Fit for Life: Winter is Coming

Saturday, June 04, 2022

Matt Espeut, Health + Lifestyle Contributor

 

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It seems like everything is going great for folks right now.

We are all complaining about gas prices but nobody’s staying home.

Food is more expensive, yet people don’t seem to be eating less based on the wait time in restaurants.

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Every other business owner I talk to is cranking away & can’t find help for the amount of business they are doing.

My gym has been extremely busy lately and we are getting a ton of people inquiring about our programs.

 

But something is about to break and my question to you is, are you ready for it?

Throughout history, we have had good times and we have had bad times, and I have experienced both.

I did well with real estate in the late 90s into the early millennium years then took a hit in 06 / 07 that lasted for a while and took a long time to get out of.

Then in 2014, I opened Providence Fit Body Boot Camp and things were on the rise again.

I was traveling, the gym was doing well and BAM, 2020 hit.

You all know that story.

 

Many were unprepared financially, mentally, and physically, on different levels, many of us spiraled into a tailspin. Although we lost a lot of members, and revenue plummeted, I stayed physically fit and mentally stable, which gave me the capacity to rebound and stay afloat to fight another day.

Now things are climbing back to normal, however, you need to ask yourself a few questions to see if you are prepared for another incident that could stop forward progress. It could be another terrorist attack, natural disaster, stock market crash, pandemic, or war.

We don’t know, and I hate to be looking on the negative side, but history tells us that winter is coming again.

 

Are you putting money away for a rainy day, or are you investing in things for the future?

Do you have 6 months of reserves in the bank?

Do you feel like you have 15-20lbs to lose?

Are your affairs in order, and do you have other options if something takes a turn for the worse?

 

What should I do you may ask?

Well, I don’t have all the answers, however, I know how I am going to prepare for winter, and I will offer you a few simple things you can start doing today.

Priority #1 would be to get your health and fitness in line.

Last weekend I went to Jay Maine to help with a father/son self-development program called the Squire program.

It is a program designed to help sons earn the right of passage into manhood by doing tough physical and mental tasks with their fathers. It is also designed to help fathers become better role models and leaders for their sons.  

 

We started with some basic physical activity, and I thought 75% of the fathers were going to collapse just doing entry-level calisthenics. One got rushed to the hospital in an ambulance after a 50-yard relay run. His legs turned purple, and he couldn’t catch his breath. (He returned later, but it was a scary scene)

 

I was in disbelief at the fact that so many people are in such poor physical condition, not just at that outing, but everywhere you look. Go to the beach this summer, and you will see that I am right on this one.

The instructors blasted the fathers (not in front of their sons) that show up like this set a poor standard for their sons to live by, and that they needed to get their shit together asap, or they may not be around long enough to see their sons grow up.

I wanted to share that example with you, so you can step back and make an honest assessment of yourself and ask…. am I physically sound? Am I leading myself before I try and set the standard and lead others?

I can answer that question for most people, however, it’s up to you to take action if the answer is NO.

 

Where do I begin, you may ask?

Stop wasting time. People scroll for hours a day yet don’t have time to get to the gym. What do you think is a better use of your time, scrolling social media and looking at someone else’s bullshit, or taking 30 minutes a day to work on your health and fitness?

Invest in yourself. Many people spend hundreds a month on I phones, cable TV, expensive coffee drinks full of extra calories, fast food, and other nonsense that undermines your health, yet won’t invest in a gym membership or coaching program that will improve their health and fitness. This makes no sense to me.

Be smart and focus on yourself and what will benefit you when times take a downturn. You saw what happened with most people during the pandemic. Most people didn’t improve their health and fitness situation, so if you are not at the top of your game now, it won’t get any better later if times get worse.

 

Priority #2 would be to focus on your finances.

Stop wasting money buying stupid things you don’t really need. Just because business is good for most people, now is not the time to spend frivolously.

 

Invest in your self-development, save some money, and try to find alternate income streams that will solve problems for others. I know covid killed the gym business because of the social aspect, but people need coaches more than ever now, and the need for my profession is on the rise.

During 2020, I was able to refinance my house at a super low rate, and due to lack of travel, I was able to rebound debt-free except for my mortgage and car payment. Now I pay close attention to my credit card spending and I am always keeping my eyes open for good investments that will secure me later in life.

I am also seeking financial advice from experts so I can figure out the best retirement plan, and what to do with my current IRA, so I can avoid serious tax consequences when it’s time to retire. The way I look at it, is I have 10 short years to figure things out, or I will be eating dog food from a can and working til I am 80.

Lastly, do tough things that will net you positive results and build resiliency. When you purposely seek adversity and tough situations, it makes the setbacks and obstacles thrown at you in life more tolerable.

 

Avoid seeking comfort and the easy way all the time.

 

I owe a lot of my mental toughness and emotional discipline to a program I graduated is called The Project.

It was a 75-hour fully-immersive program based on the tactics Navy Seals use during hell week.

We were broken down physically, mentally, and emotionally, then built back up to handle life’s tough situations.

I just recently committed to The Spartan Death race at the end of June.

It is a race that takes 72+ hours and spans over 100 miles in Killington Vermont.

I have no idea what I am in for, but I know that it is going to be one of the most difficult things I have ever done.

I also know that I will not quit, and it will either kill me or make me tougher and more resilient when it comes to everyday obstacles we are guaranteed to encounter in life.

 

Yes, I am extreme when it comes to being tough on myself, but you can start by taking cold showers, doing tough workouts, walking in the rain, or anything that will make you uncomfortable for short bouts of time.

Set some goals for yourself and follow through with the tough stuff.

The obesity pandemic is far more deadly and has killed more people than covid, and the numbers are rising.

Whatever you are doing right now may be good today but keep your options open for other alternatives if things go wrong again.

Never take for granted the good times, because as I stated earlier, winter will come again.

 

Committed to your success,

Coach Matt

 

PS. If I can help you with anything that will improve your life, I am just an email away at [email protected]

 

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