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Now, I'll be the first to admit that this feels a little weird since it was below freezing here in Hokkaido last night and it's snowing as I write this.
But June is just around the corner and summer will be here before you know it.
So now's the time to get things cranking.
But first off, let's answer the obvious question, isn't getting "beach ready" a bit, erm, shallow?
Of course it is! But that isn't necessarily a bad thing...
The Beach Catalyst
Believe it or not, "shallow" can be an awesome way to build up enough steam to get started and take action.
True story - back in 2004, I signed up for a kung-fu class because I loved the Matrix trilogy and thought the fight scenes looked really cool.
In class, I quickly realized that traditional Shaolin kung fu and the stuff you see in the movies are totally different things.
Was I disappointed? Hell, no!
I got hooked within the first two sessions and kept up regular training for the next 5 years until making the big move to Japan.
All thanks to that initial shallow idea that gave me enough push to make the call and get my ass through the door.
And do you know what? I think getting beach ready can work the same way.
So, if looking good during your summer vacation is a big enough catalyst to get you to take action, don't feel embarrassed - embrace it.
Whatever it takes to make that all-important first step.
This Time's Different
Now, I'm guessing that you told yourself something like this while you were on the beach or by the pool during your last summer vacation.
• I wish I was a few pounds lighter
• If only I'd started getting in shape a few months back
• NO WAY is this going to happen again next year
But once you headed home, those feelings no longer seemed as real and the plans that made so much sense at the time just got lost in the background noise of everyday life.
So, how can we make sure that the same thing doesn't happen this time around?
Simply by getting the ball rolling right now with the right plan!
And here it is...
The Plan
Minsdet
Ultimately, failure and success come down to mindset - whether we're talking about Vietnamese POW Jerry Coffee, 83-year old wild man Don Wildman, or 12-year old wilderness survivor, Jena Wortman.
So spend a little time thinking about your last vacation and reacquaint yourself with the feelings you had back then.
Make them as vivid as possible to the point where you generate some real emotion.
Whether that's anger, disappointment, frustration - the key thing is to make those feelings "real" enough that it drives you to take action to avoid experiencing those same feelings this year.
That's the stick.
The carrot is imagining how great you'll feel when you're on the beach or by the pool looking exactly how you want to look.
Make that image vivid and compelling, too.
Then think about all the other positives that will come along for the ride when you're in shape.
- You'll feel just awesome
- You'll have more energy and vitality
- Improved self-belief and self-esteem
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
In a nutshell, you want to stack enough reasons so that the stick is big and painful, and the carrot is sweet and delicious.
The key thing is these reasons shouldn't just be intellectual, you have to link some real emotion to them and the more powerful the emotion, the more powerful the drive.
Get that right and self-discipline won't even come into it - you'll be drawn pretty much effortlessly towards your goal.
So make sure you invest a little time each day into getting the right mindset down.
Fat Loss
OK, so you're now committed to cultivating the right mindset - great job!
But that alone isn't enough because we also need a strategy that works.
Now, if you're set on losing as much weight as possible, as fast as possible, your best bet is to follow the plan in Need to Lose Weight Fast? Try This!
This emphasizes foods that are high in protein and fiber so you consume fewer calories while eating a large volume of food that keeps you both satisfied and full.
Check out our cajun chicken and beef stir fry recipes - they taste incredible and contain so few calories that it almost feels like cheating!
Win.
Now, the obvious question is, how much weight can you lose in 8 weeks?
Well, when I lost 61lbs in 27 weeks, I dropped a hair under 21lbs in the first two months.
Not too shabby, seeing as how I did zero cardio and was consuming things like pasta, rice and pizza.
The bottom line is you can make big strides in just 8 weeks.
And remember, this rapid progress can skyrocket your motivation and self-belief - both of which will work wonders for your long-term success.
Make no mistake, these next couple of months could be the ticket to a lifelong transformation.
Muscle & Strength Gain (aka "Firming" and "Toning")
If you're mainly interested in fat loss, more movement is essential and the great news is that all movement counts.
So get out there and do stuff you enjoy!
Whether that's walking, cycling or ballroom dancing (remember, Bruce Lee was the 1958 Hong Kong cha-cha Champion!)
Just keep in mind that you have to try something first before you decide whether you like it or not.
(It's always awesome when a 105-lb Japanese woman that's never previously lifted a weight tells me how much she now loves deadlifting!)
So, if you're looking to great strong, this is arguably the best training program for dudes our age.
Otherwise, this quick and awesome whole-body workout is a great place to get started, even if you have little or no equipment.
Now, if you're coming back to exercise or training after months/years/decades away, the great news is you'll make really rapid progress.
And even if you're completely new to all this, you can still make more improvement in four weeks than an Olympic athlete would hope to make in four years.
Your body is that willing and eager to get in shape.
Listen, it even works for folks in their 90s, so it will work for you, too.
How awesome is that?
Wouldn't It Be Nice
If we want to make this year's summer vacation different to last year's (and the year before that), we need to step up and do something about it.
And the time to do that is now, not the week before you go or when you're standing in your hotel room wondering how the hell it happened again.
When it comes to rapid fat loss, this article is your friend: Need to Lose Weight Fast? Try This!
And if you want to look more Captain America than Captain Chaos, you can even get started without any equipment, today: A Quick and Awesome Whole-Body Workout
Remember, you can absolutely transform your body and your life in the next 8 weeks.
Having the right mindset is key, so spend a lot less time trying to force yourself to take action, and a lot more time cultivating emotions that inspire and excite you.
That way you'll be drawn towards your goal and progress will be pretty much effortless.
So, let's get to it!
- Tim
Check out How To Get Lean, Strong & Bulletproof here!
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Images:
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Bruce Lee Cha-cha by unknown - Public Domain, via Wikipedia