One of the biggest questions asked of the world’s fittest endurance athletes is “how do you do it?” The answer is simple, and not so secret.

1. They practice clean and effective nutrition strategies
2. They have a big, powerful aerobic engines which allow them to burn fat as a primary source of fuel.
3. They effectively manage their mind.

These are the three primary disciplines which will dramatically jump start your fitness journey, and they are all very simple. There is no trick to them. No gimmicks. No magic pill. No shortcuts.

Let me rephrase what I mean by simple. The action to be taken is simple, but the psychological limitations we impose on ourselves becomes the biggest obstacle. It’s up to you to decide to overcome those barriers. Once you commit and begin taking consistent action within the following disciplines, the task becomes easy.

1. Nutrition – What we eat has a dramatic effect on our health and wellness, and specifically which energy system we utilize. In order to burn a higher percentage of fat vs. carbohydrate, we need to eat a diet that promotes fat adaptation. This means eating clean, healthy foods high in healthy fats and low in (if not completely void of) refined sugar. It also means avoiding processed foods. Very simply, eat a clean based diet. When we consume a clean, healthy diet, our blood glucose levels stay regulated and we adapt our bodies to more effectively, more efficiently, burn fat. The net result of a healthy diet includes greater energy, reduced inflammation, loss in body fat, better mood, greater motivation, and generally better health. The benefits are endless. Alternatively, when we eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods (foods devoid of nutrients and fiber), we experience dramatic spikes in blood glucose levels, which causes energy drops, stress hormone release, increase in stored body fat, and stress on our internal organs. 
2. Low Intensity Aerobic Exercise – Second to proper nutrition, the way we exercise influences our aerobic conditioning. The effort at which we exercise affects our ability to utilize oxygen and burn fat for fuel, which promotes endurance. Specifically, fat adaptation occurs when we train consistently at low intensity (in an aerobic state of exercise). Training at low intensity does a few things. At first, you’ll feel like you’re not really doing anything, like you’re not working out. You likely won’t even be breaking a sweat! BUT the real work is being done on the inside. Your body is reconditioning itself from constantly burning a higher percentage of carbohydrates instead of fats (which creates the stress response that lead to burnout, fatigue, injury, illness, and anxiety) to utilizing more fat for fuel. Combined with a healthy, fat rich diet, this can lead to all sorts of health benefits, including lower blood pressure, more energy, decreased anxiety and stress, and loss in excess body weight. 
3. Mindfulness Practice – Finally, the conditions of our mind has a direct influence on our ability to adapt to fat burning. The more stress we are under, the more our body will react to that stress (much in the same way that it reacts to physical stress – by releasing stress hormones, signaling an increase in heart rate, and triggering a craving for more fast energy (sugar). Fortunately, proper nutrition and exercise do have an influence over our mental state, but unfortunately the reverse is also true. When we are not in the correct frame of mind, we lose motivation, crave unhealthy foods, and either exercise too hard or not at all. We find ourselves in a situation where our psychological condition can force us into a vicious, or virtuous cycle. The goal is to force the latter. We do so through a practice of mindfulness, which includes meditation and a morning practice that puts us into the appropriate frame of mind. With an appropriate personal recipe for daily mindfulness practice, we can maintain the motivation to persist in our pursuit for exceptional health and wellness, regardless of what challenges arise. 

It’s that simple. Your new and healthy transformation begins with these three elements of health and wellness. Join us and begin your fitness journey today!