Top 10 Burning Health & Fitness Questions Answered by a Pro Trainer!

Ever find yourself stuck in a rut, wondering how to light that fire under your fitness goals?

Let me, Dai Manuel, your trusted guide with over thirty years in the fitness trenches, illuminate the path to a healthier you.

Revel in the secrets of sparking motivation by digging into your personal 'why,' and learn how to conquer the weight management battlefield with a balanced diet that doesn't just count calories but makes every calorie count.

Say goodbye to stubborn belly fat as we unveil the unexpected link between stress and those pesky pounds.

Get ready to make friends with dumbbells and treadmills because we're breaking down the ultimate workout blend for optimal weight release.

Pump up the volume on your workout playlist and prepare to transform your 'busy' life into a 'full' one, rich with purpose and sweat-worthy activities.

From the role of workout buddies to the wisdom of coaches, I dive into the power of support in keeping you on track. It's never too late to start - whether you're in your thirties or well into your fifties, I'll share why age is just a number for fitness. 

So join me in this empowering episode, inject some humor into your routine, and let's march together towards a healthier, happier you.

FREE Resources:

• From Lions to Laptops: The Evolution of Stress in the Modern Workspace
• Overcoming the "I Can't" Mindset: How to Embrace the Power of "I Can"
• Self-Motivation Workbook
• Time Management Self-Assessment

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:08

Welcome to another exciting episode of the 2% Solution Podcast, the show that's all about transforming your life, one episode at a time. I'm your host, diamond Well, and today we have a special treat for you we're diving into the top 10 most asked questions I've encountered as a fitness expert, trainer and coach. I've been doing this for 30 years, so you can imagine pretty much heard it all, but these 10 questions are the ones I hear most often. So get ready for some deep insights, data backed answers and, you know, a little dashy humor here and there. So, to start off, picture yourself in a bustling park on a sunny day. You're surrounded by people from all walks of life, each with their unique stories, their unique questions and unique aspirations. As you sip your green smoothie, you overhear someone whisper go and get motivated to exercise. Ah, that's where we come in to answer the most pressing questions about fitness and health. So question number one how do I get motivated to exercise? Well, if you didn't hear last week's episode that talked all about that one little thing that we all want more of motivation I'm going to get into a shorter version of the answer today to answer this question. You see, motivation is like a spark and it can be ignited in many ways, but the key is finding your why. Imagine fitness as your superhero cake. Each workout gets you one step closer to saving the day. For example, set a specific goal, like running a 5K charity race for a cause you're passionate about. Running a purpose can be a powerful motivator, also a great way to keep you accountable.

Dai Manuel: 1:58

Now question two what's the best diet for weight release? You understood, I didn't say weight loss, weight release. Why do we release weight? Because we say bye-bye, bye-bye weight. I don't want me coming back, because when you lose stuff, inevitably you try to find it again. Right, think about losing your keys. Everyone hates losing their keys. So, subconsciously, we're so used to losing stuff and wanting to find it again. So remember weight release. So what's the best diet for weight release? There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Think of it as assembling a puzzle. A balanced diet with a calorie deficit is like finding the perfect piece. It fits right in Now to implement this focus on portion control and tracking your daily calorie intake, at least for just a few weeks.

Dai Manuel: 2:43

You know, I'm not a big believer in always counting calories. My goodness, that would be such a drain. But when you're self-educating, you become mindful and you just do the exercise. You use a free app like my Fitness Pal as an example Track what you're putting into your body for a couple weeks. It will give you an idea of what's trending. It might put some sense into why you're seeing certain trends or lack thereof, but also it just makes you extremely mindful to be able to look at food in a much more educated and thoughtful way, especially as it relates to yourself and your own health. So, apps and tools they can help you stay on track and make informed choices and decisions, but don't rely on those you know, because once you learn how to fuel yourself to thrive rather than simply get by and survive, you can't unlearn that Now.

Dai Manuel: 3:33

Moving on to question three how do I get rid of stubborn belly fat? Now, that's stubborn belly fat. We all have a story to tell, don't we? Stress, though, is probably the biggest and number one villain here Releasing hormones that love to hang out in your midsection. Cortisol is a prime one, and cortisol is a good steroid. Okay, it's a hormone, I should say, but we also see people get cortisol shots, usually to help with dealing with excess inflammation and sometimes chronic pain or pain. And so here's the thing. Cortisol is a wonderful hormone and it does have this dampening effect when it comes to pain and it helps us really amp up when we need to amp up. But the problem is, if we're always amped and that hormone doesn't get regulated and doesn't reduce, especially like during sleep periods, arrest and recovery phases, well then we're operating high all the time. And a telltale sign is this sort of retention of midsection belly fat, especially in guys. We see it really prominently. It's like, oh, we got the best looking four pack on the planet, but what's up with the DOS2? Well, and it's like, no matter what you do, it doesn't seem to go away. Chances are it's cortisol. So meditate, sleep and let that stress evaporate. Implement stress reduction techniques like meditation or yoga into your daily routine. It not only helps with fat release but it also promotes overall well-being.

Dai Manuel: 5:04

Question four is cardio or strength training better for weight release? Right, I guess all the time people are like should I work out and do weights or should I, you know, just do a bunch of cardio? What's gonna be better for me, releasing weight? I'm always like you're right, both are good. Okay, you need a bit of both, because it's like having two trusty sidekicks. Strength training builds muscle, which is, quite frankly, your metabolism's best friend, and while calorie burns through cardio right, like we know, we burn a lot of calories on cardio during a workout. That's also great, but they make a dynamic duo. Implement some team that is somewhat balanced between doing both of those but also encourages regular mobility. So strength cardio both are fantastic.

Dai Manuel: 5:55

And if you're improving your body in that way that you can move your body through space, gosh, you're gonna be all the better for it. So, for example, aim for three days of strength training and maybe two days of cardio if you're gonna do five days a week. But again, you know, too much structure at times can be overwhelming and limiting. Listen to your body, be mindful. Start with just 30 minutes a day. Get out for a brisk walk, maybe do a few push-ups, sit-ups and squats right. Very simple, body, weight-based movements that are scalable for all fitness levels. If you're unclear of that, I've got a bunch of example programs on my website, diamondwellcom. I'll be sure to link to those in the show notes today as well, just to give you some simple templates to follow and you can plug and play. Remember, just set aside 30 minutes a day and prioritize some fitness into your life. You will benefit and your body's gonna love you for it, and you'll start to see things naturally improve just as a result of that shift.

Dai Manuel: 6:53

Question five can I still enjoy my favorite foods and release weight? I do this like all the time. All the time. Can I still enjoy my favorite foods? You know, because I'm going to put weight on and you know what. Fair enough, but you overeat anything and it's going to cause a weight shift. Okay, so you know this idea of applying good and bad.

Dai Manuel: 7:18

It really brings a lot of morality into the conversation of food. Try to keep morality out of this, you know, because what happens is we label food old. This is not good food. It's a food I love, but it's not good for me, it's a bad food for me. Well, inevitably we like to do things that make us feel good. Right, I like cheesecake, even though I know dairy's not the best for me, I know it affects my inflammation levels. Man, I love cheesecake and I don't think in my head oh, cheesecake's bad for me, it's bad. I don't eat it because I do like to enjoy it. Every once in a while, maybe every three or four months, I'll have an opportunity to have a piece of cheesecake and I have it, you know, and I own that decision, I love that decision, I have no qualms about it.

Dai Manuel: 8:01

But are you that clear with yourself when it comes to giving yourself that opportunity to just enjoy the decision that you're making? Because once you've made it, you can't go back on it. And this is where we create a lot of this sort of self-doubt and we get sort of these negative emotions. We start to beat ourselves up like oh, my gosh, oh, how did I do this to myself? Again, right, and so when we apply this good or bad label, inevitably it starts to make us feel the same, you know.

Dai Manuel: 8:26

And so keep in mind, food is food, right, but obviously certain foods might be a little bit better at helping you maintain a certain direction when it comes to setting goals and achieving goals. But at the end of the day, food is food. So let's just clarify on this before we move on. You know, can I still enjoy my favorite foods and release weight? Absolutely you can. Okay, think of it as a treasure hunt. Moderation and portion control are your maps. You can savor the flavors without overindulging. Implement mindful eating by savoring each bite and paying attention to those hunger cues. Allow yourself occasional treats within your calorie budget. I mean, come on, yeah, I mean, it's life, you got to enjoy it, okay, but again, play within that range and you'll be fine.

Dai Manuel: 9:17

Now question six what's the best time to work out, morning or evening? Well, I tell this to everybody wherever you can get it, okay, like, don't let me yourself. Like I can't do it, I'm not going to work out. That's the problem, right? Because imagine, it's like setting a date with yourself. It's more about the commitment than watching the clock. Choose a time that fits your schedule and stick to it, just like you would for a coffee date with a friend.

Dai Manuel: 9:48

Be consistent, dolores, and whether it's morning or evening, don't worry about it, just consistently follow through on that commitment. I know, with myself and my own schedule, because it does fluctuate quite a bit I'll have certain weeks where I only work out in mornings and I'll have certain weeks I work out only later afternoons. I really work out in the evenings anymore. I don't know, must be my age now, because I get so amped up after a workout if I had to really hard to get to sleep. But if I do it in the afternoon, it's fine, but I've had to figure out what works best for me and I know either early morning or early to mid afternoon is the ideal for me, and that's when I feel best when I work out. So my question to you is when do you feel best when you work out? And if you're not sure of that yet, then just build the consistency of working out daily, or being 50 daily, moving our bodies with purpose daily, because that's a wonderful place to begin and then just see how things unfold from there. Don't worry about nighttime or daytime or what time just get.

Dai Manuel: 10:51

Now question seven sort of follows the last question, and it's how many days a week should I exercise? Well, the sweet spot is around three to five for most people. And why I say three to five is it gives you enough consistency and enough inputs, right? Because to see the results, which are the outputs, we got to start to weigh well, what are we putting in to that right? So we think about ourselves. We got certain things that we do those actions well, are those creating the results that we look for or that we're striving for? And I find that if you can do three to five days of intentional exercise or doing something that gets that heart rate up and builds some strength and endurance, you're gonna see some good stuff happen. Okay, it's like planting a garden Consistency and care lead to the most beautiful blooms. It's about progress, not perfection. So implement a realistic workout schedule that you can maintain consistently. Start with three days a week and then gradually build up from there.

Dai Manuel: 11:51

Question eight is it too late to start exercising in my forties, my fifties or beyond? No, it's never too late to join a fitness party. Okay, did you know that exercise can improve your life, even if you're in your nineties? Imagine it as a timeless dance and that keeps you moving forward. Implement a tailored exercise program that considers your age and fitness level. Consult a fitness professional for guidance.

Dai Manuel: 12:21

I mean, if you're looking for help with this, reach out to me. I'd love to help you. Doesn't matter the age. Every decade I've been asking myself again can I be the healthiest version of me at the age I am now? That number changes every year, but you know what my intention now? Yet trying to honor my health and well-being. It doesn't change and I can honestly say at 47, I'm the fittest I've ever been in my life. Fitter than when I was 27,. Fitter than when I was 37. I like to call it a little bit more wisdom, we'll call it that. But I've had to adapt how I train. But you know what I seek progress, not perfection, and it's been working pretty well. So I invite you, can you adopt that same sort of philosophy or intention no, you can't. And watch out. Good things will happen.

Dai Manuel: 13:09

Now, next question, sort of piggyback again some of these time-based questions is. But back to motivation a little bit. I know our lives are full, right, not busy. Life doesn't get busy anymore. Life gets full. I'll explain in a second. But the question is how can I stay motivated when life gets busy? I hear that turn a lot.

Dai Manuel: 13:29

So my first invitation to everybody is, rather than thinking that life is busy and that, oh my goodness, look at my badge of honor on my chest. You see what it says. Yeah, it says don't talk to me, I'm so busy. And, believe me, there's about 20 years of my life. I wore a big badge and I had the t-shirt too. Okay, I prided myself.

Dai Manuel: 13:48

I thought the busier I was, the more important I would be seen as, and I realized, holy smokes, it brought so much anxiety and stress for me and often I just found myself using the busy excuse as an excuse to basically get myself out of other commitments or rearrange commitments or simply to give myself an excuse for not getting something. So I didn't like that. I didn't like that I was using busy as an excuse. But what I started to realize after my wife challenged me one day. She had this concept about this idea of well, rather than feeling like you're so busy, what if you just decide to fill your days a little different? Me? Well, if you're intentional with the things that you do, the people you connect with this, really the life that you're living, every commitment that you make because, remember, we don't try to manage time, but we do try to manage commitments If you start managing those commitments with a lot more intentionality, you're now filling your days. You're not just feeling like you're busy, you're actually doing the things that you want to be doing, that you enjoy doing. It was a bit of a paradigm shift. I know it's a bit of language, but it brings with it a lot of different intentionality as well. So I invite you, you know, think about that. But to get back to the question, if we reframe it, how can I stay motivated when life gets really full. Well, nice to roller coaster, right. Think of motivation as your co-pilot.

Dai Manuel: 15:11

Have a trusty workout buddy who reminds you of your goals. If you don't have a workout buddy, or you find that the workout buddy maybe is relying on you more than you're relying on him or her, are they All good? That's when you hire a coach, you get a mentor. Hello, I'm here, you know, reach out if you have a question. I'd happy to help. Or I can also make some introductions to amazing coaches and mentors in different areas and I'd love to introduce you. But here we go.

Dai Manuel: 15:38

Implement a flexible workout routine that adapts to your busy, aka full schedule. Short, intense workouts can be just as effective. But the key to everything, whether it's a long workout or a shorter workout, just remember it's the consistency beats perfection. Every day of the week, if you're consistently having some outputs, you know you're putting some energy out, replenishing that energy with something good, great things are gonna believe me, and it can happen very quickly. All right, we're getting to the last question, question 10.

Dai Manuel: 16:16

What's the secret to staying committed long term? It's a good question, isn't it? Now, it's not normally phrased that way, but there's a lot of times I have people ask me, it's like how do I just stay committed to being healthy? You know, like, what do I gotta do? Is there a secret pillar or not? A handshake, or is there a club that I can be a part of? Like, oh geez, well, you know, it's kind of like writing a best-selling novel. Each workout is a chapter in your success story.

Dai Manuel: 16:48

Implement a mindset shift by viewing exercise not as a right now, not as a next week, not as a last week, but as a lifelong journey. Embrace those highs, but also equally embrace the lows, and just celebrate your progress along the way, cause it's not really a destination that you arrive at, cause fitness is just the activity. It's the lifestyle that supports those healthy aspects of who we are, allowing us to continuously show up as that version of us that we're most proud of, but also that version of us that can handle the hard stuff, the challenging moments, those lows, because we've been working on the resiliency that comes with our commitment to health. It's a byproduct. You can't get away with it. People that are extremely healthy are more resilient. We've seen this. Just come through a pandemic. We saw a lot of certain populations that were compromised immunity, compromised health, that were really affected deeply by that virus, and so we have to take these sort of things into account. So remember, brace the highs and lows and celebrate the progress along the way. So there, you got it. I got it. Have it when proper English my mom's probably correct to me right now she's listening to this episode.

Dai Manuel: 18:04

So answers to the top 10 questions that have been burning in your mind. Remember the journey to a healthier you is not about perfection, it's about progress, and as you navigate the maze of fitness, just keep moving forward. Don't wait for motivation to find you. Create it. You will depend to write your fitness story, whether you're starting fresh or you're on a lifelong journey. Remember that every step and every effort counts.

Dai Manuel: 18:32

The key is just to keep showing up for yourself. Believe in your ability to change, and you'll surprise yourself with that that you can achieve. If you found value in today's episode, I'd be absolutely thrilled if you could leave us a review, subscribe for more motivating content and, of course, please do share this episode with just one friend or family member, somebody that you're like. You know what someone needs to hear this today, cause you got value from it and you know in your mind somebody else that could get some value from some of the things I've shared, because together we can inspire change when we're out at a time. So thanks for joining us on the 2% Solution Podcast. Until next time, keep moving, stay motivated and remember you have the power to transform your life, and don't let anybody tell you anything. Otherwise, see you next week For more Fierce and