113: How to Become Consistent with Fitness After Yo-Yoing for Years (Cody S.)

Cody, today’s Better Man Podcast guest, has been obese for most of his life. Even as a kid, Cody was always bigger than the other kids. But after graduating nursing school in 2014, he realized he had to lose weight.  And so, he lost 70 pounds in short order.    But there was one problem: He didn’t do it in a sustainable way—and so the weight returned.    Cody had another “oh shit” moment after he became a dad. He wanted to not only be around for his kids, but he wanted them to admire him. He wanted to watch them grow. And he wanted to meet (and play with) his grandchildren one day.    But as he started getting back into fitness, the pandemic hit. All the gyms were closed, and he was worried about losing the spark of motivation he had after becoming a dad.   That’s when Cody joined Man Flow Yoga—and the rest is history. Well, kinda…    Even though Cody consistently followed his Man Flow Yoga workouts, having another kid rocked his world, and his routine fell by the wayside. He yo-yoed again with his fitness, but this time around, he developed a mindset that allowed him to not fall off the wagon so hard. Or take so long to get back onto it.    And in this episode, Cody shares…    How to become more consistent with exercise (even after life gets in the way) The single most important mindset shift that empowered Cody to not give up completely after falling off the wagon Why addressing his mental health first made fitness and weight loss easier And more!    Other highlights from this show include:    How to overcome lifelong obesity (even if you still yo-yo with your diet and fitness) (2:35)  The dark side of shedding 70 lbs of fat that most men ignore (3:01)  The insidious “happy fat” trap young men fall into (and how to prevent it) (3:17)  Why this nurse practitioner recommends exercise and weight loss to help avoid lifeline medications and chronic pain (5:40)  Do you have too much inflammation in your body? Here’s why your food might be to blame… (12:29)  Why addressing any lingering signs of anxiety and depression makes weight loss easier (16:16)  How changing one word in your vocabulary makes you actually look forward to working out (22:12)  The single most deadly “pandemic” that only affects men (37:53)    Listen now!   Quotes from this episode’s guest:    (2:57) When I first graduated nursing school in 2014, I realized that I needed to make a change. And I lost 70 pounds at that point, but I didn't do it in a way that was sustainable. (3:17) I went from 270 down to 190 and I thought I was invincible. And then something happened in my very young adult life that I wasn't prepared for: I met my wife. I got happy. I got what I call “happy fat,” like many of us do. (16:34) It finally clicked that if I did not address my anxiety and my depression, that I would never make any permanent long-term success in my weight loss and my health and wellness would continue to deteriorate. (21:08) But after that first workout, I felt stronger. I remember feeling sore - in a good way. Like I got a good pump.  (28:16) Doing anything is better than doing nothing. (37:05) When I first started on my fitness journey, I joined a few men's like weightlifting and weight loss Facebook groups and they were good. They were really good. But I remember when I joined the Man Flow Yoga Community, I've never experienced an outpouring of support and of guidance like that.    Related Article:   How Man Flow Yoga Unlocks PRs In Running, Weight Lifting, and even Mental Health (Member Highlight: Cody Sliger)   Other important links:    Want to unlock more flexibility and strength, reduce your risk of injury, and feel your absolute best over the next 7 days? Then join the FREE 7-Day Beginner’s Yoga for Men Challenge here: https://shrtlnk.co/pTVc7    Tired of doing a form of yoga that causes more injuries than it helps prevent? The cold, hard truth is men need yoga specifically designed for them. Well, here's some good news: You can start your 7-day free trial to Man Flow Yoga by visiting https://shrtlnk.co/kP8M7