Fitness with a Purpose

For my grandparents and just about every generation before them, life was physically more demanding and fitness was part of the daily routine. Now we don’t have to struggle as much in order to survive. The need to have physical activity has diminished to such a degree that in fact, we’re desperately trying to find ways to get it back into our lives. But here’s a catch: your fitness goals should have a purpose behind them, or you won’t succeed.

On this episode, we’ll talk about fitness with a purpose. When many people hear the word “fitness,” they think about going to the gym and lifting weights. But that’s just taking a narrow view of the topic. The true health hero understands that like our ancestors, we need to find ways to incorporate dynamic movement into our lives.

Today we’ll speak with three experts who teach people to tap into their best selves through purposeful movement, and all of them do it in a slightly different way. But the idea is the same. Movement has an impact on nearly every process in the human body and we should all strive to get more of it into our lives.

Racquel Shelby And Chad Tackett – Eating The Right Foods, Personal Support, And Purpose

My first guests are Racquel Shelby and my friend, Chad Tackett, founder of The FITera Fitness Network. Chad was formally one of the first people to launch a successful fitness program on the Internet. He’s been a fitness coach for decades.

Racquel has a degree in public relations and is a blogger. Two years ago she weighed 184 pounds. She was sitting too much, sitting at work and while vlogging. One day she decided to get it together and get in shape. For her, it was not just about the right foods, but personal support and a purpose that helped her to reach her goals.

Chad says that the biggest mistake people make is jumping into a really rigid diet.  They end up depriving themselves of the foods they love, eat really small portions and stop doing the things that they really enjoy like going out to eat, attend social gatherings, etc. And eventually they find themselves miserable, and they can’t stick with that. They may lose the weight at first but then gain it back and then some. Chad is teaching people a better approach.  A super simple meal guide where you’re choosing the right foods at the right times, and at the right amounts in ways that work whether you’re at home, at work, or eating out.  It is not about punishment or deprivation but choosing the right foods while enjoying life.

In this episode, I talk more about Chad’s strategies and Racquel’s inspiring story, and we also discuss how personal support is also crucial.

Jeffrey Johnson – Start Where You Are And Take Baby Steps

My next guest is trainer Jeff Johnson. Weekend warriors can learn from Jeff, his clients, and their incredible stories. Jeff says you have to have a starting point. Once you get the starting point, you don’t just jump straight into it. You start by taking small steps. Say, three days out of the week. You then master those three days each week. And then you work to four days, and then you work with your diet. It is all about working up from where you are now and taking small, consistent baby steps.

Jeff and I talked more about this along with strategies that can help you to get started and reach your goals.

Dianne Bondy – Body Positivity And Yoga

My next guest is Dianne Bondy. Her Yoga4All movement inspires and empowers thousands of followers around the planet.

Dianne had once wanted a thigh gap and to be a size 2.  But that was unrealistic for her.  For most of her life, she had been a big girl.  What she prefers to call herself is “abundant bodied”.  She started her first diet at age 8.  But she was fighting her genetics.  She hated her body and bullied it.  Then as the body positivity movement took off in 2014-2015, something clicked for her and things started to change. Now she loves and appreciates her body. I love that she is a body positive and anti-diet advocate.

Dianne shares her journey along with some great tips in this episode.