The Tao of Kame: Zen and the Art of Getting Shredded

For just a moment...empty your mind. Let go of all stray concerns, nagging thoughts, worries and cares. Exist only in this moment. Be fully, serenely aware.

Take a deep breath and slowly exhale.

Now - and this part's important - forget everything that everyone has ever told you about fitness.

In my 20-something year quest to uncover and illuminate the secrets of peak performance and human transformation, I've heard it all. And you've probably heard it too.

"Sage" (and often conflicting) advice from well-known personalities, well-meaning friends and family, and the odd gregarious total stranger at the gym. "Don't do THAT - do THIS instead."

Low fat versus low carb. More cardio versus less. High volume versus high intensity. Which supplements are the recently discovered Holy Grail, and the newest miracle diet that will purportedly, within the next year or so, make fitness experts like Yours Truly as relevant as flintlock pistols and K-Fed.

Do not seek to understand, Grasshopper. Only seek to realize the truth.

There Is No "Right Way" To Get (And Stay) Fit

I invite you to meditate upon the following Zen koans, offered in couplet:

"What's the single most effective workout plan?"

"What's the single most effective nutrition plan?"

(Take your time. I'll wait.)

Now come and sit with me in Lotus Posture as I drop some ancient think-bombs (and thoroughly outrage my colleagues in the field by torpedoing their marketing tactics - this is why I don't work for a commercial gym.)

The answer to both of the above questions is the same. The most (and in the long term, the only) effective fitness regimen is the one that you will stick with - the one that you will practice consistently and integrate into your lifestyle and daily routine (please trust me on this; consistency defeats intensity 100% of the time.)

To put it another way - the most effective, enduring, and efficient path to physical fitness is to find the one that ignites passion in YOU. To find active, healthy pursuits that you truly enjoy, and do it, with your whole heart.

Life's Too Short to Do S*** You Hate

That said, please don't mistake "getting fit doing what you love" for "getting fit without trying."

It's hard work, for all of us. The SAID Principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand) states, in essence, that the body will adapt to overcome the specific stressors that it encounters on a regular basis; this is why avid lifters get bigger and stronger, avid runners get leaner and faster, and so on. If you want to look like a bodybuilder, then you're going to have to lift heavy weights...full stop. But if you truly don't enjoy lifting heavy weights, then (probably) nobody is going to make you.

Find your "why." That thing that makes you eager to get off the couch. That thing that motivates you to get up and get moving...and the array of choices borders on the infinite. If you like to play tennis, play tennis. If you enjoy yoga, do yoga.

Run. Swim. Dance. Surf. Skate. Bike. Learn parkour. Study a martial art. Try everything. I guarantee that somewhere out there, your new (wholesome) addiction is waiting to be discovered. And once you've found it - do it. A lot. Plan your day around it when you're able. If you love to run, then don't just "run." Be a runner - the Best Damn Runner You Can Possibly Be. Do it every freaking day. Get awesome at it. Annoy your friends and family with how frequently it comes up in conversation (they'll forgive you.) Before long, you'll be having too much fun to even notice how the excess pounds have melted off of your body and your cardiovascular endurance has shot through the roof.

The same philosophy applies to nutrition; the sense of satisfaction that accompanies a wholesome, delicious meal is one of the purest and most primal pleasures of human existence; this is why fad/crash diets are doomed to fail. As mentioned before, the human body is marvelously adaptable to survive on nearly any form of caloric intake...but there's "surviving" and then there's "thriving." After enough protein shakes, enough bone broth, enough cabbage soup, or even enough steak, the Spirit inevitably withers, and one's willpower inevitably wanes. As with most things in Life, the Universe and Everything, the key is balance.

There are some that find balance by counting calories like gold coins and macronutrient ratios like $100 bills, and if that's what works for you, then that's what works for you. Coach don't judge. I'm here to help.

But if YOU find balance (and favorable results) by "eating clean" all week and then indulging in a cheeseburger and a Double IPA on Saturday night? Go for it. As long as you're eating mindfully (and drinking responsibly), you're ahead of the game.

Fitness Is a Journey; Your Journey Is About YOU

I'd like to close our meditation with another round of deep, cleansing breaths and some parting thoughts for personal reflection.

Are some regimens more efficient than others for achieving a specific fitness goal? Definitely. Are some more conducive to achieving a desired body type? Absolutely. You'll never look like The Incredible Hulk if you don't like to lift weights; you'll never crush the New York Marathon if you don't like to run. But maybe you'll discover a passion instead that adds meaning, purpose and joy (and precious longevity) to YOUR life - and take another vital step towards unlocking YOUR potential, becoming your best, unique, beautiful YOU.

Get out there and search; you might find your Best Self where you least expect it. I believe in you. Namaste. - Coach K.