Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: T Is for Transformation
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): T., Shaun
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://shauntfitness.com/
CITY: Phoenix
STATE: AZ
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
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| HEADING: | T, Shaun |
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| 400 | 0_ |a Shaun T. |
| 400 | 1_ |a Thompson, Shaun |
| 670 | __ |a Insanity, 2012: |b container (Shaun T) |
| 670 | __ |a Wikipedia, Oct. 2, 2012 |b (Shaun T (fitness trainer); born Shaun Thompson on May 2, 1978; an American fitness trainer and choreographer best known for his Insanity and Hip-Hop Abs home fitness programs for adults and children) |
PERSONAL
Born May 2, 1978, in NJ.
EDUCATION:Rowan University, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author, fitness trainer, and choreographer. Creator, Insanity and Hip-Hop Abs home fitness programs. Onstage performer, The Ten Commandments, Pippin, and Applause; host, My Diet Is Better Than Yours, ABC Television; co-host, Secret Guide to Fabulous, LOGO; also appeared on television and on film in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, Six Feet Under, and Beauty Shop.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Fitness guru Shaun T, who was born Shaun Thompson, is the author of the fitness guide T Is for Transformation: Unleash the 7 Superpowers to Help You Dig Deeper, Feel Stronger, and Live Your Best Life. “Shaun T’s accomplishments span the entertainment industry,” explained the contributor of a biographical sketch to the author’s website, the Shaun T. Fitness. “He has shared the stage with Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert in the musical version of The Ten Commandments, as well as landing roles in Pippin and Applause. Shaun T was the host of My Diet Is Better than Yours on ABC and co-hosted Secret Guide to Fabulous on LOGO.” “For nearly twenty years, Shaun T has had a profound effect on millions of people and has sold a billion dollars’ worth of body transformation fitness products,” wrote a Business Wire contributor. “What many don’t know is that his unique motivational style comes from his own experiences of overcoming hardship. Shaun T inspires others to dig deeper because he has been challenged to do the same.” T Is for Transformation “is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting,” said a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “due to T.’s openness and candor: he is honest and self-reflective.”
Shaun T’s book is a combination of fitness motivation and memoir. He was sexually abused as a child and, although he was a track star in high school, he gained fifty pounds in college when he left the team. “In T Is for Transformation, he identifies seven ‘superpowers’ from his own experience that you can use to transform your own life,” explained a 24 Life website reviewer. “Shaun T believes we give up on our fitness dreams because we focus on a number on the scale. He says the first rule is to do what you want to do.” “The key, according to Shaun: Accepting that guy in the mirror, understanding how he got that way, and helping him take the steps that will improve his life. No need to shame him; better to really, finally, understand him,” declared Peter Moore in Men’s Health. “In the end, fitness is not about what’s going on in the gym, or even on your dinner plate. It’s about what’s happening between your ears.” “All of those struggles made him who he is today: a world-famous motivator, choreographer and creator of fitness phenomenons Insanity, Hip Hop Abs and CIZE,” stated Linda Marx in People. T Is for Transformation “is all about helping you discover what strengths you already have,” stated Lauren Mazzo on the Shape website, “and what you need to work on to stay committed to your fitness or weight-loss journey.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Men’s Health, November 28, 2016, Peter Moore, review of T Is for Transformation: Unleash the 7 Superpowers to Help You Dig Deeper, Feel Stronger, and Live Your Best Life.
People, March 2, 2017, Linda Marx, review of T Is for Transformation.
Publishers Weekly, June 5, 2017, review of T Is for Transformation, p. 48.
Shape, January 9, 2018, Lauren Mazzo, review of T Is for Transformation.
ONLINE
24 Life, http://www.24life.com/ (November 1, 2017), review of T Is for Transformation.
Attend Thrive, https://attendthrive.com/ (April 18, 2018), author profile.
Business Insider, http://www.businessinsider.com/ (January 29, 2018), Erin Brodwin, review of T Is for Transformation.
Business Wire, https://www.businesswire.com/ (October 26, 2017), “Fitness Motivator Shaun T Embarks on a Multi-City Tour to Transform America.”
Shaun T. Fitness, https://shauntfitness.com (April 18, 2018), author profile.
Shaun T was born and raised in New Jersey, receiving a B.A. in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Theater and Dance from Rowan University.
Shaun T’s accomplishments span the entertainment industry. He has shared the stage with Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert in the musical version of The Ten Commandments, as well as landing roles in Pippin and Applause. Shaun T was the host of My Diet Is Better Than Yours on ABC and co-hosted Secret Guide to Fabulous on LOGO. His television and film credits include Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, Six Feet Under, and Beauty Shop starring Queen Latifah. Shaun T has toured with Mariah Carey, danced for world renowned choreographers Travis Payne and Jamal Sims, and assisted with Tony Gonzalez in the cheerleading blockbuster movie Bring It On: All or Nothing.
After assisting fitness legend Kathy Smith on her Project:You program, Shaun T made history in 2007 by creating Hip Hop Abs, the #1 selling home fitness program. This led to the development of two kids programs, Shaun T’s Fit Kids Club (for ages 7+) and Get Real with Shaun T (for preteens), before creating his next #1 hit in 2008, Rockin’ Body.
Shaun T’s next massive fitness accomplishment came in 2009 when INSANITY debuted and forever changed the face of home fitness through 60 days of Shaun T’s proprietary Max Interval Training. INSANITY held its rightful place as the #1 selling infomercial, helping a world of people DIG DEEPER and get the most insane results possible. With follow-up programs INSANITY: THE ASYLUM Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Shaun T helped people embrace their inner athlete and achieve permanent success through his fitness programs.
In 2013, Shaun T released Focus T25, another #1 hit. Shaun T proved that becoming the best version of yourself is attainable through investing as little as 25 minutes a day, regardless of fitness level or experience. In 2014, Shaun T once again redefined what is possible for people to achieve in just 30 minutes when he created INSANITY MAX:30. With a modifier and no equipment other than a willing body and mind, Shaun T elevates challengers to new levels of fitness success through dedicated cardio and Tabata strength workouts. The focus is not about making it through all 30 minutes without stopping – it’s about finding your MAX, taking a short break and jumping back into the workout, pushing yourself a little bit further than you did yesterday.
In the summer of 2015, Shaun T released CIZE. CIZE was designed to easily teach anyone professionally choreographed dance moves in a way that is incredibly fun and delivers a heart-pumping workout, said Shaun T. In developing CIZE, I went back to my roots as a dancer and choreographer and remembered the fun millions had with Hip Hop Abs and Rockin’ Body.
In 2017, Shaun T released his new program, SHAUN WEEK, exclusively through BeachBody On Demand. An instant mega-hit, it reached 1 million downloads in 6 days. SHAUN WEEK is a ruthless 7-day full-body boot camp developed to motivate you to focus physically AND mentally like never before.
Today, Shaun T is doing what he loves best – developing, traveling and helping people attain their goals through inspiration, motivation and physical fitness. Shaun T’s business ventures have led him to launching an apparel line featuring mantras from Shaun’s everyday life. Audiences can dig even deeper by attending his aptly named self-produced live events, ShaunTervention, a mix of fitness, music, inspiration and motivation, subscribe to his podcast, Trust and Believe with Shaun T or sign up online to be a part of his Transformation Academy. Rodale Books will publish Shaun T’s first book, a self-help memoir titled T IS FOR TRANSFORMATION, in November 2017 discussing his own personal transformation and giving people the 7 super powers they need to make their own transformation a reality. Each Shaun T venture is dedicated to empowering your mind and building the confidence you need so you can TRUST AND BELIEVE that you can live life at your best!
bout Shaun T
.
Shaun T is a world-renowned health and fitness expert, TV host, motivator and creator of the best-selling fitness programs INSANITY, HIP HOP ABS, FOCUS T25, INSANITY MAX:30, CIZE and newly released SHAUN WEEK. He has hosted several primetime TV series and shared the stage with Adam Lambert and Val Kilmer in the musical version of the Ten Commandments, as well as landing roles in Pippin, Applause, Six Feet Under and the feature film Beauty Shop. A native of New Jersey, Shaun T received a BS in Sports Science and a minor in Theater and Dance from Rowan University. He’s danced with Mariah Carey as well as Aaron and Nick Carter, and choreographed for USTA’s Arthur Ashe Kids Day, the NCAA Final Four Halftime Show and the movie Bring it on: All or Nothing.
Through personal appearances, his workout programs, the Transformation Academy, his podcast Trust and Believe with Shaun T, and his self-help memoir T IS FOR TRANSFORMATION, Shaun T is focused on affecting positive lifestyle changes in people around the world and proving that becoming the best version of yourself is attainable.
T Is for Transformation: A 7-Step
Program for Digging Deeper, Feeling
Stronger, and Living Smarter
Publishers Weekly.
264.23 (June 5, 2017): p48. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
T Is for Transformation: A 7-Step Program for Digging Deeper, Feeling Stronger, and Living Smarter
Shaun T. Rodale, $25.99 (272p) ISBN 978-163565-013-6
T., the man behind fitness programs such as Hip Hop Abs, offers an intimate memoir that doubles as a guide for personal transformation. He notes at the start that his book isn't ultimately about exercise or diet, but self-empowerment. T. bares his life story, one filled with trials and triumphs. In the first chapter, we're immediately handed personal "superpowers" to "stash in your own secret backpack": being "flexible," "creative," "selfish," "full out," "uncomfortable," "maxed out," and "bananas." Following this, T. shares his love and gratitude for his brother Ennis, who helped him survive a childhood that included a sexually abusive stepfather. This book is equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting due to T.'s openness and candor: he is honest and self-reflective while recounting the events of his life, dropping "truthbombs" throughout such as "One way to stand out is to keep your cool when everyone else is losing theirs" and "TransformaShaun Commandments" on becoming successful. T. also includes self-tests, a creativity workout, and other exercises to put his "truthbombs" into practice. This is a moving guide that will inspire fans and newcomers alike to change their lives. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"T Is for Transformation: A 7-Step Program for Digging Deeper, Feeling Stronger, and Living
Smarter." Publishers Weekly, 5 June 2017, p. 48. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A495538378/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&
1 of 2 3/22/18, 9:55 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
xid=ef0b670e. Accessed 22 Mar. 2018. Gale Document Number: GALE|A495538378
2 of 2 3/22/18, 9:55 PM
Bodies News
Fitness Star Shaun T Shares How the Power of Positive Change Helped Him Heal from Abuse in New Memoir
Shaun T
Shaun T
Javier Hernandez
Linda Marx March 02, 2017 01:41 PM
Fitness motivator Shaun T (Shaun T Blokker) reveals for the first time how he was sexually molested as a young boy in his explosive new memoir T Is for Transformation.
“I used to look at the abuse as, ‘I cannot believe this is happening,’ ” he reveals to PEOPLE exclusively about what he endured from ages 8 to 12.
In his book he also describes growing up poor — “I hid bread in my underwear because food was rationed in our house” — and how he went from a fit athlete in high school to an overweight college student thanks to late-night pizza. “I stopped running track and started gaining weight!” says the trainer, who added 50 lbs. while studying for his degree in sports science.
But as he notes, all of those struggles made him who he is today: a world-famous motivator, choreographer and creator of fitness phenomenons Insanity, Hip Hop Abs and CIZE. And while he prides himself on being open and honest and encourages his clients to do the same, he realized six years ago when he first came up with the book idea that he wasn’t quite ready to tell his story.
“I quickly learned that I had not worked on improving myself enough to write a book to help motivate others,” says the trainer, 38. “I had great-selling DVDs, yet I needed to work on myself before writing a book.” So he sought professional help.
“I went to therapy at age 26 to confront my own demons,” he says. “People are often afraid to do that. I needed to find my vulnerabilities and learn how to deal with what has happened in my life. Once I cleaned out the closet, I could hang up new clothes and be ready to motivate others.”
Shaun T
Shaun T
Javier Hernandez
He had to look back at his history to move forward.
“It wasn’t my fault,” he came to realize about the sexual abuse. “I believe it’s how you attack what is happening which gets you through something like this. I said, ‘I am not going to be a victim.’ ”
Once Shaun T addressed the difficult issues through therapy, he found clarity in his own life, including a solid and loving relationship. (In 2012, he married Scott Blokker.) After gaining confidence in himself, Shaun was ready to share his experiences with readers.
“Through those struggles came my strength,” he says. “I found happiness, then I was ready to write a self-help memoir to help others. I wanted to be able to help readers surround themselves with positive things that propel them forward.”
RELATED VIDEO: Shaun T’s Daily Workout Tip: Embrace the Struggle
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In the book, Shaun introduces his seven-principle plan that blends psychology with sports science to offer readers an action plan for life improvement. Each chapter ends with exercises and diagnostics to help readers embrace change and move ahead with their dreams.
“My goal with the book is to help people come to grips with their own personal baggage, to help them live it and move on,” he explains. “The book will accept readers wherever they might be on their journeys, and then empower and motivate them to build confidence and become the best version of themselves.”
He emphasizes that self-improvement should be a slow and steady process on the way to personal power and confidence.
RELATED VIDEO: Go Behind the Scenes with Shaun T!
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For example, if someone needs to lose a lot of weight, they must take small steps — one healthy meal today, another tomorrow. Little by little they can change their lives permanently.
“Small successes will create big changes in the lives of those who want to gain confidence and happiness,” he says. “Readers will learn that trust and believing starts within them.”
And he cannot wait to share all he has learned. “I am ecstatic about the book,” he says. “Writing it is the biggest thing I have done. All I have worked for these years comes together so I can bring people to the next level.”
T Is for Transformation is available for pre-order now on Amazon.com and will be in stores on Nov. 14.
For more information on Shaun T and his upcoming appearances, sign up to become a member of Shaun T’s Transformation Academy.
Shaun T Reveals the One Lesson That Helped Him Lose 50 Pounds and Become a Fitness Mogul
The trainer behind Insanity talks about the mind-body breakthrough that transformed his life
By Peter Moore
Nov 28, 2016
shaun t
Javier Hernandez
You know Shaun T from his Insanity workouts, from T25, from CIZE, and from a six pack you’d trade your next two pay raises for.
But before he had that body, he was just another doughy college sophomore wondering where the extra 50 pounds had come from.
“I had my mirror moment, just like a lot of people do,” Shaun says. “But I’m so thankful to that guy in the mirror, because he made the decisions that got me where I am today. I love that guy.”
Now, he’s putting everything he’s learned down on paper in the upcoming book T Is For Transformation, which will be published in fall 2017 by Rodale, the parent company for Men’s Health.
The key, according to Shaun: Accepting that guy in the mirror, understanding how he got that way, and helping him take the steps that will improve his life. No need to shame him; better to really, finally, understand him.
Related: 9 Jaw-Dropping Weight-Loss Transformations You Have to See to Believe
In the end, fitness is not about what’s going on in the gym, or even on your dinner plate. It’s about what’s happening between your ears.
Want to look better on the outside? Shape up what’s on the inside.
At a recent “Shaun T Live” event in Indianapolis—where he led 1,000 people through a 45-minute sweat storm—he also fielded questions from the crowd. Four questions in particular spoke to the mental approach that makes his physical body possible.
1. Do you ever get into a funk?
Shaun T: “Sure I do. I ask myself: Why am I in a funk? Is it external or internal? Then I attack the person or project I’m in a funk over. Be the antibiotic for your own life. Attack the invader!”
2. How do you handle personal or emotional pain?
Shaun T: “There are two ways you can go: You can let it fester, or you can step out of it and go through the struggle.
“You gotta cry. Go across the bridge of emotion. It’s terrible to go through. You didn’t ask for that pain. But you leave your mark on that bridge. You made it to that point and now you can move on.
“When you struggle, you do the work and you get the reward. If you don’t have any struggles, it’s time to get out of the daisy field.”
3. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to overcome?
Shaun T: “The hardest thing I had to overcome was being molested from age 8 to 12. I felt like I had to hold the secret to protect my family. But then I made up my mind: I will not be a victim.
“So I left my home at age 14 and moved in with my grandparents. I make it sound easy now, but I was in therapy for 6 years to deal with that.
Related: Why Every Man Should See a Therapist
“I know now that it had to happen, because it did happen. I accept it.
“Everybody struggles. It’s what you do with the struggle. Negativity is a bubble. When you burst that bubble, you have to let the negative energy push you away from it as far as you can go.”
4. “I check the scale every day, and I hate it when I go up a few pounds. Will this ever stop?
Shaun T: “Where is your ‘now’?
“Wean yourself off the scale, because you need to accept where you are right now. You’re already at your destination, and you need to be happy with that.
“The person you were when you weighed 90 pounds more was amazing, because that person started your journey. Love that person.
“When people look in the mirror they go to things they don’t want to see. Instead, go to what you want to see. Go to who you are right now!
“A lot of time people will say to me: ‘Shaun T, you turned my life around.’ I always answer the same way: ‘No, you turned your own life around.’”
Related: 10 Guys Share the Life-Changing Tips That Helped Them Finally Lose Weight
They’re good messages, in support of a great mission. Appropriately, Shaun’s upcoming book, T Is For Transformation, published by Men’s Health’s parent company, Rodale, is all about body-mind breakthroughs.
It combines the full—at times painful—story of Shaun’s own breakthrough with exercises that can help you build physical and mental strength to write your own happy endings.
“The most important lesson I’ve ever learned is that you can’t build or maintain physical strength unless you have the emotional kind,” Shaun says. “I’m on a mission right now to help people build both.”
So ask yourself: How strong are you inside? The answer will tell you things the mirror never can.
Fitness Motivator Shaun T Embarks on a Multi-City Tour to Transform America
Tour will kick off on January 7, 2018 in Chicago, IL.
October 26, 2017 03:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitness and transformation motivator Shaun T, creator of many best-selling fitness programs including INSANITY, HIP HOP ABS, FOCUS T25, INSANITY MAX:30 and CIZE workouts, has just announced that he will embark on a multi-city tour that will push people past their comfort zone for a transformational experience. The live multi-city tour, “Shaun T Transforms America,” will kick off on January 7, 2018 in Chicago, IL and will then make stops in Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles and Phoenix. The tour will focus on the 7 superpowers needed to transform your life and give you a chance to learn how all-7 superpowers can help you live your best life in 2018.
Transform your life and dig deeper with @ShaunT! Be a part of the Shaun T Transforms America tour.
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The tour will compliment his newly released self help memoir, T IS FOR TRANSFORMATION: Unleash The 7 Superpowers To Help You Dig Deeper, Feel Stronger & Live Your Best Life (November 7; $25.99; 978-1-63565-013-6). In his book, Shaun tells readers how he overcame many challenges in his life, including being sexually abused as a child, leaving his home at age 14, gaining 50 pounds as a college freshman, facing his inner demons, and moving across the country to pursue his dreams.
For nearly 20 years, Shaun T has had a profound effect on millions of people and has sold a billion dollars’ worth of body transformation fitness products. What many don’t know is that his unique motivational style comes from his own experiences of overcoming hardship. Shaun T inspires others to dig deeper because he has been challenged to do the same. The Shaun T Transforms America tour is sure to bring that renowned inspiration and energy to all participants as Shaun unpacks for attendees, what has motivated him to dig deeper.
Shaun T states, “In writing, T is for Transformation, it gave me the strength to start a new chapter in my life. The release of the book allows me to unpack the layers of my journey and heal in the way that I have always tried to motivate and inspire others to do. I hope that the book as well as the tour will serve as a tool and motivation for many to begin and continue, to transform their lives as well.”
Shaun T’s book, T IS FOR TRANSFORMATION, reveals Shaun’s “tough trainer” style to help motivate readers toward total healing and life change through mental fitness. By sharing his harrowing, and sometimes funny, life story, Shaun shows how he broke through the pain and grew into the successful person he is today. In the book, he coaches readers forward in their own journey, drops “truthbombs,” and guides them through quizzes and self-help exercises, all while helping them fill their “secret backpacks” with the superpowers they need to lead super lives.
T IS FOR TRANSFORMATION book as well as the Shaun T Transforms America tour, will help readers and participants strengthen the only muscle that truly matters: their minds.
For more information, event details, tickets and updates on the tour, please visit http://shaunttransformsamerica.com or for the book https://shauntfitness.com.
About Shaun T:
Shaun T is a world-renowned health and fitness expert, TV host, motivator and creator of the best-selling fitness programs including INSANITY, HIP HOP ABS, FOCUS T25, INSANITY MAX:30 and CIZE. In June 2017, Shaun T released his new program, SHAUN WEEK, which was another mega-hit, reaching 1 million downloads in 6 days. He has hosted several primetime TV series and shared the stage with Adam Lambert and Val Kilmer in the musical version of the Ten Commandments, as well as landing roles in Pippin, Applause, Six Feet Under and the feature film Beauty Shop. A native of New Jersey, Shaun T received a B.A. in Health and Exercise Science and a minor in Theater and Dance from Rowan University. He’s danced with Mariah Carey as well as Aaron and Nick Carter, and choreographed for USTA’s Arthur Ashe Kids Day, the NCAA Final Four Halftime Show and the movie Bring it on: All or Nothing. Through personal appearances, his workout programs, his Transformation Academy, the Shaun T Transforms America Tour and his book, Shaun T is focused on affecting positive lifestyle changes in people around the world and proving that becoming the best version of yourself is attainable.
Contacts
For Shaun T
Lisa Sorensen
lisa@ls-pr.com
These 3 Quotes from Shaun T Will Change How You Look at Your Resolution
Plus, the self-care practice you need to steal.
Lauren Mazzo's picture
By Lauren Mazzo | Jan 09, 2018
Topics:
insanity workout,
resolutions
fb-shaun-t-weight-loss-resolution-advice.jpg
Photo: Shaun T
Shaun T is best known for his killer workouts—Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, Cize, Focus T25, etc. (Don't forget this seven-minute workout that will torch your body.) But his latest venture is more of a workout for your mindset: His book T Is for Transformation: Unleash the 7 Superpowers to Help You Dig Deeper, Feel Stronger, and Live Your Best Life and the accompanying nationwide tour is all about helping you discover what strengths you already have and what you need to work on to stay committed to your fitness or weight-loss journey.
And since achieving your resolution is more about mindset than anything, we tapped the workout king himself for his best goal-crushing tips.
1. People say "don't look backward," but actually you should.
"What I would like for people to do when they set a resolution is actually to go back to the year before," he says. "Think back to last year and find out what was great about that year. Find the common denominator of everything you succeeded at—whether it was your commitment, that you were very financially stable, that you were a great communicator with your friends or coworkers."
"Whichever resolution you decide to tackle, utilize the things you already know you did well in last year and carry them into this year to help you crush your goal," he says. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier and you know that your relationship with your BFFs is solid as a rock, consider cooking for them or going in on a healthy eating goal together. If your goal is to work out harder and one thing you do really well is that you're super creative, then maybe instead of just schlepping to the gym without a plan or following someone else's workout, you focus on creating your own routine. "Find a way to make the resolution fit your lifestyle instead of trying to find a way to fit your life into a resolution," says Shaun. (Want more guidance? Join our 40-Day Goal-Crushing Challenge with Jen Widerstrom.)
2. The two things you need are consistency and pressure.
The catch: It has to be the right kind of pressure. "A lot of people put pressure on themselves to see results every day," says Shaun. "You step on the scale every morning, you look down, and you try to get this one ounce or one pound. But instead of putting the pressure on yourself to hit this one number at this one moment, you should put the pressure on yourself for consistency."
Why? "Consistency over time equals trust, and if you're consistent in what you're doing over a period of time, you can trust that you're going to see results," he says. If you don't see the scale move fast enough, you might be inclined to throw in the towel—but losing 6 pounds over a month is more important than losing 1 pound on 10 days, he says. You just have to take the pressure off, stay consistent, and trust the process. (Next up: The 10 Rules of Weight Loss That Lasts)
3. Don't harp on failure.
"Full disclosure here, because it's the most emotional in the topic of my life right now: It took five years for my husband Scott and I to have our babies," says Shaun. "There was one point where I said to Scott, 'I can't do this anymore.' I felt like I failed and that we couldn't do it. But once I hit that rock-bottom feeling, I realized: I already know what it feels like to hit that rock bottom. It can't get worse. So I'm going to work my way back up."
When you feel like you've failed, the key is to look at it as a setback versus a failure. "If you do this, it lets you step back, survey the scene, and see what you need to do differently internally and externally to go after that goal." Even if you don't achieve that goal, thinking this way keeps your mindset positive.
Bonus: Steal Shaun's Self-Care Secret
You may not know it from watching him yell "Let's GOOOO!" mid-interval in Insanity, but Shaun is a self-professed "serial spa-day person."
"One of the superpowers I talk about in my book is being selfish, like positively selfish," he says. "Not in a way that negatively impacts anyone else. Your selfishness should be something that makes you feel so refreshed and so rejuvenated that everyone else feels the power of your clarity and your brain." If this thought is blowing your mind, consider making self-care one of your resolutions.
His advice: Go to the spa, get a massage, whatever suits your mood. Just two rules: Go by yourself and leave your phone in the car. "Go where nobody knows you and totally unplug so you can really chill. Breathe, meditate, reflect on who you are, and give yourself the energy back. I promise you will come home or back to work rejuvenated," he says. (Don't believe it? Just check out the mind-body benefits of getting a massage.)
The best thing to eat before and after you exercise, according to the fitness guru behind the viral 'Insanity' workout
Erin Brodwin
Jan. 29, 2018, 2:22 PM
16,989
shaun T come on yall Shaun T.
Shaun T. is the mind behind the viral "Insanity" workout.
In his new book, "T is for Transformation," Shaun talks about what motivates him to exercise and what he does when he's feeling low on fuel.
Shaun told Business Insider that his favorite "powerhouse" food is the sweet potato.
Getting ready to work out is often the hardest part of exercising. You need a plan, a place to do it, the right kind of clothes, good shoes, and enough energy.
Caffeine can help you feel more energetic, but so can certain foods.
Shaun T. is the fitness guru who came up with the viral "Insanity" workout, a grueling 60-day fitness plan that uses interval training — an equipment-free workout approach that involves breaking up quick bursts of sweaty movement with short rest periods.
Shaun told Business Insider that while he prefers to exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, he sometimes needs a little something extra to keep him fueled before and after a workout.
His favorite food for a pre- or post-workout snack is sweet potato, or what he calls a "powerhouse food." On days when he's feeling low-energy, he eats half of one about 45 minutes before exercising.
"A half a sweet potato is my best friend," Shaun said. "I call it the powerhouse food. It's an amazing carb, and you don't need to add sugar or anything like that. Just bake it and eat it just like that."
baked sweet potato Shutterstock
Sweet potatoes might be a healthy pre- and post-workout food for many reasons, but one of them is that they're a great source of carbohydrates — the most easily accessible form of fuel for your muscles.
After a heart-pounding, leg-shaking workout, carbs can speedily nourish the parts of your body that need it most.
Plus, despite packing a high dose of carbs, sweet potatoes are also rich in several other nutrients which can help balance out their effect on your energy levels— meaning you won't get a spike in energy and then crash a few hours later. Half of a baked sweet potato gives you 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, more than three times your daily requirement of vitamin A, and a third of your daily dose of vitamin C. It's also only about 80 to 90 calories, fewer than you'd get from eating a piece of toast.
But don't take my word for it — try it next time you work out.
"Just eat that and you'll be like, 'Oh my goodness,'" Shaun said.
The creator of INSANITY trusts and believes in your transformation.
Shaun T is emphatic: “I’m your biggest fan.” That’s the one thing he wishes people knew about him.
What most people do know is that he’s the creator of the wildly popular INSANITY and T25 workout DVD series. The programs have earned Shaun T a reputation not only for demanding workouts that have transformed many bodies but also for life-changing motivation that has earned millions of fans. He keeps you going even when you think you can’t hold your plank a second longer: “I say, ‘You’re right there.’ I don’t say, ‘You better not give up.’ I want you to dig deeper.”
That’s because Shaun T sees transformation as building strength for the challenges you’ll face in the future. His new book “T Is for Transformation” (Rodale Books, 2017) is about “looking deep within yourself to ask, ‘How do I actually keep this transformation going? What’s going to help push me along [so that] when I get to the end of this particular journey, I have the power to start the next part of my life?’”
As long as you have the potential to change, he doesn’t care where you are on your fitness journey, and that’s why he’s your biggest fan.
Your team is inside you
The fitness icon could have written a successful book—or two or three—about fitness or nutrition. “[Instead], I wanted to write a book about what enhances the journey, what enhances the sustainability [of your fitness],” he explains. “When people are going through a transformation, sometimes they put so much pressure on themselves or on a number that they forget everything that’s surrounding it. And everything that’s surrounding it is everything that’s happening in life.”
It might seem surprising that someone whose success is built on legions of fans would zero in on the importance of building your strength—for yourself. But Shaun T learned that truth from his own transformation, escaping childhood sexual abuse, succeeding on the high-school track, struggling with weight and identity in college, and finally achieving new heights as a performer and fitness phenomenon.
In the process of transformation, he wants you to accept every part of your life, including the person you were—not just the person you want to become. He compares the journey to the baton relay in track and field: “If you’re in the first leg [of the race], you’re running. [The “you” who is] that second leg is trying to motivate and pull you through to the next exchange. Let the person who you want to become pull you through.”
As you reach your goal, he urges you to look back and recognize that the person you were—that first runner handing over the baton—gave you the motivation to move forward. “Just because you lose 30 pounds doesn’t mean you have to forget about the person that was 30 pounds heavier because that’s the person who gave you the power,” Shaun T says.
Seven superpowers can transform you
In “T Is for Transformation,” he identifies seven “superpowers” from his own experience that you can use to transform your own life. Shaun T believes we give up on our fitness dreams because we focus on a number on the scale. He says the first rule is to do what you want to do. “I tell people all the time, ‘You don’t need to do my workouts. INSANITY could be the most popular thing on the planet, but if it doesn’t resonate with you, don’t do it. If walking for 15 minutes a day is going to give you power to wake up and do it again, do that,’” he says.
He also wants you to embrace the voices inside that encourage—and those that doubt. Embracing the struggle for what it is, he says, ultimately builds confidence.
But what about the mixed messages that tell you to push yourself as hard as you can and also listen to your body? Shaun T invokes one of the superpowers: Be selfish. Why? “Nobody’s going to get the results for you but you. Nobody can lift the weight, do the push-up or the squat,” he says. “Someone can put the spoon in your mouth, but you have to swallow and be committed to whatever you’re eating. When you feel good about yourself, confidence takes over.”
He recognizes that appearance can contribute to self-confidence, but he says it can only be sustained with self-love. “When the time comes that your biceps don’t look the way that they do today, you can still be confident with who you are. And you still know that the person next to you is going to love you for who you are.”
That relates to another superpower: Go bananas. Shaun T doesn’t mean eat more of them. “Be as you as you can possibly be,” he says. “Anything that’s different about you, anything that’s unique about you, be that to the 10th degree. Go absolutely bananas, because when you are you to the fullest extent, you learn more about yourself and you’re able to push past new boundaries.”
It’s not so surprising, then, that when people stop him on the street and ask to see his abs (yes, they really do that), he politely declines. With a smile, he says, “My abs don’t do anything for you. My abs are for me!”
Focus on what happens after the “after”
About those before-and-after pictures from Shaun T’s fans: He admires them, but he doesn’t place a lot of stock in them. “They’re just snapshots of your life,” he says. “What were you thinking when you took the after picture? Did you snap the picture and smile just to say, ‘I lost 60 pounds,’ but you’re still not internally happy about who you are?”
That’s what inspired him to write “T Is for Transformation.” He explains, “The book is going to make you feel a little bit uncomfortable. It’s going to make you think about the relationship you have with your mother or the self-sabotage that you do every single day. But once you go through the steps to success, you’re going to begin to live.”
Shaun T has been through struggles and has learned to embrace challenges, so “T Is for Transformation” doesn’t preach. “I was molested for four years as a kid,” he says. “I had to move out of my house, and I devised a plan to do it at 14 years old. Coming out as a gay man. Getting married to [husband Scott Blokker]. … I’ve been through it. And the reason why I’m your biggest fan is because I know that you can do it, [too]. I’m not talking about achieving the goal. What I do know is that you can begin. You can [handle] the process. You possess the power of commitment.”
For those of us who are struggling, he says, “Great. We can celebrate that, too. If you gained 30 pounds back, I’m still going to be your biggest fan. I’m going to be here to motivate you every step of the way, and I’m going to help you trust and believe in who you are.”
Photo credit: Tom Casey, box24studio.com
Grooming: Katie Nash, katienashbeauty.com
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Lashaun Dale
Lashaun Dale
Lashaun Dale loves yoga and fitness and finds magic in movement, music and mobs of people. She holds degrees in International Relations, Philosophy and Applied Anthropology, as well as an MPH from the School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. With two decades of group fitness programming experience, Dale currently serves as vice president of content & programming for 24 Hour Fitness and editor-in-chief of 24Life magazine. A regular contributor to SELF and Women’s Health and Fitness, as well as popular blogs and podcasts, she’ll teach yoga anytime she is given an opportunity to get her om on.