The RIGHT time

It doesn't exist.

Ever heard yourself say "I'm going to start X when [insert excuse]"

Newsflash. There will always be something going on. As people in society today, we are always busy. Stress, in some facet will always exist. If you are always waiting for tomorrow, today will never come.

The "right" time to do something, is always present. You just have to make the decision to begin.

So why is starting so hard?

I'll tell you:

Discomfort.

Fear.

Self-Doubt.

Failure.

For most, it is more comfortable to live in chaos and unhappiness than it is to be challenged by change.

As cliche as it sounds - COMFORT KILLS. We are taught that FAILURE is bad, when in reality it's how we GROW. To seek PERFECTIONISM, when in reality is it DOESN'T EXIST. To not FEEL those uncomfortable feelings, when in reality challenging and conquering those feelings is what makes us feel ALIVE.

So begin. As @brenebrown says, "lean into the discomfort" and take the first step towards achieving your goals.

You will fail. But you will learn and improve your skills. It's how we rise.

You will feel discomfort. New things are hard. You can do hard things. Practicing each day makes the uncomfortable feel more comfortable.

Fear fades and it is replaced with confidence.

The bigger the risk, the higher the self doubt. In my opinion, this is how you know you're doing something right. The reward is worth the fight. So when you feel it, turn down the volume and face it head on. The more you confront it, the greater its silence.

So do yourself a favor. Begin.

Food and Inflammation

👍🏼🦠ACUTE inflammation = GOOD. Inflammation triggers our immune system to fight illness and injury. It’s also how we build the muscle mass we so dearly covet.

👎🏼🧬CHRONIC inflammation = BAD. Chronic inflammation leads to disease.

🗣Chronic inflammation is HIGHLY INFLUENCED by dietary and lifestyle factors. So let’s talk food.

🚫I hate to break it to you but to there is no such thing as a SUPERFOOD. They don’t exist. There is no single food that will cure anything. If someone tries to tell you there is - they’re trying to sell you something.

💎There are however foods, that when CONSISTENTLY eaten in MODERATION (yes, you can have too much of a good thing) will INFLUENCE a decrease in systemic inflammation.

Eat MORE of these:

🐟 Omega 3 fatty acids - have 6oz salmon or other cold water fish (mackerel, tuna, sardines) 2x/week. Other excellent sources are chia and flax seeds

🫒 Unsaturated fats - nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, and olive/avocado oil.

Choose lean animal protein and dairy options most of the time.

🫐 Fiber - choose more fruits such as berries, oranges, tomatoes, and tart cherries and vegetables like dark leafy greens, potatoes, and winter squash, to get boost of antioxidants, in addition to whole grains and legumes for more fiber

🍫Dark chocolate that is 70% or > cacao and spices like turmeric and ginger have anti inflammatory properties when consumed in moderation.

Other KEY PLAYERS:

❌ Cut known food sensitivities/allergies

💤 Sleep

💧 Hydration

😵‍💫 Stress Reduction

Eat LESS of these, they are known PRO INFLAMMATORIES:

🥓🍗🍔🍟 🧈Fried and highly processed foods - these are high in saturated/trans fat

🍞🧁🥣🥤Refined Carbohydrates and Added Sugars - the refining process strips the carb source of it nutrients and fiber. Check the food label on packaged food for added sugars

🍺Alcohol

Other KEY PLAYERS:

💊 NSAIDS - disrupts the resolution process

🚬 Smoking

Inflammation can be very complex process. Eating a balanced diet that focuses on the above will HELP YOU keep you chronic inflammation acute. This in turn will help to IMPROVE mental and physical performance, body composition, and overall health parameters.

Grit

“Grit is passion and perseverance for long term goals” - Angela Duckworth

It doesn’t matter how talented you are. How badly you want something in the moment. Grit is NOT instant gratification.

Grit is the ability to ENDURE the grind. It’s knowing that there is no such thing as overnight success. It is knowing that for long term success you must build HABITS, SKILLS, and put in the WORK. It’s the willingness to lean into struggle, fail, learn, and come out on the other side.

Grit is having the DISCIPLINE to do something because it benefits your outcome not because you have the motivation to do it. It gives you PURPOSE for making decisions and taking action.

Grit is adopting a GROWTH MINDSET. Knowing that you will fall down, and sometimes take steps backwards, but you’ll get back up. It is knowing that you have the TENACITY to persevere in your pursuits.

Here at Pure Grit Performance I teach my athletes how to #staygritty . How to look at the big picture, create habits for long term success, and harness resilience to build a strong body and mind.

What is a Macro?

I get this question a lot... and in this context, it is not a rule in Excel (shout out to my tech nerds 😂)

I like to teach this in the concept with Russian dolls.

Doll #1 - CALORIES 🔥

Calories are the bare bones basic nutrition concept that most understand. When we metabolize and break down food, the energy that results is a calorie. We utilize calories as heat energy for all bodily functions and repairs, in addition to fueling our activities.

Doll #2 - MACRONUTRIENTS🍽

Calories are then broken down into smaller categories called macronutrients... or for short - macros! There are 4 macronutrient groups. Each of the macros results in a specific number of calories/gram of macronutrient.

🥩1. Protein = 4 calories/g (10g = 40 cal)

🍚2. Carbohydrates = 4 calories/g (10g = 40 cal)

🧀3. Fat = 9 calories/g (10g = 90 cal)

🍷4. Alcohol = 7 calories/g (10g = 70 cal)

Doll #3 - MICRONUTRIENTS 🌈

Macros can further be broken down into micronutrients, or micros. These are all of the vitamins and minerals found in food. It's is what makes up the color in (natural) foods. So if you have ever heard the term "eat a rainbow" it means eat a variety of colored fruits, veggies, and foods to get a wide range of vitamins and minerals... or it's Marshawn Lynch telling you to eat some @Skittles. 😂

(And yes - white is a color too… well technically it’s a shade, but semantics 🤪)

Educate yourself about food! The more you KNOW the more POWER you have to achieve your physique and performance goals while creating a strong, resilient body and mind. 👊🏼