The MINT Prjct

How to Navigate a Fitness Rut

• The MINT Prjct

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Today we talk about the inevitable fitness rut that we all fall into, especially as mamas and even as trainers. Jess goes into her struggles as a single mom working full time. She talks about all of her hacks, including trying a personal trainer, group classes, accountability tactics and following our very own MomStrong Full Body Workout Plan in her basement. Cara talks about her slump after Wodapalooza this year and her mind-blowing hacks for making it work with 3 kids at home. Betsy talks about her own venture into redefining fitness to fit her life today after 12 years in the industry.

If you're a mama struggling to find inspiration or a trainer needing perspective for your clients, this is a great episode for you!

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To learn more about The MINT Prjct and check out our programs and courses, head to TheMINTPrjct.com and follow us on Instagram, as well as your hosts, @bets.inthewild, @_coach.cara_ and @jesscarr.fit

Speaker 1:

Trainers, did you know that 85% of women will become pregnant in their lifetime? This means that you will work with pregnant and postpartum clients, so get the information you need to safely and effectively guide your clients through this chapter of their fitness journey and become an expert in the space. Not only will you learn about movement, you'll learn about nutrition and mindset, from fertility through pregnancy to postpartum, as well as how to market yourself as a professional in this space. You'll interact with the Mint experts throughout the course, giving you the guidance and accountability. To finish and get to work, head to TheMintProjectcom and go to the Education tab to learn more. You're listening to the Mint Project, the podcast to elevate your knowledge on pregnancy and postpartum fitness, nutrition and more, along with parenting, business and advice to keep you living your best life.

Speaker 1:

The Mint Project is led by your expert trainers Betsy Jones, peraforister and Jusgar. With that said, let's do this. Okay, we are talking about something that's kind of top of mind, that we've been talking about internally a little bit what to do when you are in a health and fitness rut. Maybe you're lacking motivation a little bit. You don't maybe feel like doing your workouts or meal prepping or what have you. This was something kind of Betsy and I had talked about a little bit last week with just not always feeling up to your typical routine. So we're going to talk a little bit about where we see this happen in our lives and even our clients' lives in the past, and then, most importantly, what you can do about it, how you can get back into it and some little hacks to stay on track.

Speaker 1:

So where I see it happen in my life mainly is some like the biggest thing is some type of routine change. So top of mind for me right now is something like starting a new job. Maybe you have a new schedule with your kids. In my past, like when I got divorced, that was a really big thing. That kind of changed things up. So any type of routine change and then anything else like vacation or being sick that throws you off your routine, like coming back from those things and almost feeling like you're starting over can be things that throw off your health and fitness like your typical routine. Do you guys have any others that you see as like main patterns where you're like I just kind of feel like my routine got thrown out, or like any other patterns where you feel like you find yourself in a rut.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, my clients, I used to see it a lot with getting sick, like routines for sure, when it gets thrown off there. But one of the factors is like if they get sick, then you know a week goes by and that little bit just kind of makes it another week where it's like oh, I'll start this week, and then a month is gone before you know it.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that's what I was going to say life events, you know that can be good like vacation or holidays, or not so good being sick, losing your job do worse stuff like that relationship things, you know, traumatic events obviously those kind of things can throw you out of your routine and just make you feel like you're in a rut like you don't really, you're not like excited to do your fitness or eat well or things like that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, even, not even circumstantial, but maybe like, yeah, like you said, like mental health type things, like you're just feeling down or maybe you're going through about a depression or something, and it's just hard to feel motivated to get up in the morning like you usually do. I know for me, like when I got to Boris and became a single mom, it just made it like, okay, now I just have to be a lot more strategic. It wasn't like, oh, I'm leaving me here, I'm going to go to the gym. Now it's like okay, I have to really think about when I can go to the gym, or can I even go to the gym? Do I need it? Like now? It's like, do I need to just do it at home?

Speaker 1:

And sometimes those were like excuses of like, oh well, can't work out today, and then that just turns into right. Same thing with, like, meal prep. I think I've been so busy lately that it's like I'm having a really hard time finding the time to cook and it's just about we'll go over like our how to then deal with this. But yeah, all those things that throw a wrench in your normal routine, that now how do I kind of get back on track?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's crazy because one of the things I've realized in the past few years is that it's very easy to under estimate, over estimate how much, how many things you can actually get done in a day Like right day goes by quickly, especially when you put a kid into it like work alone.

Speaker 2:

Oh, my God you can only get so much done, then when you're also taking care of a human during the day, I mean, it's just, there's really not that much you can accomplish. So it's the prioritizing to like. Some of the things won't get to happen. But right, is that going to be the workout or is that going to be the meal prep? Is it going to be the hobby? Is it, what is it?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and that probably is something that I need to add to this list is like prioritizing your time, because maybe that will just be number one before we get started, because I know that for me to get my workouts done most days, I need to get up and do it in the morning. Otherwise the time it just slips away. Like you said, there's too many other things, or it's like oh, I plan to do it during my lunch break, but then some shit hits the fan somewhere and I can't do it during my lunch break. So, but then lately I haven't been sleeping the greatest, so I haven't been able to get up as much in the morning. So, yeah, it is just and I think sometimes it's it's me needing to say you know what that pile of laundry will get done later. I'm going to go down the basement for 30 minutes instead and just mentally let my OCD not get upset about the laundry that needs done, because I'll feel better after the workout.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think it's Kara. I'd love to hear. And if we're going to talk about this later and I'm kind of getting off, then let me know. But one of the things I thought there is like okay, I can see Kara in her house with a pile of laundry and three children.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And she works and one of them she was nursing for quite some time. We're still is, and no, not anymore. On top of that, One year, and on top of that I'm done, Works out more than both of us. So, like I don't want to say how do you do it? But what is that? What are some of the things for you that I'm sure we'll talk about these as we get into the tactics we're discussing, but what are things that, for you, just always are like no, this is what I'm going to prioritize.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that's a lot of answers to a lot of questions, but I think, well, when I was thinking about this topic, I there's only been a few times where I felt like not motivated to work out or like in a rut, like I don't. I haven't ever really felt like I just really don't feel like working out for extended periods of time. There's like small periods, and it's honestly usually right after competitions. I just feel like kind of like man, I was so excited for that, I've been working so hard for that. Now it's over. Now what do I do? Sort of a thing.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, but that doesn't usually last for very long, and I know that because I've been through it a few times, and so I'm like just keep staying consistent, keep doing what I know I should be doing or what I like to do, and then I'll feel good again, I think for me. So for me it's like non-negotiable, because I really do love it and cause I'm doing the things that I like to do, and so I make sure that I get it done. And yeah, we can talk more about that later. But that's kind of how I do it.

Speaker 3:

But the thing I guess for me that I get in the rut with as far as health and fitness goes, is just making sure that my eating is good. Like after water polizol, I was like, yes, I could finally eat, like which I was eating treats before, anyways but I'm like, yeah, now I can eat them without worrying. So I was like not eating well for a few weeks, which you know it. Just you don't feel very good and it catches up to you. And then I just kind of had to be like, okay, I'm done celebrating or whatever time to start being a little bit more consistent with my nutrition and strict there again. So yeah, I just I do it because I like it.

Speaker 3:

I like it because I know I enjoy it, so I'm gonna make it happen. And I know that it makes me feel better, like I know that, and so I crave that feeling and so I'll make it happen.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's perfect because that was number one on my list was making sure that you enjoy what you're doing for fitness and for nutrition as well. Yeah, like, if you hate running but you are like, oh, that's how I'm going to get to my goals and lose weight, like I'm just going to run every day but you hate your life running, you're not going to be consistent with it. Like, so, picking something that you enjoy or, like you said, maybe picking something. I don't think people should always have something like like a competition or an event that they're using as motivation, because that also isn't a long term strategy. But, yeah, making sure you have a reason or you're enjoying what you do for fitness.

Speaker 1:

Um, yeah, and this one, betsy, you kind of talked about a little bit the other day as far as, like, kind of what helped you get out of a little bit of a rut. Hey, mitt, mamas and trainers, if you enjoyed our information, you will love our programs and resources. We have a pregnancy fitness program, postpartum program, along with guides on movement modifications and nutrition, all designed to help you safely and effectively stay active through pregnancy and return to exercise postpartum. You can even bundle our programs and save so that your whole journey is covered. You can find all of these resources at themittprojectcom.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I um, which we'll hear about on a podcast coming soon, but in the past few months there I've had some life events and it definitely got me in a rev, Like I needed to kind of back off for a minute and then just didn't want to after that, Um and I. I said in a post the other day that when you've done fitness as like part of your profession, if not your entire profession, for 12 years, those wretts are going to happen and they've happened to me plenty of times.

Speaker 2:

But, um, one of the things that shifted for me this time was realizing that I thought that I had to work out one way, the one way that I worked out for 12 years, which was strengthening conditioning, I mean, is the short answer there?

Speaker 2:

Um, that's still the business I'm in, that's the huge gym that I have at my house, that's what my husband does in my backyard every day, that's what all my friends do, but it just wasn't. I was finding really good ways to avoid it a lot and I knew that, you know, moving my body was important to me, so I needed to find a way that to hot works one day, thinking, okay, well, I'm going to go try this again, because you know we pulled my son out of daycare and so we're about a month in of a little bit more of a hectic lifestyle that I'm used to and finding finding a rhythm through it. But I needed a little bit more quiet time. So, um, after that one day of going, I thought this is great, this is quiet time, it's slow moving, it's a lot of breathing. Not all of them are slow moving, but that day I did the yoga one.

Speaker 2:

Um, I have a variety. I feel really good after the fact, I can listen to my own music and it's just a long time. So I think for me I was looking at okay, what am I craving in the day and how can I mix that with fitness I was creating some silence.

Speaker 2:

I was creating some dark, dark lights, you know just a dark, a steep contrast to what I was doing normally, which for me to go in the gym and work out with people was just going to be more talking, more, yeah, fast pace, more. You know, just not what I was looking for. Um, so it filled buckets in more ways than fitness.

Speaker 2:

I think, is what has clicked for me, for this hot work stuff and I'm still mixing in, you know. I know strength and conditioning is good for me. It's good for me as a woman, and I know that the variety of fitness is really going to do wonders for not only the way my body looks but how I feel about it. Um, so I'm still mixing that in, but I find myself thinking like okay, I want to go to hot works, how can I fit it in today? Where can I?

Speaker 2:

where can I make that work? So yeah, liking it and filling other buckets, I think is really important.

Speaker 3:

Well, I like what you said to like it doesn't have to look like it did 12 years ago or six years ago or even last week, and again, I think that's where it comes. That's where it's hard for me, I guess, um, after the competition thing, cause I think, like I love spending time, like working on things and I always have stuff to work on.

Speaker 3:

So that when I don't have specific things I'm working on, I'm like, well, what do I do now? And that is the part that's hard. It's like if you don't know what you're doing, then it's way harder to show up every day, cause you're like, well, what do I do when I get here? So I think, like you said, finding something that you're excited to go to because you're working on something specific which for you was alone time being in the quiet, you know, move, still moving your body, but it's not over stimulating, um, and just being okay with the fact that it's going to look different. Like I, my workouts recently have been just a lot shorter, just cause I'm not specifically training for certain things. And even this morning I was like, huh, I did not spend as much time in here as I normally do. I was kind of starting to get like you know, what else can I work on?

Speaker 3:

And then I thought oh there's a lot I could work on, but you know, I got my, I did it, I got my workout in and no, I'm okay Proud of you.

Speaker 2:

I am too. Well, and I just had the amount of that, kara, is there's a bucket? That what is? What is your body or your mind trying to tell you? There's a bucket there, kind of the reverse of okay, you're getting the fitness, but what's the other bucket? The bucket that you need is self improvement, right? So how can you then kind of yo-yo between the two of those is, is fitness filling the bucket or is the bucket being filled by fitness? I don't know if I said that right, but I think you understand what I mean there.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's like what are your goals and what can you do that you enjoy doing to get to those goals? I just had this conversation with my trainer last week too. Like the whole, I'm getting older and I'm like not as you know, things that I could do day after day after day, like even five years ago. My body does not feel good doing that five days in a row anymore, like I just feel worn out, you know.

Speaker 1:

So my training has changed up a little bit too, and I don't have the time to do it five days in a row. So yeah same. I've just been trying to figure out what I enjoy right now. I do still love strength training, but it's not. I don't have the ability to go do it for an hour every day anymore. So just doing it how it fits and finding things that you love. Maybe that's being around people, maybe that's being by yourself, maybe that's just going to the gym, putting your headphones in and following a program that you like, because that can help the overwhelm of getting to the gym and not knowing what to do.

Speaker 1:

So, yes, so we'll wrap this one up. The second one is making sure that your current health and fitness goals and plan is realistic. I think sometime we just talked about this right, like having this huge to do list for the day and only getting two things out of 10 done, and that can be really frustrating. So if you're playing or you're thinking like, oh, I have to have an hour and a half in the gym but you're really struggling to like find childcare for that or even fit it into your schedule, you're more likely to skip that workout. So maybe it's. Can I get 20 minutes in, can I? Maybe tomorrow I can get 45, today I can get 20. So, yeah, making sure it's a realistic health and fitness plan.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and the amount of time you spend it. You can still make it like quality time. It's not all about like the quantity of time. You can take 20 minutes and get way more done in a 20 minute session than you even would in an hour session, because you know you have to be more efficient with your time.

Speaker 3:

You know do super sets, do some intervals, and instead of maybe doing a super heavy strength session where you need to take three minutes between each lift, it's like, okay, I'm just going to go lighter, but I'm going to go way faster, I'm going to do tempo or I'm going to, you know, add some power in there. You can still finish feeling really good, like you got a good workout in 20 minutes. I love that.

Speaker 1:

For sure. Okay, number three this one's kind of annoying to say, but like, sometimes it's like, just do it, you just have to do it. I am. I had this conversation with a client of mine Last week. We were talking she had just gotten back from a vacation so she was just like feeling really off track. She's like I just I don't have the motivation to get up.

Speaker 1:

She works out from at home and, honestly, sometimes it's like you just have to remind your mind and your body what it feels like to get back into it after a ride. It's like that discipline that we all know we've developed over years of working out. Maybe you're new to fitness, but this is how you build it. So it's like just telling yourself, being strong mentally and being like you know what. I'm going to wake up tomorrow, maybe it's I'm just going to go downstairs, I'm going to go to the gym and do one to two exercises. That's all I have to do. I just have to go and then usually that is enough to get your body feeling good and okay, maybe I'll stay and do a few more things.

Speaker 1:

Then it's like after a couple days of that, you're back in the swing of things. It's just like anything. It's like repetition. And she at first I'm like she's probably cool, you know great, great coaching tip. But she texted me like two days later and she's like you were right. You know, I forced myself to get up three days in a row and now I want to keep doing it Like I'm back on track, yeah, so yeah, yeah, that's interesting.

Speaker 3:

I actually had. I was at a CrossFit gym in town the other day. I usually work out in my garage, but every once in a while I go in there because it's fun and I can work on things that can't get done in my garage. And one of the girls who was in there she doesn't have kids yet, but her husband talking about having kids, and I was just wrangling my three to go and cleaning up everything, you know. She was like how do you work out with kids? And I kind of gave her this weird answer because I get that question a lot, which you kind of asked me at the beginning.

Speaker 3:

But I've been thinking a lot about it and this is it you just do it, like yeah, just do it. If it's important to you, do it. Like you will figure out a way. And I kind of I was just I was thinking like that is an annoying answer and I think that's why I didn't tell her that, because no one wants to hear that. They want to hear some special thing that you do or some hack. It's like no, I just do it, like I make it happen.

Speaker 3:

And there's a couple of different things within that, like when you're a new mom, you don't like I know it's funny If you've never had kids you think, like just take the shower, but like sometimes you don't have time to shower, you don't have time to eat, you don't have to. You have time, you have to make the time, and that's what I'm saying. Like it feels like you can't do all these things, but does that mean you're going to go then the rest of your life without showering? No, you make it happen, you just do it, and you find ways to make it happen. The same thing with working out when you have kids or with working out when you don't feel like doing it. You just do it. If it's important to you, you will find out, find a way to do it Again. I know that that sounds super annoying, but it's true and, like Betsy brought it before, it's probably not going to look the same.

Speaker 1:

That's what I told her.

Speaker 3:

Workouts. When I have my kids here with me at the gym, I know that they're not going to look the same as when I can leave them at home with my husband while I go to work out. I come already knowing I'm probably going to be interrupted. I won't be able to go as fast in this MetCon or whatever, because I have to run out and take my son to the bathroom halfway through because he'll wait until the clock starts.

Speaker 3:

Of course, reach a window, and so, just having those things in mind it doesn't have to be perfect, just do it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, set the expectations. Yeah. Unfortunately, sometimes it's about calling yourself on your own bullshit and being like okay what am I telling myself?

Speaker 1:

What excuses am I making? And sometimes it's not, but a lot of the times for me it is being like you know what you have to do, like, especially like right now, my biggest thing is the meal prep thing. And it's like, finally, I'm like you know what. You either spend a couple like right now I've just been spending a little bit more money in doing a meal prep service because, like that's what's working right now, and then the other for the other, like that's just one meal a day, and then the other meal a day. I'm like, take an hour, make enough for the next few days.

Speaker 1:

you know how to do this, you're just you're tired and you're making excuses, but like you're gonna feel so much better if you just do it, so yeah. And again that is hard. It's it's hard, it's tough love, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

And it's and it's okay for it to take more than a few days to figure out what is gonna work for you at that time. You know it's okay for it to take, you know for it to not feel amazing after three days. You know if you need a few weeks to kind of fine tune it and figure it out or to just keep plotting on and go and go and go, or do it, do it do it and until you're like okay, this you know. Now I'm back into a routine, that's okay, too. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, love it, okay. Next one is ask for help or simplify what you're, what you're doing. We've kind of talked about about the simplify one. Like I just mentioned, you could use a meal prep company or, yeah, have your groceries delivered instead of that hour that it you know running around the grocery store with your kids.

Speaker 2:

Man. Instacart is the one area in life that I'm like. This costs more than it needs to.

Speaker 3:

I know that it costs more than it needs to.

Speaker 2:

And I am wanting to skimp everywhere I can. But that is one of the only ways that we will eat healthy is if I get my groceries here so that I can not have to argue with crew. To get out the door for half an hour and argue with him about the toy that he can't have through the entire you know. So Instacart has been huge for me, and even to simplify meals the dang crock pot and Instapot are like I live by. Those things. Cause who?

Speaker 3:

if it's in one.

Speaker 2:

If it's in one pot, I'll make it so nice yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

If it doesn't spot her all over the stove I'll make it. Yes, yeah, yeah, that's. My other issue is I'm such a messy cooker that then I spend an hour cleaning up. Lately I've just been throwing a bunch of chicken in the Instapot with taco seasoning and salsa and then I shred it and I put it on everything.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I will say that the finding seasonings like, and just kind of overdoing the seasoning so that it's not a hand-gifted bland. I'm not gonna eat it. So I spare coconut aminos and a really good seasoning can save just about anything. Oh for sure, that's true.

Speaker 1:

I convinced myself that doing the grocery delivery is okay, because I feel like when I go to the store I'm like, oh, I also need that thing and oh, I also need that thing, whereas if I do the list on my phone, I'm only buying the things that I think of in that mall Like yeah. I can get distracted by the app of like oh, I do need that, but especially if Mila's with me at the store, it's like my friends have those granola bars and those I'm like okay.

Speaker 2:

Well, I think that's just knowing yourself and knowing what are your? Presentations. Are your temptations going to be if you go in person, you're gonna you know that you're not gonna have the self-control to not browse this aisle, or like is that gonna help you to stay on track by not having it on your phone where you can scroll into different options? Like there's pros and cons to both for sure.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, definitely yeah, like you said, it comes down to the individual.

Speaker 1:

What works best for you and do it, yeah, yeah and then with workouts, like if you need help, like Kara said, maybe sometimes it's just bringing your kids with you and having setting the expectation that this workout might not look the same as if I didn't have my kids. But maybe sometimes it's like hey, can grandma or my spouse or whomever watch my kids for an hour so I can get a solid workout in? Maybe once or twice a week. Sometimes you just as a mom I don't think we're very good at this, but asking for help, you don't have to do it all by yourself. Maybe it's even just a friend that like once in a while it's like, hey, I'll watch your kids if you watch my kids for workouts and things like that.

Speaker 2:

We've talked about that before. It feels like it was kind of a thing in the past where I remember my mom used to that was all they did for childcare it was they just take it off and rotate it?

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, yeah, we would go to our neighbors or whatever.

Speaker 3:

So yeah, and are you friends?

Speaker 2:

are pretty good at that, aren't you?

Speaker 3:

Well, so then it becomes hard because everyone's schedules are so different. We've done that before. Yeah, we help each other watch our kids. For other things. Usually I'm able to do my workouts and stuff, but there's been times where a pet of friend's been like yeah, I had to leave the gym early because of this kid. I'm like, leave him with me. Seriously, go do your workout. You know, I want you to get that in because I know that it makes you feel good. But I'm also going to bring up like simplifying things, like I turn on the TV for my kids when I'm working out, when I'm like in the garage and I have a heavy barbell out.

Speaker 3:

I cannot have them running around underneath me Like it's dangerous for everyone. Little aila, yeah, so I'll be like I'm gonna do. I'm just gonna turn on the TV and it's fine for them to watch TV while I'm working out.

Speaker 1:

It's okay.

Speaker 3:

it's okay the other day he was like you're kids probably don't watch very much TV. Right, I'm like where did you get that from? They do every morning. I turned it on for the right after breakfast, which is probably the worst time, but I'm like that's the time that I need to set up for the day so I can give them a workout in.

Speaker 2:

They're gonna watch some TV they love it, and I think it's the same thing with anything, anything, I mean, you could say the same thing for, like, an Oreo or ice cream for your kids. If you don't ever give it to them, is that just gonna create this like ooh, this is that thing we can't have. In later in life, when they have the control, they're gonna binge out on it. So I mean the balance is also good for just saying, okay, these things are good in moderation.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly, I know I feel like this whole screen time thing, like, yes, it's obviously worse nowadays, but I'm like man. I came home and watched TV all afternoon after school and you know it's just.

Speaker 3:

Moderation is fine, like yeah, I agree, yeah, and I kind of had to like, yeah, swallow some preconceived notions that I had about yeah. Yeah, I'm like because I got to get it done. So that's what I'm going to do Exactly.

Speaker 1:

Exactly, yeah. And the last one is just finding a community or a coach to keep you accountable. Sometimes, when you're in a rut, like all it takes is someone checking in on you or someone else like saying I'll be at the gym at this time, do you want to go? And things like that. So I know, even today I text. Or last night I texted my trainer. I'm like please text me at 1pm and ask me if I worked out today, because that will. I literally thought about it all morning and at noon I worked out because I knew he was going to text me.

Speaker 2:

Got to wait until the last minute. Yeah, I'm like dang it Now. I really know what it is.

Speaker 1:

But like that's the point I'm at right now, because I'm so busy that I will find excuses. So I'm like like I need an external force to be like get your shit together and get a workout in.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so Good job to set that up, because it can be, easy to just say like no, no it's fine, but you took initiative and you set that up. That accountability, that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

If you're a busy mom who wants to get strong, keep up with your kiddos, not to mention look and feel amazing without spending hours in the gym, we have good news. Our program Mom Strong by Mint Strength and Conditioning is the perfect program for all of the above. Designed with the busy mom in mind, this four day a week program can be done at the gym or at home during nap time, in 45 minutes. It is time to get Mom Strong. For all the details, head to themitprojectcom. Yeah, I gotta do it.

Speaker 3:

Kara, did you say Ray?

Speaker 1:

had something on this.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so he has just been struggling to be consistent with working out. So we we owned a gym, you know, for four years and when when I met him, he had just finished his college career of college rugby division one college rugby and and then we got married and we were into powerlifting together and we were always going to the gym, really consistent, and then he was like professional rugby player for a little bit. So he's always been very active, very much at the gym and I've always known him as being someone who goes to the gym and he's like, consistent with his goals and working on that and then in like I'd say probably, I say at the end of 2020, but he says 2021 he stopped being so consistent going to the gym and you know he would try, like, and then, of course, like last year with Aila, you know, with that, with her birth, being so traumatic.

Speaker 3:

It was very hard for him. He had a lot of stuff that he was dealing with with that and one of the things that fell by the wayside again was his physical health and just going to the gym and being consistent. And I tried so many times to be like, you know, just go or like how can I help you with this, with your schedule, blah blah, and it's taken a lot, and he would go for a few days and then he'd just stop. He'd go for a few days and then just stop until literally like three weeks ago, my cousin moved into town and he was texting me about gyms, like where he should go, and I was like you should go to this gym with Ray, like Ray has a membership there, you know you should go live with him.

Speaker 3:

And so he texted him and, um, and anyways, they've been going consistently like every day or I mean five days a week because that's what they chose Five days a week for the past three weeks, which is the most that he's done in like four years three to four years so great, yeah, he's been feeling really good.

Speaker 3:

He's having fun, he looks forward to it, and I asked him last night in preparation for the podcast. I was like what was it that like changed that for you? Because I know you've been trying for the past few years to get back into this but it's been so hard for you. And he said having a workout, not just having a workout buddy, but having a workout buddy that I respect enough not to ditch or like I. You know he's like, he's like I love him and I respect him and I know that I know if he's good, says he's going to be there, he's is going to be there, and I can't be the one that doesn't show up and so that was super helpful for him was finding someone that that he can count on.

Speaker 2:

You know that's counting, yeah, because to be there too.

Speaker 3:

Was it helpful?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm sorry that it is. I know you guys have a gym set up and he kind of tried that at the house for a little bit, but did leaving the house help him?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah. So we knew probably from the first week that we had our gym at home. It's that's not. That doesn't work for him Having the gym at our especially in the garage, because that's where all his little toys are and toys, that's where all the things he likes to do. Yeah, his it will be like I'll come in here. He rearranges garage like every two weeks. You know he would just get so distracted, and so he knew that that was not the place?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I can see that. So he knew that about himself. He knew he needed to get to the gym instead of just walk out to our garage. So just figuring things out like that for him too was helpful.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, because you could also land yourself with a workout partner that encourages your lack of workout. If there's someone who's like, oh, I'm not feeling it today, and you're like, oh good, meanie there, Like Jess and I cannot work out together.

Speaker 3:

We're not.

Speaker 1:

We're way different, when you care. Remember the time that I was like actually motivated and you were like what's happening?

Speaker 2:

I was like what are you doing? You're supposed to be on my side, yeah.

Speaker 1:

We're not very good influencers.

Speaker 2:

I'll never forget the first time y'all came to town and we were, we worked out together and Andre was like what, who are you right now? You have people around you that make you feel right, it does change things.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it really does Right people yeah.

Speaker 1:

I'm just thinking of some of the trips I've taken to town. A lot of memories. You know we don't. We don't have to work out today.

Speaker 2:

We really swing from one end of the spectrum to the other Gare's only consistent one she had, like COVID, last time she was here and before she flew out one afternoon we looked at the camera like care worked out this morning.

Speaker 1:

Oh my God, I mean, while we're just sleeping.

Speaker 2:

She balances. She balances us yes.

Speaker 1:

She keeps us motivated. You balance me in a lot of things too. Yeah.

Speaker 3:

We all help each other in our own dreams. We do, we do.

Speaker 1:

Yes, get friends that balance your weaknesses and strengths.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I think that's a good end to the podcast, unless you guys have anything else that comes to mind Cool.

Speaker 1:

Well, let us know if you have any other tactics or any other struggles that we missed. Otherwise, we will catch you on the next one. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening to the MIMP project. If you enjoyed this episode, please go ahead and leave us a five star review and follow us on Instagram at the MIMP project. Project is spelled PRJCT. You can also visit our website for free resources, courses, merch and more at themintprojectcom. Until next time, keep crushing it.