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Summary
On episode 585 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan pulls together years of scattered advice on fitness and mindset into one framework for what he calls functional fitness: training for a purpose instead of exercising for its own sake.
He breaks down commitment into your why (usually the people you care about) and your vision (the capabilities and lifestyle you want), then explains why he wants people thinking about training across 3 timeframes: short, medium, and long term.
Allan also covers SMART goals (with an added A for action based), the 5 fitness mindsets he sees most often in clients, and why he calls fitness a 401k instead of a paycheck to paycheck habit.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com/fit
Key Takeaways
- Commitment beats motivation. Allan argues that decisions and willpower fade, but commitment holds because it is tied to a clear why (usually the people in your life) and a vision of who you want to become.
- Training beats exercise as a word and a mindset. Calling it training reframes the work as purposeful movement toward a specific capability or lifestyle, instead of a chore you’re doing for no clear reason.
- Plan your fitness across 3 timeframes. Long term goals (staying healthy and independent into your 80s and beyond) should come first, short term goals give you quick wins and confidence, and medium term goals cover the life tasks and bucket list items in between.
- Short term wins should still serve the long term. Allan warns against short term goals, like chasing visible abs, that damage joints or health in ways that work against your long term vision.
- SMART goals need an extra A for action. Allan adds action based to specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound, because outcomes (like a race PR) aren’t fully in your control, but the actions that lead to them are.
- Checking off actions builds momentum. Seeing completed workouts, whether on a calendar or a training log, reinforces that you’re actually moving toward your goal and makes it easier to stay consistent.
- Self-awareness about your own blockers is ongoing work. Allan says he sees 5 recurring fitness mindsets in clients, and understanding your own can turn what feels like a weakness into something you can work with instead of against.
- Treat fitness like a 401k, not a paycheck to paycheck habit. Small, consistent deposits of effort now compound into the strength and stamina you’ll need decades from now, the same way retirement savings compound over time.
“There’s zero reason my grandfather should not have been able to play golf in his 80s.”
Coach Allan
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Episode 622 – Building the best you – part 1 of 6
Episode Notes
Podcast: 40+ Fitness
Episode: 585
Published: 2023-04-11
Host: Allan Misner (aka Coach Allan), author of The Wellness Roadmap
Guest(s): —, our co-host, Coach Rachel
Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube (audio only)