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Overcoming the "All or Nothing" Mindset: How Don's Practical Approach Led to Sustainable Lifestyle Changes · FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast

• 1:07
  Turo Virta: So welcome to fit me. Turo fitness podcast today's episode, I have my I would, I would say now friend Don, here, we have been working past three months together, and Don was one of lucky winners who got three months free, one on one coaching. And now just curious to know how things have developed and what don't have done, what have changed. So first of all, welcome, Don thank you for taking time. And if you mind starting little bit sharing, introducing yourself, who you are, how old are you?
• 1:45
  Turo Virta: Where you are living, what you're doing for living, sister, normal stuff first, sure? Well,
• 1:53
  Unknown: I'm 71 years old, and I am a high school teacher in Munster, Indiana, which is about 25 miles away from Chicago.
• 2:03
  Unknown: We're on the Indiana, Illinois border. So, you know, it kind of gives it a little different experience than what many people might think about my state. And in addition to teaching, I I used to coach volleyball. I don't do that anymore, but I do coach Speech and Debate, so that does take time as well. And so I try to be active, but that's not been as good as it used to be.
• 2:27
  Unknown: And so that's what brought me to you. I'd put on a lot of weight, you know, and then at my age, like, people were saying, like, oh, you can't, you know, your metabolism has changed, and you can't do these things. And, you know, and listening to you and your podcast and some of the reading some of your posts, you know, I felt that, you know, I gleaned a lot from that. And then when the opportunity to apply for this, I thought this would be, you know, if I could get this, this might be the Jump Start I needed. And it has been
• 2:54
  Turo Virta: so awesome to hear.
• 2:54
  Turo Virta: So was there, was there something like, what initially, what was, did you get some kind of like moment, like, often people are getting like that, what was like that? Now I gotta do something, or what was what made you to prioritize your own health and fitness.
• 3:15
  Unknown: I just think really caring about my health, and I could tell that with weight I put on and stuff like that, I wasn't carrying myself, and I have a sciatica issue, and I just know that the added weights, puts added problems with that as well. So for my health, is why I really got the motivation to do this. So that was kind of an impetus as well, and I knew I wasn't doing it by myself. I mean, I truly believe in a coach or something. I mean, I coach students, and there's a reason for it. Well, I think even I could benefit from a coach. So,
• 3:50
  Turo Virta: yeah, no, because that is often these are like, as a coach, you know how valuable is if you have a coach actually, or you have some accountability, because it's not like, I don't think now 2024 is like that.
• 4:02
  Turo Virta: There's all information is available. Like, you find all the answers you need, if you just can search. But then the hardest thing comes like that, because there is so much information, and often, like, at least, I feel like that you don't know, then you have, like, maybe 15 different things. What do you know you should be doing?
• 4:26
  Turo Virta: And then, you know, you kind of, kind of don't know where you should focus on. And then in the end, at least for me, if, if you know, if there's too many things or or for many people, if there's too many, you are getting overwhelmed, then how people are reacting is that you end up doing nothing, or kind of trying little bit of everything, and in the end, it doesn't lead very good results if you do a little bit there, a little bit that, and kind of trying to do everything and but if you have a someone who is holding you accountable, you know exactly what you should be doing Like of course, it depends always on what is situation in your life, what how much time you have a available, how priority it is and and then you know it's just basically knowing you're having the plan and somebody just keeping you accountable
• 5:23
  Unknown: Absolutely. I actually just had this very conversation about being overwhelmed and not getting things done, and I think that's one of the things that I has helped me with. This is having tools to help make certain things that more of a priority. Because, like you said, it's easy to convince yourself, I'll do it tomorrow.
• 5:41
  Unknown: You know, it's not so bad. You know, I can't add one more thing to my plate, you know, it's really like you said, knowing. I mean, just sometimes even checking in with you, I feel like, you know, I want to have something good to report, rather than you know, not. And so I think that really helps a lot in terms of,
• 6:02
  Turo Virta: yeah, it was this, is this starting to do something like those? You know, it's this comes like, I, I used to struggle with this also, like, especially with my workouts When, when, you know, often we think like that, if I can, if it's, for example, workouts, if I can't work out three times a week hour session, there is no point even of starting. And then, like, and I remember vividly, like, one of one of my clients, who is still my clients. We have been working now almost two years together.
• 6:31
  Turo Virta: And she initially, she got a Christmas present from her husband, and as as her lifestyle was very, very, very busy, and then she was at online coaching that what the hell he is thinking like that? I'm having a company, I have a two kids, and you still want me to do even more things that. What is he thinking like that? I don't know how I would be doing. And then, you know, it was kind of that all or nothing mindset. And then we, initially, we started working out with two times a week, five to 10 minute sessions. And then it was, it took, like a first couple of weeks, and then said, Okay, now I feel already lot better, even doing so little. And then we added, like a five minutes there. Then it was the third treat, that third session, and now it has been passed years, three times a week, 30 minutes.
• 7:31
  Turo Virta: And that is more than enough to keep her back pain away, improve her mental energy, confidence and everything. So it's, it's really like it, it is just an example that there is no like, such a thing that what is kind of perfect amount, or what is worth of doing it like? And if you, if you can find five minute, 10 minute workout doing it twice a week just to get started, what feels sustainable at the moment, and then you can, it's so much easier when you have built that habit first starting to add things more and push usually, how you start to get results, you take action, and then it's when you get action, you get that motivation.
• 8:15
  Turo Virta: And then, you know, you find that time, what you need like, and if you if you don't find them, you reduce the time again.
• 8:22
  Turo Virta: And it's kind of game like all the time, adjusting your efforts, what is possible in every situation. And if you like, I hear still many people that I don't have time at all, and I don't know, I'm sure you know this too, like, then I said, you you have, you have. We all have. That is something like, we all have to train same 24 hours per day, obviously, for someone like who have a small kids or or whatever it's, it's, there's other higher priorities, but it's still same 24 hours, and it's just about your priorities, how you are going to use that time, and if your own health and fitness is not As high priority, that you can't invest any time for that, then that's okay in certain phases.
• 9:12
  Turo Virta: But then just don't, I wouldn't say that you don't have time.
• 9:16
  Turo Virta: It's just, I just say that I it's not my priority at the moment, which is a different, absolutely kind of thing.
• 9:24
  Unknown: Well, I think that's actually the, the key to it, and I know we're all guilty of this, but I think the problem is like, when you feel that you you make a priority to things that you feel is going to impact other people, that we think, and we see that in terms of like, we're like, Oh, I've got to do this, because it will matter into my classroom tomorrow or to my family. I've got to take care of these children. What we fail to realize is, if we don't prioritize ourselves, then the others aren't going to matter, and because we're not going to have the ability to deal with those things and function properly. And it's really hard to get out of that mindset. I mean, even still, I've wrestled with that, like you said, making it a priority to do those things, but I think that's what one of the good things I learned from you is the fact that, like, when we start talking, for example, about workouts and doing this, and I was and I said, Okay, I could do this. She was like, Well, let's start with this. I mean, you gave me that sense of reality, like, let's do something that's sustainable, and if that's working, we can add on to it. And it is true, we forget that it's easier to add on than it sometimes is to take back off. And because you feel guilty or like you don't feel like, well, I'm really not good.
• 10:33
  Unknown: I don't have an hour to do this, but maybe I have 20 minutes to do this. And like you said, once I can make that commitment, I can add on to it. I just think that makes a lot of sense to me.
• 10:44
  Turo Virta: No, it really does.
• 10:44
  Turo Virta: And it's, it's, it was for me too. I was talking myself out of doing strength training for almost decade, and then it was always like, I might start it. I didn't have a plan. I maybe did it once. Was sure like a hell.
• 11:02
  Turo Virta: And then I said, now I gotta take a you know, again. But.
• 11:06
  Turo Virta: Talking myself out of it, that I'm I'm so sure that I gotta wait. And then something came up, and there was another excuse for myself. And then it was never consistent. But when I decided now it's time to get started, then it's just, it's really like there is not such amount of what is perfect amount of work, but obviously, some weeks it's more, some weeks it's less, but I how everything changed with when I understood that consistency, it matters so much more than aiming for perfect workouts like even, even at the moment, I'm almost ashamed to commit as a fitness professional at the time, strength training maybe 3040, minutes per week, and that is maybe one or two sessions, like really short sessions. It's, it's, on the other hand, its own choice. I know, but it's, it's, and I it. I almost always try to convince myself that, do I need to do it? I said, No, do you keep pushing through this period? I know that at some point it will get easier. It's, it's going to be easier to get started. It's, I have more time to do it. But now, at the moment, it is what it is, and that's, or I have other priorities, other ways of moving, like ISO decision is going on. That's my personal passion, and having a lot of games work. So it says, but it says that that promise, what I made for myself and trying to keep that promise, and that has been, if I look back, what kind of results, how I feel, how I don't, haven't got any back pain or or any pains what I used to have earlier. And I think that is that has so much to do with the resistance training, even it's a form of exercise that I naturally don't enjoy doing. But I think there is a big, big connection of that, of an especially feeling and and that what I what I understood, or what I talk with, also with the many, many people, is that it's not like especially self employed if you don't get paid per hour being somewhere, but if you get paid how productive you are, and it doesn't matter if you need, like, a 30 minutes less, it's I'm lot more efficient. If I have done my workout, if I have done something before, and I feel stronger, I'm I'm giving so much more. I know how you feel about it, like when you that, if you you are teaching, if you have done something before, have you tried it, or what is what kind of experiences you have,
• 13:57
  Unknown: right? Well, kind of going off of that in terms of trying to fulfill a commitment of doing it. I'm pretty consistent with I have one training session. I have a local trainer that I've worked with for years, that I go to one day a week, and then I build off of that. So I've tried to add, that's one of the things you when I've worked at but also, and I think it came out of a conversation we had too, it made me thinking about it, that I try to do more walking, just in general, like I make it a point now to where I wouldn't have in the past, that I get up two or three times and I walk completely around the room to make sure that I'm getting more staff. I mean, it's also being proximity with students. They're busy doing work with their partners and stuff like that. So they don't necessarily need me, but I just feel like I need to get those extra steps, or I talked myself out of going to the office because it's really far away. And I know No, you're going to go the office this period and get this just because you'll get more steps. Or even at the point now that I used to be the parking lot of the grocery store or whatever, like, what's the closest spot I get?
• 14:58
  Unknown: I'm just hunting for an open spot now, because you keep telling me so, like, I need to walk more. Those extra steps are going to be beneficial. It's not going to hurt me, and so I do that. It's just a trying to find ways to increase my activity. So it's not necessarily a formal structure, because, like you said, you get overwhelmed.
• 15:19
  Unknown: You've committed to things. It's like a busy week. I know that things that you're involved in, but you're doing so many other activities that it also is helping to your activity, in that sense, by doing the things you do. So if you're conscious, at least, where there are times you can grab things to do.
• 15:39
  Unknown: That's made me think about it more. I think that's the whole point of all of this. Is that I think we allow somebody become such a habit that it's not done consciously, whether it be like, you know, mindless eating or not, you know, focusing on what, how could I get more movement in I think that being more conscious of it and saying, Okay, what can you do today that might be better for you than just. You know, sitting there, or, you know, munching on this and that kind of thing. So I think that's a way that I have been trying to deal with it.
• 16:14
  Unknown: When I feel like I'm busy and overwhelmed and like I have this meeting in the evening, or I have this thing in the evening, so I can't squeeze in a time to, at least in my mind, exhausted or whatever, I feel that I don't can't do it. I'm finding other ways to do something. Oh, yeah, I think doing something's better than nothing.
• 16:30
  Turo Virta: Absolutely, absolutely and, and this is just an example. It doesn't need to be always workout. Like, if you because talk, talk yourself out of doing workout. It's easier.
• 16:40
  Turo Virta: And, of course, like, depending like, what kind of workouts you're doing, but activity, it's something that you can always do. It's just, that's a very good point. I love to hear like that, that just just starting to think about it like and thinking like that, what is there? Could I be doing? Like, what could I do? Like, could I walk getting those, it might seem, seem a very little like that. You get, I don't know, 500 steps more per day, but that actually, it sums up, and it's that's, that's probably even outside. It's even more important than getting some real workout in. If you get consistent with that activity outside of your workouts, that is like, if you get, I know how many steps you are averaging at the moment. But if you are somewhere like 5000 or below, you to get that extra 1002, three more, right? That is
• 17:36
  Unknown: the thing about what you just said, 500 extra steps a day. That's 3500 in a week. I mean, they add up and so and then you get used to walking more that it's not as big of a problem in your mind as you say, like, I just did X number of steps yesterday. So come on, you know, I can do this. So I think, I think it's all cumulative in that sense. Yeah, absolutely.
• 18:02
  Turo Virta: And, but is it like, what was, what, what kind of this was one of the points, what you were kind of, what was the challenge for you, but was there any other like, what were the biggest kind of challenges you faced, and how did you overcome like this was, did you have any other challenges? Well,
• 18:21
  Unknown: this might not necessarily as a challenge, but one of the things that we talked about, and I told you that I have never been one that would track things journal. I just, you know, don't want to do it. I don't like to do it. But, you know, I, I had committed to doing that. So I really get to the point now like, oh my god, I haven't entered my, you know, what I've eaten yet, or stuff like that. And even the point that it's also helped me, because I'll, I'll want to eat something like, Wait a minute. I don't want to put all those points in. No, I don't need it.
• 18:50
  Unknown: You're just like doing because of reporters like that. So I think overcoming the fact that you I'm very knowledgeable about what I am eating now and what it's going to do, and what it's going to impact in terms of what I'm tracking. And that was a big change, because I keep marveling, and I said, I actually enjoy doing this now, and I've never liked, you know, on anything, whether I'd have to keep, you know, tallies of it and worry about it and then write response to about it, kind of thing. And I've always dismissed things because of that, even, like, you know, like, people say, use an app.
• 19:25
  Unknown: Like, I really don't want to do that, but now it's like, yeah, I gotta do that. Or I'm starting to think, like, should I eat that? Because really, so again, the whole thing, it really is kind of funny. I'm just thinking is now that it's just made me much more conscious of everything I'm doing. And I think the fact that by being more conscious and being aware, that that helps drive me do things that are better for me and that kind of thing. And even the point, like, Okay, last night we had this special function, and then our principal checks the department chairs out to dinner, and I'm trying to think, like, what's this going to be? And I'm tracking my points and like, Okay, I ate more than I wanted to, in terms of that was one day, and you've been under so many days in a row that okay, as long as you regroup and you think about it, it doesn't become that pattern again. And I think it's just that incrementally that I have built to the fact of being more conscious and aware of what I'm doing or not doing, and I think that that's probably been the hardest thing to deal with initially, was the food. I think that's so important that we don't think that is we start thinking of being more fit, like, gotta go work out, gotta go do this, gotta do that, but you gotta figure out your diet first. I i truly believe, and that's where you started. Me, yeah,
• 20:44
  Turo Virta: no, it's that, and that is the most important.
• 20:46
  Turo Virta: Like, what do you what you just said, I'm so proud of you, what you have done. And I remember when we thought initially I asked you that if you have ever tracks it, no, I'm not going to track. I'm not I'm not inside doing it. And then I explain it like that, if I would somehow I would need to know, like, if you are telling. Me like that. I'm eating mostly healthy. This is what I'm eating per day. So I need some kind of information.
• 21:13
  Turo Virta: And the idea was just to track for a couple days, just to to have idea, like, for a week, include or three four days to having to Getting Started doing something. And then now it has been almost three months. You have done it like, let's say like, almost perfectly, but and you have changed. This is it's just it all starts to starting like, committing to do something, and then seeing like, then, you know, you can always decide that, no, no, this is nothing for me. I'm not going to do this, and you don't need to do it. But the only goal is it's not to be perfect with the heat your proteins or calories or fats or whatever carbs. It's the goal is not. It's the the only reason is to become more aware, to become more conscious what you are doing, and then, if that is leading, like you said, making every once in a while better decisions about food, we have reached our goal. It's not about it's not that tracking your calories or food. It's not, it's not a diet. It's just a tool. What? In my opinion, it's not, it's not meant to be using the rest of your life. It says that for some point of your life, for short period of time, or who knows if that benefits you, you enjoy doing it. It helps you so much that there is no why, why not to do it for the even, because you don't need that much. Once you learn that skill, it takes maybe five minutes from your day. So it's not an if that is a skill. What helps you, then why to stop it?
• 22:51
  Turo Virta: But that is all individual, and it's just basically getting started. Well,
• 22:59
  Unknown: it also helped me identify the fact that I know proteins important, but to realize how little I really ate when I thought I was eating more protein. And now it's like become a challenge, like, what can I have that will have protein in it? You know, that kind of thing. So I think that I'm actually consuming better food now because of them trying to reach that protein, that it's had another benefit to it, and so making me very much aware of it. And it's kind of funny, like, I finally hit 100% the other day, and I was really excited about that. And we're like, I can't believe something like this is making that excited. But it's like, you know, my mindset was like, No, I want to get more protein. And I because I could see how it's helping me with the weight I've lost and things like that. So, you know, it just, it kind of builds from that first step. But you have to have that mindset to do that. So,
• 23:54
  Turo Virta: so, because, yeah, it's, it's like you said, it's first, like, those small calls like to have, it's not the goal is not to hit your protein goal every single day, but it's, it's like you said that it's, it's in the beginning, it's as to like, because now I, most of the people know that Bucha protein is important, that I'm consuming some protein. But then, on the other hand, they have no idea how much they are consuming, or how much they should be consuming. And then when you look those, because it's, it's a very it's a lot of protein, what you should consume, and in a normal diet, it's very hard.
• 24:32
  Turo Virta: It's huge for like, I would say that over 90% of people are struggling to hit their protein costs. But if you get even little bit more, then there is going to be some so many other benefits, like you are feeling satiated, more satiated. It helps when you are trying to lose weight that you are not losing weight from your muscles.
• 24:52
  Turo Virta: You are losing it from fat and so many other benefits. So what, what you mentioned, you have lost some weight. I'm curious to know what, how much weight you have lost, or I've
• 25:05
  Unknown: lost 13 pounds. Wow, amazing, you know. And inches, I mean, I, I don't have the exact measure of a couple of inches or so off my body I and I definitely started telling it when I, you know, as it got cold or, sorry, wearing sweaters. And my sweaters were, like, used to be kind of tight on me, and now that they were kind of hanging and I thought, I need to check my weight here. And that's when I knew that I had really started losing weight, and just the more and more that came off. So, you know, it's been and that was mainly, think about it. Most of my emphasis has been focusing on my diet. And it's just changing my diet that did that part, and increasing the protein, which has, you know, satiated my hunger for a lot of times, I think, when I would eat things that I didn't really need or want, but I just wasn't build in the sense of my body, you know, craving something. And I think it's the protein that that, that I really believe, has made a big difference in that of being full. And not and made me more conscious. I know when I shop now, like, I look at ingredients more in terms of, like, fat, you know, protein and carbohydrates, not that I would necessarily desire it. But like, you know, okay, if I could get somebody that has more protein with these other things, I don't flinch as much as if, like, if it's like one, you know, like gram of protein, and there's like 35 of this, and you know, 12 of that, it's like, I know those are good ratios in my mind. And, you know, is it really a good, healthy choice to eat as well?
• 26:41
  Unknown: So, and it's got me thinking about ingredients as well, trying to eat more wholesome foods kind of thing as well, which was really funny, because as a side growth of this fellow chairperson was talking about her son, like, something about in terms of ingredients. And I said, it's really weird, because I just yesterday, I looked at something, no, I'm not getting because, you know, it doesn't have these healthy things, and it's got all these, you know, words that you really can't pronounce. And I said, it's really funny that it's made me more conscious of other things as well, in terms of what I eat and in my diet. So I think that's a really great side benefit.
• 27:14
  Turo Virta: Oh, you are, you are, I gotta repeat myself, you are doing amazingly, because these are the right, like, exactly the things like, it's and it's not, it's only a couple of months and imagine like that you are making these kind of decisions, smaller, which doesn't feel like that. You know you are on a diet, you are that you are following a strict diet plan or something. It's just really about those small decisions, what you are making daily, like it, what you are buying from grocery stores, which foods you are eating, and then when you are able to make, not perfectly, but consistently enough, aiming for a bitter, bit smarter choices, it leads for other things like that. You are having less cravings. You are eating less at the same time, you are thinking about your movement, you are moving a bit more, and imagine doing this for a year, two years exactly, that's that is going to make huge impact for your health and and chasing your well being. So what, what did, is there anything else, like how you're eating habits, you mentioned already something like, not maybe snacking that much. But how have your eating habits changed since you started? Well,
• 28:38
  Unknown: I, I know I, first of all, mindless eating. I think happened more than it should have without really thinking just, you know, because it's there and you're just crunching through because I'm very conscious of portion, that's probably the biggest change.
• 28:51
  Unknown: Like, even, let's say, I will weigh things never done that before. Let's say, like, there's these little treats I got at Trader Joe's, for example. And I mean, they weren't, they were healthy choice kind of thing.
• 29:06
  Unknown: But the serving was 11 items. I will literally count out 11, and that's my serving before I would just, like, reach in the bag or pour it in a, you know, dish, and just, you know, just eat whatever I poured out. Had no idea how much I was eating. And I have found which I think about this the other day, is like you're actually filled with what you eat. It's not like you really needed more or wanted more. And so sometimes I think that also causes overeating. So I think that that has changed a lot of how I eat. I really, I used to snack. I think after dinner, I really don't. If I do, it's something like, I might have a glass of skim milk I might have, I've done a protein shake before, but not really kind of eating, kind of food, like things. It's not, you know, that might have just be adding calories and not any real benefit to me. So that's changed a lot as well. So no, it's so given different purpose.
• 30:10
  Turo Virta: So, yeah, this, this all, it sounds like that you you know you are not, do you have feeling of being restricted or that you are kind of missing?
• 30:21
  Unknown: Oh, no, not at all. I just have to make different choices, maybe. But to me, it feels the hunger, and they're things I enjoy eating. I mean, I try to think of other things I used to eat, and it's not like I miss anything. And, like I said, we recently had Thanksgiving in the United States, and, you know, which is big food time, and there's different dish you want. I purposely said, like, I take a tablespoon from the server thing, and that's all I put on there. Because my I convinced myself, like, if you really want more, after you've eaten all the ones you've things you've chosen, you can go get more. But I didn't need to. I was full. And so, you know, and I think that sometimes the other thing is, we pile things on our plate, and, you know. I grew up, my mother truly believed in cleaning your play club. And, you know, you feel guilty if you'd leave food on there. So I felt like, start small, and if you need to add you can go back for a second. I did not. So I really don't feel that I'm, you know, deprived at all. No, that's, that's amazing, you know. And if there's something I really want, because I know how much it's probably going to be in terms of the calories and everything else, then that might mean I take a little less of something else because I don't necessarily need or want those other things. That's why I start there, and then I can build off of it. It's just, it's just an approach that, you know, I'm using with me and but I don't feel like I'm denied anything.
• 31:45
  Turo Virta: No thesis. You you have done it amazingly. I hope you understand yourself. I I have worked with many people and and this, I'm not saying it lightly, but the things what you have done, I'm so proud of you.
• 31:59
  Turo Virta: Well,
• 32:02
  Unknown: thank you. That means a lot coming from you, because I have a lot of respect for you and all the things that you do and have done for me. So thank you.
• 32:11
  Turo Virta: So let's talk about your workout so how your current workout routine is looking like,
• 32:18
  Unknown: I would say they're shaky. You know, that's the one area I'm trying to improve on.
• 32:20
  Unknown: Like I said some like, the one thing we started out like my was my back. I'd had some issues with spasms and at linavi, but, you know, I'm committed to trying to be better. This has been a week where I have conflicts. So by two days, I've committed to it. I have decided I'm going to do them on Friday and Sunday because I couldn't get them done on my Monday and Wednesday route this week, or didn't get them done. So you know, they're they're still in my mind, and there's something I'm striving for which so those are the two additional ones, my regular ones, I I've been pretty good about staying with those.
• 32:59
  Unknown: So you know, that's definitely the place for improvement. But I'm not giving up yet. I'm not throwing in the towel on that.
• 33:09
  Unknown: I'm not, not going to ever do it. I, you know, it's, I just keep trying to do it, like I even if I just get started, like, one of the times of the bexens I started, it only got so far, but at least I did something I felt, you know, and I think that's part of it, is I really bought into your argument in terms of things incrementally, like not, I think sometimes, and you'd even said this way people throw themselves in 100% doing something they're not going to continue doing, and then they give up and they don't go back at all. And so at least this gives me the sense of, okay, this is doable. You can get there, and then, once you've achieved that, then we can add on to it. So I'm a work in progress, I guess you would say with my workouts, but I'm not.
• 33:57
  Unknown: I'm still doing it.
• 33:58
  Turo Virta: And this is, it's, it's one of those things, like, like, if you think like in progress, like in general, it's not that you know, you know that you need to do everything to have amazing results. Because if you think like this is it's so easy to get, like what we talked in the beginning, like to get over and get okay. You know that you should be, you should be working out. You should be getting more steps. You should be tracking your food. You should aim to put your protein higher. Aim to eat high protein foods. You should get a good night of sleep. You should drink water. And if you have been like let's say that there is a 10 different things, what you know you should be doing, and now, within the first two months, you have made like five of them, what you have been doing so amazingly well, like you have increased your steps, you have tracked your nutrition. You have become conscious about your choices, making better choices, increasing protein intake.
• 35:08
  Turo Virta: There's so many good things in such a short time that often these kind of things like, you know that, okay, but I, but I missed one workout or or two. I didn't do it like this is something for me that you know you have to be proud of what you have done and say that, okay, it's still like you said. It's working a progress, and the goal is, like, always that it's not that okay, if, why? If you stop and ask yourself that, why I haven't been doing like, what I'm telling to myself that I'm not doing it, is it too long? Is it too challenging? Is it painful? And then when you have the answer, you can ask yourself that what I could be doing to getting at least started, like you said, that to goal is never to finish your workout. I if I I think myself, I never want to finish my workout. I just know that I need to get started. And then when I know. That once, I said that, okay, now I I can't I know already before that I don't have time to finish my full workout. But I said, but now I'm keeping promises. What I make to myself, I get myself, I change my clothes, I go to and I do one exercise. If after one exercise, I decide that I call it for a day. That's enough. I'm happy with it. That's okay. That's totally fine. But I also know that once I get started, I get usually at least two exercises.
• 36:38
  Turo Virta: And that is, of course, always better than nothing, right? So it says the way and changing the way, how we try to talk to ourselves, but also not thinking that, you know you should be from the beginning, that you should be doing everything like, let's say that I'm kind of big believer of that, that why? If you think that okay, workouts, I I'm I think that at least something you should always do, especially some kind of resistance training, but that you have already been doing, if goal is to do more. And of course, you do more or keep that goal in your mind. But on the other hand, like that, there is not such a number than what is a perfect amount of workout or how long it should be. And if you like, why you wouldn't give credit to yourself, pat your back and say that, don't I have an amazing job. Like if, if you just look your how you are feeling, how is your progress, how much weight you have lost, or it doesn't always need to be some visible but it's often those mental changes which are obviously more valuable than changing seeing number of the scale, because seeing lower number to scale, it's it's a very hard, to be honest, to get it done. If you are just moving a lot, not eating a lot, or especially reducing your carbohydrate sodium, you're losing water weight. So so so to get scale moving is not hard for a couple of days, but it's not going to stay in that way. But when you do it like what, how you have done it now, it's kind of side effect that you are you have list of actions, what you are focusing on and doing them consistently enough it's going to lead that weight loss, what you have already achieved, and you have done it so well.
• 38:33
  Unknown: Thank you. I feel pretty good about what I've done, too. So I appreciate that.
• 38:35
  Unknown: And kind of going on with that, you said, it's kind of a thing I look at, and I kind of got myself away from it. But I truly believe in the you know. And I even tell this my students, you know, you strive for improvement, not perfection, because you're not ever going to be perfect, but what I think you do. But I also like the fact that you know, you and I, you know, I communicated with you about the one home workout thing I was doing, and that that exercise was just causing more problems than not. And so, well, let's switch it up. What you know, what do you think you could do? And I think that's a lot of times what we do. We have this plan that we have to do a B and C, and A B and C doesn't work for you in the sense that whether it's mentally or physically or whatever, and you just stick with it because that's what you think you're supposed to do. But there's other things you could do that will be as effective as that, and you got to be willing to change and adjust to it rather than give up. And I think that's the harder challenge at times.
• 39:30
  Unknown: And like you said, there's other things that I have changed along the way. I do drink more water.
• 39:33
  Unknown: Am I consistent about drinking as much as I want? Not necessarily, but, you know, I do drink more than I did, and so that's better. I'm better than what I was. So, oh yeah.
• 39:47
  Turo Virta: And these are all things, like, it's, they are small things, but they are improvements. Because it's, it's, it's not like, how you are going to, are you going to feel the difference? Maybe not, but how it's going to affect or everything, and how you're going to if you keep doing those kind of things and adding these things up. Time is working for you, not against you, and that is that is always to keep in your mind and saying that even if you you have those 10 things, what you aim to do, if you consistently, you can always periodize them, because it's probably unrealistic for most people to try to do every 10 things perfectly and but if you aim for prioritizing like that now for this month, it's going to be these five things. Next month I prioritize. I keep three of them, change two of them, or maybe one of these things becomes already happy. Kind of automatic, automatic thing, what you are doing without actually, that it doesn't take too much willpower or anything like that.
• 40:52
  Turo Virta: Now you are already drinking water. For example, it's you have always your paddle visible.
• 40:59
  Turo Virta: You get your water in every single day. So it's not any more challenge. Then you can act something more. Or you are already consciously tracking your food or or you know that how your day is looking so you don't have to pay too much energy on it. And then, you know, then that's the time when you can add Maybe one, maybe two more things on your plate and not trying to kind of get everything done in the beginning. And that's why never forget that that you know or feel guilty about not accomplishing all your workouts because you have already done so many changes.
• 41:38
  Unknown: Well, doing some is better than none. So I think it, you know, you have to look at it like that sometimes too that least I did this much. I did it, not do it. So I think that helps a lot too, thinking that I'm just going to be better the next time. And, you know, just keep moving on. So
• 41:55
  Turo Virta: with your with your busy schedule, like, how do you find the time to prioritize your fitness and that if you have any tips, or someone else who is struggling with this, I
• 42:08
  Unknown: almost think of it like, you know, when I have a meeting, I put it in my calendar, and I know I have that it's almost like I have to plan, like, When am I going to do it?
• 42:18
  Unknown: Because it it, it has to be a priority. And I think sometimes it's hard for people to prioritize themselves over other in their minds, people, but I think you have to look at it like it's kind of like if I were injured and I had to go to a physical therapist, I have an appointment I go to so I try to plan, just like in that mindset, I have an appointment, or like when I meet with my One trainer, that I have an appointment every Week, at this time I have to be there. So I just like, when I plan out for the week things I'm going to, you know, get the grocery store to have to eat. I have to plan when am I going to work out, what days, what what time, kind of thing. It's just another priority you make in in your life, and you have to put it at the top, because everything can then center around it, and that's hard. I mean, I'm not always good about that myself. That's always my goal is to do that. But I just think you have to make it where it's a part of your day. You have to figure out where can I squeeze in, and like you've told me, 20 to 30 minutes is better than doing none, and you can't start out going with like, an hour workout or whatever. So I think if you can find a time we do it, some people can get up early in the morning and do it.
• 43:31
  Unknown: I'm not one of those people, but I'll do mine in the evening. And I have to plan a time when that would work best, the kind of approach and that, that's the key to anything. You got a plan, and without a plan, it's just, it's not going to work. It's like, I'll figure it out later.
• 43:49
  Unknown: Doesn't really tend to happen, no,
• 43:51
  Turo Virta: no, or it doesn't go at least not the pill as it would be planned, right?
• 43:58
  Unknown: Because even if you have a plan and something comes up, okay, I was going to do it here. Where can I do it? Like I told you, just the way this week has worked out for me. I know I was going to be able to be able to do these things on Monday and Wednesday, like I was gone the whole evening at this, you know, function thing with, you know, our school. And I said, alright, and you didn't get able to get it in on Monday either. So when were you going to do it? So I made the plan. These two days will work for me. I will make them work on those days. So,
• 44:25
  Turo Virta: yeah, that's ultimately how it should be. And don't say that you can't visit when you can. And then if you then if you can, if you keep telling yourself that I can't do that much, how much I can, and getting at least done, it's it's maybe some days it's going to be one push up, or whatever, one squat, and then you call it a day because you didn't have time. But at least you started, and you get promises what you made to yourself. It didn't
• 44:53
  Unknown: leave your you know, your your schedule completely, yeah, and if you think about it, that's what we do in so many other parts of our lives. You know, some days you're really, really productive, and others, they like not necessarily so much. You didn't get certain things done that you needed to get done. To get done that, but I'll get them done tomorrow. As long as you get them done tomorrow, it's okay, you know? I think you have to. I think a lot of times people just give up, like, I didn't get to do it on these two days, and so I'm done, you know. Or, like you said, at least if I I did two exercises, maybe I did some squats, you know, and something else, then that's great, because it's still two more things than I was doing before.
• 45:32
  Turo Virta: So to change the topic, because obviously you are not doing this by yourself, or you're not alone. So how important has that support from the others been in your journey?
• 45:46
  Turo Virta: And if you share, if you could share some how coaching have impacted your progress.
• 45:54
  Unknown: I think it's absolutely important. I mean, I think it's the cornerstone of what I do. I think accountability is the most important thing. Because, yes.
• 46:03
  Unknown: You can be accountable to yourself, but you're not always objective about it, or you see certain things you do and what you're doing is might not be helpful as you might think it is. You don't necessarily.
• 46:19
  Unknown: You're not the expert in that particular field, necessarily.
• 46:23
  Unknown: And so having someone who has expertise like you know, just in talking with you in terms of things like, are tracking, yeah, I knew it was out there, but then we talked about it, and you said, just try it for a few days and see how it goes. All right, I'll try it and, you know that.
• 46:37
  Unknown: And then we communicated about how that was going and what I liked, or, you know, getting feedback. Or, like we were talked about, could I add some workout to my plan? And having that support of saying like, and I go, Okay, well, I could do this. This is, I think I could commit to this. And you're like, how about we commit to this much? And let's see how that goes. I think sometimes we the old phrase was that you bite off more than you can chew, and we want to do all these things, and I think having that feedback is important. I mean, I do that myself, with the students I work with. I'm giving them feedback, you know, so they can be better at it, or understand something better, or do better at it. And I think I look at that as the same thing as what this has given me, is that I'm getting feedback of if if it's working, great, keep doing that. Now, let's add something else.
• 47:32
  Unknown: Because I'm not certain I would think like, let's add drinking more water. Let's do this even though I know it's there and would be better for me. It's that dialog that thinking about it, bringing focus to it, making it more of a priority in there, it's constantly in my mind, where it's easy for you to get distracted and go elsewhere with what you're doing with your time. So I think it's essential.
• 47:55
  Unknown: I think it's the, like I said, the cornerstone of anything you do. I mean, you look at CEOs of corporations, they have coaches.
• 48:03
  Unknown: You look at professional athletes, they have coaches. I think that accountability is necessary to keep you focused on what you're doing. It's easy to get unfocused at times, so I think that's been key to my success. Yeah,
• 48:26
  Turo Virta: no, and it's, I think it helps, but ultimately, you have time to work, correct?
• 48:31
  Turo Virta: You have time to work I and
• 48:35
  Unknown: I totally get that, because the students will say something like that with me, and I'll say, No, you did it. You know, I was just, I helped you along, but without that help, I wouldn't have done it. So I think it's a, it's a team effort in a kind of way, you know, yeah,
• 48:52
  Turo Virta: that's it. So, hours almost done, and I think I would talk, keep talking with you, but I know you have a busy schedule, I don't want to keep keep you too long. But what kind of long term goals? Last question, what kind of long term goals in your health and fitness? What do you have and how you plan to exceed?
• 49:17
  Unknown: Well, my long term goals is, I mean, as an output of that, obviously it's losing weight, because I just think that would be better for me health wise. But I think that having a more consistent diet that has a high protein base with it is very beneficial to me. I think having more movement and working out, which is better for my, you know, body, in terms of being able to physically do things, especially as I've gotten older, I think that's really essential in that. So I would like to continue what I'm doing and build off of that.
• 50:00
  Unknown: It's mainly it amazing, and I'm pretty sure UV, yes, I hope so. Thank you.
• 50:07
  Turo Virta: And and with your mindset, attitude, what you have been doing, I'm pretty sure you will still achieve amazing things.
• 50:18
  Unknown: I hope so too. That's my plan. Yeah.
• 50:21
  Turo Virta: So is there anything I don't know. If you are in social media anywhere, if you want to share something, feel free to share. How to people can reach out, or if you want to share anything,
• 50:33
  Unknown: well, I have a Facebook, and I have Instagram.
• 50:37
  Unknown: And you know, my Facebook is just my name, Don Fortner, and my Instagram, I believe, at the check, because, you know, I don't really Instagram myself. I think it's under DJ forto, but I have to make sure
• 50:54
  Turo Virta: that that's I will.
• 50:54
  Turo Virta: I will put link to Joan.
• 50:57
  Unknown: Okay, if you it is DJ for which is, and my name's with it a two Don Fortner. So you know, if anybody has any questions or wants to reach out, feel free. Do so, and I'd be happy to communicate with them about it awesome. Thank you so much your time. Thank you Chair in your journey. I hope this helped someone I do too, because it's helped me. So thank you. Thank you.
• 51:25
  Unknown: Bye.