health Archives | Andrew Shaw

Decision time

In the labyrinth of life, decisions stand as the pivotal crossroads defining our journey. At these junctures, the mind often whispers caution, inviting us to delay, rest, or take the easier path. It poses the eternal question: “To do or not to do?”

“Why do I struggle?” you might wonder. “Why do I falter when it comes to actions that are beneficial?” The answer lies not within you, but within the intricate workings of your mind – a confluence of self and subconscious.

Picture this: You, the self, navigating alongside your mind, functioning as a protective barrier (the id). When faced with potential discomfort – physical, mental, or emotional – this firewall triggers warnings. It conjures discomfort, furnishes excuses, and resurrects past biases and limitations. It distorts reality, whispering phrases like “It should be easy” or “You shouldn’t have to.”

And when subtlety fails, it unleashes deep-rooted fears:

“Confrontation might lead to conflict.” “Being authentic might invite societal judgment.” “Saying ‘No’ could exile you from your tribe.”

The mind plays dirty, coaxing you away from anything remotely painful, all in the name of your survival, not your growth or fulfillment.

Capitulating to these mental gambits impedes progress. As time elapses, a chasm widens between your ideal self and the behaviors you exhibit, sparking mental dissonance. Your actions deviate from your values, creating an internal discord.

So, how do you navigate this mental maze?

The answer isn’t in shutting down the firewall (an impossible feat). Instead, it lies in acknowledging these mental alerts and proceeding despite them. Embrace the doubts, fears, and uncertainties, recognizing them as natural companions on your journey.

This courage to act amid discomfort is not mere bravery; it’s acceptance. Acceptance that these feelings and thoughts are intrinsic.

To strengthen this resolve, focus on enhancing mental resilience, grit, and impulse control. Engage in daily exercises that heighten self-awareness. When the choice point arises, grant yourself space and autonomy to decide, free from impulsive tendencies.

With time, you tame these emotions and impulses. You cultivate self-trust, confident that you’ll act in alignment with your goals and values. This transformation, this harmonious existence of beliefs and actions, is what I call Elysium.

In your quest for Elysium, remember: the mind’s firewall may trigger alarms, but you hold the power to acknowledge, accept, and act. As you persist, you’ll forge a path where your actions align seamlessly with your aspirations, leading you closer to the utopia of self-realization and fulfillment.

Performance goals, stress, time management

Feel like you don’t have enough time?

Do you feel like there’s not enough hours in the day?

You’re no stranger to the relentless demands of balancing work, family, and personal goals.

The constant fretting over whether there’s enough time to accomplish everything can leave you feeling out of control, overwhelmed, and like you’re always moving too slowly.

It’s a familiar struggle – the feeling that time is slipping through your fingers.

This anxiety often stems from a perception of having a lack of time, which can be addressed.

In this blog post, we will explore effective time management strategies to help you regain control and prioritize what’s important in your life.

Mindfulness: One of the most powerful tools to combat the stress of limited time is mindfulness. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routines can make a significant difference. Start by paying attention to the present moment. When you’re with your children, be fully present with them. When you’re working on a task, focus solely on that task. Mindfulness helps you appreciate each moment and prevents the constant worrying about what comes next.
Journal: At the end of your day, take a few minutes to reflect in a journal. Write down what causes the feelings of anxiety related to time. This practice of self-reflection can help you identify recurring patterns and triggers. By acknowledging these stressors, you can begin to address and manage them more effectively.
Address the Underlying Issue: Sometimes, the anxiety about time is rooted in a deeper issue – a feeling of helplessness or a belief that you can’t control time. It’s essential to remind yourself that you can’t stop time from moving, but you can control what you do in the present moment. Reflect on what it means to spend your time beneficially. Are you aligning your actions with your priorities? By consciously making choices that align with your goals and values, you’ll feel more in control of your time.
Talk with a Professional: Seeking professional guidance can be immensely beneficial. A behavioural coach like myself can help you navigate the complex interplay of feelings, thoughts, choices, and actions. Through meaningful conversations, you can gain insights and develop strategies to manage stress and maximize your productivity as a professional parent.

In the fast-paced world of professional parenting, it’s easy to succumb to the feeling that there’s never enough time.

However, by practicing mindfulness, journaling to identify stress triggers, addressing underlying issues, and seeking guidance from a professional, you can regain control of your time and start prioritizing what truly matters.

Don’t let anxiety about time hold you back from achieving your potential.

Remember, time is a precious resource – it’s how you use it that truly counts.

Click here to explore how I can help you take control of your life and reach your goals.

career goals, stress

How to deal with stress

Picture this: your energy, once vibrant and boundless, starts to wane. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, you notice the decline.

Yet, like a frog in slowly heating water, you wonder if this is just the norm. Thoughts creep in — “Everyone’s stressed, right? Maybe I’m overthinking this.”

So, you do what many of us do: you accept it. But let’s be clear, this isn’t a post about motivation. It’s not about urging you to muster a burst of enthusiasm or artificially pump yourself up.

Instead, it’s about cultivating awareness, about recognizing the signs before they snowball into something unmanageable. It’s about closing the gate before the horse bolts and refusing to wait until the 11th hour to make a change.

Because here’s the truth: While you might be performing decently on the professional front, personally, things might be a train wreck.

The undercurrent of stress and discontent is pulling you down, and you might not even realize the extent of its impact. You sense it in the waning enthusiasm at work, in the way you treat your body as if it were an amusement park, neglecting its needs for rest, nourishment, and care.

You see it in the precious moments you should be spending with your family, which are being sacrificed to the ever-expanding demands of your schedule. The strain on your relationships becomes evident through emotional outbursts, moments you wish you could take back but that leave their mark nonetheless.

And your solution? You bury your head in the proverbial sand, throwing yourself even deeper into your work, hoping that the pressures and anxieties will magically sort themselves out.

But the truth is, avoiding the issues only exacerbates the problem. Ignoring what you know you should be addressing creates a dissonance within you, a gnawing feeling that something’s not right.

This internal conflict between knowing what needs to change and resisting that change only breeds more misery, low energy, and a sense of being trapped in a rut.

These are the unconscious signals — negative memories, unresolved emotions — that demand resolution. They surface at inconvenient moments, disrupting your mental equilibrium until they’re dealt with.

And these issues won’t simply disappear until you face them head-on.

The irony is, as you expend energy suppressing these negative emotions or resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms, you inadvertently magnify the problem.

Instead of dissipating, the discomfort lingers, weighing you down further.

So, what’s the way out of this cycle? How can you start reclaiming your energy, your sense of well-being, and your overall equilibrium?

The answer lies in embracing positive stress methods. It’s not about avoiding stress altogether — a feat that’s nearly impossible in the modern world. Rather, it’s about cultivating a healthy relationship with stress, understanding your capacities, resources, and adaptations.

It’s about recognizing that not all stress is bad, and that a certain level of challenge can actually propel you forward. Imagine a balance — the total demands and pressures you face, weighed against your ability to handle them, your personal resources.

Striking this equilibrium is key to maintaining your energy and well-being.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s about recognizing your unique circumstances, your strengths, and your limitations. It’s about practicing self-awareness, identifying the areas of your life that are tipping the balance, and taking deliberate steps to regain control.

In conclusion, the journey to reclaiming your energy and well-being begins with awareness. It’s about acknowledging the signs of decline, understanding the consequences of avoidance, and embracing stress as a force that can be harnessed for growth.

By recognizing the interplay between demands and resources, you can regain your sense of equilibrium and create a life that’s not only professionally successful but personally fulfilling as well.

It won’t be an overnight transformation, but every step you take towards awareness and positive change is a step towards a brighter, more balanced future.

For more information on The High Value Executive Program click here

confidence, habits, stress

How to combat fear

Fear impacts our thinking and decision-making in negative ways. Leaving us susceptible to intense emotions and impulsive reactions.

Fear also deters us from taking action we know will benefit us. And our aversion discounts a choice.

Fear’s a powerful emotion that’s instigated by perceived danger or threat. This emotion causes physiological and behavioural changes. And can trigger other emotions such as anger, sadness, and shame.

In responding to this emotion, we may react by avoiding the perceived threat.

Queue the need for a holiday to escape the stressors in life.

But, this only perpetuates the issue.

Escape should not be something we demand from life or feel we need as a coping tool.

As the dependence on being able to escape from stressful situations creates its own problems.

True inner peace comes from the nature of our thoughts, rather than pleasant natural surroundings.

Everything that troubles us, is as it would be on a beach or by the pool.

Mental resilience comes from being able to regain your composure wherever you find yourself. Putting yourself on a mountain top regardless of the circumstances.

Returning to your faculty of reason will see you rise above external events. This is the inner citadel in which you can retreat to.

We’re made stronger by habitualising stress not avoiding it.

Exposure will help you to “climb the fear ladder” by exposure to the object of fear in gradual increments.

For example, if you have social anxiety you could start climbing the fear ladder by smiling at a stranger on your daily commute.

Then build your way up to initiating a conversation with someone at work.

One day, you may feel confident enough to build an intimate relationship.

If we confront our fears, the symptoms of anxiety decrease over time.

Removing the fear and giving you choice.

Which is paramount, because your choices decide your fate. And every step you take determines your destiny.

The power of choice determines our future.

career goals, confidence, discipline, exercise, habits, Performance goals, sleep, stress

4 reasons you’re not doing what you need to

Hello *|FNAME|*,

Have you ever thought to yourself?

‘why when it comes to the 11th hour can I not make the right decision and do what I need to do?’

you know this would benefit your self improvement and wellbeing

but instead you do something else that distracts you and steers you further from your goal.

The reason why comes down to several things:

1. Your reliance on motivation

Permanent motivation is a fantasy. No one is always motivated!

If you’re conjuring up an image of someone in your head. They’re not, it’s a misconception.

You might even perceive me as someone who is motivated. I’m not!

My motivation is fleeting at best. I’ve made my peace with not being motivated for protracted periods, and yes I seize it when it’s there.

But motivation only makes the task a little easier, it’s not the determining factor of whether I do what I need to.

My point is this..

…the majority of the time I don’t feel like doing what I need to. But I crack on regardless.

Because I’ve built my discipline and increased my self control.

Plus, I’ve cultivated a routine and environment that doesn’t test my urges, a ‘Ulysses contract’ if you would. So I’m not getting distracted.

That’s not to say I don’t experience temptation and the lure of distraction. I do.

But I’m able to fend it off by acknowledging the distraction.

Then I hear the voice of Gold Five from Star Wars telling me to ‘Stay on target’ and I swat the temptation away like an annoying mosquito.

So I stay focused on the task, present with what I’m doing. Giving it my full attention.

2. Hardwiring

We human beings have some outdated programming.

Our operating systems are running the command: avoid pain, seek pleasure.

Whilst this programming was beneficial for us in the Palaeolithic era (to keep you alive). In the modern era it’s become detrimental to your wellbeing.

We live in an environment where food, fornication, stimulants, amusements are abundant.

This constant drive for pleasure, this archaic programming, is now self destructive.

Companies have tapped into this pleasure drive and are selling you products to appease it.

(which is insidious because they profit as you perish).

There’s now so much pleasure immediately available we’re over consuming. And it’s making us weaker and unhappier.

But you can help yourself. You can recognise the outdated pleasure command and start re coding your mind.

Enter this:

}
partake in activities (that bring) {
short term pain(and long term gain);
}
}

3. Irrelevant goals

Ask yourself; is it actually your goal or are you going along with the masses?

Are you confusing society’s goals with your own? ‘Keeping up with the Jones’. Upgrading your lifestyle but never stopping to ask yourself:

‘if I didn’t care about what others thought, would I still have this as a goal? Or have I been caught up in the facade that I need x because they have it?

When we’re not doing the things that improve our human experience (the things that enhance our wellbeing) we’ll distract ourselves.

We’ll start looking to others. Making comparisons with people who we shouldn’t be. Forming goals and desires based on what they’ve got.

Reminder: if the grass seems greener it’s usually because you haven’t been watering your side!

but these desires are usually superficial.

And here’s the kicker; with superficial goals come superficial rewards.

Happy on the outside (what’s shown to others), but unfulfilled on the inside.

So dig deep and do what you want to do. If it’s different to the herd’s ideal then you’re on the right track!

4. Absence of a routine

Do you find your days are pretty much you performing random tasks based on how you feel?

Or tasks other people have given you because you have no plans of your own?

This is the definition of operating on a whim.

Without a plan, a routine, you’ll experience inconsistence.

Here’s where a routine would be beneficial.

Before you open your calendar and start inputting tasks to fill your time.

I’ve found the best way to go about this is to reverse engineer your goal.

Start off with your purpose, which is your North Star, your direction to follow. This is important because when you have purpose, what you’re doing will mean more to you.

Then you’ll need to set a goal. It’s one thing to know your purpose, but how will you go about fulfilling it?

Set a goal that’s tangible. Make it big, make it specific and give it a deadline.

Now you know your purpose and you know how to realize it (with your goal). You need to know how to get there.

This is why having a plan is important. It allows you to break your goal down. All the way to daily actions.

After that you build habits. Habits are systems and processes for your life. They ease the smooth running of your day. Most of the time you’ll do them automatically.

Achieving your goal is inevitable when you transfer actions from your plan into habits.

Voila.

Speak soon

Andrew

body goal, career goals, confidence, discipline, habits, motivation

5 steps to achieving your goals

When it comes to achieving your goals consistency is the secret sauce. But it’s an acquired taste.

Here are 5 ways to consistently take action and get what you want.

If you are always setting goals but never achieving them you need to read this!

You’ve been led to believe that you should be motivated. And whoever is the most motivated wins.

It’s bullshit!

The truth is, those that succeed consistently take action regardless of how they feel about doing it.

Motivation may get you started but it’s consistency that will see you finish!

1. Small steps

The theory is simple:

Follow this plan for x amount of weeks and get results.

The reality is hard:

You’re struggling to keep it going for more than a few days.

Start off with the minimum effective dose.

Do the least amount of work that will result in progression.

Once you’re consistent with that amount then you can add more.

2. Acceptance

What you want is on the other side of the things you don’t want to do.

We live in a the digital age where stimulation is only a click away; Nirvana for the monkey brain.

This need for things to be exciting is counter productive.

Get comfortable with doing the uncomfortable/ boring things.

Make peace with the fact that there will be things you dislike doing on a daily basis.

If you imagine that happening 1,000 times in a row all of a sudden it becomes immaterial.

Because it’s expected. You know it’s going to happen every single day. You’re mentally prepared.

3. Your success/failure is found in your routine (or absence of one).

Until you’re consistent you won’t be able to tell is its working or not.

Without a routine you’ll be stuck on a plateau, constantly taking one step forward then one step back.

The greatest routine will feature these habits:

Consistent waking time
Early morning sunlight
Early cardio
Nutritious meals
Being in nature
Walking
Weight lifting
Journaling
A bedtime routine
Consistent bedtime

4. Become a Time Lord

Once I replaced:

TV with Online learning.

Radio with Audible.

Netflix with exercise.

The news with writing.

My productivity went to a whole new level.

From making these swaps I improved my wellbeing created more time and made use of dead time.

5. Make it emotive

Make sure you know why you are working towards your goal.

What bigger purpose is your goal a part of?

If it’s important enough then you’ll have an endless reserve of energy that you can tap into when needed.

Reframe your actions as ‘musts’ not ‘shoulds’ i.e. ‘I must do x so I can achieve my goal, which is serving my purpose.’

6. Bonus; Accountability

It’s all too easy to let yourself off the hook!

Be accountable to someone!

The American Society of Training and Development found that if you commit to someone.

And you have regular accountability appointments with that person.

You will increase your chance of success by up to 95%.

habits, weight loss

5 steps to boost your confidence

There are few things that will boost your confidence like having an impressive physique.

In the pursuit of confidence this should be goal numero uno!

Just knowing you’re strong and your body reflecting that is an unparalleled feeling.

I can personally testify that your confidence will increase 10 fold when you’re in shape.

Here’s my top 5 tips for how you would go about it

1. Approach a workout like you’re Michelangelo removing stone to reveal David.

With each repetition you chip away at inhibitions and insecurities. Casting a vote for your improved future self.

Just think about no longer having to wear a t-shirt in the pool or that top that makes you really hot in the office.

And instead imagine the feeling of being comfortable and proud of your appearance.

2. Know that weight training / resistance training is the most beneficial.

When it comes to changing your shape you’re going to need to do some resistance training.

It has all the essential mechanisms

mechanical tension

metabolic stress

muscle damage

No other form of exercise can say the same.

And contrary to popular belief it doesn’t make you bulky (believe me I’ve been trying for years)

The only thing that makes you big and bulky is eating in a calorie surplus.

That’s when you go over your calorie needs for a protracted period of time

3. Exercise doesn’t cause fat loss/burn.

Exercise doesn’t start fat burn, it slightly increases the rate.

And that’s only when you’re exercising at a certain intensities

So all those fat burning exercises you see on the internet that are titled ‘fat burning 30 minute workout’. Or get abs in just 15 minutes’ are erroneous.

They are insinuating that you need to do their exercises to burn fat and lose weight.

And whilst you will be burn fat whilst doing their exercises and exercise is very beneficial.

The people making these claims (who introduce the video by telling you their name immediately followed by their self appointed title of ‘weight loss guru’ or ‘fat loss expert’).

They distort the amount you’ll burn.

Which is why you shouldn’t be exercising to lose weight!

You want to do that through your diet!

Reply to this email and I’ll send you my guide on how to do this

4. It’s not about death metal, smelling salts and pushing yourself to the point where your eyes start to bleed

Your strength won’t be built through super human lifts. But by gradually increasing load over time.

It’s a principle called progressive overload. And so few know about it.

That’s why the 1.25kg and 2.5 kg plates are most underused pieces of equipment in the gym. Besides the disinfectant spray and blue roll. You’re aiming for marginal gains in strength each week. A little bit more weight, even on just one set of an exercise.

Reply to this email and I’ll send you my eBook that shows you how

5. It’s not just about the physical

From exercising you’ll also reap the mental benefits.

You build more grey matter and oxygenate all your brain better. From exercise you’re literally making yourself smarter.

Boosting testosterone in the process. Which will give you an increased sex drive and a competitive edge.

career goals, confidence, discipline, exercise, habits, Performance goals, sleep, weight loss

How to improve the quality of your life

To achieve this you need to improve your habits. I’ll explain why.

Years ago I was caught in the ‘lottery win’ mindset.

I convinced myself that overnight success was the result of some windfall. A brush with good fortune.

This was the reason people had aquired their life situation.

What didn’t help was that the media, movies and tabloids would all cement this notion.

But as time passed and I started researching, reading, experimenting. And speaking to the most revered in my industry (people who had achieved great levels of success). I began to form a different hypothesis.

One that was at the other end of the spectrum to ‘overnight success’.

That it takes a lot of time for overnight success to occur. It is actually the culmination of months or years of work.

It’s the small efforts repeated daily that led to a better quality of life.

I’m talking about the small actions that we don’t even think about, because they are habitual. The decisions we make in autopilot mode.

But these are the decisions that shape our future.

So how do we address them? And improve the quality of our lives?

Well, there are some steps, 4 actually. Steps that you can climb up to make change inevitable.

1. The first step is the unconscious incompetence stage.

This is when we’re making bad decisions and we aren’t even aware we’re doing it.

We just know that things aren’t working out.

Here’s were something as being cognisant can help. Bringing tracking into the equation. For our sleep, our diet, our exercise and our stress.

‘that sounds like a lot of time‘. I hear you say.

‘Oh contrare mon frère’.

It’s no extra time! – you’re already doing this stuff so you just record at the time.

After this you’ll then enter into the next stage which is

3. The conscious incompetence.

You start to look at the actual decision and data. It makes it clear.

This is where you are aware that you’re not making optimal decions

You can see that you’re not adhering to the plan you have, if you even have a plan.

You can see where poor choices are actually hindering you.

This is the ‘wow I didn’t realise I was having that many calories’

or ‘I thought I was getting more sleep than that’.

‘Maybe I could cancel my gym membership because I’ve only been once this month’

and the classic – ‘this app can’t be working right’.

It is, and they are! Your ego is just having a hard time coming to terms with your choices.

Remember our thoughts are not the truth but rather stories that we get caught up in!

This is the cold hard truth slapping you across the face, the reality punch to the gut!

An uncomfortable period where you realise things are not as they seem. Or rather as you ‘believed’

Quickly moving on to the next stage 🙂

3. The conscious competence stage

This is where your decisions are improving. Due to some changes you’ve implemented (through self or professional guidance).

You’re making better decisions. But they’re not automatic yet. It still requires effort and discipline to make these decisions.

This is a nice stage as you can actually see change occurring with your actions. You feel good from making better decisions.

4. Then you arrive at the unconscious competence stage.

After enough time in the previous stage. These new benficial life changing decisions become automatic.

You’ve likely amended or introduced a routine which makes actions habitual. And in this ascension you’ve form a new identity.

You see yourself as the person who eats healthy, goes to the gym, gets 8 hours sleep. And is relaxed from practicing mindfulness exercises.

You’re energetic and ethused. You have more clarity and you’re making better decisions as this 2.0 version of you.

Which stage are you in?

career goals, confidence, discipline, habits, motivation, Performance goals, sleep, stress

How I found my purpose

I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you why I do what I do.

The genesis of becoming a health consultant.

It wasn’t a result of happenstance. It stemmed from an event that occurred in my formative years.

At the time my dad had a senior job in the city which saw him start very early and finish very late.

I didn’t see all that much of him. Some times at the weekend but those periods were fleeting.

This seemed to be the norm for the schooling part of my life.

And over time this high pressure senior role took its toll on him.

His energy levels declined, his stress increased and he was having more doctors appointments.

They were concerned with his health.

Turns out that chronic high stress, zero activity. A diet that resembled a 5 year olds birthday party. And a bullfrogs sleep routine wasn’t all that conducive to a healthy living.

Who knew?!

Reality hit home when the cardiologist said that with without open heart surgery a cardiac event was imminent!

It wasn’t a choice. It was an ultimatum. Surgery or you’ll be shuffling off this mortal coil!

It seemed like only days later he was checked in to hospital.

They opened him up and veins were taken from various other parts of his body and replaced those blocked ones around his heart.

That’s what I was told anyway, this period in my life was a bit blurry.

Although I do remember, very vividly, coming home after school – and finding myself alone a fair bit.

As my mum would be at his bedside at the hospital.

I’d make meals for myself and my mum for when she would return late at night.

It was all a bit surreal. And I didn’t understand the severity of the situation. Not until I went to visit my dad.

I remember it was one of the first times I’d been into the City.

Everything was overwhelming, the amount of people, the buildings the noise and the pace of it all.

Several hours had past in what felt like only a few minutes. And we had reached the station adjacent the hospital.

I remember walking in to the ward and seeing my dad.

I barely recognised him

When I sat down beside him I remember being asked questions by the doctor and nurses.

Light hearted chit chat they’d developed from years of developing a bedside manner.

But I didn’t respond. I could muster any words. My mum had to respond for me. As I was transfixed on my dad.

You know when you feel yourself come out of yourself, in a malaise?! That sort of thing.

I was starring at the person that was lying there in the hospital bed hooked up to the machines, and wiring.

It was almost like he wasn’t a human but part of a machine.

The Doctors and my mum trying to lighten the mood. Regaling me with stories of his projectile vomiting post surgery.

But this didn’t permeate the trance I was in.

I remember feeling numb.

And then I felt anger. Angry that this had happened

That he’d let this happen, that he’d chose this.

It wasn’t an unfortunate set of circumstances or genetics

It was the choices he’d made compounded over time that had culminated in this.

This fucked up situation where I didn’t know if he was coming home or not.

I remember the cessation of our visit and being prompted to say goodbye by my mum. Walking through the hospital wing towards the elevator.

I remember this very clearly. Because that was the defining moment.

It was when I told myself ‘that was not going to happen to me’.

That it was on me to look after myself. I must learn from other peoples mistakes as well as my own.

And my dad was exhibit A.

It felt like this experience had knocked me out of the status quo lifestyle that everyone was living. And into a parallel dimension running alongside it.

An Anthropological dimension. From which I would extrapolate societal norms and collate information.

Whilst doing this I started to realise that it wasn’t just my dad that was in poor health.

It was my friend’s dads too.

And men I was hearing about in the news (back when I used to read/watch it). So many men were struggling.

But no one was talking about the elephant in the room.

Everyone was accepting it as the norm. I suppose when everyone is sick it’s no longer considered a disease.

Fast forward man years from then to today.

I look back at this experience and whilst it was difficult and frustrating at the time.

I was also grateful that I had gone through it.

Because I had found my purpose; to save men from themselves.

To help them develop the discipline they need. To elude the temptations of modern living (which have become the imperceptible demise of men).

It’s this purpose that gets me up in the morning and keeps me going late in the evening.

I’ve become more enthused about efficiency, productivity and lifestyle habits. Because I need the energy to to propel me through the day and work on my mission.

And the beauty of it; the things I do to work on my purpose are self perpetuating. They give me more energy.

Not only that but the job satisfaction I get from.

Helping others to have more energy, and manage their health so they can give 100% to their passion, is incredible.

Knowing they’ve made an important transition in their life and set an important example for the children they’re raising.

Here’s a testimonial from one of my clients, Alex:

Not only has Andy helped my physical health (I’ve managed to lose 10 kg in 3 months), he’s helped my mental health too.

His constant praise, encouragement and holding me accountable for my actions has meant I’m now more motivated and active.

I’ve started writing a book I’ve been wanting to write for ages, and now feel like I have more time and energy to pursue other interests.

I’m even starting to feel better about myself whenever I see a mirror. I’ve even seen some photos of me recently that I haven’t instantly hated 🙂

Given my time again, I would hire Andy in a heartbeat.

career goals, discipline, exercise, habits

How to be more energetic

If you’re a driven person it’s because you’ve found your purpose.

Your purpose is what gets you up in the morning. It gives you something to work towards.

This is why looking after yourself is even more important.

Because you’ll need the energy to to propel you through the day and work on your mission.

And you don’t want to let your health tear you away from your purpose and see you miss out on achieving what you wanted.

There are many ways that health factors can take you off course.

Stress is one of the biggest obstacles. Chronic stress can derail even the best health intentions.

New research shows that stress and obesity are more intertwined than previoulsy thought.

I’ll break this research down. And give you actionable steps to make progress, despite a stressful environment.

How stress can lead to weight gain

Stress can affect a bunch of “systems” that are involved in weight control.

What’s more, these aren’t isolated effects. Each system is a feedback loop that can affect all the others.

Let’s get into the details.

*Cognition Stress can mess with your mind; executive function and self-regulation.

Combined these include mental skills like thinking, planning, and organizing. As well as the ability to focus and manage your emotions.

*Behaviors Stress influences eating, physical activity, and sleep. And these behaviors all have their own feedback loops too.

Lack of sleep can hinder physical activity, and lack of physical activity can disrupt sleep.

*Physiology The research outlines three ways stress might affect you physiologically:

It ramps up stress hormones. This can make you want to eat more, and can also tell your body to store fat.
Stress can increase your brain’s appetite for “rewards”. Feel good chemicals, like dopamine. Which can drive you to eat foods that are highly palatable (fun food), or seek out alcohol or drugs.
Stress may affect your microbiome, which could make you more susceptible to weight gain.

*Biochemistry Stress may also impact blood chemicals related to weight control.

Specifically, leptin, ghrelin and neuropeptide Y, which affect hunger, appetite, and fat storage.

*Weight stigma The researchers define weight stigma as “the sum of prejudice, discrimination. And negative attitudes aimed at those perceived as overweight.”

And guess what? It creates another feedback loop!

Obesity leads to weight stigma which then creates… more stress. And round we go.

You might call it a vicious cycle. Or a nasty web. Or one big giant cluster $%#!

So… what’s this all mean for you?

And what can you do about it?

Part 2: Important takeaways

1. Look beyond eating advice and nutrition plans. If stress is wreaking havoc in your life, there’s a good chance you’ll struggle to make progress toward your goals. No matter how on point your nutrition or workout program may be.

Instead…

2. Work on the biggest problem first. Find your or have a professional find your “bottleneck” or “weakest link” so you can unlock the fastest and most effective path toward your goals.

This often means going beyond nutrition and fitness.

So if working on food first isn’t working, dig deeper. Look at how you might develop stress management. Stress tolerance, and emotional regulation skills.

3. Work towards healthy stress-reduction strategies. When you, or your coach, identify that stress management is your biggest problem, here are some strategies you can use:

Meditation. Even a few minutes can have a measurable effect on stress levels. Apps like Headspace, Calm, or Waking Up are great tools.
Nature walks. Simply going for a daily park walk can work wonders.
Massage. Whether it’s self massage with a foam roller, or paying a professional, massage helps you relax, and fast.

Simple methods that can see huge changes.

Check out my 90 Day Program – The Disciplined Man