The Catalyst

The week's programming AND how to get a running start on 2025!

Commitment isn't skin deep...and our weekly workouts ahead!

"It's not about 'working out more'"...and our weekly programming!

Why You Get Hangry (And How To Stop)Ever found yourself snapping at someone only to realize that, actually, you’re just really hungry? You’re not alone; it’s a universal feeling we fondly call being “hangry” – a blend of hungry and angry. But why does this happen, and more importantly, how can you stop it?Imagine your body is like a roller coaster. This roller coaster goes up and down depending on how much sugar is in your blood. When you eat cookies or candy, whee! The roller coaster goes up, up, up! You feel amazing! But what goes up must come down. When the roller coaster drops, you feel low and cranky. That’s your body saying, “Hey, I need more fuel!”How to Regulate Your Blood SugarTo keep your roller coaster running smoothly, instead of scary ups and downs, consider these actionable tips:Eat Balanced Meals: Instead of meals full of carbs and sugar, aim for a balanced plate with protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Think chicken, avocado, and veggies.Snack Wisely: If you need a snack, avoid sugary treats like donuts. Choose something with protein and fiber like a handful of almonds.Don’t Skip Meals: Your roller coaster won’t like this! Try to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar stable.Stay Hydrated: Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day.Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps your body use up the sugar in your blood. Even a short walk can help level out those roller coaster highs and lows.Listen to Your Body: If you’re starting to feel cranky and you haven’t eaten in a while, it might be time to refuel with a balanced meal or snack.Now, you might be thinking, “Who cares if my roller coaster goes up and down a little?” Well, if you let it happen too often for too long, your body might not be able to bring the roller coaster back to a normal level. This could lead to type II diabetes, which means you’d have to take medicine and prick your finger to check your blood sugar every day. No fun, right?Take Control of Your Health TodaySo, if you’re tired of the emotional roller coaster that comes with fluctuating blood sugar levels, take action today. You’re not just preventing hanger; you’re also taking steps to ensure long-term health.Ready to make a lasting change? Book a free No-Sweat Intro at Catalyst Gym by clicking this link: No-Sweat Intro at Catalyst Gym. We’re here to help you build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle—one where “hangry” becomes a word of the past.

This week's programming AND how Habits form the foundation for fitness!

100% Is Easier Than 98%Maintaining a habit is easy and gets easier.Stopping and starting is hard and gets harder.If you do these things every day, they just become part of you. But if you skip a day, then every future day becomes optional. That means it becomes hard, because you go from "no decision" (just doing what you do) to making a decision every time.We all have decision fatigue: we make decisions all day long and it gets harder and harder to choose the decision that will help us in the long-term over the choice that will feel good in the short-term. When you're tired from making decisions, you're more likely to make bad decisions. This is why you're more likely to stop at the drive-through after a crazy busy day at work: you're not more hungry, and you're not always even short on time. You feel mentally tired from making decisoins all day. Your guard is down, so you are more susceptible to making a bad short-term decision.Instead of "it's 5:30am and time to write" you now say "it's 5:30am. Do I get up and journal, or not?"Think about how hard you have to fight to get up and write at 5:30 when your bed is warm and you're tired and you don't know what to write about and you don't really want to. You probably had that experience on your first day of the challenge. Well, if you skip a day today, you're not just going to have that experience again tomorrow...it will actually be worse, because you've just missed today, so you have permission to miss another day. You might think, "well, I broke the streak yesterday...might as well not start the streak again until tomorrow. I've already failed. It's done. I'll start again when conditions are perfect.'But conditions are never perfect on the first day. You go from simple habits to hard reps again. And the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to start.Maintaining the habit is always more important than being a perfect eater or doing a perfect workout. Because there will always be imperfect conditions or reasons to break the habit.Your fitness doesn't rise to the level of your inspiration or your energy on your best day. It falls to the level of your habits: what gets done, no matter what, even on your worst day?That's what we're really building here.100% is easier than 98%. Keep going.

Should every workout be intense?

Why Women Should Lift Heavy Weights

Our weekly programming for the week ahead!

This week: Reps > Habits > SkillsAnd our weekly programming!

In the next 30 days, we’re going to clean up your lifestyle, fix your metabolism and clear your head.If you really want to change your life, you have to start by changing your habits. You become the things that you do. We want you to improve your life by doing the RIGHT things without thinking about them.And we’re going to do it together. Because change is hard, we’re going to support you with coaching and a peer group like only Catalyst can.This is the Golden Habits Challenge:0 Sweet Treats0 Alcohol60 minutes of movement daily.250 words of journaling dailyNone of these habits are easy. The first few days without extra sugar are going to be a challenge. And that’s why we’re going through it together. We can leverage the power of the group for accountability.The biggest barrier to success will be in your own head. To help, we’ve added a price and a prize.First, the challenge costs $99. Register here. The price is there to get you coaching, but mostly to hold you accountable. It’s just barely costly enough for you to take it seriously. But you can do it: bet on yourself.Second, tracking. You’re going to record your success every day on a simple pen-and-ink tracking sheet. You’ll post this on your refrigerator or somewhere else in your home.Third, the prize: the golden Catalyst t-shirt. You can’t buy these: you have to earn them. You earn one by hitting 90% compliance (or 108 checked boxes) on your tracking sheet.Fourth, the future: at the end of the challenge, you’ll sit down with your coach, look at your Habits tracking, and get your next steps.FAQWhen does this run?November 1-30, 2024.What results should I see by the end?You’re probably going to lose a couple of pounds. You’ll definitely feel sharper. And you’ll gain resilience: you’ll have made it through something tough.But more importantly, you’ll have a running start at a habit that you might keep forever. When I gave up alcohol to improve my performance on the bike, it felt like a big sacrifice to say “no” to beer all summer. But that was over a year ago. Now I’m 14lbs lighter, far fitter and I don’t really care about beer after all.You don’t have to commit to giving up alcohol and treats forever. But if you do it for 30 days, you’ll be through the worst part, and then you can decide what to do next. Diets aren’t sustainable; that’s why they don’t work. Habits are sustainable forever.What support will we get?You’ll get daily tips and knowledge through a private Facebook group. You’ll also get support from Coach Jess, as well as the other challenge participants.Other questions? Please email [email protected] and we’ll answer them!In the meantime, sign up here: GOLDEN HABITS CHALLENGE

https://catalystgym.com/client-stories/who-are-you-in-the-gym/

https://catalystgym.com/motivational/why-were-a-coaching-business/

Building Momentum: Why the Second Day Is Harderhttps://catalystgym.com/motivational/motivation-momentum-second-day-harder/

Our weekly preview of Catalyst workouts ahead, and "Should Every Workout Be Hard?"https://catalystgym.com/motivational/every-workout-hard/

Every week, I preview our group workouts ahead, and share one lesson from my 30 years coaching fitness. This week:The top 3 exercises for adults over 50

What to do between workouts, and the week ahead in our group programming!

How shortcuts hurt your healthAnd the week's workouts ahead!

Optimizing, not pulverizingAnd our week's programming ahead!

10 Steps to Make Yourself Happier, and our weekly workouts ahead!

How I Meditate (The Easy Way) and the week ahead in our workouts!

The Pareto PrincipleAnd this week's programming!

Today: Habit Stackingand a preview of this week's program!

Why We Don't Use (Many) Machines:https://catalystgym.com/uncategorized/why-we-dont-use-many-machines/And our weekly group programming!

Our weekly programming, and How to Get Your Kid to Exercise

The Benefits of Partner WorkoutsAND our week ahead at the gym!

Turning flaws Into Gold...and our week ahead!

The 3 Types of DietsAnd your weekly Catalyst program!

How To Survive a Heart AttackAnd this week's Catalyst program!

- **Understanding Zone 1**: Zone 1 is characterized as being active but not necessarily exercising. This concept is crucial because most of our daily lives are spent in a passive state where we consume continuously—watching Netflix, scrolling through phone content, driving while absorbing advertising, and consuming sugary foods. Gradually, these activities start to consume us instead.- **The Problem of Modern Life**: Despite working shorter days, many people feel they have less time. The issue is not time itself, but rather the lack of attention. Life tends to happen passively to us. To initiate change, we must actively engage in the process rather than waiting for external changes or for others to act.- **Taking Action in Zone 1**: To take control and initiate change, it is important to become proactive in Zone 1. This means engaging in activities that enhance your life, such as: - Walking - Working on projects that increase time or wealth - Meditating (could be moving meditation, written, or prayer) - Stretching - Preparing meals for the day - Reading actively (as opposed to passive listening)- **Morning Routine for Empowerment**: Implementing a morning routine where you prioritize self-improvement activities can significantly impact your day. By focusing on personal development before engaging with the external world, you set a tone of growth and resistance against stagnation. A recommended resource for enhancing morning routines is "Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod.- **Simple Life Hack – Owning a Dog**: Getting a dog can naturally structure your morning to be more productive. Dogs require early morning walks, providing an opportunity to meditate and reflect. After the walk, you can use the remainder of the time to focus on personal growth, business development, enhancing fitness, or improving relationships.

Every person needs a goal, a plan and someone to hold them to the plan.Today, I'm going to tell you how to do all three.Our Daily Catalyst is a free daily workout (and more) to improve your health. You can do it in an hour or less. Book with one of our coaches to get YOUR plan.https://catalystgym.com/daily-catalyst/

How can you calculate your max heart rate or your heart-rate zones and use them to optimize your training? In today's episode of The Catalyst, Mike Watson takes you through three different ways to find your maximum heart rate. The methods range from "no expensive equipment required" all the way to metabolic testing in your local gym or fitness facility. For more information visit https://catalystgym.com/1:26 - The "Good": Formulas for max HR or wearables3:43 - The "Better": Ramp testing4:47 - The "Best": PNOĒ or metabolic testing

If you know what Orangetheory is, you're probably assuming Catalyst's model is exactly the same. But that's not the case. The difference is that Orangetheory is a franchise. In the fitness industry, good franchises can work. But their model must be efficient and generalized, not prescriptive. Catalyst isn't a franchise. In today's episode, Chris Cooper explains why Catalyst's personalized prescriptive model is more effective for individuals than a large franchise model. He also touches more on the importance of having prescribed workouts from a coach who knows you, and how heart rate and zone training plays into this. Find out more at https://catalystgym.com/00:50 What is Orangetheory?01:14 The key to a good franchise02:34 The prescriptive model06:04 The importance of changing your prescription when needed

The Catalyst Method: why—and how—does it evolve so frequently?In any good business, you need to change your method whenever you find a better way to fulfill your mission and help your clients. In today's episode of The Catalyst, Chris Cooper explains the mission-model-method concept and what the "three M's" mean for his gym. He also explores his personal business philosophy and explains and why it's important to adapt to new science in order to serve your clients in the best way possible. Find out more at Cataystgym.com.00:18 - Creation of the Catalyst model 01:56 - Mission of Catalyst02:26 - Model of Catalyst05:47 - Evolving the model06:25 - Method of Catalyst08:04 - Following new science and technology09:37 - The next evolution of Catalyst

Vaughn Smith is a competitive fitness athlete who used to have one speed: all out.When he started feeling poorly after endless bouts of hard training, he started looking for a better way and discovered heart-rate training. But he was scared: If he slowed down in training, would he perform well in competition? In this episode of The Catalyst, coach Mike Watson talks to Vaughn about how training optimally produced impressive competition results and gave Vaughn more time and energy to spend on other aspects of his life.If you're burned out all the time and want to find out how to train smarter, this is the show for you. And if your coach is asking you to slow down now to speed up later, listen so you understand why this approach is a long-term investment in your health and fitness.LinksInterview With Ticker Trained Vaughn Smith: https://youtu.be/MVt0cjQggrUVaughn Smith Metabolic Analysis Follow Up: https://youtu.be/ZBQjsnTOJy8 1:24 - Vaughn's story and background12:50 - Vaughn's initial test results16:07 - Competition results18:54 - Life changes19:44 - Second test results22:52 - Heart-rate training for gym members: Trust the process

Metabolic training is essential—but so is strength training.In this episode of The Catalyst, Chris Cooper explains exactly how strength work fits into the Catalyst Method.The benefits of building and maintaining strength are undeniable: You'll maintain independence later in life, preserve muscle mass, avoid injury, improve your mood and be able to do all the fun things that make life wonderful.At Catalyst, strength training is programmed for efficiency and functionality. The focus is on large compound movements, and most of our work is done with a barbell or body-weight-type exercises. Strength work generally comes after conditioning work.Overall, strength training is an essential part of Catalyst's mission to improve lifespan and healthspan.More info at Catalystgym.com.0:46 - Strength training and metabolic training3:06 - Benefits of strength training10:34 - Basic rules of strength training16:22 - Efficiently improving strength and conditioning

On today's episode of The Catalyst, Chris Cooper explains how you can find your maximum heart rate and use it to achieve optimal results in training. He also explores intensity levels and heart-rate zones so you understand the importance of each of the five training zones. What can smart training and knowing your limits do for you?More info at Catalystgym.com.00:15 - How to find max heart rate.04:02 - Ramp testing.05:45 - Metabolic analysis (PNOĒ testing).07:27 - Why knowing your zones is important.10:13 - Other options for metabolic analysis.

Interested in heart-rate training but don't know where to start? This is the show for you.On this episode of the The Catalyst, Chris Cooper provides a concise, informative overview of what heart-rate training is and how you can obtain your max heart rate. Then he goes over each of the five zones, presenting training principles, benefits and advice for success.For more info, visit Catalyst Gym.0:26 - Intro to heart-rate training and testing3:25 - Zone 14:42 - Zone 2 11:09 - Zone 313:20 - Zone 413:57 - Zone 5

How often do you need to work out?That's the question Chris Cooper answers today on The Catalyst. To provide the complete picture, Chris presents the evolution of the Catalyst Method over the last two decades. The current plan for optimal health and fitness has clients doing strength work and heart-rate training, both under the eyes of a coach and as "homework" on their own when appropriate. With that in mind, new clients might receive "six blocks" of exercise per week, or about three hours of training. As clients progress, they might receive eight blocks (four hours of exercise). Competitive performance clients might train 10-12 hours a week. These are generalizations only.Here's the key: A coach makes the exact prescription based on the client's needs and goals. The prescription will change whenever it needs to—often every two weeks—so clients get the best results. It's all about training optimally.0:26 - Catalyst Method history3:11 - Heart-rate training overview8:13 - A general prescription for beginners10:08 - A fitness prescription 11:24 - A prescription for competitive athletes11:40 - The coach's role in optimizing training16:27 - What training blocks should you do where?

What is multimodal training, and how can you utilize it to maximize fitness and results in you or your clients?In today's episode, Chris Cooper explains and explores the concept of multi-modal training: mixing a variety of different activities and methods in an interval style. This type of training can be used to improve your general fitness and help you access your different energy sources. Rather than train and gain proficiency at one specialized type of activity, this type of training can be used to ensure that you are proficient at any type of exercise.Chris Cooper also uses this episode to explain the different heart rate zones, their importance in achieving fitness, and how this style of training will help you with monitoring these heart rate zones during workouts.00:31 Meaning of Multi-Modal interval training02:34 Importance of incorporating variety in training03:56 Incorporation of heart rate zones 09:33 How to monitor and attack HR zone-based workouts

In the world of medical science, there are many widely-recognized "optimal ranges" that indicate health and wellness. But these numbers on doctors' charts require more than an easy one-time solution.In the last episode of The Catalyst, Chris Cooper explained the importance of ensuring that your "healthspan" lasts as long as your lifespan. In this episode, he expands on the importance of fitness, and how the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum fits into your pursuit of a lengthened healthspan.In recent years, newly developed pharmaceuticals and technology are being used to bring our metrics to optimal levels. While these might save your life once, they offer nothing to improve your healthspan or quality of living. The key? The pursuit of fitness.So how can we jump the gap from sickness to wellness to fitness? Chris explains the importance of striving toward the fitness range of the arc and how anyone can do it to earn a longer and better life.00:31 - Explaining the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum01:05- Using metrics and optimal ranges to determine our place on the continuum02:07 - Using fitness to improve these metrics06:22 - The dangers of expanding lifespan without improving healthspan

People are living longer now, but additional years will be more enjoyable with a high quality of life. At Catalyst, we measure quality of life in “vitality”: your enjoyment of life, your mobility and independence, your resistance to disease and injury, your level of freedom to do the things you want to do, and so on.Vitality often decreases at a rapid rate as we age, and many people live long after their vitality is gone. But vitality can be preserved if you take action today.No matter how old you are or what your current fitness level is, we can help you add years to your life and life to your years. We call this "increasing your healthspan": The period of time when you're fully functional. The goal: Get the length of your healthspan as close to your lifespan as possible.1:25 - Healthspan and lifespan5:17 - Vitality and measurements of healthspan7:12 - Why are we talking about healthspan now?9:58 - Kicking ass at 85