Well, that was interesting…2020, that is. I think back to this time a year ago…the excitement I had for changes for the better (like any new year period), the hope that comes with those expectations as I looked toward the future…and then a pandemic threw a wrench in everyone’s plans. So, the question is, now what? How will you move forward in 2021? The pandemic isn’t over…yet. So how are you going to move forward?
My intent here is to briefly let you know how I intend to help you move forward with your health and fitness goals this year, and to give you an update on TD Fitness. I consider each of you a stakeholder in this movement, because you’re part of the TD Fitness Family. So just like investors in a company receive an annual shareholder letter, your investment in time and attention that you give me through TD Fitness deserves an update as well. And my plan is to do this every year as the number of people I have the privilege of helping continues to grow.
So first, here’s what you can expect from me over the coming months:
- The Fit Vids will continue. Expect to see me on social and in your inbox with nuggets of information, each being a few minutes long, presented in an easily digestible format for you to consume. But as I continue to refine the organization and presentation of my healthy living principles, in a way that easy to understand, you’ll notice that I’m moving from the 12 Principles of Healthier Living format that I used in 2020, to one that includes four major focus areas: your mindset, your environment, your process or systems, and how you measure progress. I feel that just about any type of change or goal in our lives can be viewed through the lens of these 4 major areas, and I plan to provide you with fitness, nutrition and stress reduction insight and advice through these Fit Vids.
- Also, I plan to pause production of the TD Fitness Podcast through April of this year, as I create and package my latest online course offering. There are 104 episodes of the TD Fitness Podcast now available for you to listen to, so I’m comfortable putting it on hold for a few months. The course that I’m creating will walk users through the four areas that I just mentioned using some common goals that your feedback has shown as desired areas for improvement. Things like how to be more consistent with fitness, making better food choices, and better managing stress, of course while focusing on those with busy lifestyles. So be on the lookout for that course product in the spring of this year.
So that’s my approach for 2021. You’ll notice that I’ve had to prioritize because there’s more that I want to do, but only limited time in the day and in my schedule. You face the same types of decisions this year with respect to your goals to live healthier. So set your goal and prioritize. Take the lessons from 2020 and use them going forward.
Now, as far as TD Fitness as a company, I will continue to educate, train and give. From the beginning, since 2009, my mantra has been to educate as many as I could, train as my bandwidth allows, and to give to those in need.
- When it came to education in 2020, with the help of my virtual assistant, I recorded and published over 120 FitVids and 13 podcast episodes. This free content and other things like it (things like Facebook Lives, the weekly 3-2-1 email newsletters, blog posts, and social posts) are my way of attempting to help as many as people as I can with free content and advice on healthier living.
- On the training front, those that are part of my ProCoach program, known as the Change Makers, and the TD Fitness monthly members known as the Action Takers have worked throughout the year to live better and healthier, and to see results. All of my training services are still online, largely because what I teach and promote is behavior change, which doesn’t necessarily require meetings in person. Also, with two young girls and a loving wife, I’m reticent to take physical time away from them to train others in person, and my military career keeps me busy with moves as well.
- On the giving front, I continue to donate to charity, as I have since day one with TD Fitness, with a portion of all income going directly to worthwhile causes. I gather input from those who pay for services each year, and donate to charities and causes of their choosing. Like I said, I’ve done that since the beginning, and will continue to do so.
In 2020, I had the privilege of reaching over 400 email subscribers, 200 Facebook followers, 2,000 visitors to TD Fitness.net who viewed over 3,000 pages of content, 1,150 YouTube views on the TD Fitness channel, and a host of others on social media platforms and by way of the podcast. Fourteen years ago, I couldn’t have imagined the reach that TD Fitness has today. And while there are many other health and fitness individuals and companies with much larger followings, I’ll take the deeper, more intimate contact with fewer numbers. This allows TD Fitness to remain agile, and use your feedback and requests to offer products and services that best benefit you.
Speaking of offerings, they still span from free to premium. While most benefit from my free online content, my Action Taker monthly members pay a low monthly charge to receive resources each week and coaching advice in a group training format. And I’m constantly working one-on-one with those who I personally coach through the ProCoach online platform. The addition of the ProCoach platform was new to TD Fitness in 2020. I found that it provided a much more robust platform for those who wanted more hands-on support in living healthier. I made the call to replace my Fit Life Program (which I created and built from the ground up) with ProCoach – a platform powered by Precision Nutrition, home of the some of the world’s top nutrition coaches and world-class nutrition software. I’m proud of what I created and the results that people saw with the Fit Life Program, but the new ProCoach platform is a better experience for those who invest in personal coaching through TD Fitness. Moving forward, I will continue to put your needs first, even when it means leveraging expertise beyond my own to give you the best experience. Another example of this is the nutrition resources I provide to my monthly members. They are created by renowned and sought-after Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff and her team at Better Nutrition. And on the personal development side, I completed a nutrition certification through Precision Nutrition to become a Level 1 Nutrition Coach. Again, this will help me to serve you better.
Wrapping up, as far as expectations going forward, I will continue to limit the number of times that I open enrollment for both monthly membership and personal coaching to only 3-4 times a year, and to be selective on how many members and coaching individuals I add to the programs. This allows me to focus on serving my existing members fully. But the online course that I plan to release will provide a “grab & go” product for those who want high quality information and a plan that they can implement themselves with a low, one-time investment. This should nicely round out the types of services and products TD Fitness offers.
Let me leave you with a few bits of advice as we move into the new year.
Just this morning, my family and I were watching church online. The message was centered around the theme, “when your setback is a setup…”, a setup for future success, that is. It reminded me that it’s not about what happens…it’s about your actions…how you respond.
And then earlier this week, my wife offered a way to convey goals and focus in the new year. She said, “don’t diet…try it.” I really couldn’t have said it better. Stepping into change is the hardest part. Just try to live a little healthier. Then gradually add more healthy living actions throughout the year.
Finally, a quote from Seth Godin, who I read just about every day. He said, “we need to plant our trees before we want the shade, and fix our systems before they break.” Think for a moment about new year 2022. Where will you be? Will you plant the tree now so that you’ll have some shade later? Focus on the system this year. The outcome will take care of itself.
My promise to you…I will continue to focus on the long-term. I believe that’s done by building trust over time, by providing objective, insightful perspective and advice. My goal is to serve you, and to help you, as a busy individual, focus on the right things at the right time for healthier living.
Let’s get after it in 2021.
Reduce Stress. Live Healthier. Part 4