Fitness Lessons from Geek and Sundry

It should come as no surprise to long-time readers that I consider Geek & Sundry one of my major creative inspirations.

In fact, one half of the catalyst for this very website was sitting in on panels given by Felicia Day and Sandeep Parikh at the very first Geek & Sundry event at San Diego Comic-Con in 2012!

Geek & Sundry, whose primary focus is a very successful YouTube channel, has produced quite a few shows since it’s inception in April of 2012; but one of the most interesting and inspiring ventures they undertook was the introduction of a second channel dedicated to video blogs aka vlogs.

I will spare you the entire story of how the channel began, and how it grew and changed over time; but suffice it to say it showcased quite a few unique and fascinating people, and their geeky passions, for the Internet to fall in love with!

And now the grand experiment is over.

The vlogs channel, and program, is unfortunately coming to a close this month… so as a fan, who found himself greatly inspired by much of their work, I want to pay them some homage by doing what I do best.

Pulling fitness lessons out of their work and personas!

There were a lot of vloggers, covering a myriad of geeky topics, so I can’t highlight them all; but here are the one’s that particularly inspired me and the lessons they taught me!

The Power of Research

“Ipsa scientia potestas est“ (‘Knowledge itself is power’) – Sir Francis Bacon, Meditationes Sacrae

Dael Kingsmill‘s & Kiri Callaghan‘s contributions to the channel were not only entertaining, but they definitely were the most educational of the bunch.

Whether it is Dael’s unique take on historic tales of mythology or Kiri’s charming explorations of topics that pique her curiosity, it is evident a ton of research and preparation goes into their videos.

These days you can’t avoid information overload, even if you want to.

In 2014 the global weight loss market alone was estimated to be a $583 billion dollar industry; that is a metric butt-ton of books, articles, weight loss programs, fitness supplements, workout programs, etc… to sift through!

So before you just randomly decide to hop on a detox bandwagon because a friend posted about “miraculous results” on Facebook, or buy yet another Ultra-Super-XXXtreme AbBlaster DVD set, channel a little Dael Kingsmill and Kiri Callaghan and get to researching.

A little investigation upfront will save you a lot of money and disappointment on the back-end.

I promise!

Whether you:

• Do your research on this site, or one of the other reputable fitness sites out there (T-Nation and Born Fitness come to mind)
• Take a little time to read about the basics of weight training
• Seek out a certified personal trainer
• Hire a nutritionist
• Or whatever else comes to mind

Just make sure to put a little concentrated, mental effort into your plans before wasting time or money (or even worse, hurting yourself!)

Follow Dael Kingsmill and Kiri Callaghan on their personal YouTube channels, “MonarchsFactory” and “KiriCallaghan”!

Know Yourself

Becca Canote is someone who has a strong sense of identity, and is obviously very comfortable with herself.

A fact that I not only have serious admiration for, but that shines through in every one of her videos; no matter what the subject.

When you are first starting out on your fitness journey it is very easy to let other people’s opinions influence you, and that can be dangerous!

Here are two scenarios I have seen play out more times than I care to admit:

Scenario 1:

Johnny Overweight decides he has had enough, he starts eating right and joins a gym so that he can shed his unwanted pounds. The problem? Every time he goes in the gym he is embarrassed that he looks out of place compared to everyone else around him, and doesn’t want to look stupid asking for help learning how to properly use the equipment.

So he stops going. /facepalm

The reality is most people at the gym are paying you no mind, they are focused on their own workouts (and insecurities), and are more than happy to assist newbies out.

Scenario 2:

Jill Inexperienced joins a workout group with some friends, or a Crossfit Gym (or “box” if you want to be annoying.) After a few weeks go by, they either let their ego get the better of them, or some peer pressure gets tossed their way, and they end up doing a specific exercise or a workout that is way out of their league.

The usual result? Injury and a bad taste in their mouth towards organized exercise.

Avoid those scenarios at all costs!

Take a page from the book of Canote and remember that getting fit and healthy is for you.

Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks, don’t let anyone push you into doing things that make you uncomfortable, and just keep moving forward at your own pace.

And then follow Becca Canote on her personal YouTube channel here!

Find a Hobby You Love

Everyone has a hobby or two.

Everyone has something they are passionate about.

But rarely do people do what Teri Litorico or Holland Farkas have done though, and turned those hobbies into something more.

Something that actually enriches their lives!

Anyone who has read this site before knows I am huge proponent of truly embracing your hobbies, and using them as a gateway for change.

The way Teri and Holland took their love of war-gaming and cinema respectively and parlayed them into successful segments on the Geek and Sundry channel is inspiring to me.

When I say “let your hobbies inspire you“, this is what I mean…

If you’ve spent your whole life avoiding exercise, it can be intimidating to try and start from scratch. That’s why I advise people to take stock of their nerdy hobbies and finding relate-able physical activities that are extensions of those already established passions!

Do you:

• Love everything zombie? Then try a zombie walk or run!
• Watch every reality chef show the Food Network airs? Take a cooking class and learn to make healthier meals for your family!
• Read a lot of fantasy novels or play Dungeons & Dragons? Try out some LARPing or find a local fencing class!
• Play an inordinate amount of Call of Duty or Destiny? Try your luck at headshots on a paintball or Airsoft field!

Whatever it may be, find a way to use that passion as a jumping off point to help you achieve your fitness goals. It will definitely help get the ball rolling…

And speaking of rolling, maybe join a local Rollerderby league;  you might just find yourself facing off against Teri Litorico herself on the circuit!

Follow Teri Litorico and Holland Farkas on their personal YouTube channels, “ThatTeriGirl” and “TelltaleHeartXO”!

Make No Excuses!

It’s easy to come up with reasons for why you can’t do something.

Be honest; how many times have you, or someone you know, claimed you couldn’t do something because “It costs too much” or “I don’t have the time“?

Probably quite a few.

And that is where the dynamic duo of monetary workarounds, Omar Najam and Mia Resella, come in!

I love the creative problem solving these two bring to the table.

If you want to get in-shape, if you want to make positive changes in your life, you can’t let excuses get in the way!

• Gym membership too expensive? Find some great at-home workouts to try!
• Don’t think you have time to workout out, or prepare healthy meals? Take a minute and re-prioritize your life!
• Find yourself overwhelmed by the grocery store? Print out your healthy shopping list ahead of time!
• Don’t think you can cook tasty, healthy meals? Join a weekly recipe program like eMeals.com!

Those are just a couple quick examples, but you guys are smart (and probably super good-looking too); I have faith that you can find a creative work-around to almost any problem that comes your way.

So whenever you feel like there is an obstacle in your way, preventing you from achieving your goals, take a moment and ask yourself – WW2BGD (What Would 2 Broke Geeks Do)?

Follow the Omar and Mia on their personal YouTube channel “2BrokeGeeks”!

Be Enthusiastic

Anyone who has watched any of Nika Harper‘s videos can tell she loves what she does.

Absolutely loves it.

Her enthusiasm is contagious. I dare you to watch one of her vlogs and not end up smiling.

I double dog dare you.

Ultimately I believe this is the secret key to staying on track with your health and fitness goals.

Being enthusiastic about your journey!

If you can’t get excited about your food or your workouts, if your eyes don’t light up like Nika’s when you think about your goals, then it is going to be a tough road.

For example, I’m a proponent of clean eating; I recommend it over most other methods because I find it’s the healthiest way to drive success.

But if you aren’t excited by the meals you are making on that plan, success is going to be difficult!

I’d much rather you be enthusiastic about other healthy lifestyles like:

• The Mediterranean Diet
• The Paleo Diet
• The Flexitarian Diet

Even though I don’t think they’re the best solution for people trying to eat better, I definitely think they are solid. And I’d rather you be excited about something reasonably healthy instead of being un-enthusiastic about something very healthy.

Same goes for your workouts.

A solid strength and conditioning plan is scientifically proven to be one of the best things you can do for your body, but if you can’t find a way to love it, you aren’t going to stick with it. So maybe until you get used to moving around and burning calories a less beneficial, but more engaging activity, like Zumba or a team sport might be right for you?

Whatever it takes, find a way to develop Nika Harper levels of enthusiasm about your diet, and workout plan, and smile your way to success.

Then be sure to follow Nika Harper on her personal YouTube channel!

Embrace the Champion Mindset

I was immediately fascinated by the premise of James “TigerMonkey” Isaacs‘ vlog.

He was chronicling his preparation for the 2013 World Thumb-Wrestling Championships (yes, that is really a thing) and the entire story, from start to finish, was beyond fascinating!

*Spoiler Alert* – He won.

What I found so inspiring about his journey was how serious he took it.

At first blush, it would be easy to dismiss something like thumb wrestling as silly or inconsequential; but not so for Brent Isaacs. The championship was important to him and he took it very, very seriously.

That mindset breeds success!

It shouldn’t matter what your fitness goals are, how large or small they are, or if anyone else thinks they are important.

If they are important to you, if you take them seriously and approach them like a champion, you not only will have a greater chance of succeeding but you will also feel so much more fulfilled when you prevail.

Everyone has to start their fitness journey somewhere. It doesn’t matter whether your goal is:

• Walking for 10 minutes a day
• Training for your first 5k race
• Trying to get strong enough to bang out 50 dips
• Prepping for a body-building competition
• Or whatever else you want to achieve…

Your mindset needs to be the same!

If you channel the spirit of Tigermonkey, and approach all of your endeavors with sincerity, you not only will more than likely succeed faster than if you were just half-assing it, but at the end of the day you will also feel a greater sense of accomplishment.

Follow James Brent Isaacs on his personal YouTube channel here!

Never Give Up!

Scott Tumilty did not have an easy road bringing his retro-gaming show onto the vlog channel.

He achieved his goal through sheer determination and tenacity.

See, he came into the mix in round two of the vlogger search; a competition that not only required an audition but continued campaigning.

Grumpelstiltskin (what I call him) went above and beyond in his efforts. For those of us that were watching the whole thing unfold, it was virtually impossible to not cheer for him.

It didn’t matter what stood in his way, the tenacious Scotsman worked harder than anyone in that competition to earn his rightful spot on the channel.

There is no denying that.

Scott Tumilty‘s determination was unreal, it was as if he had some sort of super heroic will-power driving him; and when setting and achieving your fitness goals that’s the mindset you need to have!

• Don’t let roadblocks deter you.
• Don’t second-guess yourself.
• Don’t give up when things get hard.

Any worthwhile goal is going to take hard work to achieve; there will be bumps in the road, there will be setbacks, there will be days when you feel like there is no way you will succeed.

That is normal!     

Just refuse to give up in the face of that adversity, and make it happen for yourself, whatever “it” may be.

Make sure to follow Scott Tumilty on his personal YouTube channel here!

Man, that was a lot of videos and praise… but I believe it was all well deserved.

But like I said, there were a lot of vloggers; and even if I didn’t specifically call them out I found every single one of them a joy and an inspiration.

Thanks so much for two years of fantastic content, I will miss hanging out with you at San Diego Comic-Con, and I wish all of you the best of luck in your future projects.

I can’t wait to see what you all come up with next!

Were you a fan of the Geek & Sundry vlogs? Are there any other inspiring YouTubers you love? Speak up in the comments below!

PS: In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I want you to get your free e-book, “The 7 Fitness Obstacles Newbies Face” by subscribing to our newsletter… no spam, I promise!

PPS: If you want to really kick start your fitness transformation, then make sure to get your copy of “The Heroes’ Transformation Guide“ and let me help you go from geek to real-life superhero. Don’t wait!