Fat Blogger or Shredder: Which Would You Choose?

Several years ago, a strange, almost “disturbing” trend started happening on the Internet. As you surely know, blogging has become the defacto standard way for the average guy or gal to start a website because it doesn’t take any web design or programming skill. If you can type, you can blog. This ease of self-publishing online became of interest to weight loss enthusiasts who had been told about the power of journaling as a tool to increase your success and raise accountability. So they decided to do it electronically instead of on paper. Indeed, blogging your fitness and fat loss progress is a fantastic idea, especially because using a blog creates public accountability! Anyone who keeps nutrition, training and fitness journals has an advantage and I would predict much greater success for them. However, one group of bloggers made a mistake.

I’ve studied psychology and behavior modification right alongside exercise physiology and nutrition science for over 20 years because I believe that understanding motivation and changing your mindset are the missing links in long term weight control. People fail to achieve fitness goals and regain weight for a lot of physiological reasons, but they also stay fat or regain lost weight for psychological reasons. For example:

You can NEVER outperform your self image. </font size>

For as long as you see yourself and talk about yourself as a fat person, you will never become and remain a lean person. You can’t fight it. Human beings think in pictures and you have to change that internal self image to change the external you.

We also think in words, of course, with that incessant chatter or self talk inside our heads, and our spoken words come forth as a result of what’s been going on inside our heads. I’ve always been fascinated with the study of linguistics and semantics because I’ve found that our bodies and our life circumstances are a perfect reflection of the words we choose and the hidden meaning behind those words.

That’s the error that was made by this group of weight loss bloggers. They decided to use the words “fat blogger” to describe themselves. It was a perfectly innocent mistake, but a mistake nonetheless. If these folks were to describe what they do on the Internet, they might say, “I am into fat blogging.” That’s like a verb – they’ve defined themselves by what they do.

If they were to describe themselves (who they ARE), they might say, “I am a fat blogger.”

Now, stop for a minute and think about the semantics behind that phrase. I AM A FAT BLOGGER. Not only does it contain some ambiguities, that choice of words reflects a person’s identity and self image. When I hear that, I see a picture in my mind of an overweight individual sitting behind a keyboard. Is that what you want to physically express? If not, don’t you think your choice of words should be considered more carefully?

I know the folks who follow the law of attraction philosophies are all nodding their heads in agreement right now. But it doesn’t matter if you want to look at this scientifically, psychologically or metaphysically, I’m talking about a universal principle for personal change here.

Define in words, who you would REALLY like to be</font size>

What kind of person would you really like to become? A lean person? An athlete? A bodybuilder? A healthy person? A fit person? Well there you go. Why not call yourself a FIT blogger instead of a fat blogger?

There are thousands of weight loss journals being posted online every day. If you’ve taken up this endeavor and you call it “fat blogging” or if you simply haven’t given much thought to how you describe yourself, I’d like to offer this suggestion: you may be reinforcing with words and labels the self image and identity of an overweight person and as long as you continue doing that, you are likely to continue to have weight control difficulties.

Yes, I realize, a “fat blogger” might have to change his website name or the graphics, etc, etc. But hey, why not? Why not take a red X and cross off “FAT” and write in “FIT”. Yes, I am a FIT BLOGGER!

Rob Cooper, who lost about two people (about 300 pounds, that is), understands this. He named his site the former fat guy. Get it? FORMER fat guy. If Rob clung on to that old self image of himself still being a fat person, I think he would still be secluded in his apartment, immobile and alone like he was years ago. Instead, he is one of the most active, interesting and social guys I know. And of course, fit! He’s one of those world traveler dudes who climbs mountain peaks and explores jungles and jumps out of airplanes for fun. A regular Indiana Jones.

In a recent blog post, I introduced you to my friend Adam Waters from Australia and I showed you his 12 week fitness transformation video. He is probably the world’s most successful fitness blogger and has 4 million views on his most popular You Tube video.

Now, check out this part.

Adam failed at maintaining a body transformation several times before he figured it out. He did the most well known body transformation competition, BFL, with some success, but not long afterwards, he slipped right back into his old ways, or what he called “his darkest hour.” It wasn’t until he changed his WORDS, his IDENTITY and his SELF IMAGE that he made a change that stuck… and it has stuck for more than 3 years now – that’s how long he has been walking around with six pack abs.

How did he do it? He didn’t call himself a fat blogger, he called himself a “SHREDDER.” In case you’re unfamiliar with the vernacular, shredded is the term to describe extremely low body fat. You see, there’s lean, then there’s ripped, then there’s SHREDDED. Adam knew he didn’t just want to be average or even just lean, but SUPER-lean, so adam calls himself a shredder. It’s who he is, it is what he does. It’s a part of his identity.

Who are you? If your body fat percentage is higher than average, you are NOT a fat person! Fat is not a person. Fat is a biological tissue where excess energy is stored. Fat is a temporary physical condition.

Who Are You?</font size>If you were unable to blurt the answer right out, instantly, straight from the heart, then maybe you might ask yourself whether you have ever even decided who you are and what you want your identity to be. When right now today would be a good time to make that decision?

Confused? Still not sure? That’s ok, this concept scrambles most people’s brains at first before it clicks and then this changes your life.

Just try a few on to see how they fit. How about:

• I am a lean, mean muscle-building machine!
• I am the greatest! (ali liked that one)
• I am a fitness fanatic!
• I am a peak-performer
• I am a human dynamo
• I am a champion all-natural bodybuilder
• I am a leader and role model (if you’re in the fitness business I sure hope so)

And remember, this extends out to the rest of your life. Rob, I’m sure, defines himself, among other thing, as an explorer and world traveler. You might be: a super mom, an aristic genius, a tycoon, an entertainer, a millionaire in the making, a dance diva, a business builder. Got the idea? See how this works?

In the health and fitness realm, what is your identity? Who are you? What do you want your identity to be? Who do you want to become? NAME IT. CAREFULLY! And be creative. Have fun with it. This is serious, but don’t take it too seriously.

Let me invite you to try on a new identity for size. Become a shredder. Become a winner. Join Adam and I and the 300 + people who have already signed up in the last three days for our 84 day real time physique transformation challenge.

We are looking for at least 1,000 people to join us in the Shr
eddersphere for the first Real time physique (RTP) – Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle (BFFM) transformation contest at www.rtp-system.com. And there is still time to get on board. There’s no cap to the number of contestants, but there is a registration deadline on April 30th, 2009.

This is a fitness and self improvement contest that has never been done before because it’s an accountability fitness competition.

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You will be held accountable for your actions – your training, your nutrition and your lifestyle – every day, like NEVER before. And you will have to BLOG IT.

I realize that accountability scares some people, because they don’t want to stick their necks out and make that type of commitment. But that’s actually the whole idea! Get out of your comfort zone and feel the fear – THAT’S WHERE YOU GROW! That’s where all the change takes place!

Making the “burning my bridges behind me” type of commitment is the reason you should keep a journal or blog and take on a challenge. If you’ve been unable to make the body changes you’ve always wanted, maybe no one ever held you accountable before! Maybe you never held yourself accountable before.

More than being a “before and after” fitness competition, and more than winning the grand prize package (where you get to come meet, dine, entertain and train with Adam and I in New York City), this is about changing your identity and self image (the interior you) along with your body (the exterior you).

Listen, it’s neglecting to change what goes on inside (thought), along with changing what goes on outside (action), that leads to failure. Transforming your mind and your body at the same time is the key to success.

So come join us. Come on over to www.rtp-system.com</b and read about this mind-body system for transforming every part of you.

This could be your year. And I believe this is the beginning in a new era of fitness competition challenges. No longer will these competitions just be about the body fat percentage and getting ripped (or shredded). Although having those six pack abs sure would be nice wouldn’t it? (just ask Adam).

To get all the contest details go to www.rtp-system.com</b to learn more. And keep your eyes out in the days ahead for the official trailer (yes, the RTP- BFFM transformation contest movie trailer).

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto
www.rtp-system.com
www.BurnTheFat.com
www.twitter.com/tomvenuto

PS. Be sure to enter by April 30th for a chance to win the all expense paid trip* to meet Tom and Adam in New Jersey and New York city in August

*Some restrictions apply. See contest rules and regulations at the RTP contest website