These past few months have been a positive reframe.
I’ve read some of the best books for mindset, coaching, and nutrition which have immensely helped me curate my thoughts for my own coaching platform.
The shift from what works best to what works best for the person I’m coaching can not be overstated.
A coach is a guide by your side, not a drill sergeant or cheerleader, but can be both when necessary. The craft of coaching is knowing when to be which, and how.
MINDSET (PSYCHOLOGY)
♦ How Champions Think by Dr. Bob Rotella. One of the most compelling narratives ever written on the art of sport psychology and mental training. Dr. Rotella dissects the mental aspects of performance through a practical lens, using real life stories to reinforce every idea in the book. He opens with a comparison between LeBron James and golfer Pat Bradley, noting that in one conversation he learned that they each had the right mental outlook to become great because they set incredibly high goals and expected to reach them. Moreover, they were confident and excited to do the necessary work to obtain those goals. Exceptional people chose their attitudes, create a plan, develop routines, and stick with it for the long-term. They create their own realities and enjoy the process it takes to become great.
♦ Limitless by Jim Kwik. Kwik is widely recognized as a brain coach and mindset expert. Having overcome a childhood brain injury, Kwik created a system to maximize mental performance: Mindset (the what; deeply held beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions we create about who we are, how the world works, and what we deserve), Motivation (the why; the purpose for taking action), and Method (the how; a process for accomplishing something in an orderly, logical, or systematic way). The book can be overbearing, since it has technique after technique and acronym after acronym, but if properly categorized using a note taking system, then it can be leveraged for positive action.
MOTIVATION
♦ Change Maker by Dr. John Berardi. This is perhaps the most influential book ever created on the art and science of coaching in the health and fitness space. Having spent a lifetime fine tuning his craft, Berardi understands what it takes to help people deal with their health and fitness goals, creating the Precision Nutrition coaching platform in the process. Not only does it coach clients directly, PN has grown to become the largest training platform for health and fitness coaches, personal trainers, and even nutritionist looking for a way to better relate to people. Change Maker is a sort of culmination of his work, packed with ideas about how to approach the growing divide between those that coach and those that need our help.
This really hit home for me when I realized that no matter how “expert” I was becoming, I still didn’t have the necessary skill or ability to help my loved ones, the people closest to me, avoid fads and make positive changes in their lives. – Dr. John Berardi
PHYSICALITY
♦ The Metabolic Effect Diet by Jade and Keoni Teta. Through training as Naturopathic Doctors and personal trainers, the authors discovered that each person is different on the inside biochemically and hormonally as they are on the outside physically. This led to the idea that what you eat matters a lot, maybe even more than how much you eat. What this means is that the types of food you eat can dictate where and if you burn fat. Since food sends signals to your hormones, it can unlock the body’s potential to burn fat — affecting how cells, tissues, and organs function independently and with each other.
♦ 3 Weeks to Shredded by Mike Dolce. Dolce is the UFC’s premier trainer and weight cut specialist. In this book, he outlines the exact diet he personally uses to shred weight off some of the best fighters in the world. Besides the exact meal plans, Dolce also includes a set of principles that are evergreen, applying to everyone and in any environment.
Dolce Diet Principles
1. Earth Grown Nutrients: eat food that comes organically from the planet.
2. Eat every 2 to 4 hours: improves metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and post exercise recovery.
3. Eat until satisfied, not full: helps to address the biggest problem with eating every 2 to 4 hours. Dolce says to eat until you feel energized and revitalized, using the question, “Can I go for a 45-minute jog right now?” If the answer is no, then you’ve eating too much.
4. Optimal Hydration: real water is essential for the cellular function of every biological process, and it is the most neglected aspect of nutrition!
5. Stay Accountable: there are a million reasons to blow your diet, and one reason to stick to it: your goals.
For fitness & nutrition, high-performance lifestyle, mindset, and executive & business coaching, check out trainoutwork.com.
Onward,
Chief
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