Doing the Work: Gold is tempered through fire

Ok the theme for January was keeping it simple.  The problem with simple is that simple isn't easy.

When we keep it simple, we're left with the hard part:
Doing the work.

We pretend like we don't know what to do, because what we need to do is hard.

We pretend it's complicated.  It's not complicated, it's hard. 

Most of the time the game is not figuring out what to do. 

The real game is doing what we know to do.

You gotta want it. 

You've got to want it enough to do it.

It doesn't take a million hours in the gym.  Or in the kitchen.

But the things you do you've got to do them in a way that's going to produce results.

It's about intention.  Fire.  Passion.  Put in your blood, sweat and tears, and make it mean something.

Workout like you're transforming you're  there to transform your body.  And eat like you are fueling that transformation.

People only resist doing the work because they don't connect it to the results.

People hate doing squats.  I tell you, if you knew how good they are for your results, you'd beg to get under the bar.

It's the basics that are the most brutal and effective.

I tell you, when you are eating like Jessica Biel or Kelly Ripa, you'll have a body like Jessica Biel or Kelly Ripa.

If you do the right things, you'll see results.  And the results will get addictive.

It starts to become like a video game.  If you can lose 2lbs of fat this week, you'll want to lose 2lbs again next week.

Doing the work starts to get fun.

Getting consistant results is fun.

Fun and effective is even better than easy.

By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds

Josh is one of the five fat loss experts in The Ultimate Fat Loss Answers

Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in Denver, Colorado.  Josh helps women and men lose stubborn fat.

© Joshua Hillis 2008

 

Comments

[David]

In regards to eating well...What is a general time frame in which one could expect significant results. For instance: I am 6'2" 188 lbs and 13% body fat. I want to cut down to 8-10% body fat. I eat from the cook books you recommend, I eat 6-7 times per day and I keep a food log. I consume no more than 3000 calories daily. I average 2800. I calculate that I burn 3000-3300 depending on my workout that day. I do HIIT training 2x/week. Is my goal realistic?

[Joshua Hillis]

Ok, just do double check - you're also lifting weights right?

Ok, given what you've said, and assuming that you are also lifting weights, you should be dropping 2-3% bodyfat per month.

[David Nickel]

Oops. Yeah I am following your Last stubborn Seven Pounds program.

[Joshua Hillis]

Keep it up and your goals are totally realistic!

[Sonja Wieck]

Just found your site. Love the message in this post! Great job!

[Joshua Hillis]

Thanks!

[Will]

Hey Josh, I have been doing all the stuff you had me doing when you were training me and was getting great results. When I left Denver I think we measured me around 9% body fat and I'm sure I dropped that even further since. The problem is I injured my shoulder (possibly a torn rotator cuff but I'm have not talked to a Dr). What can I do to keep getting results but not do swings and other movements that would further mess with a rotator cuff?

[Joshua Hillis]

Hey Will!

Awesome that you're even leaner!

Sucks about your shoulder.

I'd lay off the upper body stuff pending what your doctor says.

I'd keep up on the lower body stuff.

Any squatting or lunging variation you like -

split squats

pistols

belt squats

ect.

Then the real trick is trying to get a hip extenstion movement in - you'll need to balance out all of that squatting with a hip extension.

Options include:

Good mornings (with perfect form, if they don't aggrevate your back)

Ball hamstring curls with a hip extension.

single leg deadlifts (if they don't pull on the shoulder too much)

back extensions (hinge at the hip, like a deadlift)

Hip pull throughs.

Also - did I ever tell you about active release therapy? I've recently been amazed at what it can do in terms of relieving pain. Now if you ave a torn rotator cuff, it won't help at all. But if it isn't a tear, and you've still got pain, you may be amazed at what a good ART practitioner can do.

http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

[Charlie Fields]

Just discovered your blog, and I love it!

I am one who hates doing kettlebell front squats, but I always tell myself that they are good for me. That's all it takes.

[christine]

I'd love to train with you, but you are in CO and I am in CA. Is there a trainer in Los Angeles that you can recommend [who shares your skill and principles?] or should I just follow your book to the T?

[Josh Hillis]

A couple trainers off the top of my head:

Missy Beaver, RKC. She does kettlebell stuff with Katherine Heigl
Andy Pasternak, a really good guy, I worked out at his gym once. He does some really cool stuff.

They're both really awesome trainers.

I'm kind of unique though, there's no one quite like me =)