Speaker 1: 0:02

If you're a whiny snowflake that can't handle the truth, is offended by the word fuck and about 37 uses of it in different forms gets ass hurt. When you hear someone speak the absolute, real and raw truth, you should leave Like right now. This is Shut Up and Choose, the podcast where we cut through the shit and get real about weight loss, life and everything in between. We get into the nitty gritty of making small, smart choices that add up to big results. From what's on your plate to how you approach life's challenges. We'll explore how the simple act of choosing differently can transform your health, your mindset and your entire freaking life. So if you're ready to cut through the bullshit and start making some real changes, then buckle up and shut up, because we're about to choose our way to a healthier, happier life. This is Shut Up and Choose. Let's do this Now. Your host.

Speaker 2: 1:12

Jonathan Ressler. Welcome back to Shut Up and Choose, the podcast that touches the noise and nonsense and all the lies and garbage that the diet industry is spewing at you, the internet gurus are telling you and everything else. I'm Jonathan Restle, your host, and today is my last podcast for the year. Today is Christmas, the first night of Hanukkah, so happy holidays to everybody. Regardless of what you celebrate, I hope you have a great day. And for those celebrating Hanukkah, I hope you have a great eight days. And today we're going to talk about. Well, this is the last week of the year. We're getting into that season where everybody joins a gym and says they're going to this is the big change. This year is the one they're going to do it, and I'm here to tell you that that's not a great idea. Next week I'm going to talk about why joining the gym in January is a complete waste of your time and money. But for today, I'm going to give you a little gift. I'm going to give you seven simple mind shifts that you can make this week. So, this week between the holidays, between Christmas or Hanukkah and the new year, you can get started on this journey by making these small shifts, and I'm not looking for anything major. You're not looking like. I don't want you to overhaul your life. I mean, the last week of the year is magical reflective time. It's a chance that we all kind of pause and reassess and we prepare ourselves for the opportunities ahead. But it's also a dangerous week and, if you're not careful, a week where bad habits and creeping under the guise of, hey, I'll start fresh next year. I'm so guilty of that. It's incredible. I was always the guy that said, yeah, I'm going to start next week or whatever, always had an excuse. But the reality is you should start this week. Don't wait until next year to get that fresh start. Start right now, because you know what, if you start today with these simple, simple things, you're going to be a week ahead come January 1st when you say, hey, now I'm going to get started. So you don't need a monumental overhaul or anything this week. Instead, you just need some small strategic mindset shifts that are going to help you close the year strong and start next year, start 2025, with momentum. Let's dive into these seven simple shifts that I believe will help you stay accountable and really help you get a head start on next year. You'll go in focused and motivated in this final stretch of the year.

Speaker 2: 3:26

So the first one I want to talk about is why don't you treat this week like a fresh start, not a free pass? It's easy to fall into the trap of seeing last week of the year as a throwaway. You made it through the holidays and the promise of a new year, new me Wow. How many times have you heard that? New year, new me, linger is tantalizingly close. Hey, I'm going to start this thing next week, but why wait till January to take charge, to make your first step forward? Instead of seeing this week as a free pass, treat it like your fresh start.

Speaker 2: 3:55

The calendar may flip in a few days, but you can flip your mindset right now. You don't need to wait till next week. Starting strong this week gives you a head start on your resolutions which, by the way, 80% of them never happen. But it gives you a head start on those resolutions and presents a damage control you'd otherwise face in the new year. And it's easy to put this into action. Just pick one area of your life that you want to improve, whether it be your eating habits or maybe your walking or your productivity, but start making the changes today, not next Monday or next week. So the way to do it is just set a small, achievable goal for the week. Like, for example, say, I'm going to go out for a 15 minute walk every day this week and I promise you if you do that, your future self will thank you. So imagine entering into the new year already feeling accomplished rather than feeling like you're starting from scratch. So that's number one.

Speaker 2: 4:44

Number two is focus on progress, not perfection. Perfectionism is the silent killer of progress. You tell yourself that if you can't do it perfectly, it's not worth doing it. But the truth is the smallest step forward, just a little positivity, a small step forward, is better than taking no step at all. So let go of that all or nothing mentality, especially this week. Progress, no matter how small, is still progress. And remember we focus on progress, not perfection. So if you've been overeating this holiday season, focus on making your next meal a healthy one rather than trying to overhaul your entire diet overnight. It's not going to work. There's going to be some setbacks, there's going to be parties, all kinds of stuff. So just focus on making your next meal a good one.

Speaker 2: 5:26

Another thing if you stop, if you normally walk or do some kind of workout and you didn't do it big deal during the holidays but commit just 15 minutes of movement instead of aiming for an entire session. You don't need to go to the gym, you don't need to walk 10 miles, just do something. Just make a little bit of progress, because even 1% improvement every day adds up over time. And again, like I said, it's not about being perfect, it's about showing up and doing something. Something is better than nothing. Another thing you can do.

Speaker 2: 5:58

Number three, is to reframe your challenges as opportunities. So the holidays definitely can be stressful Family travel, all kinds of stuff. I've seen the news and the airports are a mess and the roads are a mess, but whatever. But between family dynamics, work deadlines and social obligations, it's easy to get overwhelmed this time of year, but stress is really just a matter of perspective. So if you start to look at your challenges as opportunities to grow stronger, that's going to work for you.

Speaker 2: 6:25

Stressful situations are the perfect testing ground for your resilience and your problem solving skills. And again, just small little problems solved, just tiny little steps. So when you feel stressed, pause and ask yourself hey, what can I learn from this situation? How can I respond in a way that aligns with my goals. So again, like just to give you an example for me if I overate or I did something you know ate some food that I shouldn't have eaten I just focus on making my next choice a small, smart choice. It's simple. I'm not saying I'm going to be perfect and I can guarantee you're not going to be perfect, but just make the next meal and next choice a small, smart choice, and you can use those challenges as a way to, I guess, double down on self-care. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break, meditate. If you're into that kind of thing, I like to go out. If I'm stressed out, I like to go out and take a walk. So every challenge that you face during this last week of the year is an opportunity to prove to yourself that you can handle it. I guarantee that confidence will carry over into the new year.

Speaker 2: 7:30

The next one, the fourth one, is stop waiting for motivation. Here's the hard truth. Motivation is unbelievably unreliable. It comes and it goes, and if you want to wait for it to strike, you're going to spend most of your time waiting rather than doing. This is about doing. Don't rely on motivation. Rely on small, smart choices. The secret to success is doing what needs to be done, even if you don't feel like it. So just make that small smart choice.

Speaker 2: 8:01

So something you can do this week is create a schedule or routine just for the week and stick to it, no matter what. So, again, if that's going out and walking for 15 minutes or dancing or riding your bicycle, whatever it is, just create a schedule for the week and stick to it for the week. And also any tasks that you may have, break them out down into small, manageable steps. Like, for instance, if you're a meal prepper, which I'm not but if you're a meal prepper, say you're thinking in your head I need a meal prep for the week. And start out with something small like all right, today I'm going to chop the vegetables and once you start, the momentum will take over. We all know that momentum work, motivation, may get you started, but small, smart choices are what are going to keep you going. So commit to showing up, even when it's hard. You'll be amazed, actually, at what you can accomplish.

Speaker 2: 8:48

The next thing is focus on what you can control. It's easy to spiral into anxiety when you force things outside of your control. Right, what other people say or do, unexpected setbacks or external circumstances. This week, I just want you to shift your energy to the things you can control, and you may not be able to control everything, but you can control your actions and reactions. I always say that being fat is a choice, overeating is a choice. So make the right choices. Make small, smart choices, because that's where your power lies.

Speaker 2: 9:19

So if you're worried about the holiday leftovers derailing your eating habits, I know I do. Focus on controlling your portion size and making and eating balanced meals. Remember you can eat everything as long as you have the right portions. Hey, if family stress gets you going, focus on your responses rather than their behavior, because you can't control anybody else's behavior. You can't change others, but you can change how you handle them. So when you focus on what you control, you feel empowered rather than helpless, and that mindset can transform not just your week but your entire year. So focus on what you can control. Number six is commit to small wins every single day. Big goals can feel overwhelming. When I sat down and thought that I had to lose 100 pounds, I was like there's no way I can do that.

Speaker 2: 10:10

But I just said you know what I'm going to start now. I started on April 24, 2023. I decided that I'm going to start now. So all that changing your life and revamping everything that is completely overwhelming, especially when you're juggling the chaos of the holiday seasons. So the solution well, you know what I'm going to say shift your focus to small, smart choices and celebrate those small wins.

Speaker 2: 10:36

Success is built on the foundation of daily habits. I learned that over the last year and a half or two, whatever it is. So commit to winning the day and the results will follow. So, for me, I chose one or two non-negotiable goals every day. For example, I decided I was going to drink more water. I'll drink eight glasses of water every day. I drink a lot more than that now, but figure out that small smart win, that little thing that you can celebrate. Like I didn't eat the jelly donut, I didn't eat whatever I didn't overeat. So choose one or two non-negotiable goals for every single day and celebrate those wins, no matter how small they are. Every time you check something off your list, you're building momentum. So absolutely, celebrate the small wins. And small wins compound over time. Remember, it's like compound interest in a bank account the more wins you have. The more small, smart choices you make, the more results you will see. So every time you check something off your list, celebrate it.

Speaker 2: 11:38

By focusing on daily successes, you set the stage for long-term progress, and this is about progress. I've said it a hundred times it's about progress, not perfection. And the last one is reflect and reassess your priorities. The end of the year is a natural time for reflection, so use this week to look back on what worked and what didn't, and what you want to change moving forward. You can also spend a few minutes thinking about your why why you need to lose this weight, why you need to get healthier. So reflection is dangerous because sometimes we get caught dwelling on our past mistakes. That's not what this is about. It's not about dwelling on your past mistakes. It's about learning from them. Growth comes from reassessing your priorities and aligning your actions with your goals. Make the small, smart choices that are in line with your why.

Speaker 2: 12:30

Every time you open your mouth, think is this in line with my why? You can take 30 minutes and write down the journal about your highs and lows the past year. If you're a journaling type of person, you know I'm not, but you can just spend 30 minutes an hour thinking about all the things that happened last year, and the positive and the negative. Think about what are you proud of and what would you do differently. Would you eat differently? Would you exercise more? All those things. Think about those things and use your reflection to set realistic, actionable goals for the new year, instead of vague resolutions like I want to lose 20 pounds or I want to fit into this by this date no, that's bullshit. Set real goals, and those could be. I want to think every time I open my mouth to eat something. I want to exercise three times a week. I want to eat vegetables with every meal. Those are the things that bring you along the road, that help you achieve your goal. So self-awareness is a superpower okay, it really is. The more self-aware you are, the more powerful you become. The more you understand your patterns and priorities, the better equipped you are to create meaningful change In the end.

Speaker 2: 13:41

This last week of the year is not the time to hit pause. It's time to lean in. It's a time to go harder. By making these seven mindset shifts, you can end the year on a high note and set the tone for an incredible start to the new year. Imagine how much better you'll feel next week when you say, hey, you know what, I did it for a whole week and it worked. It wasn't that tough. It wasn't hard at all, in fact, and I feel better.

Speaker 2: 14:02

So remember, it's not about perfection or grand gestures. It's about small, smart choices that align with your goals, that align with your why. So if you start today, you'll be amazed at the momentum you can build in just one week. So now go out there and crush it. Your future self is counting on you. So that's it. It's going to be a short one this week because I know everybody is celebrating and doing their thing, and I just wanted to give you those seven quick and easy tips that might help you get started this last week of the year, instead of having this last week of the year be a disaster for you. So think about what I said. Try to implement as many of them as you can. If you make small progress, it's better than making no progress at all.

Speaker 2: 14:47

If you need help figuring stuff out, you know you can always get my book on Amazon. It's called Shut Up and Choose, same as the podcast, getting tons of five-star reviews, selling a lot of books, getting a lot of great emails Very gratifying. For me, it has changed lives and I'm not saying that, I'm telling you that's what people have told me. You can also get my video course online. It's a 23 video course that each video is about five minutes, so they're really quick and easy to listen to. But they really dive deep into how to get this thing going and how to make small, smart choices every day and how to understand why you need to make those choices, how to create your own, why that is available at learnshutupandchoose. That's learnshutupandchoose. Again, I think it's a great gift for anybody. I think it's a great gift for yourself, because it will help you to lose as much weight as you want while eating all the foods that you love and never set foot in the gym. But that's a topic for another day.

Speaker 2: 15:45

So, again, I want to thank everybody for listening. Thank you so much for all the kind words. This podcast has been super fun for me to do. It's gratifying. I get, like I said, I get emails about my book, about my video course, about my podcast. Thank you, thank you, thank you is all I can say. Have a absolutely wonderful Christmas, a wonderful Hanukkah, and I'll see you in 2025. So now, my final advice for 2024 is shut up and choose.

Speaker 1: 16:21

You've been listening to Shut Up and Choose. You've been listening to Shut Up and Choose. Jonathan's passion is to share his journey of shedding 130 pounds in less than a year without any of the usual gimmicks no diets, no pills. And we'll let you in on a little secret no fucking gym. And guess what you can do it it too. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a fucking blast. If you did, make sure to like, rate and review. We'll be back soon, but in the meantime, find jonathan on instagram at jonathan wrestler, boca raton. Until next time, shut up and choose.