is our default setting, hard-wired into our boards at birth. Think about it: there is no experience you have had that you are not the absolute center of. The world as you experience it is there in front of YOU or behind YOU, to the left or right of YOU, on YOUR TV or YOUR monitor. And so on. Other people's thoughts and feelings have to be communicated to you somehow, but your own are so immediate, urgent, real.
Please don't worry that I'm getting ready to lecture you about compassion or other-directedness or all the so-called virtues. This is not a matter of virtue. It's a matter of my choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting which is to be deeply and literally self-centered and to see and interpret everything through this lens of self. People who can adjust their natural default setting this way are often described as being "well-adjusted", which I suggest to you is not an accidental term.
Given the triumphant academic setting here, an obvious question is how much of this work of adjusting our default setting involves actual knowledge or intellect. This question gets very tricky. Probably the most dangerous thing about an academic education -- least in my own case -- is that it enables my tendency to over-intellectualize stuff, to get lost in abstract argument inside my head, instead of simply paying attention to what is going on right in front of me, paying attention to what is going on inside me.
As I'm sure you guys know by now, it is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive, instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head (may be happening right now). Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master.
This, like many clichés, so lame and unexciting on the surface, actually expresses a great and terrible truth. It is not the least bit coincidental that adults who commit suicide with firearms almost always shoot themselves in: the head. They shoot the terrible master. And the truth is that most of these suicides are actually dead long before they pull the trigger.
And I submit that this is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone day in and day out. That may sound like hyperbole, or abstract nonsense. Let's get concrete. The plain fact is that you graduating seniors do not yet have any clue what "day in day out" really means. There happen to be whole, large parts of adult American life that nobody talks about in commencement speeches. One such part involves boredom, routine, and petty frustration. The parents and older folks here will know all too well what I'm talking about.
By way of example, let's say it's an average adult day, and you get up in the morning, go to your challenging, white-collar, college-graduate job, and you work hard for eight or ten hours, and at the end of the day you're tired and somewhat stressed and all you want is to go home and have a good supper and maybe unwind for an hour, and then hit the sack early because, of course, you have to get up the next day and do it all again. But then you remember there's no food at home. You haven't had time to shop this week because of your challenging job, and so now after work you have to get in your car and drive to the supermarket. It's the end of the work day and the traffic is apt to be: very bad. So getting to the store takes way longer than it should, and when you finally get there, the supermarket is very crowded, because of course it's the time of day when all the other people with jobs also try to squeeze in some grocery shopping. And the store is hideously lit and infused with soul-killing muzak or corporate pop and it's pretty much the last place you want to be but you can't just get in and quickly out; you have to wander all over the huge, over-lit store's confusing aisles to find the stuff you want and you have to maneuver your junky cart through all these other tired, hurried people with carts (et cetera, et cetera, cutting stuff out because this is a long ceremony) and eventually you get all your supper supplies, except now it turns out there aren't enough check-out lanes open even though it's the end-of-the-day rush. So the checkout line is incredibly long, which is stupid and infuriating. But you can't take your frustration out on the frantic lady working the register, who is overworked at a job whose daily tedium and meaninglessness surpasses the imagination of any of us here at a prestigious college.
But anyway, you finally get to the checkout line's front, and you pay for your food, and you get told to "Have a nice day" in a voice that is the absolute voice of death. Then you have to take your creepy, flimsy, plastic bags of groceries in your cart with the one crazy wheel that pulls maddeningly to the left, all the way out through the crowded, bumpy, littery parking lot, and then you have to drive all the way home through slow, heavy, SUV-intensive, rush-hour traffic, et cetera et cetera.
Everyone here has done this, of course. But it hasn't yet been part of you graduates' actual life routine, day after week after month after year.
But it will be. And many more dreary, annoying, seemingly meaningless routines besides. But that is not the point. The point is that petty, frustrating crap like this is exactly where the work of choosing is gonna come in. Because the traffic jams and crowded aisles and long checkout lines give me time to think, and if I don't make a conscious decision about how to think and what to pay attention to, I'm gonna be pissed and miserable every time I have to shop. Because my natural default setting is the certainty that situations like this are really all about me. About MY hungriness and MY fatigue and MY desire to just get home, and it's going to seem for all the world like everybody else is just in my way. And who are all these people in my way? And look at how repulsive most of them are, and how stupid and cow-like and dead-eyed and nonhuman they seem in the checkout line, or at how annoying and rude it is that people are talking loudly on cell phones in the middle of the line. And look at how deeply and personally unfair this is.
Or, of course, if I'm in a more socially conscious liberal arts form of my default setting, I can spend time in the end-of-the-day traffic being disgusted about all the huge, stupid, lane-blocking SUV's and Hummers and V-12 pickup trucks, burning their wasteful, selfish, forty-gallon tanks of gas, and I can dwell on the fact that the patriotic or religious bumperstickers always seem to be on the biggest, most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest [responding here to loud applause] (this is an example of how NOT to think, though) most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest, most inconsiderate and aggressive drivers. And I can think about how our children's children will despise us for wasting all the future's fuel, and probably screwing up the climate, and how spoiled and stupid and selfish and disgusting we all are, and how modern consumer society just sucks, and so forth and so on. You get the idea. If I choose to think this way in a store and on the freeway, fine. Lots of us do. Except thinking this way tends to be so easy and automatic that it doesn't have to be a choice. It is my natural default setting. It's the automatic way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life when I'm operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the center of the world, and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world's priorities.
The thing is that, of course, there are totally different ways to think about these kinds of situations. In this traffic, all these vehicles stopped and idling in my way, it's not impossible that some of these people in SUV's have been in horrible auto accidents in the past, and now find driving so terrifying that their therapist has all but ordered them to get a huge, heavy SUV so they can feel safe enough to drive.
Or that the Hummer that just cut me off is maybe being driven by a father whose little child is hurt or sick in the seat next to him, and he's trying to get this kid to the hospital, and he's in a bigger, more legitimate hurry than I am: it is actually I who am in HIS way. Or I can choose to force myself to consider the likelihood that everyone else in the supermarket's checkout line is just as bored and frustrated as I am, and that some of these people probably have harder, more tedious and painful lives than I do.
Again, please don't think that I'm giving you moral advice, or that I'm saying you are supposed to think this way, or that anyone expects you to just automatically do it. Because it's hard. It takes will and effort, and if you are like me, some days you won't be able to do it, or you just flat out won't want to.
But most days, if you're aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady who just screamed at her kid in the checkout line. Maybe she's not usually like this. Maybe she's been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer. Or maybe this very lady is the lowwage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness. Of course, none of this is likely, but it's also not impossible. It just depends what you what to consider. If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.
Not that that mystical stuff is necessarily true. The only thing that's capital-T True is that you get to decide how you're gonna try to see it. This, I submit, is the freedom of a real education, of learning how to be well-adjusted. You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn't. You get to decide what to worship.
Because here's something else that's weird but true: in the day-to day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship -- be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles -- is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.
Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they're evil or sinful, it's that they're unconscious. They are default settings.
They're the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that's what you're doing. And the so-called real world will not discourage you from operating on your default settings, because the so-called real world of men and money and power hums merrily along in a pool of fear and anger and frustration and craving and worship of self. Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the center of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving and [unintelligible -- sounds like "displayal"]. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.
That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.
I know that this stuff probably doesn't sound fun and breezy or grandly inspirational the way a commencement speech is supposed to sound. What it is, as far as I can see, is the capital-T Truth, with a whole lot of rhetorical niceties stripped away. You are, of course, free to think of it whatever you wish. But please don't just dismiss it as just some fingerwagging Dr. Laura sermon. None of this stuff is really about morality or religion or dogma or big fancy questions of life after death.
The capital-T Truth is about life BEFORE death.
It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:
"This is water."
"This is water."
It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive in the adult world day in and day out. Which means yet another grand cliché turns out to be true: your education really IS the job of a lifetime. And it commences: now.
I wish you way more than luck.
Photo Credit:
https:// medium.com/reflective-stance/seeing-the-water-e31d8f12f5c3–Is this the greatest philosophical question of this century? Check out Debbie Donsky’s thoughts.
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!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here…..You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!