Check this out…
I was watching the local news last night (something I don’t often do). The last section asked people on the street if they had set New Year’s Resolutions and how they planned to stick to them.
Were people enthusiastic? No
Excited? No
Hopeful? No
In fact, the majority of people gave a “Let’s see how long it lasts” attitude with a little chuckle.
Damn! That’s just not good enough.
So this is it!
It’s now or never. No more procrastination, no more half-assed attitudes!
If you, like a lot of others, have set a goal or resolution for your body, this article will help.
I’ve put together 6 ways that, if implemented, will virtually guarantee you the body you always wanted.
(1) Decide! Your life is completely shaped by the decisions you make. The power of decision probably isn’t what you think it is. If you look up the origin of the word you’ll see the following:
Origin:
1425–75; late ME decisioun < MF < L dēcīsiōn- (s. of dēcīsiō) lit., a cutting off
The word means that you CUT-OFF any other possibility from occuring. A single-mindedness or definiteness of purpose is what we’re talking about here.
So are you ready to DECIDE that 2010 WILL be the year where you get what you want?
Have you chosen who you’re going to be?
Have you decided what your body is going to look like?
Make your choice man. Once it’s chosen, it’s done. Lock it in and don’t budge until it’s objective reality.
Got it? Good, let’s move on…
(2) Tell others about your decision. Committing yourself is good. Telling others who will hold you to that commitment is even better!
Pick friends or family who will be supportive and have the courage to tell you if they see you slipping up. For example, if your spouse knows that you should be at the gym but you’re lying on the couch, he/she should be telling you to get your lazy ass out the door.
Knowing that other people are holding you to account will also force you to give 100% while in the gym. So when you’re tempted to quit a rep or 2 early, the thought of others saying, “Your body doesn’t seem to have changed much” will crank up your motivation sufficiently to make you do what’s required of you.
(3) Get a workout buddy or trainer. If you are someone who finds consistent motivation a problem, a trainer, or at least a workout buddy, will be invaluable to you. Having someone be a little in your face when you’re tempted to hold back will literally mean a difference of pounds of muscle in the coming year. Remember that the necessary stimulation for growth comes in those near-impossible last reps.
(4) Stop buying muscle magazines. They’re rubbish. What you’re really buying is a catalogue disguised as an informative magazine. That’s a fact; they are actually registered as catalogues! Did you know that?
If you’re pursuing the real science of productive bodybuilding, why buy something that holds contradictory theories and programs from one month to the next? Put the catalogues aside this year.
(5) Invest wisely. Every year you spend a certain amount of money towards reaching your goals. I recommend you spend what’s required. Sacrifice other things if that’s what’s needed. You can’t afford to be too stingy in this pursuit.
For example, I recently bought a new rack with all necessary cables I need to really experiment with a new training protocol at home. It cost me £500 or about $800 USD, but there’s just no way I could experiment properly in a crowded gym.
On the other hand, my supplement costs are quite small. I only use the following:
Other people are using all kinds of expensive crap. Save yourself the money. Use what works; the results you get will largely come from intense training and diet.
You’ll be saving yourself plenty of money by not buying magazines and useless supplements. Use the extra on things that are sure to accelerate your results.
(6) Get a lifestyle overhaul. Successfully changing your body is not about mastering one small area. For example….
What if you’ve got your dietary protein intake sorted successfully but your workouts are only 80% of maximum intensity?
What if you’re only averaging 5 hours of sleep a night.
What of you’re constantly stressed out?
What if you rarely drink enough water?
And so on. You need to actually become a different type of person altogether, small changes are not enough. There’s an axiom that fits well here:
“You have to BE something before you can HAVE something”
What it means is that before you can have something, you first need to acquire the mindset of someone who already has it. If you regularly miss workouts, the person who never does this THINKS differently from you. If you mess up your diet, the person who doesn’t THINKS differently from you.
Start to acquire the mindset of success. Think success consistently and the action-steps will come automatically. Before you start debating whether or not to go to the gym, you’ll already be there.
So that’s it. Now’s the time, commit to it 100% NO MORE EXCUSES!
Anyway, it’s Monday, if you haven’t trained yet, GO!
Mark
Nuf said Mark
Doubt if I can achieve all of the above but I’m determined to lose some body fat – try and reveal those abs – and put on some muscle.
Perhaps I need to look at better equipment?
Thanks for the motivation.
Another great article Mark, just the boost needed to refocus the mind and keep on track going into the New Year.
All the best
Jason
Along the commit to the change line, I read an interesting way to provide yourself a little extra external motivation, if you’re seeking that extra 10% to get over the hump.
1. Find someone who can act as an independent referee (that is, who can offer an unbiased appraisal of whether you’ve met your goal or not).
2. Pick a reward that you’d like that has a quantifiable cost (eg. that new golf club you’ve had your eye on).
3. Pick out an organization or cause that you absolutely abhore, and write a check for the amount of money determined in #2 to that organization and give to the person from #1. (eg. the George W. Bush presidential library if you’re a US democrat, or the Ohio State University if you’re a University of Michigan alum, etc.).
4. Write a check for an identical amount to yourself, and give it to the person in #1.
If you fail to meet your goal, the referee mails the donation check. If you meet your goal, the referee gives you the check written to yourself.
Thanks guys. @Keith. I think so. Equipment really is important, also remember that it’s a only a one off expense. Email me if you would like some advice on that.
@Jason. Good to hear from you man. All the best.
When I first got started I could see there were 2 possible outcomes:
I was going to get THAT body
I was going to die trying
Simple as that!
@David. I liked that man. It would be hard NOT to be motivated in that scenario.
Great Marc. I often tell ppl about the difference between decision and choices. Choices can change, but decisions don’t. You cut off all other possibilities.
I also talked about that last point of lifestyle change in my blog post on Lifestyle of a Bodybuilder. You illustrate what I call the Be, Do, Have principle. Be who you want to be first, so you will do what they do, and have the results they have. I see a lot of ppl (myself included sometime) that get this wrong – putting the cart before horse.
Thanx man.
Thanks alot Mark, this really helps. I’ve been a runner for the last two years, but I decided recently that I needed to build some muscle. I’ve spent the last few months doing total body workouts, then I found your website. I used last week to prepare for your THT program, and today was my first day. I sweated more today then I’ve ever sweated during a workout by working to positive failure, and I can already feel it working. I’ve got really high hopes for where I’ll be physically in 10 weeks, and I owe it to you. Thanks alot.
-Jaime
Thanks a lot Mark. Your ideas have really changed the outlook of my body. Keep sending your ideas
cheers
jitesh
One other thing that I find a great motivator is when youre with a buddy and you have a little bit of competition running to see who can get the most results the quickest. I myself go to gym with my pal and weve been going for about 4 months now (gained 20 pounds already :D) and whenever I see him improving I really feel the notion to push myself harder and do the same.
Awesome article, thanks.
I’ve been looking for some advice to maximize my gains even during situations where I can’t necessarily eat perfect or get to the gym. I’m in the Marine Corp and go to the field at times for 3-4 weeks and don’t really have the benefit of chosing when I eat and equipment is lacking to say the least. I am currently slated to go to Korea for a month in Feb and really don’t want to lose the gains I’ve been making. I’m wondering if anyone has any advice on exercises I can do with odd items ( i.e. 80 lb cables, 30lb ammo cans ect) as well as eating habits (forced to eat MREs which consist of high calorie pre packaged foods) that help me keep at least some of the muscle and not put on too much fat that will set me back from my goals.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Yet again you make complete sense and you never try to trick us with weird bullshit. I’ve got lotsa respect for you man, keep being awesome!
what rep range should i use 8-12 or 5-7????
I LIKE HOW YOU THINK MAN,IM SETTING MY FIRST NEW YEARS RESOLUTION THIS YEAR..BUT ITS THE DIET PLAN THATS HARD/EXPENSIVE,ANY SUGGESTIONS ON CHEAPER OR LESS EXPENSIVE FOOD PRODUCTS U KNOW ABOUT? ALSO I PURCHASED A WIEDER MAX HOME RESISTENCE GYM,AND I HAVE HEARD ABOUT DIET PLANS THAT GO ALONG WITH A RESISTENCE SYSTEM,IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RESISTENCE DIET PLAN OR A FREE WEIGHT DIET PLAN?
Hello Mark,
I take ON 100% WHEY GOLD STANDARD 1 hr before workout and then immediately after workout i take it with dextrose monohydrate (6 teaspoon,35 gram) + ON creatine 3 gram with vitamin c and e capsule and a antoxylforte cap that contain spirulina…is this OK
early in the morning i take whey protein with water in 500ml of water…
I take whey with water only….
Does the below diet is OKKKK….iam 29 years of age,height 5.9,weight 74kgs