The Members’ Area Success Formula

Welcome to the Man Flow Yoga Members’ Area Success Formula. The Success Formula came about as a result of my one-on-one training consultations with members of the Man Flow Yoga Community. After a few lessons, I realized that I was giving out the same information and advice over and over again, and figured out that a majority of our Members were in need of similar advice. It was with this realization that I created the Members’ Area Success Formula, and am now giving that to you here in video and blog format.

The Members’ Area Success Formula covers not just practices and routines, but mindset as well. It includes 4 components: exercise, eating habits, sleep, & why.

• Exercise – How should you choose your workouts? When should you workout? Two strategies and tips for scheduling your workouts are included in this component.
• Eating Habits – I use the term “eating habits” instead of diet because you should be thinking of what you eat to be healthy as a lifetime practice – not a temporary means to an end.
• Sleep – Sleep practices and habits to ensure you are sleeping well, as this is a crucial, often overlooked aspect of fitness. Sleep better and you’ll recover more quickly, grow stronger, and get better.
• Why – Quite simply, your why is your reason for working out. This is your intrinsic motivation for working out, and it is your main source of energy for sticking to a workout program – especially when you don’t feel like doing it!

Exercise

• For beginners, I suggest 3 times per week, 20 minutes per day. This is the minimum time you need to put in to get results.
• Choosing your workouts – workout programs vs. individual workouts
  • Method 1: Workout Programs – These are great if you don’t want to worry about choosing your workouts. Just pick a workout program based on your goals and availability, and get to it!
  • Method 2: Individual Workouts – I recommend this method if you’re more of a self-starter with exercise. Pick a new workout every day from the Workout Library, and keep a log of every workout you do for your personal use.
• Morning vs. evening – Feel free to choose from morning or evening. Both have their benefits, and only one may be possible based on your schedule.
• Training in the morning:
  • Do your workout within 2 hours of waking up.
  • This helps to boost metabolism, increase energy, and you have no excuse for not doing it later in the way when s*** hits the fan with work or life.
  • Recommended Workouts: Any of the “Ready, Set, Go” workouts are great for the morning. There are several variations to help you wake up and increase energy.
• Training in the evening:
  • Work out between 5 and 7 PM. Finish before 7 PM or your body won’t be ready for sleep.
  • Recommended Workouts: Take it Down A Notch. There are several variations, all designed to help relieve stress and improve sleep quality.

Eating Habits

• FOOD IS FUEL. The point of food is to give your body and your mind the energy to complete work. Every meal you have doesn’t have to be a culinary experience. In fact, the simpler it is, the better. (KISS – Keep it simple, stupid.)
• Eat unprocessed food, as close to the source as you can. If it stays fresh for over two weeks then it’s probably full of preservatives!
• Most of your plate should be veggies. On the other half, add some high quality proteins – responsibly-raised, organic, or wild-caught meats and fish – and healthy fats that you can find in nuts, olive oil, avocados, or eggs.
• In terms of staying hydrated, drink at least 4 cups of day, or 1 full glass every 2 hours.
• The benefits of coffee have been well documented in terms of health and productivity. 2 cups per day is fine, any more than that can have a negative impact on your sleep. Avoid caffeine consumption after 12:00 PM (could be even earlier based on how you react to stimulants).
• If you are staying true to the guidelines above, other supplements are not strictly necessary, but many (probably most of us) do have specific deficiencies that we should do our best to learn about and address. For info on the supplements I specifically use and recommend, click here.
• If you’re pressed for time when it comes to eating healthy, look into meal service companies. Look for paleo friendly meal prep services in your area.
• Learn more about my exact diet that I use to build muscle, stay energized, and sleep awesome by picking up a copy of the Man Flow Diet. Click here to get it now!

Sleep

• Sleep is the most critical part of your health and fitness. Do not compromise on your sleep!
• Get in the habit of having a nighttime routine. Getting great sleep on a consistent basis comes with deliberate effort – it doesn’t just magically happen.
• You need 8 hours per day, minimum. 6 hours just doesn’t cut it.
• If it’s dark, you should be getting ready for sleep or already in bed. If it’s light, you should be awake. This is how your body is meant to function.
• Minimize light exposure, especially blue light exposure, at least 3 hours before bed
  • turn off screens, dim the lights, shut down your computers
  • use blue-light blocking glasses if you can’t avoid it (click here to check out the ones I paid full price for and have been using for over a year!)
• Optimize your sleeping environment by creating a pitch-black room. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to create this effect. Even a little light can have a negative impact on your sleep – try to make it so dark that you can’t see your own hand in front of your face when your sleep environment is all set.
• Use earplugs to block out sound.
• Avoid carbs & sugars before bed. Instead, focus on proteins and healthy fats (such as wild caught salmon, avocados, or eggs).
• Use sleep aids to help you wind, such as a calming herbal tea. (Tulsi tea is my go-to!)
• Try one of the following habits to help your body wind down: meditate, pray, practice gratitude, find an easy-to-read book

Why

• Applied to the Members’ Area, your why is your reason for working out.
• Based on Simon Sinek’s book, “Start With Why”
• Get specific on just why you’re working out. Do you want to avoid daily aches and pains? Do you want to lose weight? How much weight? Do you want the ability to do certain activities? The more clarity you can provide in your goals and reasoning, the more likely you are for success.
• Your why is your intrinsic motivation for when you don’t want to workout.
• One tool I highly recommend for setting and achieving goals is a classic book written by Napoleon Hill called “Think & Grow Rich“. You can also check out the blogs I have on the subject at the links below:
  • The First Step in Developing Goals: Find Your WHY (From Dean)
  • How To Set Goals You Can Actually Complete (from Guest Blogger & MFY Community Member, Scott Bradley)

These are the Man Flow Yoga keys for success. I want to emphasize that the reason why I developed this is because I want you to be as successful as possible with the Man Flow Yoga Members’ Area. I want you to achieve your fitness goals. I want you to feel better. I want you to build muscle. I want you to lose that unwanted weight. Follow the Members’ Area Success Formula, and I guarantee that you will be successful! (If you’re not, I’m happy to give you your money back.)

Note: This version is an abbreviated version of the Members’ Area Success Formula. For the full version, please sign up for the Man Flow Yoga Members’ Area. A 7-Day Trial gets you unrestricted access to all content, workout programs, information, the MFY Community, and more! Click here to get started for just $1.

Thanks for reading! I look forward to seeing you on the workouts.

Dean