Train Your Body, Master Your Mind: The Fitness Philosophy for Thriving in Life #618

In this episode, Lachlan Stuart discusses the multifaceted nature of fitness, emphasizing that it extends beyond physical health to encompass mental resilience, emotional well-being, and personal growth. He shares insights from his own experiences with online coaching, the importance of community, and how setbacks can be navigated effectively. Lachlan also highlights the role of technology in modern coaching and the broader impact of fitness on life, encouraging listeners to embrace a holistic approach to their health and well-being.

Takeaways

• Fitness is about saying yes to life.
• Fitness isn't just about the body; it's a training ground for the mind.
• We train for life, not just the gym.
• Community plays a crucial role in long-term success.
• Setbacks are inevitable and part of the journey.
• It's okay to ask for help when needed.
• Wearable technology can enhance coaching effectiveness.
• Fitness builds confidence, mental clarity, and emotional resilience.
• Taking care of yourself allows you to show up fully in life.
• You can't pour from an empty cup; self-care is essential.

Chapters

• 0:00 Online Fitness Coaching for Thriving Life
• 4:56 Achieving Fitness and Thriving Holistically
• 12:20 Balancing Help, Accountability, and Results
• 20:22 Focused Fitness Coaching for Results

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Train your body, master your mind the fitness philosophy for a thriving life. Gents, welcome back to the man that Can, with Lachie Stewart, very excited for today's episode. It is very relevant and something that I've been thinking a lot about, writing a lot about and I guess even talking to a lot of people about In the lead up to my 58 marathons. As I've spoken about over the previous weeks, I've hired myself a coach to do my programming to make sure that I'm as fit as I possibly can be and to take away stress of actually having to do that programming so I can focus on my business, the podcast and getting the logistical side of the marathon prep sorted. It's taking a little bit of stress away and I can trust in the programming and I'm seeing some great results. So it was awesome to be able to think about that and from my experience as someone who coaches people both fitness and life and relationship, all of that sort of stuff I just help people have better lives. I do a lot of that online and some face-to-face, depending on where in the world I am, and I thought what a great thing that I can talk about currently because I'm using my coach online. I haven't actually seen him face-to-face for a long while to talk about that, to give you some insights on pros and cons to that, because it may be something that you're thinking about doing and I want to show how it's actually really become such a powerful tool and helping me drive my results in the direction that I want them to be.

Speaker 1: 1:30

So most people think of fitness as something that happens in the gym right, about the reps, about the sets, the perfect nutrition plan, but fitness is about so much more than that. It's about saying yes to life, and I really truly stand behind that when I say that. It's about being prepared not just physically but mentally and emotionally for whatever challenges come your way. Right, the truth is that fitness isn't just about the body. It's the training ground for your mind. Over the years, I have come to realize that what happens in the gym is really mirroring what happens in my own life. The discipline, the years I have come to realize that what happens in the gym is really mirroring what happens in my own life. The discipline, the consistency, the resilience that you build with every workout translates directly into how you handle relationships, work and your personal setbacks. And that's where online fitness coaching comes in and it gives you the tools to build that foundation, no matter where you are.

Speaker 1: 2:26

So let's say, you may follow someone online you may even follow me and you don't live in Brisbane, so you don't have access to working face-to-face with me. Or you don't live in Nashville, you don't have access to working face-to-face with me, but you would love to try. That's where the online component comes in really handy and that's what I've found with mentors and coaches over the years that I've worked with. There's probably, I'd say, 20% I've worked with face-to-face and once again, that's a whole, probably different topic that we could go down breaking that down. But I'd say the other 80% of the time I'm just working with people online because there's people that I follow and I meet and I am inspired by that. I know can deliver the results. They have a personality that I want to surround myself with and I believe they're the right person for the job. So I'm like, hey, that person is who I'm going to work with. They don't live in the same area as me, but I want them to help improve results in my life. I don't need them there to hold my hand, essentially.

Speaker 1: 3:28

So one of the most defining moments that made me realize the power of fitness and online coaching space came a few years ago probably 2022, so not that long ago and I was asked to join a Spartan race and for those of you who don't know what a Spartan race is, it's essentially like an obstacle course race. The one that I did was on the Gold Coast hinterland someone's property. It was incredible, great fun. But I said yes, and I hadn't specifically trained for it, but I'd maintained a solid base of fitness and it ended up being one of the most exhilarating and exciting experiences that I'd had a mix of physical challenges, the social connection and the mental grit. And that race reminded me that fitness is about keeping those doors open. A lot of people do these yo-yo things where they'll do a six-week challenge or a 12-week challenge and then they'll go back to where they were prior, which is what they were trying to get away from in the first place. So for me, keeping those doors open means raising the standards so that I can be fit and healthy in order to achieve that. So it's not just about looking good or hitting personal records. It's about having the confidence and the capacity to take on whatever life throws your way. And if I hadn't been physically prepared for that, I would have missed out on that adventure. I would have had to say no because I'm like, oh, I probably should train for that, or I'm not ready for that. I don't think I can do that, but I was in the position to say yes. That's a philosophy that I bring into my coaching. We train for life, not just the gym.

Speaker 1: 4:56

The gym is one piece of the puzzle. Some of you listening, you're very confident in the gym. Some of you aren't so confident, but you make the effort and you get in there. Then others avoid the gym because they aren't confident in there. It's the fear of the unknown. What if I get things wrong? What if I injure myself? I'm sure you're somewhere there, somewhere in that pendulum, but it's one hour of your day, the one piece, the one hour of your day, but to truly thrive, you need to look at the entire picture, and so that's when, if you're sitting out of the gym, the entire picture could mean hey, I want to be able to run around with my kids, or I want to be able to say yes to experiences that I'm currently saying no to, and what is in the way of that is me getting in the gym and getting my fitness sorted, and so, to be able to truly thrive, you need to look at that picture right.

Speaker 1: 5:51

How do you manage your stress? How do you manage your sleep and maximize your sleep and your recovery? These things matter just as much, if not more, than, the time you spend lifting weights. Now I often tell clients and I tell myself actually you have to earn the right to train hard. This means managing your stress, making sleep a priority. Training is where we build the strength and fitness, but recovery is where the real growth happens.

Speaker 1: 6:16

Without it, burnout is probably inevitable, and I know some of you may be thinking why the hell are you doing the 58 marathons? We're going to talk about that soon. I'm going to share insights and perspectives and thoughts that I've gone through around what we're talking about here, but right now I'm training for one of the biggest challenges of my life, which is 58 marathons in 58 consecutive days across 58 states. So we're doing all 50 states of America, starting in Alaska, and then we're doing all eight states and territories of Australia. It's not just the physical distance that's daunting, it's the logistics, the unpredictability of the weather and the challenge of being away from my wife for nearly two months. This journey is going to test me in more ways that I can't even predict. That's why you got to follow my Instagram and YouTube for the daily updates when that's happening.

Speaker 1: 7:05

But the beauty of fitness is this it forces you to face discomfort head-on, whether it's running in the snow or dealing with the exhaustion. These challenges build mental resilience and also put you in a position to have to solve problems or quit. If you're someone who doesn't want to quit, the only other option is solve the bloody problem. If you can do that through fitness, which, in my opinion, is chosen adversity, you will then put yourself in a position in life to be able to go hey, I don't want to quit this, I don't want to quit trying to make money, I don't want to quit on this relationship. How do I solve the problems that are in front of me? And you're going to build some incredible mental resilience from this, and once you've trained your mind to push through those moments, you realize the same discipline applies to every single area of your life.

Speaker 1: 7:54

Fitness for a lot of people, is quite often seen as a solo pursuit, but community plays a crucial role in long-term success, so that's why I host quarterly workshops and in-person catch-ups with some of my online clients. We want to get them together. We have a space which is the man that Can community, where people connect and we link them up, and we have weekly check-ins etc. And it's because it's more than just the workouts. We, or I, want to provide the opportunity for reflection, to reset if you've fallen off the wagon, to reconnect with what really matters, and a lot of people don't take time to do that and that's what I believe has really helped me with not only my physical success, but my success in life in general. I've seen the power of the gatherings firsthand and I know some of you have been to the events and you've experienced it too. But I know that clients walk away feeling refreshed. They feel refocused and ready to take on the next quarter with renewed energy.

Speaker 1: 8:55

I still remember we ran one at it used to be called the flying cock, which was a nightclub here in Brisbane just on McLaughlin street, and we ran one and a bloke came for the very first time and when he walked out the next day he sent me a message and he's like man. I wasn't quite sure why I was going or what I was getting myself into, but having the opportunity to listen to other people and to talk about some of the things going on in my life, I walked out feeling like a huge weight had lifted and I was energized in a way that I haven't felt for a long time. And to me that is so important because when you feel like you have more energy, your mood's better, your ability to make decisions and think clearly is better, and that helps with relationships, with making money, with growing a great business and with training and your self-image as well. So I think that's a really important part to dial in on there. Now. There's something special about being surrounded by people who are also striving to do their best. It reminds you that you're not alone in that journey.

Speaker 1: 9:55

Quite often, depending on, I guess, what environment you're coming from, you may feel like the odd one out while you're trying to better and improve your life, but I can promise you there are definitely people out there who want the same things. You've just got to find them. So fitness isn't just about hitting those short-term goals either, like what I mentioned, those six-week challenges and stuff. They're great motivators and can get you going, but you need to change the personal standards with that right. It's essentially evolving with every phase of life.

Speaker 1: 10:27

One of my clients initially came to me for weight loss, but as we worked together, his goals shifted. He fell in love with running, eventually started training for a half marathon, which has also lent into having better conversations with family to get them on board to, obviously, those training commitments. It's improved multiple areas of his life. It's been cool to have worked with him for a number of years to really be able to see that come into fruition. Right, I've been essentially a sounding board and helping him demand more of himself than maybe he was initially. And that's the beauty of sustainable coaching it adapts as your life changes. We don't force intensity for the sake of it. Instead, we adjust the program to fit the client's current lifestyle and energy levels. This way they stay consistent and without burning out. Right Makes a lot of sense to me.

Speaker 1: 11:15

Another thing I wanted to touch on was setbacks. Right, they are inevitable. They are part of life, they're part of exercise, they're part of everything. You can't just constantly be moving forward on a brilliant upward trajectory. So one of my clients recently hit a rough patch and when I'm saying recent, this would be within the last 18 months and his work schedule became super overwhelming late nights, early mornings and he felt guilty for not giving 100% in his sessions. I could see he was fatigued and tired, but instead of pushing harder, we had a conversation. We found out what was going on, what obviously was the most important priority to get him back to performing at the level that he knew he could perform at and we modified the intensity to match that. And there was nothing wrong with that. That's just navigating the seasons of life. Now, sometimes progress is not about doing more. It's about doing what's manageable in the moment. And, as I said, once his schedule eased up, he was able to bounce back without losing momentum. So it's all about that energy balance.

Speaker 1: 12:20

Now, personally, coaching has taught me that it's okay to ask for help. I used to and look, I'm not going to dive into this too much, but there is definitely a fine line between constantly asking for help without thinking about things or being proactive, and the flip side of that is like not asking for help at all, and I think that's a dance Like. I watch a lot of people who just don't think for themselves and aren't proactive, don't take any initiative to start trying to grow and understand things. They're constantly trying to get help and have someone do it for them, as opposed to the individual. Probably where I was, where I wanted to figure out everything myself, I had too much of an ego to ask for help, whereas now I've found this fine balance. I guess I'm sure probably some of you are thinking what's that fine balance For me? I think about taking responsibility, so I set a time frame. There are a lot of things that I know I can do, but I'm probably too lazy.

Speaker 1: 13:17

You know, I was sending a message to. I can't remember the message. I was sending one yesterday and all I had to do was Google because I knew it was on Google, but I literally wrote the message out and because I was preparing for this podcast, it was front of mind. I was writing this message back because I was preparing for this podcast. It was front of mind. I was writing this message back because I just wanted them to send it to me. I was too lazy and when all I had to do is jump on Google and I could have found the exact thing they were going to send me and I didn't push send, I was like don't be lazy.

Speaker 1: 13:44

There's a difference between needing help and just being a lazy bastard. So you're going to experience that because I think when you find that balance between not asking for help too soon and really seeking to understand and improve your skill sets, you're not going to have to constantly keep asking for help. You're going to start going, hey man, I got this, I got that, I understand this, I understand that and that's what's going to help. You know that you've got that balance right. But if you're not able to make progress in your life because you're constantly having to ask for help, then maybe you need to not ask for help as much around specific things once again and go hey, what can I do in this moment to teach myself something or to challenge the way that I think? So I'm expanding my mind, I'm expanding what I think I'm capable of, and that to me, I guess, would be a little bit of a dance that you guys need to figure out right, something to think about it. So, through asking for help, it's why I got a coach for my marathon training, for this running Like I've could have very well coached myself, but it's a relief for me personally at this moment not having to think about programming and, to be fair, dean is an incredible coach, like the results that I'm seeing.

Speaker 1: 14:56

I don't think I would have given myself results that good because I would have been pushing a little bit too hard. So having that third party that's moderating my life like looking at it from the bird's eye to go, hey, too much output here, too much travel. Let's look at this here we're trying to get you to the 58 marathons as fit and as strong as possible. Let's just focus on that, whereas for me I would have been like this is what I've programmed. I don't have time to modify it. Therefore, I'm not modifying it, let's get it done. So that's where, once again, you may not be in the position where you feel like you need a coach, but it may be beneficial to the big picture. So that's something to think about, because I'm just so focused now on the execution of the programming rather than thinking about it and putting it all into place and doing all that sort of stuff. And then I talk with my coach, give him feedback and we modify as we go. So that's really cool.

Speaker 1: 15:47

Another thing that really helps with that and I do this a lot with my clients and you can see who are watching on YouTube I've got the Apple Ultra on one hand and the Whoop on the other hand. Now wearable technology has transformed the way that I coach and track progress, not only for myself but for my clients. I use Whoop data to monitor sleep, heart rate variability and recovery, and this information allows me to make smarter decisions around programming whether to push harder or dial back, and it's very personalized to the individual who's working it, rather than just going. I don't feel it today. It's like, okay, well, let's have a look at your training load, how your body's adapting, whether it's showing dramatic signs of fatigue or whether it's just like. You don't feel like doing it today, which is a common one for a lot of people. But one time a client's data revealed that several nights of poor sleep. We had several nights of poor sleep and instead of forcing a high-intensity session that we had, I dug a bit deeper and we went for a walk and a coffee and discovered personal stresses that were causing those sleepless nights. And once we sort of put him on the path to addressing those root issues, his sleep performance improved and he was able to double back down on his training again. So that's the beauty of, I guess, wearables and tracking these things because it's very easy, when I don't have the data, for someone to say, yeah, I'm sleeping all right, and like all right for them might be four hours, and then we do high intensity sessions, they go to a big day of work or they're stressed about other things and their body is just slowly moving towards burnout and we don't want that, and I'm sure you don't want that as well. So that's where fitness as well comes back to awareness of both the body and the mind. Understanding how lifestyle factors affect performance can help you take control of your health your health Now, potentially with the wearables.

Speaker 1: 17:41

I know fitness industries always see trends. It's happened for as long as I've been part of the industry but the fundamentals will never change. Strength training, conditioning and smart recovery will continue to deliver results. All the training that I personally do is just basic, boring stuff that I know I can consistently do and I can track well and it's moving me towards my goals. The key is keeping it simple and using the data to guide your progress and, of course, have some bloody fun with it. So in the next few years, I believe the fitness coaching will continue to revolve around accountability and results, because a lot more people are looking for that. They want results. That's what we're paying for. People won't pay for services they don't use. They want to see real progress and I'm burping, I just had a gnarly lunch and they need coaches who can help them get there right. And that's what I've based my whole business around is obviously working with people I'd love to have a beer with, but really focusing on building the great relationships, learning more about their life than just their fitness goals and working in a coinciding way to deliver the results, because that's what I'm getting paid for, ultimately. So where are we? Let's wrap this up. Let's wrap this up.

Speaker 1: 18:50

So, at its core, fitness is about more than just physical health, as we've just said. Right, it's a way of showing self-respect. You always want to respect yourself. When you take care of your body, you're saying that you matter, right? You can't pour from an empty cup. We always hear it. And taking care of yourself allows you to show up fully in the other areas of your life. Right? Fitness builds confidence, mental clarity and emotional resilience. It's not just about looking good. It's about being prepared for whatever life throws your way.

Speaker 1: 19:19

So, for me personally, online fitness coaching, and just online coaching in general is brilliant. It gives you the flexibility. It gives you the accountability and the support to thrive, no matter where you are. You just have to do what is required of you. You can't blame it on anyone else. You have to put in the work, gain the feedback and modify where it's needed to deliver the outcomes that you want. So if you're ready to take back control of your fitness and build a life that you love, I'm here to help. All you got to do is slide into my DMs on Instagram and we'll jump on a quick call and have a bit of a yarn.

Speaker 1: 19:55

Now I haven't taken on any new fitness coaching clients and I want to share this with you. Actually, I haven't taken on any new fitness coaching clients for about three years because I was fully booked from that. And then, obviously, we run the academy and workshops. So that's where I choose to allocate my time, and then I'm working with corporates around business and leadership, etc. So with the fitness, I just haven't had space open up.

Speaker 1: 20:22

I have had space open up and I think it's more around what I'm interested in at the moment, because I'm spending so much time running and looking into my health that I am very in tune with delivering results in that space, whereas for me, working with, let's say, lifestyle coaching, it's challenging when I'm so focused down a rabbit hole of, I would say, my lifestyle isn't very balanced. It's just all in on the fitness at the moment. So I feel like I can add more value there and it's a lot easier for me to manage because I'm learning it a lot easier. It's so much easier for me to talk about because it's constantly in front of my face and I do have a few more spaces there. So if you feel like that's something you're interested in having a yarn about, like I said, head to my website, the man that Can Project. You can see an inquiry link there or you can just drop into my DMs on Instagram.

Speaker 1: 21:18

Lachlan Stewart. Thank you, guys for tuning in. My name is Lachlan Stewart. As always, do something today to be better for tomorrow. We'll see you next week.