Your Worst Enemy

Your ultimate worst enemy, the one that always gets in your way, stops your dreams, goals, etc., is Doubt and Fear. Namely, parts of you stemmed from your ego.

Those voices inside of your head that puts doubt/fear into a plan that could be great for you. When you have the thought of "That would be a great idea!" "I think this will work", they say, "Are you sure? It will be hard", "It's too tough", "You don't have the time", etc. There is a huge laundry list of things the ego says to stop you from your dreams/goals/aspirations.

Those voices kept me in control until I finally stopped listening to the doubt/fear and started investing in myself: fitness, working out, eating right, and knowing that the results were not coming from a magic pill but a sure-fire process/program that was completed through hard work. I started at 225 pounds, and through the hard work I put in (and continually do), I lost 62 pounds and am in the best shape in my life.

P90X, Shakeology, and always thinking of what I'm going to eat was the way for me. Yeah, the workouts are long, but before my transformation I found myself spending an hour or more playing games, watching tv, etc. I still enjoy those things, but now at a more controlled, less addictive kind of way.


Now that I have the energy/body that I truly appreciate, I find it easier going on long walks with my dog, doing 5k's with my wife, spending more time at home, and overall having that "can-do" attitude - those voices do not control me anymore.

Being a Fitness/Wellness Coach now I enjoy helping those that want to achieve their own fitness goals. Those that tell me that they achieved their goals thanks to my help, motivation, and willingness to push them  is the best feeling. Fitness and Music are my two big passions, and I love every day working with those aspects.

I invite those out there that want to get REAL results to reach out to me by either message, email, or by comments below.
 
Brandon Shostak is my name - if you Google Search me you'll most likely come across my profiles.

Yes, it's scary to ask for help - but if you really want those results you've been looking for, if you want that energy to keep up with your kids/friends/family, if you want to look in the mirror like I did and when you are finished with a workout/program you say to yourself, "I did it" -- all you need to do is ask.

"You + Choice + Behavior + Habit + Compounded = Goals" - Darren Hardy

Keep pushing Play,
Brandon S.

Fueling your body right

Hey all -
Simple post: fuel your body in the right way.

-Stay away from sugar! Things that are labeled "fat-free" usually doesn't help; the sugar is still in there.

If you'd like to read a load of reasons why sugar is not good for you, check out this article:

http://nancyappleton.com/141-reasons-sugar-ruins-your-health/

...now I want to put out there I don't 100%, fully support each statement; take it for what you will. All I know is that we all need to cut down on our sugar intake - it's really addictive, hard to get off the habit, but let me tell you - you will be better for it. Your body will thank you.

Eating right doesn't have to be crunching the numbers, always counting calories/fat/carb/protein/etc...it's bound to make you go insane! Plus if you start that radically rather than having a small, successful approach to it you'll find yourself falling out of it.

Tony Horton puts it as: look at your plate. If your great-great-great-great Grandmother could name the items, you're on your way.


Veggies, fruits, lean proteins (salmon, chicken, fish). It might seem daunting to change your eating habits but there are simple ways to make this food taste great - it just takes some discipline and setting up a plan that will work for you.

My routine is this: Oatmeal/something moderately high in protein for Breakfast, Lunch is usually my Shakeology, Supper is either a salad or something light.

Eat more frequent, less portions. I would say I eat 4-5 meals a day and my energy is through the roof! (Most days without coffee too).

Shakeology is my go-to meal :). It's a meal replacement shake with over 70 natural ingredients from around the world. Super-foods are slung through this rocker of a shake, and the combinations of flavors/recipes you can make are mind-boggling.

So, keep nutrition simple people! Don't overwork yourself in crazy-calorie-counting; I tried it, I went nuts!

Salads, Shakeology, and healthy snacks - I know it works for me, and I like to tell my workout peeps this:

Exercise is spelled - W-O-R-K-O-U-T
Fitness is spelled - N-U-T-R-I-T-I-O-N

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/healthy-eating-overview

20% is how you move/workout, 80% what you eat. 

Keep pushing Play,
Stakman (Brandon S.)

New Chapters in Development

Hey all -
Just finished Darren Hardy's Book, The Compound Effect. So charged up at the end, I'm ready to tackle the world!

The lessons in this book are pure diamond in value, yet so simple to understand. In the end of the book I was also thinking of my own goals, (Family, Fitness, Music, Work) and it all became clear what I had to do.

Like the book ends, it says the one thing that will get your goal-achieving process in motion: Choice.

Are you going to make the choice to invest in yourself?

I also had a great takeaway about doing the Unexpected/Extraordinary - quoted by Mr. Hardy, "What's popular is average, it's what's common. Common things deliver common results"

In your areas of your life, are you finally going to get going and decide to work on the Extraordinary work it will take to achieve success? I know I'm nowhere near finished, and I hope I never will be finished. It's what makes me push Play everyday; in Family, Fitness, Music, and Work.

 

Decide today and take ACTION on your goals. If that little seed of doubt creeps in, crush it into the ground, avoid the negative, and plan so your dreams become deadlines.

~Keep pushing Play~

Stakman (Brandon Shostak)

Takeaway Notebook

Hey all -
Been reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, and let me tell you - GREAT TAKE-AWAYS!

What is a takeaway? A snip-it of great ideas/tips/quotes/thoughts/etc that you take away from the reading. Not only do I highlight these, but I have an on-going notebook of all of my takeaways. It's a nice reminder to keep them fresh, and in different places, because the book might be stored away, but if you have it all written down you have a great collection of quotes/thoughts/tips/etc at your fingertips.

Today's take away is from that book, talking about influences in your life - having your own Board of Advisors on areas in life you want to improve on - and asking them to be mentors in those fields for you.

The great thing is, a mentor doesn't have to be in physical form - it can be in DVD/Audiobook/CD/Podcasts/you name it!

If you always keep in mind your top 5 people you associate with you can have a great advantage or a poor disadvantage at how you approach life.

Think of your top 5 - who do you need to remove? Add? Limit your association with?

Tough choices will have to be made, yes, but it's all worth it - the real tough decision is that question: are you willing to make the tough choices for the success you want?

While reviewing this post - I also venture on Youtube, so set my day right :) - I found a Great TED Talk by  Eduardo Briceno talking about the Power of Belief: check it out:

Make this day about growth, seeking out your own Board of Advisors, and always keeping that Growth Mindset.


Keep pushing Play,
Stakman
(Brandon Shostak)

A great tip to a more Happier & Successful Life

Hey all -
Super happy this morning, not only for good sleep, but also thanks to my coffee - love that stuff :)

Just wanted to post this message because it might seem suitable for some people out there.

A while ago I knew something was off, and I just wasn't happy - I now realize what the missing piece was: Gratitude.

If you wake up everyday, take 10 minutes lying in bed, thinking of the people that matter most to you, silently send them some loving thoughts, review 5-10 (or more!) things that you are grateful for, you will be shocked at how your overall outlook/disposition will be.

Below is a video I found through a blog called www.rawforbeauty.com - great site - various posts about health, yoga, fitness, inspiration, and overall great posts.

 

I'm all about moving/inspirational videos, and I thought this one just fit the bill - impromptu singing :). 

Now, I know there are some people out there that will immediately say, "Fake!", and I did look into it - Carlos Whittaker has a blog (http://ragamuffinsoul.com/ if you want to check it out) , writes in a later blog about how he hasn't met up with Danny since that video, and for what it's worth, it's real to me :)

So people, wake up keeping those Gratitudes in check - you'll be amazed at how your outlook will change for the better.

Keep pushing Play - fitness, wellness, dreams :D

Stakman

A Great Teacher

It may come as a surprise, but today's blog post is about me but also about one of my teachers: Ellie.

Ellie is Amy and I's Lab/Boxer/Pit Bull mix, and she's a little over 2 years old now. We got her at 10 weeks old as a rescue. I read relentless amounts of Cesar Milan books/videos so I could train her well. At the time I was teaching and it was mid-June, so I had plenty of the summer to be with her and train her.

I believe she has been trained well, even though I know there are still things I teach/reinforce everyday.

On our walk today at a brisk pace (post-workout shorts in freezing temps, yup, we're walking briskly) gave me a peace of mind, enjoying the morning sounds: the crunch of the frost on the grass as she's walking, the click of her paws on the cement, cars starting and window scraping....so glad we have a garage :).

I was thinking during our walk where I came from and how I got to here...

I grew up in Le Mars, IA - Ice Cream Capital of the World. My childhood revolved around ice cream more than your typical kid thanks to this fact and also due to my mother loving it as well - I could always talk her into us having a mini-ice cream social nightly.

In high school I didn't really take control of my eating habits, and they stayed the stagnant-same throughout college. After I graduated and started teaching I realized how I looked wasn't what I wanted and I started trying to lose weight. Among stress of the work caused a drinking problem and it was difficult for me. The health regiment
didn't work at first through various programs (TurboJam, Tae Bo, Hip Hop Abs, etc), but then I found P90X. Through that program and Tony's awesome energy/focus to keep me accountable I've lost 60 pounds - not an easy feat for me but I'm proud of it! The reason/catalyst why I started was because I want to stay around as long as I can on this rock with my amazing college-sweetheart/wife, Amy :). She is an ER nurse, saves lives daily, and has the patience of a Buddhist monk. She puts up with me but we really enjoy each others company. I knew that in order to stay on this rock and fight the heart conditions from my father's side and high blood pressure from my mother's side I needed to get serious. Beachbody and the programs are a true life saver. As a Beachbody coach I strive to help others achieve their fitness/wellness goals and I have a BLAST doing so! No, it is not about the money; it's about helping others and knowing that I was a part of that True Success. Why not ask me how to help you? It's just a question, and believe me, if I could do it, you can definitely achieve those goals too.

...so back to the walk...

as I'm walking, sometimes I like to glance down at Ellie and see how she reacts to everything. I'm always amazed at her focus. When I'm truly in the NOW moment, walking and always looking ahead, so is she. When I stop to take a break, she sniffs the ground (and pretty much everything else her leash length will allow) and explores. When I tug the leash and get walking again, she's right there with me.

Ellie truly teaches me the "Living in the NOW" lesson. Dogs don't stew on the past, nor fret about the future - they work in the NOW moment. It's so refreshing to think about that mindset. Work on what you can do now, plan ahead, but don't fret about what has happened or what is about to - do what you can control now and let the rest play out.

I apply this lesson to everywhere I go, but at some times I do forget...being human, you know. I know that living in the NOW is essential to health, because I truly believe us humans give ourselves way too much grief/stress/pressure about (it seems) everything! Our body, schedule, income, car, house, spouse, work, you name it - we create these dialogues in our head, most of which will never come true, about situations with people/circumstances in which we don't look forward to!

Why don't we live in the NOW moment more often? That's the question to ask yourself. When should you think about it? Why not NOW?

Ok...now what?

To be honest, this post will be difficult to hit “send” because this will outline a lot of what I always think of as my failures. I know I should more look at them as things that make me me, the journey and the things that I learned along the way, so maybe after I therapeutically put it all out I will hopefully have a different mindset.

I grew up in Le Mars, IA – Ice Cream Capitol of the World. Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream was/is made at my hometown, and it was a HUGE staple of what the town boasted. Really I think the title of the town should not be “Ice Cream Capitol of the World” but more-so “Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream – the main thing that is really keeping this town thriving”. Growing up though in the town was a great experience – great family, friends, and neighbors; it seemed like everywhere you went people were happy, would always wave, and the feel of the town is really cozy. 

Along with the title though, I had terrible eating habits. Ice cream was pretty much a staple of my diet, so I had it regularly. Fast forward into my college days and even though my eating habits got slightly better, it wasn’t at all Utopian in nature. 

I got my Music Education degree from Morningside and had a good outlook for my education career – I thought, “Now my experiences/lessons learned at Morningside will show up in the students I teach out in the classroom, wherever it may be.”

…at the time I didn’t realize that a huge punch-line of a joke was already being sent my way. 

I taught 2 years in Gowrie, IA.I would’ve taught longer, but due to budget cuts, school closings, and me being one of the newest hires, I knew my number was up. I moved to Omaha because at the time (and still now) Amy had a job at the Nebraska Medical Center. 

After marriage, I realized how my weight got out of control and that I really needed to get things in check. I got extremely serious about my health, because my Why is simply this: longer years on this Earth with my wife and future family—Period. Straight-forward goal, and I got to work. I lost 65 pounds doing so through P90X (Thanks, Tony!), and from there became a Beachbody Coach, helping others to achieve their fitness goals as well.

I finally got a job at St. Albert Catholic HS starting in the Fall, and it lasted about 2 years. I decided it wasn’t for me due after that period of time due to the facts of 1) Never becoming full-time, 2) No benefits, 3) 23-30 minute drive one-way, and most importantly, 4) It took a lot of time away from Amy and I.

So I did the gig-ing thing that only an actor knows well to do: taught lessons at a few schools, did some shows at the Rose Children’s Theater, and got more involved with my Beachbody business. I found a job at CRAVE being a server, but I informed them I wanted to not end up as a full-time server and grow into management (a field I was slightly interested in at the time).

Well, now I find myself as a Supervisor at CRAVE and helping people achieve their fitness goals with my help and through Team Beachbody.

Lately I’ve been thinking of all of the things I’ve done, the jobs I’ve held, the people I’ve met, and I sit here typing and thinking, Am I really happy?

Am I happy that I have a job that pays well? Yes. Is it my dream job? Definitely not. My dream job used to be doing the Broadway route, auditioning for gigs, serving tables, and finding my way through shows and how to eat efficiently. Now my priorities are different. I’m more and more focused on family than ever, and with my current status (of jobs, location, life)—I’m not settled. I love helping people achieve their goals (fitness, personal), and I want more of that. I want a job that when I wake up I look forward and one that I really want to give it my all. I’m not saying I half-ass my way through work, because when I’m on the clock, I put 110% in what I do, but off the clock I find myself not liking it for more reasons than the reasons why I like it.

That’s wrong, right? Isn’t our goal for us and what our parents want for us is to be happy and have it better than what they had?

My dream job is this: Helping others achieve their goals, and knowing that my help got them to that goal. I want to still be involved in music/acting, but more on a "at-home" music basis and community-involved. I’m also interested in acting, but voice-acting. If you know me at all you know I like to do voices/impersonations. Finding the voice-over job, health/wellness job through helping others, and having time to be with Amy is my dream that I repeat in my head time and time again hoping that someday I’ll wake up and my dream is a reality. 

I have faults, and I’m not perfect. I still struggle with trusting myself to achieve my own goals. I still have issues with sweets/ice cream (just talk to Amy – I become a vampire with ice cream as the blood to consume). I workout, but I have my moments (whether a day or sometimes more than 2-3 days) where I don’t eat healthy and I need that push from my friends/family. I love wine, and sometimes too much so. There was a time in the past where I found drinking to be the nice escape from stress of jobs, family, and relationships with others/situations. I focus frequently on the future, but at times so much so I forget what is going on right in front of me and don’t complete tasks that should be done sooner than later.

I’m not meaning this blog post to be “oh, woe is me” or “look at my story”, but I need to type this out and get it off my chest once and for all.

I’m stressed out about the career that I’m in and I don’t know where to go from here – I feel extremely stuck. At times I revive old grudges at individuals/situations that brought me to this place where I’m at and I blame them for how I got here.

Bottom line: Situations got me here, some controlled and others uncontrolled, but it’s up to me to get where I want to be. I am and always will work on my faults, improve myself everyday, and I’ll look for opportunities to be better in the future. I love reading self-help/inspirational books. I really do love working out – I feel good afterwards. I love playing games. I love hanging out with people, and especially catching up with old friends. I love coffee (sometimes more than others depending on how much sleep I got), and I currently have a love for Teavana tea J. I love my wife, Amy, and doing this journey all over again Amy would still be my choice.

  

-----

I do feel better posting this, and to those that are reading it and feel a bit of commonality with me, know that you are not alone. I think it’s one of life’s riddles to figure out what really your true purpose is in life, and it’s up to the experiences/people/places/actions taken that figure out the answer in the end.

Take care all --- Stakman

So excited!

Nothing gets me more pumped than when I'm watching inspirational videos, reading inspirational quotes, helping people achieve their personal/fitness goals, and knowing that what I'm doing/posting/quoting is helping others!

August is here, Beachbody Coaching is awesome! All of my participants in my challenge groups are ready and excited to start! It charges me because it reminds me of how pumped I was to finally make that step of change for ME. To invest in yourself will yield the greatest dividends = better health, improved energy, great outlook on life, and let's face it, longer life!

If you need that person in your corner to help you achieve your goals, please feel free to contact me! You can find me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc - just look for Brandon Shostak. Message me, reach out, and we together will make your dreams become deadlines!

...pretty stoked as well that I finished "21 Laws of Leadership" book by John Maxwell and looking forward to start another book on personal/professional development. Any ideas out there? Suggest away!


Well, looking forward for August bringing great change!

Looking Forward,
Brandon S.

My Why Realized

For the longest time within helping people through Beachbody I struggled with my Why. The Why is the reason(s) why you joined the Beachbody Team. I was so focused on the wrong things it finally took some deep thinking and the help of friends/mentors (Dr. Paul, I'm tagging you... :D) to really nail it:

My Why is simple: I want time with my wife. I want a life that I can build a family and that I can provide for my future children. I want to stick around on this rock called Earth long enough to enjoy time with my loved ones and . I want to go on vacations with my future family once a year, be outdoors, go on new adventures and see the sights. I want to be stress-free. I want it all, and share it all.


In January 2011 I realized that I needed to get in better shape for myself and for Amy. I didn't want my familial line of heart issues to creep up on me due to my collegiate diet (pizza, pop, beer, etc). I finally dug deep and worked hard......I mean, HARD. I watched what I ate, worked out everyday, and kept working at it. I drank Shakeology half-way through as a meal supplement (breakfast for me), and my energy shot up cah-razy! In the end of my fitness challenge from January 2011 to July 2011, I went from 225 pounds to 165 pounds, and I've kept it off.

My job as a person is to better others. Through Beachbody if I can help others shift their reality to what they want, it's a win. If I can motivate others to achieve their goals, then I feel fulfilled. I love quotes, I love to inspire others to grab their goals, and whatever I can do to help if through Beachbody, Shakeology, or just my stubborn positivity, then that's what it will be. I do make some money through selling products/programs, but it's not about that. It's about my Why. I want to help people and if people are willing to hear me out, I can possibly be that "Aha" moment that will start your goals, whatever they might be.

The thing is, my wants and my Why; they will come true. My desires for myself and Amy will come true because I'm determined enough not to let anything get in my way and I will succeed at my aspirations.

Enough said. That's all. The great thing about Life is that once you refuse to let anything get in your way of your goals, obstacles become opportunities.

Now to cuddle with my pup, read a little bit, and enjoy the rest of my night.

Dream Big - don't let anything stand in your way. Keep positive, and always know that if you want it bad enough your goals will become reality.

Movation - where does it stem from?

Short, yet sweet - Motivation.

There are numerous posters about it, people write books on it, speak about it in seminars, but my definition is based around changing, learning, and growing.

I think my motivation stemmed way back when I was tired, overweight, and not happy. I kept telling myself that I couldn't change, and that nothing would last.

Then I found Fitness and Music.

Music helped me through the emotional times, and Fitness helps tie in my emotional and physical motivations. I want to stay on this rock called Earth as long as possible, and through programs through Beachbody such as P90X, P90X2, Insanity, TurboFire and many others I find it possible to get through my day. Without a workout complete once a day, I get antsy and agitated. I have this pent up energy that I need to burn.

....some people choose to vent that energy through drama, stress, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, but I find it through Fitness. I have nothing against those listed forms, but I find them to be unhealthy. Find your Venting, I guess I would say. I know that health, wellness, and working out have gotten me not only the body/energy that I've always wanted, but also the happiness.

When I'm working out and my body says "No" but my mind says "You Can" that's where I find my motivation. That little inkling in your head that says, "You can keep on going" - that's where my motivation stems from.



Take it or leave it, that's what I think. Too many people put themselves down and not give themselves the chance to really change their future. They are stuck in their close-mindedness and they convince themselves that their dreams are not attainable.



I love the actor Will Smith and lately found this video of him talking about our words and thoughts having physical power:


...so. There you have it. Go for your dreams. Start acting upon what you want.

The only real person that is stopping from what you want is yourself.

~B.S.~

Starting a new challenge today

Just starting a new challenge today on my friend's facebook group - They are doing a 60-day Insanity challenge, and I'm joining them! I still need to get my P90X2 on, so I'm going to do a P90X2/Insanity hybrid schedule...I hope my body doesn't completely give out :D.

I've never done this combination before (have done P90X/Insanity), so I'm thankful my friend/fellow Beachbody Coach Julie V. started this challenge!

Weather is super cold outside! Mother Nature, I thought you would finally give us good temperatures!

...and later Amy and I will be traversing to a Lucky Bucket Brewery tour - so excited! Thinking of going out to a dinner/movie combo tonight - we have it budgeted out, so we have to; it's our marital duty :)

My Day so Far - Beachbody, P90X2, and yummy food

So I started my day with P90X2...and Yoga! Back to back, baby!

(click the logo to watch an in-depth video about P90X2)

Rocked the One-on-One (highly recommend for you peeps out there that have done P90X, P90X2, and are looking for some super modified/new moves that Tony does for the first time. Ah...nothing like seeing a seasoned professional try new moves for the first time and seeing him sweat and fall...

...love you Tony - don't hurt me. I've lost 65 pounds doing P90X, P90X2, Insanity, and some TurboFire here and there, and let me tell ya, it's a rocker of a company.

I'm a Beachbody coach now thanks to all of the programs plus Shakeology. If you want to check out my coach website: www.beachbodycoach.com/Stakman

...or Shakeology: www.myshakeology.com/Stakman

If you really want to change your fitness and succeed - please get a hold of me! Find me on Facebook and we can chat!

Did a bunch of chores, finished laundry, dishes, cleaning up the kitchen (we're going to have Emily over for supper - grill style, baby!), and it came to be lunch-time.

I eyed the frozen chicken breasts in the freezer, saw a whole wheat wrap in the fridge, and my stomach took over: 

BLT Chicken Wraps w/Fruit:

...I hate calorie counting. (i guess it's just digging deep and actually whittling out the numbers...so that's really my reason why; I'm lazy in that sense) ...but I'll break this guy down for ya:

-1 6 oz Chicken Breast

(grilled on skillet, added olive-oil for base, oregano/fennel/marjoram for spice)

-1 whole wheat tortilla wrap

-6 cherry tomatoes

-1/2 cup lettuce (just did the whole "salad-in-a-bag" lettuce)

1/2 cup grapes - 1/2 cup cantaloupe fruit cup

Total Calories: 588cal

Total Fat:  15.8g

Carb: 49.2g

Protein: 61.9

Quickly after I took Ellie to go get her Bordetella vaccine since we're going to have her at a kennel for a relative's wedding out of town...

 

 

Let me tell ya, that was quick! We walked in, they said hello, took her weight (which is 70.5 pounds believe it or not....she used to be such a little pup:

 Now I'm just chilling, doing some personal development with inspirational quotes, readings, etc. (I really get into that stuff). I hope to blog here again to get all of my 21 Laws of Leadership notes out of my head and onto this blog.

Lesson coming in at 5PM, grill-out to follow.

...MMMmmmm...Meat....

New Beginnings

Oh, finally - some time to blog about whatever I want to! Health, fitness, food, music-like endeavors...anything!


And that's what this blog is going to be about. Right now I'm reading a book entitled The 21 Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell. I'll be blogging about each law and what I think about it.

Then I'm a Beachbody Coach (if you don't know now you do), and I'm going to be posting about my challenges, fitness and food, new products, anything really. I lost 65 pounds by doing P90X and eating right, so Beachbody is going to be a part of this blog as well - it's important to me, so that's that :).

I'll also be posting about whatever - weird news, anything! If people give me a suggestion that I find interesting enough, I will!

...and I'll give props and attention to other blogs/people that I find worthy of  your blogging views. In fact, I have one right now - my wife, Amy. She has recently made a facebook fan page for her baking endeavors (which I think are pretty flipppin' cool), and she has a blog entitled "A Slice of My Life..." - look her blog up!

Well, off to the vet to get Ellie some shots for Kennel cough - be back soon to hopefully read another chapter about some Laws of Leadership that I find really interesting.

BS