The Champion’s Brew is a weekly assembly of material I am reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about that is designed to equip and call you to uncommon leadership. I often add my own little spin based on my takeaways and would love your input as well. Any of the points especially impact you? Drop me a note at [email protected], or comment on the blog to keep the conversation going! I believe you will discover that the format is not only useful, but also that you can consume it within the time it takes you to enjoy your daily ‘brew’! Become a member of the Champions Brew Nation by subscribing here!!
Here is your weekly drink of what I have been reading, listening to or watching to equip me to:
- “Eat Well, Train Hard, and Be Nice to People” – Over the past week, I got a chance to travel to Scottsdale, AZ, and really do a lot of things that I like with people that I love. I got to spend a few days with my wife and 2 adult sons who journeyed in via plane and automobile for a super fun weekend. I also got a chance to catch up with some people who have had a huge impact on my life. One of those individuals has been a remote fitness mentor of mine, Jeremy Scott, owner of Jeremy Scott Fitness. My oldest son and I got a chance to work out in person at his gym in Scottsdale and Jeremy and I recorded a podcast as well where we talked all things healthcare delivery and leadership. (Notes on the podcast: 1) It is longer than the Uncommon Leader Podcast – Jeremy and I talked for almost two hours and 2) the podcast might be labeled as ‘explicit’. Jeremy uses strong language on his podcasts. Not necessarily my ‘thing’, but it is his podcast so if you don’t appreciate some spicy language, you may want to skip this one. I may re-purpose some of the content in future episodes on the Uncommon Leader Podcast that may be ‘edited’ for all audiences!) My family and I squeezed a lot into two and a half days or so. I even got to enjoy some Champions Brew at “JoJo’s” coffee house. My son, JoJo didn’t find it quite as amusing as I did! I hated to see the weekend end. As I reflected on the trip on the way to my work week in Stockton, CA, I appreciated even more some of the things I sometimes take for granted. Jeremy Scott closes each one of his podcasts with the following mantra: “Eat Well, Train Hard, Be Nice to People, and PLEASE keep doing sh-stuff you love with people you enjoy because life is too short not to.” I think we squeezed all of that into a long weekend and I am grateful for opportunities like that. I can’t wait to do it again.
- Speaking of ‘Eat Well’ – I received my weekly Jeremy Scott email this week and I thought he had some great Nutrition ‘Hacks’ to enjoy a more fit and nutritional life:
- Hack #1 – One Bad Meal Doesn’t Equal A Bad Day – the all or nothing mentality when it comes to eating has to STOP. Often people get into the mindset of “I screwed up at lunch, I will just start over tomorrow.” Please stop this one bad meal is just that “one bad meal” there is no reason you can’t get right back on track the next meal. Small mistakes happen just don’t let them avalanche into giant mistakes if you can do that your body will thank you for it. For me, this is very important. I have learned that I can have a ‘bad meal’ occasionally but get back on track with the next meal and don’t let it avalanche into a whole weekend, or week! After a good workout and a 5-mile hike at Devil’s Bridge in Sedona, AZ, my family, and I absolutely devoured some double cheeseburgers and onion rings from Johnny Rockets! It was fun, but we didn’t let it ’avalanche’, which means we had enough fortitude to skip the milk shake!
- Hack #2 – Get More FAT in your nutrition plan – Essential Fats that is. The average American’s diet is severely lacking in omega-3 fatty acids and it is doing their bodies and their health a huge disservice. These vital essential omegas can’t be produced by your body, so you must get them through proper nutrition or supplementation. An easy way to get your omegas in is with a good fish or kill oil supplement; also, things like chia seeds, flax seeds and fatty fish can do the trick. – For me, I do take a daily fish oil tablet, I love avocados, and I am learning to prepare fish better to get those good Omega 3’s!
- Hack #3 – Understand Macros – The most important of the hacks here today understands your macros, macros being the big 3 macronutrients protein, carbs, and fats. Many people go so caught up in the types or foods, diet protocols, and even overall calorie number they don’t pay attention to the macro breakdown. Eating 2000 calories per day of all 60% carbs – 30% fats – 10% protein will make you look and feel far different than eating 2000 calories per day of 35% protein 35% fats and 30% protein. Knowing how many grams of proteins, carbs, and fats you are eating daily is a good first step on the road to truly healthy eating. – Understanding macros was breakthrough for me on my fitness journey. Another item I learned that I would add to Understanding Macros is the calories for each: 1 gram of Protein = 4 calories, 1 gram of Carbohydrates = 4 calories and 1 gram of Fat = 9 calories. I use the LoseIt app to track the macros that I eat. I don’t get really uptight if my macros aren’t balanced correctly, but I will check to see where I stand for the day, especially in carbs, if I want to enjoy a dessert with dinner!
- Quote – “Someone else is praying for the things you take for granted.” – Jeremy Scott – This quote was on one of the shirts I picked up this weekend at Jeremy Scott Fitness. What I take from this is to appreciate and be grateful for the things I do have. I think I do fairly well with the grateful, but I need to do better at the appreciate!
What you need to do:
Call to Action: When was the last time you sat down and wrote down the things in your life that you are grateful for? It may be a good exercise for you. Too often as humans we focus on the things we DON’T have or want more of (scarcity mindset) rather than the blessings we do have (abundance mindset!). I might be calling myself to action here a bit.
I know one thing I am grateful for is that this Friday is Good Friday, a special day in the church where we celebrate the sacrifice that God made with the death of his son, Jesus, KNOWING that he would rise 3 days later!! Happy Easter!!! HE IS RISEN!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with a friend who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.
Until next time, go and Grow Champions!
Are you a podcast fan? Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you. Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast? Do you have a story to tell? Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!
