Hi Guys
Long time, no chat. I hope this finds you positive, passionate, pro-active and performing optimally. Or at the very least, happy and having some fun 
.
It was a busy weekend so I’ve been a little absent from the blogosphere lately. Johnnie and I spent some quality time with the good folk of Queensland sharing the Renovate Your Body message. We had a great group who – judging by the amount of emails I’ve received since – seem to have had some major light-bulb moments and quite a few breakthroughs. Now, let’s hope those moments turn into lasting transformation. Actually, let’s not hope, let’s do. Being as the vast majority of you couldn’t be there for financial, geographic or practical reasons, I thought I might share some of the key messages that resonated with our group…
The Important Bits:
* Knowing isn’t doing. Smart people do stupid things. Often. Especially when it comes to their body. Ever met a doctor who smokes? Me too. Transformation ain’t about the information, it’s about the application. Far too many informed, educated and intelligent people simply don’t apply what they know. Or if they do, it’s often short-lived.
* Some people will die (literally or emotionally) waiting for the ‘perfect time’ to change their life. As a result, they will waste their time, talent and potential. And they’ll probably be miserable too.
* Our psychology (how we think, react, cope, process, choose) often gets in the way of our physiology (what we do and don’t achieve physically). It’s true; bodies are very adaptable and capable… if only we could master the cerebral chaos that is our over-thinking mind. Keep in mind: you’re not a body, you just live in one.
* Workshops don’t change people, people change people. A workshop can be a catalyst for change but it can’t be the change; that’s your job. There are no quick fixes or miracle cures; despite what some people would have you believe.
* Change works from the inside out. And it’s not always quick, easy, convenient or painless. And that’s okay.
* Producing exceptional results is more about decisions, behaviours and resilience than it is potential, talent or genetics. Which has always been good news for me!
* Perseverance wins out over potential. There is an abundance of talented and gifted people who never use what they’ve been given. And an abundance of not-so-gifted people who consistently find a way to maximise what they have. I should know; I’m in group B .
* What our head wants and what our body needs are (often) very different things. Listen to your body. It knows what you need. And it cares.
* Hard or easy is about the person, not the task. It’s true that many people have a PhD. in difficult. They can turn the most straight forward process into a major theatrical production complete with pouting, foot-stamping, complaining and attention seeking.
* What’s written on the front of food packaging is called marketing, not nutritional information. Don’t get me started on those sneaky food marketing people.
* Losing weight is the easy bit. Keeping it off is the challenge.
* Weight loss is not (necessarily) fat loss. Weight is an issue but body composition is the issue. According to height/weight chart guidelines, I am currently 14-18 kgs (31-40lbs) over-weight. Quite the effort for someone with a body-fat of thirteen percent.
* Motivation is handy but discipline is essential. Discipline is what keeps us doing what we need to when the (feeling of) motivation ain’t there.
* People don’t accidentally get fat. No, it takes work. We choose what goes in our mouth don’t we? Last time I checked nobody accidentally eats junk food or excessive calories every day. No, it’s a choice. And I’m pretty sure people don’t accidentally avoid exercise either. No, I think that’s a decision too.
Any of you guys who were at the workshop, feel free to share your key message(s) from the weekend. Love to hear from the rest of you as well.
xx
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Hi guys,
If you couldn’t be at RYB Brisbane you didn’t miss much. Really. It was terrible. It was 13 degrees and raining (with intermittent hail), Craig had put on 18 kilos and his biceps had atrophied into cocktail frankfurts. And he had nothing interesting to say. At all. Complete waste of time. Yep, you might as well stop reading this now. See you later.
Psssst. Still there, RYB people?
Was Sunday awesome or what? I had so much fun meeting all of you – it’s so nice to finally put faces to names. I even got to chat to some of the scaredy-cat lurkers – yes, you know who you are and you also know that I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.
What did I learn from the day?
• Queensland people smile a lot. When you ask them where they’re from, they kinda look a bit sheepish and guilty because they know how good they have it but they don’t want to let on in case they become invaded by ‘Southern’ types (like, um, me).
• Every person has an amazing story to tell and is at a different point in their journey. Some have already made dramatic, positive changes and are looking forward to maintaining and consolidating their new life (not necessarily just about weight loss), others are standing at the crossroads – about to take that exciting first step onto a new and rewarding path. Some are still working on losing their excuses before they can embark – but they will and they’ll never look back.
• I talk too much. Sorry guys.
• My lightbulb moment? When Craig said: “Don’t confuse ‘I can’t do something’ with ‘I haven’t done something – yet’. I like that. I think I’ll get it tattooed. Only I wouldn’t want it to be somewhere visible. But then if it’s somewhere where it’s not visible then what’s the point? – it could be awkward if I have to drop my pants every time I need a bit of inspiration and motivation. Maybe I’ll just write it on a post-it note and stick it on the fridge. Yep, that’s probably a better idea.
I could say lots more but I will exercise uncharacteristic self-control and go now.
Have an amazing Tuesday everyone.
Christina xxx
Nice to hear from you again
Thanks for those key points. I went through them and I could tick all of those boxes. I’ve understood the stuff for a while now but now I’m actually DOING what I need to do. It really is about discipline, decision making (initially it will be on a moment-to-moment basis), focus (not obsession) and having the right reasons to want to fuel our body the best way we can and to exercise our musculature – our heart and all the other stuff around it! Biceps, maybe, if that’s your thing
Some dickhead may spike your drink without your knowing, but no one force feeds someone chocolate or cheesecake, or a whole loaf of bread in a day.
When you’re strength training, its even more important to ignore the scales. You are building lean muscle, burning fat and the scales just wont give you a true indication of what’s going on.
Be EXCITED about the journey to the new-and-improved you that will emerge. I am
Hi Everyone
Great workshop in Brisbane. It was good to put faces to names. My lightbulb moment was the choice factor. We can choose what we do, what to be, what to eat, exercise etc. I am currently reading Choice Theory A new Psychology of Personal Freedom by William Glasser. Hearing Craig, talking to fellow participants and reading this book, it sort of all came together for me on my way home.
Thanks to Craig,John, Christine and
Saturday 21st November 2009 :Just listed: great family home: built in the (late) 60’s, this home has plenty of space already – needs no more extensions! Foundations are in good order although the facade could do with some paint to pretty it up. All this property needs is a little internal renovation to bring back to former glory. Would make great renovation project for those so inclined.
****UPDATE**** Sunday 22nd November 2009 6pm – This home has been taken off the market as the owner has decided to keep and approach as a DIY Project! The house has since been re-energized and is well on its way to being updated and beautified! Minimising the pantry space will allow for a great improvement! Using the stairs more regularly, working in the garden – Much thought has been put into the transformation plans.
The owner of this fabulous property would like to thank Mr Craig Harper and all the other great people that attended RYL on Sunday for assisting with the re-connection to the energy source!
Seriously though, although Craig didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know, the workshop was the catalyst I needed to “suck it up – man up and make an effort:…” to be able to achive the results I need…. So, in the words of the wise Mr Harper… ..
“GIDDY UP”…
Jak
OK, I’ll come out of my lurking (you may be sorry, I ‘talk’ a lot!!!).
I’ve read Fatitude, read the blog and thought I’d heard Craig’s message before and implemented some of his wisedom into my life. I went along to RYB not sure if I would learn something new or not. WAS I WRONG!! OK, OK, we are constantly learning, you’ve told us that before – message now understood. It was also interesting to told to people that had been to a number of your seminars “because each time they learn something new.”
Lightbulb moment for me is to have a deep think about my non-negotiables to ensure they are life long non negotiables, not just something I will implement for 4-6 weeks.
When there is fruit and veges in the house I eat well, when I can’t be bothered shopping I will grap crap. Got on first name basis with the green grocer so Sam will see me every Monday at 9am – non negotiable!! He’s happy about that, wathcing his sales go up. Sam even threw in 2 extra lettuces for free to help me along the way (now that marketing is much better than those cereal box companies).
Oh and those ‘healthy’ breakfast cereals – IN THE BIN. I new about Nutri Grain, but Sultana Bran, that was scary.
Thanks again for coming to QLD.
Nat
Hmm, bit jealous now, thanks a lot Christina!
x
Hello lovely people,
So nice to have a brief encounter with other craig.dot.commer’s over the weekend. It was brief for me, but still valuable and enjoyable to meet and hear about the passions and interests of other readers. I guess we all have different goals and reasons for reading Craigo’s blog, but obviously we all resonate with the message and are doing and being the change (whatever that means for each of us) at a pace and rate that is appropriate and attainable for us personally.
I think Craig mentioned once that there are (about) 1,785,610 different ‘realites’ to occupy – but funny how we can all still share a common point of interest – basically one of change and personal growth.
Christina (so lovely to meet you) – I really liked your description of the stages different people are at in their journeys. I myself have been able to make some positive and I guess, dramatic (tho’ less so, when done over the long term) changes and have also been able to maintain and (so far) consolidate them into my everyday life. I now have other goals to pursue and really enoyed hearing about others lives and thier own aspiratons. I really want to wish for everyone the persistence, resilence and inspiration they will need on their journeys – lucky we all have ‘the master’ to keep us on track !!
Oh….Craig…..are you there???? Hi – was great to meet you, albeit briefly and yep, you are an excellent hugger. I was in ‘the blonde corner’ and also enjoyed chatting to you other blondies – Sarah, Christina and Dee.
Better be off now. Have a great day all. Glad you enjoyed your ’sunny Queensland’ visit.
With hugs,
Mon
AHUH…Sounds like you had a great time, and am back invigorated! the way it should be!
Christina, your a nutcase..but a very funny one! thank you..
* Knowing isn’t doing. Smart people do stupid things. Often. Yep I am a witness to this…..
* Some people will die (literally or emotionally) waiting SAD but part of life.
* Workshops don’t change people, people change people. A workshop can be a catalyst for change but it can’t be the change; that’s your job. There are no quick fixes or miracle cures; despite what some people would have you believe-……………Workshops are made of people!
* Change works from the inside out. And it’s not always quick, easy, convenient or painless. And that’s okay………………_ yeah well it is also nice when the change starts to change the outside… far out it does hurt in there… and apparently it is only blood and guts…
* Producing exceptional results is more about decisions, behaviours and resilience than it is potential, talent or genetics. Which has always been good news for me! Well I am betting my life on PERSISTENCE!
* Perseverance wins out over potential. Lets hope so
* What our head wants and what our body needs are (often) very different things. Listen to your body. It knows what you need. And it cares – Good to know something cares….
* Hard or easy is about the person, not the task. It’s true that many people have a PhD. in difficult. … Please come to my work one day, they seem to get pay rises here for this!
* Losing weight is the easy bit. Keeping it off is the challenge – Yep feeling the stress and just wanted to eat an enitre block of choc at 9am in the morning began to eat the outside, then realsied I never ever want to go back .. so I binned it…. staying motivated thank god for RPM.
* Weight loss is not (necessarily) fat loss………………..Funny this just started the body composition weight in once a week – very interesting.
* Motivation is handy but discipline is essential. So True, discipline is a gift…
* People don’t accidentally get fat. No, it takes work. – HAHA you are so funny
Not much to say, glad you guys had a good time
Ok whats wrong with saltana bran? Craig let us all in on the brekky secret please, even though i dont eat breakfast would still like to know, please please with cheesecake on top.
Thanks so much for sharing what we non-participants missed! Reading about this made me think I should have been in the blonde corner and I felt sad…then I remembered I had a phenomenal weekend.
Besides, one fine day I hope we’ll get our turn in America… Let’s not hope, let’s do!! Right, easy for me to say.
Anyway, it would have been cool to meet you all, I’m happy that you had a great transformation inspiration weekend.
I had an awesome time at the workshop – thanks for all the inspiration, Craig, and you truly do rock.
There was so much light bulb material that it’s hard to narrow it down, but truthfully the main things I took away from the weekend were these.
1. That motivation is temporary. Waiting until you “feel like” doing something or until you “feel motivated” to lose weight/get fit/whatever really translates to ending up on your deathbed STILL waiting for those things. That motivation will never come and the moment will never be right, so just frickin’ DO IT!
2. That my physiology is a direct result of my psychology. Getting my head right will get my body right. It knows what to do and it wants to do it. My head is the problem and I can’t afford to neglect the “head” aspects of the journey. But that doesn’t mean I have to overthink them.
Great to spend time among positive people seeking to better their lives too. I cannot believe how much I learned.
“People don’t accidentally get fat” – I love it. So simple, so true, and yet so definitely bound to cause an angry uproar amongst the general masses. I rarely meet someone who claims full responsibility for their physical condition. If it’s not genetics then it’s the fault of their busy life, their family, their boss, who knows, maybe even their pet! My current bugbear (having just given birth and now being super aware of it) is women who claim their post-baby body is ‘of course’ completely out of their control.
Oh for a world where we all own up to the inescapable truth – wherever we are at, physically and otherwise, is a place entirely of our choosing.
Pearls that I took home from the day were:
1. When the student is ready the teacher will appear (an oldie but a goodie).
2. I’m 100% responsible for my life, so I should start living it and… stop whinging about all the apparently unkind people “out there”; oh, and no more self-pity parties (not negotiable).
2a. Suck it up.
3. Other people are just as shy, nervous, uncomfortable as me… (this was more of an internal, self-generated reflection)… so pull out some compassion because life’s not all about me… it’s taken me a long time for me to figure that one out
4. Commitment will get you through when motivation fails. (I’ve already passed this one forward to someone at work today.)
5. Even though vampires are incredibly sexy and popular at the moment, choose to empower people and not be an energy vampire.
6. I really like the petrol station (mind) and cars (thoughts) metaphor: I’m going to use this one with my own clients… hope that’s ok.
7. Don’t over-think things.
Basically, I’ve got a long way to go, but I feel recharged for the journey ahead.
Thanks!
PS I’m a bit on the reserved side. But the people that I did meet were a bit of inspiration on the side.
HI everyone,
I wished I could have been there on Sunday but it has been great to read some of what was covered. Knowing what to do and yet not doing it resonates with me.
Hi,
OK, OK I get it! I’ve been reading your updates for the last few months now, and I agree. It’s all really great stuff.
WHERE DO I START!?!? (I’m in the UK by the way)
Thanks,
Garry
Wow! I’m a lurker from the US and I’ve gotta shout out a big “THANK YOU”. The points in your article are enlightening and the comments in response are very helpful too. Love every word.
Some things that really hit home:
“What our head wants and what our body needs are (often) very different things”
I’m *just* scratching the surface with this. I do *not* have to have a load of chocolate just because it’ll make me “feel” better. When I get a junk-food craving my first approach is to check in with my body and ask “do I need it?” Sometimes it works and sometimes I have that big ol’ mocha latte anyway but, it’s a start.
“Perseverance wins out over potential.”
Awesome. Just the reminder that I need. I’ve been beating myself up quite a bit recently. I have a goal in mind, Craig, I want to land a software development job that will allow me to telecommute in order to be more active in my daughter’s daily care. I’m in a software development job now, I’m working on my master’s degree (4 courses to go!) and yet it’s still not enough … I still feel like I don’t know enough, I’m not smart enough, I’m not skilled enough. It makes me tired just typing it!!
Thanks for the inspiration and the invaluable reminders of how we create our own lives every step of the way.
((hugs))
Jen
Hi Guys – thanks for all your thoughts., feedback and input. Great stuff. As always.
A big shout out to our newbies – Barbara, Jaki, Nat, Robyn, Garry and Jen… welcome to me-dot-com and nice to meet you all
In answer to your question Garry..
1. Make some (life-changing) decisions
2. Possibly get yourself an accountability partner, coach, mentor or trainer
3. Set specific goals and create a practical plan
4. Take action
5. Take more action
6. Deal with the lumps and bumps…
7. Keep finding a ‘way’ rather than an excuse…
Q – you have said Possibly get yourself an accountability partner, coach, mentor or trainer
If you have a coach, do you also need a mentor or someone for say business? if so do you do that?
Well that was a great day. Good to meet a few of you. I must admit I haven’t read much here in the past few months and did not know is was on until my mate Brendon “the guy who is already man enough” rang me and said he was going.
Really kicked me into gear Craig. Recently I have changed my diet and have been exercising 5 days a week for most of the year. I can now fine tune and document what I need to do as my “NON NEGOTIABLES”. What a great term.
I just need to be able to bring myself to pack Tuna in my suitcase when i travel and I will be on my way.
Great to meet you Craig and Johnny as well, oh and you to Christina.
Cheers
Thanks Craig – I’ve managed to make a number of successful changes in my life over the years, but never really with my body.
Every time I seem to get so far and then no further. I find it hard-going when I don’t get positive feedback (e.g. lose weight) and then I don’t know where to go next.
Anyways, you’re right and I’m inspired – I just want to make a success of it this time!
Garry