Between long drive days and fewer options to stand and work, we are sitting way more than we were 4 months ago.

You probably already know…

Sitting is hard on your lower back, and tilting your head down to look at your monitor or phone can wreak havoc on your neck.

Mondays were the hardest.

You would think they’d be easier since the weekends are for rest (allegedly), but they weren’t. 

I’ve been nursing a sore right shoulder ever since we hit the road.

Something about moving all of those boxes and our 400-pound couch didn’t agree with it.

It’s been healing at what feels like a snail’s pace, and I was almost back to full function, until two days ago.

The gym we’ve been going to has a separate room with a “rig,” like you’d see in a CrossFit gym.

Why not jump up and see if I can still do the gymnastics move called a “bar muscle-up”?

Ever tried to get in shape or lose weight by “eating better” and “moving more”?

Lord knows I have.

It doesn’t work — and here’s why:

It’s 5am as I’m writing this.

Why?

Because apparently Tucson, Arizona is on Pacific Time, and my body hasn’t gotten the memo.

So here I am—wide awake, drinking coffee in the dark—thinking about something we heard on the drive Saturday.

We had The Dave Ramsey Show playing (because we’re wild like that), and a caller came on and dropped this bomb:

We were listening to a podcast on the drive to New Mexico this morning.

The subject was health and longevity.

It got me thinking…

You don’t want to wait in line at the pharmacy every week.
You’d rather spend that time doing things you love.

You don’t want to feel tired and need a nap in the middle of the day.
You’d rather power through, energized, and look forward to bedtime—excited to do it all again tomorrow.

Let’s be honest for a second.

You want to be healthy, live longer, get good news at the doctor’s office… 

But also?

You want to look like you work out.

Not “I paid $200 for this outfit ” fit.

Not “I burned 600 calories on my watch” fit.

Not “I’m healthy-ish, but no one really knows I work out” fit.

Greetings from West Texas. A part of the Lone Star State that’s part Mars, and part Utah.

We enjoyed being tourists on Saturday afternoon, as we keep working through the “dip” I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.

Living and working full-time in our Airstream has been… Interesting.

This morning, Steve woke up refreshed after 9 solid hours of peaceful, melatonin-free sleep.

His WHOOP said his recovery was 101%.

The birds outside his window were harmonizing in three-part harmony. It was weird, but nice.

He stepped into the kitchen where his pre-tracked, perfectly macro-balanced overnight oats were waiting. He savored every bite. Then he flossed. Twice.

Eliminating carbs to lose weight is like cutting out deodorant to save money.
It might work… but there’s a more enjoyable way—for you andeveryone around you.

The fitness world is overflowing with wild ideas.

You could eat only meat.

You could fast for 72 hours.

You could get 20,000 steps per day, weigh every almond you eat, and avoid anything that makes your blood sugar go up.

This is an example of how most people are messing up their fitness.

They’re running around swinging towels—aka chasing every calorie-burning workout they can find.

More cardio. More sweating. More high-intensity classes that feel like punishment for eating carbs.

But it’s all just swatting bugs. Lots of effort, zero strategy.

We just hit the 2-month mark of moving into our Airstream for full-time living, working, and traveling.

It’s been pretty dang fantastic so far. But, in the interest of full transparency, we’ve been riding the struggle bus the last week or two.

Nothing’s gone “wrong” per se; we’ve just been in a bit of a slump.

More questioning. More bickering. (What? You and your partner in crime NEVER argue? Right.) And more of that oh-so-fun decision fatigue

It’s called being in a dip.

Let’s clear the air, shall we?

Deadlifts have a reputation for being dangerous or “bad for your back” — and it’s time we change that.

Some folks hear the word “deadlift” and immediately picture a meathead in a stringer screaming while cat-back wrenching too much weight off the floor.

CrossFit has done a lot to help dispel this myth, but there’s still a long way to go.

In reality, the deadlift is one of the most useful movements for everyday people like you and me.

Along with the squat, deadlifts are one of the best lifts for total-body strength, longevity, and joint health.

Today was a good day, but I’m a little frustrated.

Not at you—for you.

Because if you’re the person I’m thinking of, you’ve been putting in the work. You’ve shown up. Logged the workouts. Stayed pretty darn consistent.

And yet... you’re not significantly stronger. You don’t feel much different. And if we’re being honest, you don’t look that much different either.

You, my friend, are the Frustrated Fitness Fanatic.

Think about this for a second.

You’re the best driver in the world.

If there were a full cup of coffee on your hood for a thousand miles, you wouldn’t spill a drop.

Your turns? Flawless. Parallel parking? A work of art.

But none of that matters.

Sometimes I don’t feel like working out, or making the healthy food choice in front of me.

I tell you that for three reasons:

#1 – To let you know that if you’re like me and sometimes feel the same way, you’re normal. Well, as normal as I am anyway…

#2 – To remind you that even in those “meh” moments of low motivation, you can still do the right thing.

#3 – There will be times when you don’t do the “right thing,” and that’s okay too.

Blakley and I have been working out at the wellness center here in Fredericksburg, TX, and I have to say—it’s awesome to see so many people in the gym, putting in work.