Every time I give presentations on exercise, fitness, and strength training topics, I always come across the same query:

“I love information! Is there a way to put together the most important points? You know, something I can refer to and jog my memory?”

An excellent request, but how do you do that and keep it as short as possible?

Summarizing the aspects of exercise science, biomechanics, nutrition, and mindset can be quite poignant, as there are many valid good points. There are hundreds of lists out there, all equally valid. You will find many variations, and perhaps contradictions between them, but you will also find something in common.

Many will love this list, many won’t, but the truth is that there are many unavoidable truths in there, and facing the truths makes many very uncomfortable.

Regardless, here you go!

1. Visualize achieving your goals every day. Experience the taste of success and feel that sweet satisfaction. That is your own internal battle, no one can do that for you.

2. If you’re just starting out, err on the side of caution. Don’t rush your search, earn that right! On the other hand, if you have some time and your body is ready, increase the intensity of your workouts. Stay focused and don’t waste time.

3. For your meals, use smaller plates and fill them with healthy foods rich in nutrients and calories. You will feel full longer, you will have more energy and, believe it or not, you will consume fewer calories overall. If you must use a large plate, start with a dense bed of leafy greens and spread the food out evenly. The illusion is more than enough.

4. Build accountability into your workouts to help you resist the urge to slack off. Work with a trainer, either one on one or in a group training setting if you need help. Very few can train hard on their own, and even they look to the power of group motivation for career guidance.

5. Believe in yourself. Know with conviction that you CAN achieve your goals. Success is the result of mindset and so is failure. Bad mindset is the reason so many fail before the journey begins.

6. Drink water throughout the day. Carry a bottle of water with you and opt for water instead of calorie-packed beverages. So simple yet so beneficial.

7. Calorie-free doesn’t mean healthy, let alone good for you! Do you really think that a can full of dyes and sweeteners produced in a laboratory is good for your body?

8. Help is always available. Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask.

9. Is there anything worse than monotonous and constant workouts that force you to kill time reading or watching TV? Yuck! Talk about “Hamster Training”, mindlessly spinning a wheel without worrying about what your body is doing. Eliminate the grind by incorporating high-pace/high-load interval bursts into your workout. Your workouts will be more productive and enjoyable.

10. It’s not about willpower, it’s about desire for power. You have to want it.

11. Do you think you are eating healthy? If your food comes packaged, in an envelope or box, you may want to reconsider. Avoid processed foods! They are high in empty calories and contain a large number of chemicals harmful to health.

12. Shut up and move! Stop talking about getting in shape and start doing it.

13. Fat is generally higher in calories but also rich in nutrients. However, this doesn’t mean you can freely splurge, so limit the amount you consume to high-quality oils and fats. Combine your good fats with your other nutrients for a more complete and satisfying meal.

14. Beware of products labeled “health food.” Some of them are pure raving garbage! Remember those 100 calorie snack packs? A 100 calorie junk container! Always check the content.

15. Find a workout partner who is just as committed as you are, or better yet, join a workout group or work with a trainer to ensure spectacular results.

16. Make a habit of reading Nutrition Facts labels. When it comes to ingredients, if you have a hard time reading it, you shouldn’t be eating it.

17. Destroy negative self-talk and remove negative self-talk from your life! I have no problem removing complainers, complainers, and energy vampires from my social media. Life is full of amazing things and potential, but complainers don’t want to focus on that, and they don’t want others to focus on that either!

18. Avoid the high-calorie drink trap! I’m amazed that many people who count the calories in their food (a futility by the way) don’t think about splurging on sugary drinks or high-calorie alcohol.

19. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times a week.

20. Expect more of yourself. Aim low, and well, you’ll get there. Aim high so that even if you miss your target, you get much higher than you would ever be by aiming low all the time.

21. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your health efforts.

22. Challenge yourself with every workout. Sometimes it will be your body, sometimes it will be your mind. Familiarizing yourself with the challenges will make you a more well-rounded fitness enthusiast.

23. Eat whole foods of plant and animal origin. Your best sources are your local farms, farmers markets, and places that cater to what is grown and raised locally.

24. Avoid Kool-Aid and keep an open mind. There is nothing wrong with having emotional attachments to a system, approach, place, or person. However, when you start making fun of other approaches just because they’re different, it’s time to take a deep breath and back off!

25. Set specific and measurable goals, but also be flexible. Random is just as unproductive in the long run as sticking strictly to a schedule, regardless of the circumstances!

26. Emphasize every meal! All of these are important and dictate how your body will respond. Having a good breakfast does not give you room to eat junk food at lunch. There should be nothing refined or processed in your meals, and each should have a balance of all your important macronutrients to keep you energized and strong.

27. You deserve better… go get it and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Make sense?

It’s nothing that you can call a tremendous breakthrough, but rather, reminders in a world that keeps us distracted with the tasks of daily life. Remember, our health is our most precious asset and the more we take care of it, the happier we will be.

Please feel free to add your contributions! I’d love to see what you have in mind.

Until next time, happy and safe training.

See you on the exercise track!