Keith JonesJuly 4, 2016

This Independence Day I am taking a moment to express thanks for this wonderful country I live in. It’s is the land of the free. And because of the many sacrifices made by Americans past and present, I get to exercise free will everyday. Today I freely choose to be happy and healthy. From what I eat to how often and hard I exercise to the people I surround myself with, I choose my life. It’s all about being healthy and happy.

Our language, actions and attitude are a reflection of the choices we make. We are free to speak and act as we choose. I use to say things like, “I can’t eat that. I have to go workout in the morning. People can’t be counted on.” This thinking and the attitude that came with it made me a victim. Each time I said things like this, I felt unhappy or negative. This changed when I chose to exercise free will in the way I see things. I now say, “I choose to eat healthy because I like the way it makes me feel and look. I choose to workout early because it jumpstarts my day and increases my productivity. And I choose to have positive, loving people in my life because they make me happy.”

Sometimes life is unpredictable and uncomfortable. What makes it worth living is how I exercise my free will. I choose to use it to be healthy, happy and loving no matter how life shows up. If you want the same for yours, I encourage you to exercise your free will in a healthy and happy way too.

Stronger Mindset,

Keith

I am honored to be part of a community of people who are committed to a healthy lifestyle. They do their best to honor their bodies with exercise and nutrition. They are kind and loving to each other. And they look for opportunities to be better than they were the day before. I find inspiration all around me. As I get older, I observe the members who are in their fifties or older closely. I am in awe of them. They represent what’s possible for me.

My friend Mary, age 53, shared something with me that she learned from a few preventive care doctors I know. They told her, “Your story after age 50 is determined by how you treat yourself before then.” If, when you’re younger, you exercise regularly, eat healthy daily and calmly handle challenges in your life, your story will be about how healthy you are. Conversely, if you don’t do these things before age 50, your health will reflect that. It will show up in your body weight, heart health, mindset and emotional state.

Learning this makes me grateful that I’ve been committed to being healthy for over 25 years. I hope I am as healthy as my friends are when I get to their age. In addition to being thankful, I am more devoted to helping others achieve and maintain optimal health. We live in a time where people live longer. Do you want to be active in your late 60s, 70s and 80s? I sure do. We have a few members in our community in their late 60s who are super fit. That’s what I want. And it’s what I want for others.

Whatever your age is, I encourage you take your health seriously. Make choices today that your future self will thank you for. If you’re under age 50, pay it forward to yourself. And if you’re 50 or over, let’s get to work on making you stronger and more fit for the next decade of your life. There’s no slowing down. We are just getting started.

Stronger Workouts! Stronger Mindset!

Amy FriendJune 30, 2016

I ran across this video on my Facebook feed yesterday, and I’ve watched it several times now. I was moved by the strength and courage that this little girl revealed on her journey from an ostracized little girl into a talented ballerina who was the envy of the ill-hearted. The story inspires and gives hope and sends a clear message to Never Give Up! Please watch. You will be inspired.

https://www.facebook.com/alvintoro/videos/10153187524316938/

This video represents so many of the struggles that so many of us face on a day to day basis. Alvin Toro says it perfectly, “Everywhere you go and regardless of what you do, there will always be those obstacles that put to the test how bad we want to achieve our goals. At the end of the day it is those obstacles that separate those that want from those that do.”

Wow. Whether its weight loss goals, achieving an educational goal or making a business/dream come to fruition, it all comes down to how bad do you want it and how hard are you willing to work. Learn from the failures along the way and view them as opportunities to learn and grow stronger. Trust and believe in yourself.

Right now I am doing everything possible to fight for something that I really believe in. It does not matter the time commitment or the sacrifices made. I am doing it. I know that there is no obstacle too great and no challenge too difficult that we cannot overcome. Whole-hearted passion, determination and hard work will get us through.

My mom’s husband, Larry, was a high school mathematics professor. His license plate read, “GOYA”. Yep, I’m just sure he wanted to send a message to his students to Get Off Your Ass! By choosing to work really hard at one ambition, it will carry over into all areas of your life and you will attract people who share the same work ethic. Be an inspiration to others. I am certainly inspired by those people who I am surrounded by.

the true test of a
CHAMPION
ties not on whether he can
TRIUMPH
but whether he can overcome the
OBSTACLES 

Amy

Keith JonesJune 29, 2016

Use your precious time to learn, grow and love. All of it! The movie The Martian made me want to learn botany. And I wish I loved math more during high school. I learned math. I liked it but I didn’t love it. Had I loved it, I would have immersed myself in it. What amazing things could I be doing now if I had? All my choices today have to answer three questions in the affirmative. The questions are, “If I do this, will I learn something new that supports my goals and purpose? Will I grow from this? And, will I get an opportunity to love or learn how to love more?” If the answer to any of these questions is no, I’m not doing it. This new wonderful way of thinking is making me see old and new things in completely different ways. For example, I use to dislike camping and gardening. My last time overnight in a tent was in the Marine Corps 25 years ago. If I camp again, I will learn how to build a great fire, tap into a hidden skill set of survival, and simply love and appreciate being outdoors under the stars.

I use to associate any form of  gardening with work. I thought, why work in my free time when I already do so much of that anyway. After seeing the aforementioned movie, I now think how cool it would be if I could partner with nature and the environment to produce food like the character did in The Martian. This makes me want to garden.

Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of people to achieve some awesome goals. I loved every moment of the journeys. The experiences were so rewarding. I now want to use my free time to learn how to make inspiring personal documentaries and videos. I will learn a lot, grow along the way, practice being more loving and have lots of fun. This is in line with my mindset and life purpose to make a difference.

I encourage you to use your free time in a way that is fun, serves others and makes you a better person. Your life will be more fulfilling and meaningful when you do.

Stronger Mindset!
Keith

Amy FriendJune 27, 2016

There are two important elements to creating an effective workout routine. The first is consistency, and the second is a good balance of endurance and strength workouts. I am happy to be part of a community where both are created and supported. Each of the different workouts has its own specific focus and the benefits that you receive help you in the other workouts. For example, building a strong core in TRX classes helps to give you the solid foundation for proper technique in resistance training. And, similarly, building strength with weight lifting gives you the stamina to perform better in a TRX class. Muscle strength is the ability to exert maximal force in a short time while muscle endurance is the ability to do something for an extended period of time without getting tired.

Our training sessions offer a variety of well-rounded exercises that improve strength, endurance and overall fitness. Group exercise classes build as much mental discipline and strength as they do physical. Each class offers its own unique physical challenge while supporting the other workouts. And the common thread through them all is a mindset to do your best, be open to exercise coaching from others and encourage everyone. The incredible combination of the physical and mental games makes it possible to get through some very challenging workouts.

The strong emphasis on proper form, effectiveness and fun is the foundation our workouts are built on. Our rhythm spin classes are led by incredible instructors who keep members at a steady cadence as they build power and speed in a fun environment. Your ride will find you climbing at a heavy resistance followed by intervals of all out sprinting. The group energy is one that allows everyone to feel supported and pushed to have an amazing cardio workout.

Drop-saddle spinning (no sitting for an hour) is a beast all on its own. This class will challenge you like no other indoor cardio does. Instructor Sharon takes you on a journey that you’re not sure you will return from. She may start the class by saying, “Today we are going on an endurance ride” or “Today is your confidence booster”. Whatever the mental focus, the physical ride is challenging. This class will improve your cardiovascular endurance by keeping your heart racing and your breathing elevated. Many people equate it to a good run – without the stress on your knees and body. Sharon’s super motivating coaching and encouragement is what gets you through.

TRX classes are my personal favorite. I love leading a class that gets everyone wondering what I will come up with next! TRX is multi-level class allowing anyone to participate. Each person can vary their angle or up their intensity to challenge themselves. Using your own body weight helps to build muscle tissue that will in turn help to strengthen bones and improve bone density. Choreographed routines to music provide a cardio aspect to the workout and gets your heart pumping, while planks and balancing on a ball take your core strength and mental focus to the next level… every time!

The Saturday morning classes can be anything. It might be track, plyometrics, TRX, spin or a combination of them all. The two things you can count on are that they will be incredibly effective and super fun.

Lastly, the Sunday resistance sessions – designed and directed by our very own, Keith Jones! This is where the weightlifting, core training, cardio and strong mental game all come together. It includes tried and true exercises like squats, pull-ups and dips and relatively new core and balance exercises like TRX and plyometrics jumps. We describe the session in one word, “filthy”. There may be as many as 6 groups of 3 to 4 partners; yet, Keith has partnered together people in a way that creates a positive and contagious energy. The workout is structured and it moves smoothly and efficiently. The pace of the session improves endurance while each exercise builds strength. Everyone leaves the gym feeling as if they could have never completed the session without all the support and encouragement of the group.

Each of these training sessions alone would produce solid results for the participant. But it’s how each unique class makes you stronger for the other ones that enables our workouts to produce extraordinary results.

Amy

Keith JonesJune 24, 2016

Life is good. Even when it doesn’t feel like it is, it is. Each day has beauty and goodness in it. The key to seeing both is shifting your mindset from pessimism to one of gratitude and possibility. This is not the kind of mentality most people are born with. Human beings are wired to see to what’s wrong with a situation as opposed to what might be right about it. We often look for the bad in people rather than acknowledge the good they’ve done or will do. To free yourself of this emotional death sentence requires three things. First is a conscious choice to see everyone and everything in life as good. The second is a commitment to nurture this mentality daily. And the third is surrounding yourself with a group of people who will lovingly call you out when you’re not seeing all the good in your life. They give you no space to be a victim or make others out to be villains. And that leaves you only the role of champion to play.

When I take an objective look back on the happy and not so happy periods of my life, I see the good in both. The happy times were filled with fun. And the challenging periods were filled with lots of lessons. There was good in both for different reasons. They are obvious during the happy times and more difficult to identify during trying times. But with a grateful mindset developed through daily practice, you can see the good even when life is far from perfect. And since life is rarely perfect, you need to learn how to see the good in everything if you want to be happy.

I spent too much of my precious life being a victim and making others out to be victims. By blaming my stepfather for a challenging home life, I made him out to be a bad person. In doing so, I became the victim. This went on for three decades. I didn’t talk to my stepfather for years and blamed him for a lot of things. And he wasn’t the only one. I did this to others. Thankfully I went to a personal development seminar in 2007 that helped me replace victimhood with a commitment to personal responsibility and love. Now I see the good in people even when their words and actions suggest there’s none there. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be part of a community who sees the same in me even when I am far from being my best.

To see the good in people and every situation takes practice. A lot of practice. But if you want to be happy and healthy, I encourage you to put the time in because life is easier and sweeter when being loving and seeing the good is your go to response to everything.

Stronger Mindset!

Keith

Amy FriendJune 23, 2016

If there was a way to double or even triple your chances of fitness success and reaching and maintaining your goals, would you be interested? How about an approach that makes exercise more fun and creates the space and time in your busy schedule to make it happen? Studies have shown that there is strength in numbers and committing yourself to a group will significantly increase your chances for success.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 68% of American adults are considered to be overweight or obese. Contributing to these statistics is the phenomenon of rebound dieting where people lose and gain weight. Nearly 65% of people who lose weight will gain back all their weight and more within three years! Another study cited 90 to 95% of people who lose weight are unable to keep it off long term! How can you increase your odds?

Personally, looking at my own track record, I know I would not be consistent with my workouts, committed to clean eating, or looking and feeling the way I do if it were not for my fitness partners and the structured workouts that our community provides. I strongly believe that long-term success is dependent upon a strong support system. Group exercise provides a powerful combination of accountability, motivation and encouragement. During a workout, we share the roles of partner, coach and cheerleader, and this makes it fun! There are times when I would, most certainly, stop short on reps because I’m tired or feeling the burn, but I don’t because I want to inspire my partner in the same way that he or she is inspiring me. By making that commitment to a partner or group you just made showing up for your workout non-negotiable. In our group there are expectations that you will be there and everyone feels needed. Making time suddenly becomes much easier and the odds for sustaining a healthy lifestyle are higher.

Many people are motivated within a group because they don’t want to let anyone down. A study, from the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University found that couples who worked out separately had a 43 percent dropout rate over the course of a year while those who went to the gym together had only a 6.3 percent dropout rate. In another study, people were told to hold the plank position as long as possible. When told they were working as a team (one person had to stop if and when the other stopped), participants stayed up 160% longer than those simply working with a partner (were free to stop planking without affecting the other) and 200% longer than those working alone.

Another key factor is the emotional connection that comes with group workouts. Your partner doesn’t have to be your best friend, but it should be someone whom you don’t want to disappoint. Psychologically, if you feel you have a responsibility and commitment towards another person, you are more likely to follow through on that commitment. Just last week someone in our group did not meet her coaching commitment to lose one pound that week. We all did an extra set of walking lunges for that missed commitment. The reality is that we all won because we got more of a workout. The one who missed her commitment is motivated moving forward as she doesn’t want to impact others, causing them to have to work harder, even though it’s really a good thing. This works quite effectively within our fitness group.

Over the last couple years, we have seen people come and go within our fitness community. We could have been our own research study. Many of the people who left, have fallen back to habits that have taken them off track with healthy nutrition and working out and it shows. Many thought they could create their own community or do it on their own. For those who have stopped exercising or who have fallen back on unhealthy eating habits, I hope that they find a support system that will help them to get back on track. I love our community but it may not be the right fit for everybody. If you fall into a similar category, the important thing is to become part of a group that inspires you, encourages you and holds you accountable. And when you commit to a community like this, your health, happiness and life will always be better. Do it for yourself and everyone around you wins!

Stronger workouts!

Amy

Keith JonesJune 22, 2016

The best leaders are also great followers. To excel in the latter role requires three important things. The first is commitment and discipline to be a star in your role. When asked why he dominated games 5 and 6 in the area of rebounding during this year’s NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Tristan Thompson responded, “Our team leader, LeBron James, told each of us, ‘be a star in your role.’ So that’s what I try to do every night.” The second ingredient you need to be a great follower is humility. You must humble yourself to do what best serves the community without thinking about what’s in it for you. Great followers are able to find joy and peace in doing whatever is needed to contribute to the mission. No task is too small. And the third requirement is a willingness to show up free of your ego. Ego can undermine a community and team chemistry. Great leaders and followers understand that our ego makes us susceptible to jealousy, envy, judgment and gossip. And the ego can’t stand for others to get credit. When challenges hit, people who are led by ego look for someone to blame instead of rallying around each other. True leaders and great followers rid themselves of ego. They give themselves fully to the goal and make their team and community the only thing that matters.

History is filled with sports teams, organizations and communities who have the three traits of great followers. As a result, they thrive and achieve remarkable feats. They may not always win or place first, but they always grow and make the community better through their efforts. They have an ability to shut out the outside noise and focus on the task at hand. They understand that negative self-talk and hateful statements by others is none of their business. Their focus is on members inside their community and the goal. And they give their very best to both.

In every great follower, I see an awesome leader. They are all around us. I witness them at our workouts. They are the ones who show up early to set up for the training session or stay after their workout to support the next group. They encourage people squatting while they are lunging by. When everyone stops to talk, they are looking for ways to contribute more. If they don’t see any, they ask what more can they do. I’ve noticed people like this my whole life and strive to be like them.

It’s easy to perform when you are the one who organized an event. It’s expected of you. But what about when you’re not the designated leader? When I am in the role of follower, I look for ways to contribute while showing respect to the instructor. In classes led by Amy, Susan, Sharon and Cristina, I adjust fans to keep people cool, help members into the TRX straps, grab any needed equipment and encourage. When I am invited to someone’s home as a guest, I ask how can I be of service. And if food has been served, I do the dishes before leaving. I want to make a contribution wherever I go.

I am convinced that to be a true leader, you must also be a great follower. It’s not either/or. In fact, the definitions of both require you to be the other as well. I am fortunate to be in a community of many people who are both. They are stars in their role. I love our community.

Stronger Mindset!

Keith

Keith JonesJune 20, 2016

We all know that being healthy and fit comes down to exercising and eating right. Some people can do both for short periods of time. However, making optimal health and fitness a lifestyle change for the long-term can be a lot more challenging. I’ve learned that there are two things that keep people for doing this. It’s how they view and experience exercise and nutrition.

A lot of people don’t exercise or are inconsistent because they see it as painful, a lot of work and boring. While I acknowledge their sentiments, my mind is on other aspects of exercise. I focus on the results I want to produce, not the pain or discomfort that comes with an intense workout. People are often surprised when I tell them I don’t particularly enjoy exercising, but it’s true. What I do appreciate is how I feel and look. Working out daily requires commitment and discipline. Every time I train, I strengthen these mental traits. Both of these are transferable to other areas of my life. They help me in business and relationships.

I have a different take on nutrition than most people too. For a lot of people, they will choose foods that taste good over foods that may not be good for them or support their goals. As a southern boy growing up in a region where unhealthy choices were abound, I can relate. I grew up on fried foods, breads and junk food. Any vegetables I ate had their nutritional benefits nullified by all the salt and fat added to them to change the taste. This changed when I went to the Marines where flavor was at the bottom of the list of priorities, if there at all. After four years of service, flavor became a non-factor in whether I would eat certain foods. It came down to whether or not it was healthy, good for me and supported my fitness goals. If it did, I ate it. If not, I didn’t. And if it happened to taste good, that was a bonus. I encourage you to shift how you view the foods you choose to eat.

I understand that I am a different kind of cat. I exercise and eat right because it’s good for me. So why listen to me? Well, over the last ten years, I’ve been a part of a community that’s worked with people who aren’t like me. To help them make being healthy a sustainable lifestyle change, we had to find solutions. We came up with one that is a game changer. It’s our community. We were strangers who formed friendships and bonds that are rooted in helping each other be our personal best. We encourage and support each other in being happy and healthy for life. So when it comes to our intense exercise sessions, we create an encouraging, supportive and fun environment to train in. And for the nutrition piece, we challenged ourselves to create recipes that are both healthy and delicious. Just try our Quinoa Lasagna and Long Run Brownies and you’ll know we are succeeding here.

To make living healthy sustainable, shift the way you view exercise and nutrition. Then surround yourself with people who see it the same way. When you do, you will be healthy and happy for the rest of your life.

Be Healthy and Happy for Life!

Keith