Service, song and little Suz
Guess what all? I’m not quite the girly-man I was last week.
Here’s the latest scoop: I was feeling my oats today, so I said to myself, “Self…” (I literally stopped and said, “Self”…), let’s hit it a bit harder today. Damn the torpedoes. Oh, Self…what on earth does everyone have against torpedoes? Why do we always want to pull a God-maneuver and send them to an eternity of hellfire? What did they ever do to anyone other than their job, huh? HUH?? Self? Uh…Self. Okay, we’ll lay off the torpedo philosophy and just go for an intense workout today. Let’s see if your brain explodes…what the sheol, we can find another brain somewhere, right Self? Self? You with me?? Oh, go to he…no. No more damming today.”
The conversation with Me turned out to be a good one. Me talked Me into pushing a not-so-girly-man pace in the gym today. The results were great: good pump, some vein action, and no dizziness. I really feel that the dizziness had its roots in chemical poisoning. Although I haven’t even started my chelation therapy yet, or even niacin, just on organic foods and coconut oil (more on that later), I feel better than I have in years…or since this first began.
My workout was brisk. The music loud and obnoxious. The dumbbells a bit heavier, the reps pushed more to the point past the burn and toward momentary completion. Man, I was pacing around the joint like a drunken O.J. with a grudge against some other innocent woman…without a knife or a pair of black, bloody, DNA-laced gloves. (Am I dropping subtle hints as to my doubts of the O.J. verdict? Really? Hmmm…I’ll have to be careful of that. I may offend some blithering brain-drivel cretin who thinks he’s as pure as the driven snow. Buddha forbid that happen.)
What a rush! I felt so close to my real self I almost cried amidst the cringing. It was wonderful, as was the complete lack of “ugh, my brain hurts” afterwards.
In short my 10 Friends (I have more than that, but you get the reference…if not, please go away), I’m progressing toward my goals in massive, wonderfully fulfilling strides.
Oh sure, it will be a good month before I tackle squats, and another month until I can come close to my former poundages, but I could care less. I’m in this for life…what’s the hurry? It’s just wonderful to progress and feel great doing it. Oh, I’m also down another 2 pounds of fat. Don’t let that freak you out. I told you on the first blogs that my body will discard fat faster than most. This has nothing to do with “genes”, believe me. I have genes that Rosie O’Donnell wouldn’t want. It’s all about the Four M’s: you know, Mind, Meals, Muscle and Motion. Yeah, I don’t just talk about M-Power…I live it.
Once the mind and body are connected, results can come at amazing speed. Still, I am completely happy with one pound of fat per week on a long-term basis. You must be as well. No joke, no excuses, no whining, no nothing but fat-burning consistency. Deal? Deal.
And…speaking of whining. I get this email today from an irate client who’s name will NOT go unmentioned if she ever questions my staff’s integrity again. Johnny don’t play that game.
Hang in there — I’m about to give you a peek inside running an online fitness business, but it’s a short peek with a point that doesn’t have a thing to do with sales. Read on as you pretend you’re eating popcorn.
I have the greatest staff anyone could ever wish for. I have the greatest clients as well. Honestly, they blow my mind. The kind words. The cool testimonies that range from, “You helped me finally shed fat,” to, “Dude, you literally saved my life”. It all makes my world spin in the right direction. However, like any business, there are mistakes. Emails go the way of the black hole. Customer service requests get filtered wrong, and the occasional DVD goes out blank. It happens. Name one business in which it doesn’t, and I’ll buy it.
I saw a spoof billboard for NASA that said, “And What, Like YOU’RE Perfect?” That’s funny…and the point is valid. NASA and myself are in similar businesses: exploring the unknown. A person’s body and mind is the “final frontier” if you ask me, and it’s a challenge to come up with tools that can address a mixed population. I feel we’ve done this better than just about anyone, and I won’t stop until it’s a foregone conclusion.
Even then, you get complaints. Some are justified, others (like the one today) are not. And this is where all my blabbing comes full circle to create something for you to sink your teeth into. Low-calorie, but dense…good stuff here.
Any tool in the world is only as good as the person holding it. Take a drill and try to use it like a hammer, only to complain to Home Depot that their drill is “a scam”, is absurd at best. This individual today decided that one of our products, nay our whole staff, was “a scam” because (get this), it seems “impossible” to eat so frequently when you have a life and kids.
WAAAA…WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! I want my BLANKIE…WAAAAAAA!!!!!!
Shut your pie hole.
Whiners are simply unwelcome in my world. Oh sure, you can be down. You can even bitch about stuff, and that’s cool as long as you turn that downward spiral into a tornado of determination. But don’t you dare tell me that something is impossible when I’ve seen thousands pull it off. That’s an excuse — and in my book it’s worthy of being fired.
Yep. I fire clients. Two to date. I hope it ends there. Both were fired because they were jerks to my staff and/or didn’t want to take responsibility for their own lives. This person may be the third. However, I’ve issued a “warning” (in a kind way) letting her know that such accusations will not fly unless she wishes to be fully refunded and dumped like Tom Cruise’s next 12 wives. (Sorry Kate, but please…PLEASE…get past that smile and figure it out.)
Now, here’s that part that relates to you: NO EXCUSES.
“But Jon, it’s haaarrrddd.” “But I have…you know, a life and 22 kids on welfare, and…” “But, but…..but….I was dead at the time. I was on the moon. With Steve.” (Thanks again Eddie.) Nay, nay…go thy way.
Parties. Temptations. Genes. Time in the day. Past “failures” (no such thing.) Injuries (preaching to the choir.) Illness (unless it’s chronic and current.) No gym. No motivation. All of these, and any others you want to toss by me, will be met with the wrath of a woman who’s hell hath no furry…like…you know.
Bad sentence, good intentions.
Don’t just just want to cuddle with me?
So, that’s the deal: we have one heck of a CS team. They’re really, really cool. The products…second to none. My passion and commitment is obvious to anyone who’s sharper than a box of hair.
I just won’t tolerate excuses for any amount of money.
Are you ready, right now, to put any excuse you have into the grave? If you’re not ready, that’s cool…just admit it and say, “I’m working on it”, and you’re a stud in my club. Just don’t USE it on me.
Here…I’ll tell you the real reason for this rant. It’s not the crappy email I got today. I’ve received what has to be the absolute NICEST customer service emails from just wonderful folks. 99.9% of them fall into that category. One of our own 10 members sent me a very kind note today, and her issues were resolved literally within the hour: from a team of four people, on Saturday. (Yeah, we care.)
The reason for all of this, and my intensity in the gym, AND my rant on excuses…is Suz.
Suz is short for Suzie. Suzie is a precious little girl who hasn’t even reached her 10th birthday. That in itself is a miracle. She has such a rare disease that only a handful of hospitals can even treat it. The average age of death is 1-2. She’s broken every record in the book. I met Suz last night. Her mom, a brave woman with more guts than 100 Jons in a gym, moved Suz down to Dallas to have a myriad of operations done at the world famous Scottish Rite Hospital.
Ever had a broken rib? I have…sucks. Hurts like there’s no tomorrow. I broke my dad’s rib on a ride at Six Flaggs by accident when I was 9. The man was so freakin’ tough, he stayed for 4 more hours without mentioning it…just to see me happy. Damn dad…I miss you so much. Thanks for loving me like that.
Put that on top of being trapped in a wheelchair with a halo traction brace, three metal rods inserted in your once hopelessly curved spine, and you have a vague picture of little Suz. She has the body of a 4-5 year old at nearly 10 thanks to this dreaded disease.
You know what Suz was doing when I met her? Singing Karaoke. She was all dolled-up like Marylyn Monroe and just singing away…and singing really well at that! The kid has talent. She was laughing and laughing…and then, in-between the laughs, she’d shout out in pain. Her mom would come to her, comfort her, and then she’d say, “Hey, want some glitter?”
Yeah. Excuses. Suz puts a nail in every excuse I could ever conjure up. Her survival is almost no longer in question, which if I’m not mistaken will make her the first little one to survive this disease. Ever.
And she’s singing.
Not complaining, except when the pain is overwhelming. Not miserable and whiny. Singing.
I couldn’t help but be moved by it…and take action because of it. My patience for whiners today hit an all-time low, and you know what? I trust it will stay there. That goes for me, too. No whining, Jon. Yeah, it sucks that you’ve been laid up. That your head is foggy and pained after workouts. That your precious abs are not honed at this very moment, or that you didn’t quite pull off the last email campaign.
But hey…Suz is singing. So Jon, and everyone else reading these words, pull your head out and join in the chorus — or just keep your mouth shut and wallow around in your own version of a wheelchair, fashioned by words like, “impossible”.
Saturday, November 5th
- Today’s Workout: Fast Pace
- Warmup: superset of dumbbell slight incline presses and seated dumbbell curls with 20s and 30s
- Bodyweight dips: 2x4 (last week it was 2x2…soon it will be 4x12, then…)
- Seated Dumbbell Curls: 3x8-12; 20s, 30s. Full contraction.
- Hanging leg raises: 2x6; Superset with vacuums (2)
- Cable Laterals: 2x8-10 with 30lb on stack
- Elliptical Glider: 5 minutes at 150HR, 5 minutes cool-down
- * Note: Arms and veins coming back to life…yeah!
- My MasterMeal Plan
- MM1: Brunch out: 4 egg whites, 2.5 yolks, homemade granola with a bit of berries, coffee
- MM2: Post-workout: Coconut Full Strength Shake (added to Recipes section)
- MM3: Tuna Concoction
- MM4: Chicken with veggies (later tonight)
Click here to view my recipes.
Let’s go folks…let’s get the job done. Do it for all those who simply don’t have the luxury of a mobile life. Do it for Suz. {10}
Archived in MasterMeals.
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Comments (14)
Geoff said:
Mornin’ Jon
I’m sat in front of my PC screen with a film over my eyes. Today’s rant - excuses - dads - suz - have put me in a highly contrite and sombre mood. I got up this morning feeling a bit negative and sorry for myself due to a few personal “problems” that have croped up over the last couple of days. But having read your blog I realise that I don’t have any problems! So I’m going to the Gym for an extra session this morning.
Dammit mate, you shouldn’t be putting a tear in my eye at my age. But thanks anyway. Excuses - what f…… excuses!
Cheers, Geoff
Posted on Nov 06, 2005 03:18 AM
Lee said:
Dear Jon
I wanted to write more today but damn I just don’t have the time…
Let me tell you dude, you are rockin’ and I’m just thrilled that your workouts are starting to take shape again. I’m starting in again too after a few months of just vibration training and cardio. Oww!
Damn the torpedoes? FTT!
Yours sincerely,
Lee
Posted on Nov 06, 2005 11:18 AM
Sherri said:
Hi Jon,
I agree with you completely in regards to MSG. The question is, how do we pressure the FDA to get food manufacturers to start labeling it correctly instead of hiding it as a “natural flavoring”? Trans fats will soon be listed due to public pressure—think we can succeed with MSG?
Sherri
Posted on Nov 06, 2005 04:02 PM
Tracey said:
Hey Jon;
If you are doing chelation, you should really try doing organic coffee enemas… I know, I know. My doctor who is German turned me on to them. A lot of folks who do the Gerson therapy do coffee enemas once a day and swear by them. I am totally blown away by how amazing you feel after them. You wouldn’t believe how much sharper my eyesight is after one! Really, you gotta check it out! Gets rid of all the bad chemicals, etc… kick starts the liver! Coffee enemas you do yourself at home, they are totally unlike colonics… much safer. Mae West did one daily, and she lived into her late 80’s, and was a total party animal her whole life!
Posted on Nov 06, 2005 04:19 PM
Alyson said:
Hi Jon!
I really appreciate/applaud your devotion to your program, your clients, and your staff :) And your un-willingness to put up with whining (want some CHEESE with that??) or excuses. And thank you for the story of Suz…we all need to be reminded that we have much to be singing about, stuff we take for granted on a daily basis…How fortunate to be BLESSED with a body capable of motion, pure and uncomplicated!! and how irresponsible to not MOVE it.
About your workout/vacuums. (loved the interview with Shaun Phillips!) I know intensity and focus are key, but what do you recommend as far as how long you hold the contraction? I’m hazarding a guess that the longer the better??
And I’ve discarded 2 # of unnecessary body fuel this week :) Thanks for this challenge!
Alyson
Posted on Nov 06, 2005 08:45 PM
Jon Benson said:
Thanks all…not a lot of comments on this one. I’m sending an email out to ‘everyone’ on this blog this week and personally address kicking it up a notch. : )
Rock on everyone, nice comments. I know about the coffee enemas, and it’s something I’d recommend for anyone. However, it’s not the same cleansing as chelation. Both are vital in my opinion; one for organ health and the other for vascular. Enemas are not effective at inner-vascular cleansing. Very few things are.
Posted on Nov 07, 2005 01:29 AM
Tracey said:
Hi Jon;
Wasn’t suggesting that coffee enemas replace chelation… they are just a great addition! T.
Posted on Nov 07, 2005 07:23 AM
Jeanne Locante said:
Jon,
I have discarded 3 lbs of absolutely unwanted fat!!!Yippee!! Thanks so much!
I agree about the whining. I have a sign on my office door that reads “WHINE-Free-Zone.”
Jeanne
Posted on Nov 07, 2005 01:16 PM
Elisa said:
I love this story! I have one of my own. This is LONG but helpful (or at least I hope)
At the height of my less than desired level of fitness (I’ve ceased calling them the “fat ass days” for obvious reasons) I would find myself whining and focusing on all the things that weren’t right about my body and how I was never likely to get there anyway. I also had many excuses for not eating as healthfully as I could and working out especially running, was more of a chore than anything EVER.
Then one day, I was driving to a client meeting and saw this man walking down the street, a busy street in the heat of summer. He had two aluminum walking canes cuffed to each forearm and his body was frail and twisted. As I turned the corner onto the street he was very painstakingly making his way down, our eyes met. He looked weathered. The type of weathered that comes from chronic pain. My heart ached for him.
A few days later, bitching under my breath because I had to pick up a new formulation of thyroid medication at the drug store, I rushed into CVS to pick up my prescription. There standing in line waiting for his medication was the man with walking canes. I was stunned. He had to have walked at least two miles to get to this particular drug store. On canes, in the heat of summer, twisted, frail and probably in pain.
This man joked with the pharmacist, took his medication and very, very slowly made his way back (UP THE HILL) this time to his house. Before he left the store, several of us offered him a ride but he refused claiming he needed the exercise.
I went back to my car and cried. I decided that day that there would be no more bitching, whining and complaining about where I thought I wasn’t. I could walk without a cane, let alone two, I might be metabolically challenged but I was healthy, had a good mind, was well-fed and well employed (and still am of course). I remember being so THANKFUL and feeling blessed. I still feel that way.
Sometimes when I want to whine that I’m not in the mood to work out or that I am too tired, I think of the man with the canes and I get inspired. I still see him from time to time, walking his hill, one half step at a time throwing his legs forward. As I pass I wave. He always stops to smile and wave back. Like Suz, he sings his own song.
Working out, running, cycling and choosing which foods will go into my body are all privileges that stem from the everlasting grace of choice! The Universe does not OWE me these. I attract them with thought and action. Before most workouts, I literally say to myself, “Today I GET to do legs or today I GET to run”. I thank my body for participating and I really mean it from the bottom of my heart.
Whining, complaining and making excuses are a subterfuge to keep doing what’s comfortable to keep being “small”.
I wonder what the woman who claimed doing your program was impossible because of her kids will leave as her legacy when she’s dead? When she dies from complications of obesity will they remember her saying “Sorry, you all were in the picture and I just couldn’t live a healthy life so I had to die early?” When you play that kind logic out, it doesn’t seem to make as much sense as when you use it as an excuse. Or maybe she could say “Sorry for missing your wedding and my grandchildren but putting up barriers so I didn’t have to do something hard and blaming everyone else (including the clock) were more important.” This may sound judgmental and cruel but I am passionate about accountability.
There are those who aren’t ready to take this on (the 10 in 10 or any other life changing shift) and certainly everyone has challenges and I agree with you, that’s ok. But being accountable is a choice, like eating healthy foods, looking at exercise as a privilege and being thankful for your blessings.
Suz knows it. The man with the canes knows it (I think his name is Thomas, he had trouble speaking so I wasn’t sure if I heard it correctly) and now, I know it and it influences my life every minute of every day.
Thanks for this little bit of ass kicking - I couldn’t agree with you more! I hope your almost-fired client gets the picture or at least looks around her enough to discover that accountability is a saving grace. No matter how ugly it is, it’s yours so OWN IT! You will have the power of choice at your disposal if you do.
Posted on Nov 07, 2005 04:59 PM
Jon Benson said:
Elisa;
Great post! Thanks for the story…and it’s quite inspiring.
As for my ex-client…who knows what she was thinking other than GIGO, you know? I suppose she’ll blame someone else for most things in her life, which is a shame. Everyone is capable of so much more than that…everyone.
Posted on Nov 08, 2005 12:48 AM
Jon Benson said:
To Geoff:
You bet mate…what excuses indeed. Keep us flooded with all the success you’re having. I really dig reading your responses, and I bet everyone else does as well.
To Lee:
Achtung, Baby… : )
To Sherri:
This one is easy: the FDA is a puppet for whatever big-bucks DC supporters come their way. I dare anyone to challenge me on this despite your political leanings left or right. It doesn’t matter…the FDA’s head is somewhere up a pipe. From keeping drugs away from us that have been proven for years to work in Europe, to (now, with the CODEX movement, which has FDA support, funding and chairpersons on its evil little side) wanting to make you get a prescription for 2,000mg of vitamin C…well, they just suck.
The simple answer is that they really don’t give a - - - -.
If CODEX passes, I’m moving to Canada.
To Tracey:
10-4 on the backdoor… : )
To Alyson:
Shouldn’t you be training M-Power clients and making them hotties like yourself? What am I paying you for girl? : ) (Everyone, meet one of our finest, Alyson…and she’s the only MP trainer who is actively reading my blog, which means she gets the first raise… : )
How long…until you begin to cramp if you’re hard-core. As long as you can…usually the lungs will give out prior to the abs. Great movement for anyone at anytime. NO excuses for “no time for abs” with the vacuum.
To Jeanne:
That’s too cool! Keep us posted…you’re right on target!
Posted on Nov 08, 2005 01:13 AM
Deb said:
I love ya, man, really. But ya need to give a little “cry-baby” warning before the next Suz story. I hate crying all my keyboard.
Posted on Nov 08, 2005 05:24 AM
Jon Benson said:
Sorry Deb…I’ll post a starburst next time. : )
Posted on Nov 09, 2005 01:20 AM
Poek said:
Hi Jon:
Sorry, but I’m just catching up on the past few days’ entries, so I’m a little late in responding. I didn’t plan on it tonight, but the gym was closed unexpectedly (no, I really did not cheer), so I drove home from work earlier than I intended, ran into a massive traffic jam caused by an accident (when it rains here in rainy Holland, normally capable drivers can’t seem to cope), so a 20-minute trip turned into a 2-hour trip instead. I didn’t feel like eating yet (this is the first time I’m staggering my calories and I’ve started upping my 4 MMs to 5 MMs a day - today’s my first high-cal day and it takes some getting used to), so I powered up the pc…and got really, really caught up in the entries here. (The Cajun chicken and my home-made coleslaw can wait a while :-) Anyway, excuse the rambling, but I just wanted to add my two cents and say that you should realize that there are a lot of positive, appreciative MP’ers out there who enjoy your creativity, love your humor, admire your candor and honesty. Like me, they may not be fervent bloggers, or quick to pick up the phone and ring you or even email you to tell you of their appreciation and how you inspire them and how they admire you for being you, but believe me, they’re there! I don’t believe I thanked you for sending me your EODD program - free of charge! (uh-oh, shouldn’t I have mentioned that? ;-) - because I got really impatient waiting for my personalized MP program to arrive. (Isn’t he just great folks?) Not that I was or am ungrateful, but rather that I thought you get thousands of emails daily so I didn’t want to add to that. So here it is: THANKS!! And as to reaching your goal of a million lives changed - if anyone can do it, you can.
You’re soooo right, it’s absolutely a priority to figure out the why first and to get the mind thinking right. I turned 40 in October and the realization hit me that I’ve been struggling with my weight since my early teens. And I’m not obese, it’s “just” some 20 lbs (of unwanted fat of course :-) that I wanna say goodbye to, but it might as well have been 200. And would you believe that I wasn’t even overweight when I started crash dieting at 12? I became overweight because I dieted. (If you guys out there have teenage girls, please, please keep an eye on them. They can so easily be influenced by fashion magazines filled with anorexic models and actresses.) And because I knew next to nothing about nutrition (a lot of people don’t in my home country; our kids here are heading in the same direction as those in the USA and that’s really sad!). Thanks to you Jon, and Tom Venuto, and the beautiful Jan, I have come so far in the knowledge department. But as you say, what’s knowledge if I don’t put it to good use? Do I want to make my weight the main focus of my life for the next 40 years? NO!! Is that a big enough why for me? Well, it’s certainly working. (Skimpy bikini, white beach, beautiful and single men, plural, here I come!) No, it won’t be easy, but you know what, I’m really okay with that. I look forward to reaching my goal weight and then I’ll look forward to maintaining my trim and healthy body. I feel like I’ve put my life on hold for over 30 years and I’m done with that, dammit!
Elisa:
Thanks so much for sharing Thomas’ story with us. His and Suz’s courage leave me speechless. We still have so much to learn, don’t we?
With warm hugs from a wet and windy Holland,
Poek
P.S. Jon, I loved your Whys. Okay if I copy them for myself? I’ll have to think of a suitable alternative gender-wise for #5 though :-)
By the way, although I enjoy your “after” photos and am sure that they’re an inspiration for men, I have to admit that I kinda miss similar inspiring material for us gals. You know what photo really grabbed my attention? The one on Tom V’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle home page. And of course Jan’s photo (I really can’t believe she used to be obese, that really blows my mind!!!!)
Posted on Nov 10, 2005 03:09 PM
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