Quite often, I use the tagline "Real People, Real Effort, Real Results" when marketing our program.

Sure, we are real!  We're just common folk that want to be healthy, strong, swift, and mobile human beings.

Real effort...heck yah!  We get "fogged up" and sore quite frequently.  Lifting heavy things, moving fast, doing complicated movements all the while.

But what is meant by "results"?

That's completely up to you.  You have to determine the goal.  You have have to determine whether you've accomplished the goal.  You have to define success.

As I've mentioned before, I use Earl Nightingale's definition:  "success is the progressive realization of a predetermined, worthwhile goal."

And, for the majority of us, the results are very evident:

• More energy
• More mobility
• More strength
• More stamina
• More coordination
• Leaner
• Healthier
• Happier
• Etc
• Etc
• Etc.......
  

So, maybe we've done well in accomplishing what we've set out to accomplish, maybe not.  Regardless of the degree of success (as defined by you), you have probably become a better person in some way due to the process (sufferance) of trying to accomplish your goal.  Maybe it's time to move on to a new goal, or just refocus.

And, now that we are nearing the end of some challenges (100 Day Challenge, and 30 Day Paleo Cooking Challenge), it's time to start thinking about starting another one.  The two challenges I just mentioned were a bit vague...in the case of the 100 Day Challenge, it was simply an opportunity for you to pick something difficult and work toward accomplishing it.  Some of the challenges were:

• No sugar
• No Diet Coke
• 100 double-unders
• 1 damn dead-hang pull-up

As for the cooking challenge...it was just an introduction to the "paleo lifestyle".  If the changes made to your cooking techniques are beneficial to your lifestyle, then your cooking challenge was successful, in my humble opinion.

But now what?

There's one thing that I don't talk about specifically in regards to results, goals, and success, because it happens to be my pet peeve in relation to fitness:  weight loss.  Boooooo!!!!

This could be a very lengthy post if I allow myself to delve into what is meant by "weight loss".  Simply said, "weight loss" is not a good fitness metric.  (In case you didn't know, I am speaking of a metric in terms "of or relating to measurement".)

Increases in the following aspects are what I consider good fitness metrics:

• Mobility
• Strength
• Stamina
• Coordination

If "weight loss" refers to a leaner physique, well then, we can talk the same language.  I am continually working to change the fact that many people's fitness results center around being leaner.  Losing fat, not weight.  With that in mind, maybe our next challenge should include being leaner.  Being leaner is very likely going to go hand in hand with being smaller in size, unless you are very focused on muscular hypertrophy or bodybuilding.  Even in that case, your lean-ness will probably result in smaller size.  Regardless, if we are to use our waist size as our metric, then that becomes our challenge:  smaller waist size and a leaner body.  Unscientific for sure, but hardly arguable.

Most, if not all, reductions in waist size, or becoming leaner (or "weight loss" if you choose to term it that way), can be accomplished through changes in fueling your body, primarily the elimination of "crappy carbs" (sugar, most starches) and a change in fueling mindset from satisfaction to sustenance.  We usually talk about this briefly before or after the workouts, in longer conversations outside the gym and during our book and cook club meetings, so I won't belabor the point here.  Just get it through your head that what you put into your body absolutely effects how you lean you are, regardless of your activity.  As Robb Wolf said:  "bad diet will undermine any activity level".

Does that mean you can quit working out?  SURE!  Go right ahead...heck, you can even use one of the popular diet systems out there such as the "ideal protein diet" or "hCG".  (Go ahead and Google those terms cuz I ain't linking to them.)  If your fitness interests lie solely in  "losing weight" (losing fat), then maybe those diets are for you.  But "losing weight" is not offered at ONDEG.  Losing fat is.  Gaining mobility, strength, stamina and coordination is.  A better deadlift is.  A faster 5k is.  Better recovery time is.  Don't think you are healthier simply because you are less fat.  We've all seen or heard what happens to people when they eat 500 calories a day and use some chemical to force their body to burn fat for fuel.  That type of fueling plan only makes you weaker.  And you know what Uncle Rip says:  "strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general".

So here's the challenge:  go buy a pair of pants that you want to fit into, but you don't fit into at all right now.  Be bold!  Fitting comfortably into those "skinny pants" is your goal.  When you've lost enough fat to fit comfortably into your new pants, you are successful!  There is, however, a caveat:  you must not lose any mobility, strength, stamina, or coordination on your journey to "skinny pants"!  In fact, you must have better mobility, strength, stamina and coordination when you finally fit into those "skinny pants".  How will you know?  A simple way of knowing if you are more fit is a better "Fran" time.  Yeah, I know, using one workout is a silly way to determine if you are more fit or whatever.  But I defy anyone to argue with the fact that if you can do a prescribed "Fran" in less than four minutes (21-15-9 thrusters and pull-ups at 95# for men or 65# for women) you will pretty much have the body you want or at least have the body your genetics will allow you to have without some very specialized training or surgical procedures.  There may be other tests, but you decide how your fitness should improve while moving towards the "skinny pants".

Now go on!  Go shopping!  Buy those pants you want to fit into!  And if your "diet" sucks, change your mindset from "eating" to "fueling" and get your cooking and eating plan straightened out.  Keep picking up heavy things and moving them long distances in short amounts of time.  Keep practicing high skill, complicated movements.  You can try on the pants in private or in front of others.  If the pants don't fit after a couple months, chances are you aren't doing what you need to do.  And you won't have anyone to blame except yourself.  Tweak your fueling plan and workout with more intensity.

If you accept this challenge, bring your new "skinny pants" to the gym...we'll hang them on the wall as a public display of your commitment to get leaner without getting weaker.

Don't like the "skinny pants" idea?  Fine.  Grab your camera right now.  Strip to your skivvies.  Take a picture of your near-nekkid bod.  Make a printout and pin it to the wall of the gym.  Now your goal remains the same:  be leaner.  But now your metric is more subjective.  Will you look the same in a couple months?  Your numbers will be objective and won't lie about improved fitness...deadlift should be heavier, "Fran" should be quicker, double-unders should be consistently in double digits.  You might be scared to show everyone what you look like now without your clothes on.  Truth is, we already know.  Sorry to say it, but your clothes don't hide very much.  You might as well make a public statement that you aren't happy with how you look currently and in a couple months you will look much different...leaner, more defined, healthier.

If your goal is a lean body without sacrificing fitness, then take the "skinny pants" challenge or the "near-nekkid" challenge.  Either one is a public announcement of your commitment.  Bottom line is this:  if you want to change, you will have to suffer more than you do now.  I dare you.