Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking, how to get the most out of meditation, and a full-body sandbag workout

Hey there,

When it comes to fitness and health, it’s all too common to have an all-or-nothing approach.

Often, this shows up in the form of flipping from complete diet restriction to binge eating. From total inactivity to killing yourself at the gym. From feeling excited about your goals to feeling like it’s not even worth trying.

All-or-nothing thinking means that you perceive anything less than “perfect” as failure.

I used to fall into this trap, too. Early in my fitness journey, if I ate one less-than-healthy meal, I’d consider my whole week’s nutrition plan a wash. If I missed two days of workouts, I’d determine I’d failed at my attempt to get in shape and give up altogether.

But living a healthy and fit lifestyle isn’t so black-and-white. It’s a sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. 

All-or-nothing thinking holds us back from achieving our goals or getting on the path to the lifestyle we really want. When it comes to movement and healthy eating, every little bit added up over the long run counts.

A twenty-minute walk is still something.

Five minutes of foam rolling is better than none.

One healthy meal a day is better than zero.

A micro workout may not be what you planned for the day, but it will still get you closer to your goals than skipping your workout altogether.

Become aware of when you’re holding onto all-or-nothing thinking. Let go of “perfect” and aim for consistency instead.

What I’m reading —

Moments of Flow: The Psychology of the Perfect Ride / Kristian Jackson / Patagonia

This is a beautifully written article on the flow found during mountain biking.

Inspirational for even non-mountain bikers.

“This moment of “flow” is more than just a feeling. It’s a documented psychological state of consciousness, supported by decades of academic research, where one becomes so totally, intensely involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. It’s familiar to musicians, athletes, actors … and, increasingly, modern trail builders. According to psychologists, it could even be the key to unlocking a happy, fulfilled life.”

What I’m listening to (audiobook)—

Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes your Mind, Brain, and Body by Daniel Goleman, Richard Davidson

As the book summary says, “In the last 20 years, meditation and mindfulness have gone from being kind of cool to becoming an omnipresent Band-Aid for fixing everything from your weight to your relationship to your achievement level.” The authors dig deep into the science to show what meditation can really do for us and how to get the most out of it.

A quote that inspires me — 

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again, only more intelligently.” — Henry Ford

What I’m training —

Here’s a full body sandbag workout I posted on Instagram. No sandbag? Substitute with dumbbells, kettlebells, or fill a duffel bag with heavy stuff and go to town.

Three new workouts —

Pushing Your Limits HIIT Workout (12 minute, box)

Short + Sweet Boxing HIIT Workout (12 minute, box, heavy bag optional)

198 Rep Parallel Bar Challenge Workout (Time challenge, parallel bars or equivalent)

You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.

Questions? Feedback? Content requests?

Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!

Happy training,

– Krista




















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