PROBLEM vs. SYMPTOM, which have you really fixed?

So I broke the ice with my last blog and I hope you enjoyed reading it! If you haven’t noticed… the idea behind this blog isn't some fad program but a lifelong lifestyle change. We often see this illusion of a “quick fix” but as we know from firsthand experience, failure falls right behind this “quick fix”. Problem was, and still is, we’re treating the SYMPTOMS and not THE PROBLEM. When we want to rid of unwanted weeds in our yard we dig deep and find their roots (problem) to pull them up. You don’t pick the leaves one by one (symptom) hoping to kill the weed. Once we permanently fix the problem, the solution quickly follows. Differentiating between these two is the key to your future success. 

    This is you: While driving down the road you notice your ‘check engine’ light has come on. What could it be now? We know it has come on to warn us of something but we have no idea what it could be. We have a choice 1). Ignore it 2). Take it somewhere to fix the problem or 3). (And this our favorite choice because it's easy) You find the wire that is causing it to light up and cut it. YAY, problem solved! The light is off so everything is okay now, right? Wrong! We only fixed the symptom. It's just the illusion that everything is fine, but later when the car blows up, remember… you decided to cut the wire!

       I constantly keep my clients reminded of the definition of "Insanity". Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Now, apply that definition towards your past fitness attempts. Have you been fallen short over and over again because we never fixed the problem hindering your success? Have you been chasing after the same symptoms over and over coming up empty handed? Let’s stop repeating the same mistakes and brainstorm a solution to get you on the right track.

      Rewind this fast paced life we live back and think about your attempts at an exercise or diet program… what was the SINGLE most debilitating factor that caused you to fail?:

• ·         If it was commitment or motivation, hire a trainer or find a friend to keep you motivated when life is rough and you’re ready to call it quits

• ·         If you are unsure how to start with an effective eating program or fitness program, find a local CrossFit gym to join! There you will find qualified trainers that will lead you in the right direction and as a bonus you join a family of like-minded people with similar goals. (No fear of being judged and a great fitness program to relieve stress!)

• ·         If finances were the problem, sell the car. I'm not a financial planner, but every day I see people that spend lots of money on cars, houses, toys, etc. but they tell me how expensive eating healthy and attending a quality fitness gym is. When the car breaks you can buy a new one,
                    but when your body fails to work,
                                          where will you live?

     It's the most important item you have to invest in, but it's so difficult to have people see this until the doctor is delivering bad news.

Those are just a few common problems I see as a fitness coach. I know that when you are able to pin point your problem, you will find a permanent solution for it. As you keep busting down the walls you quickly realize that it gets easy to stick with your fitness regimen when your mind isn't torn in so many directions.

       So your homework for today is to: Stop and relax (you time!) for 30 minutes and think about your past attempts. Now, once you find what has held you back from achieving your goals I want you to permanently fix that PROBLEM so it's no longer an excuse on this next successful step you are about to take!

       **If you found something intriguing, please leave a comment or follow me. Remember, we are a team, we win together and we lose together. If there is anything I can help you with please send me a email and I will get you on the right track!**  

Edward Hardee

Winter Haven, Auburndale, Crossfit 92, Personal Training, Fitness, Weight Loss, Muscle, Athletics, Sports, Goals, Lifestyle, Health

Give yourself your very best!!!

When you made the commitment to achieve your health & fitness goals, you signed up to accept nothing but the best out of yourself. Anything less is unacceptable. This is a life or death decision so it's all or nothing. There is no 'one foot in and one foot out'. Here is an amazing clip from the movie "Facing the Giants" that shows you that you do not quit until you have nothing left to give. When life gets tough you dig in, drive, give it your all! If you fail to do this you will be left with nothing but a lifetime full of regret and "what ifs". What kind of life is that? Words can not express how it feels to reach the end zone, so make that personal promise to yourself that no matter what you will not quit!




Winter Haven, Auburndale, Crossfit 92, Inspiration, Fitness, Goals, Health, Weight Loss, Muscle, 

Talents - Use it or lose it 

This is my first blog as your "fitness coach" and I chose to write about me so that you could see that I fight the same life battles as you do. You must realize that you and I are on the same team and on our team failure is NOT an option. So, I want you to know who I am, how I got to this point, and why improving fitness and health is my calling in life. I'm not as gifted as a writer but I will not let that wall keep me from helping you! I am just an ordinary man on a mission to make an extraordinary difference in the fitness and health of anyone willing to take this journey with me. Warning: The road is bumpy and far from straight but when taken TOGETHER, the will power to succeed starts to look real unlike your solo attempts before. Words of encouragement, a helping hand, guidance, knowledge and a friend in battle makes the tides turn in our favor. So let's take our first step on that journey!
     Today we are talking about something we all have and they are suppose to be used to their max… but, sadly, very few people ever choose to. My job isn't to pamper you because I only hinder your potential in the process. I'm not here to play the blame game or to say you are wrong or right, but to merely OPEN YOUR EYES to something you’ve stored away years ago. Something almost lost but still is, if we tackle it now, within an arm’s reach or it may be forever lost. God made us all extremely unique and full of potential, but the thing that sets us apart are the talents we were given. Sing, dance, athletics, artistic, inspirational, creative… whatever yours may be what good are these talents if we shelter them from the world and horde them to ourselves?!
      There is a parable in the Bible where Jesus told of a master giving three men talents equivalent to their current ability to use and to multiply until he returned to reward them for their hard work. The first servant (5 talents) and the second servant (2 talents) chose to work hard and double their talents. They were generously rewarded with more talents. The third servant (1 talent) on the other hand chose to dig a hole and buried his talents because he was afraid he might lose it. The master punished him when he did not properly use his talent given and it was stripped from him. I was once, and still am, each of these three men throughout my life. The only thing that has changed is my choice of which I wanted to be. So here's my story. This changed my mindset between being each of them:
      I was given amazing athletic ability, a strong body, intelligence, and impeccable people skills until my late high school/early college years. At this time in my life I chose an addiction to video games and nearly threw everything I had away. I sat in front of a computer screen playing a video game for up to 15 hours a day for 4 years OF MY LIFE. My total logged in time was over 500 days played on the video game, which equaled out to be 500 24 hour days straight and I NEVER got up. The time I wasted playing that video game equals out to the equivalence of sitting in school for almost 2 PhD's. I had become a monster. I lost at least 30 pounds; I was so bony and pale. I didn’t shave, nor cut my hair. I became so insecure and feared being judged that I hid at home and told myself every day I was an embarrassment. I would look away and avoid the mirror on a daily basis because I was so ashamed of what I had become. I had myself convinced that I wasn’t THAT out of control and could change at any time.
      I sounded a lot like every other addict out there, but what is an addict? We tend to categorize this topic with people addicted to drugs, sex, porn and so on… butttttt what about people who are obese? How did they get to this point? My next blog will go deeper into this subject "Who's in control?" and speaks about whom is in control: the hamburger or you?
      Thankfully God was not done with me yet, it gets worse! He kept pouring salt into the open wound I created: friends in my life who once encouraged me to read (personal growth) and play sports, had given up on me. A girl friend that had to force me to leave the room and get out broke up with me after years in a relationship. I lost my job because of lack of accountability and my parents no longer recognized their own son anymore. I was no better than the servant that had only one talent and chose to hide it from the world. I lost almost everything that mattered in my life and there was no one to blame but the man in the mirror... Me!
      Remember, no matter how bad things MAY SEEM you can choose to see the light at the end of the tunnel. YOU CAN fight to get there! ENOUGH with the pity party you’re choosing to have ALONE in the dark! After spending years of blaming the world for where I was, a light came on and I could see I had to make a choice. This light had always been there with chances to make my escape, but I chose to wear the blind fold. I was scared of the "what if’s". I was at a crossroads… I could dig my grave deeper and finish self destructing or run like hell to the light. You bet I ran and have never stopped. I still see that light, it’s getting closer and closer and it feels so good! The more I give my talents to others the quicker they multiply. The light gets one step closer. At one time I never saw myself speaking in front of a crowd of people, owning my own business, improving people’s quality of life with fitness, or even be sitting here writing this article.
        Instead of keeping the worldly mindset of “live for today”, choose "live and learn”. You have to be able to see where you'll be in five years because your actions TODAY have a direct consequence on TOMORROW. I want you to take your hand and point a finger and you'll see there are three pointing back at you, so YOU make that choice. Will today's excuse be another "I'll start tomorrow"? Life is TOO short, and you only get so many tomorrows until all is stripped away. You have something great in you, I want you to dig deep and no matter how small you think that "something" is grab it and RUN. Give away your talents to others and your reward will be unworldly; horde them and your reward is nothing.
       By the way, there are no wrong turns on this journey because we reflect back and learn from each one. I have a degree in Criminology that I do not use, a year of law enforcement school that is of no use, BUT I would never be where I am today if I did not take those turns. To every cause there is an effect. I am extremely thankful for my crazy journey that has brought me here to you, today. If I would've chose not to move (cause) then I would have never moved (effect). I can help you get on the right track with your health or using your talents God gave you!!! Call or email me at anytime.

Remember we win as a team and we lose as a team and losing is not a option on our team! I'll cya next blog!