4 Fitness & Lifestyle Tactics You’re Easily Overlooking

In this Former Athlete Society Accountability Call, I’m diving into four new real-life strategies I’ve been using this season that have helped me stay consistent with training, locked in on nutrition, and sane through the ups and downs of life.

When it comes to making progress — whether it’s dropping fat, building muscle, or simply feeling more energized — the big wins often come from small, repeatable actions. In this Former Athlete Society Accountability Call Call, I dove into four areas that can transform your results if you commit to them consistently.

What You’ll Learn in This Call

1. Turning Progress Into a Math Equation

If the scale is moving in the direction you want, you have levers you can pull. It comes down to two categories: inputsand outputs.

• Inputs are your nutrition intake, total calories, and food quality.
• Outputs are your workouts, cardio, and daily steps.

The trick is understanding how these interact. Think of it as a math equation: change the input, change the output, or change both. Too many people only push output — more cardio, longer workouts — until they hit a wall of fatigue. (Two-hour cardio sessions, anyone?)

The smarter play is making adjustments step-by-step across both sides. Maybe that means tightening up food tracking and adding a bit more movement, rather than going to extremes in either direction.

2. Owning the Last Two Hours of Your Evening

Your best mornings are built the night before. Those final 120 minutes before bed are your chance to set the tone for tomorrow’s success.

For me, that means:

• Putting on blue light blocking glasses
• Getting away from the phone and other high-stimulation devices
• Keeping stress low to reduce evening cortisol
• Tapering food and fluids to avoid stomach upset or frequent wake-ups
• Doing some light foam rolling or taking a hot shower to trigger a post-shower cool down and signal “sleep mode” to my body
• Keeping my bedroom dark, cool, and calm — think “bear’s cave”

If you guard these two hours like your performance depends on it, you’ll wake up ready to attack the day.

3. The Psychology of Gym Gear Motivation

This one’s simple but powerful: the right clothing or gear can get you to show up. New gym clothes, a favorite hat, fresh wrist straps — they’re small investments with a big short-term impact on motivation.

Is it fleeting? Sure. The buzz of new gear wears off. But in the short term, it can be the nudge that gets you through the door and into the workout.

The key is using it strategically — not relying on buying something new every week. Remember: it’s not a fashion show. You’re there to train and get closer to your goals.

4. Kitchen Non-Negotiables for Elite Nutrition

A strong nutrition plan starts with the right tools. If my kitchen burned down tomorrow, here’s what I’d buy first:

• Kitchen scale: For tracking macros and portion sizes accurately.
• Air fryer: Quick, no-fuss cooking for high-protein meals.
• Crockpot: Set it in the morning, enjoy a slow-cooked roast by evening.
• High-quality water bottles: I use my 50oz YETI Yonder plastic bottle and my 40oz YETI Rambler with straw lid every day. They make hydration effortless.

These tools remove friction from meal prep and hydration — and that’s half the battle when it comes to nutrition consistency.

Success is rarely about massive overhauls. More often, it’s about stacking small, smart actions day after day. Adjust your levers intelligently. Protect your evening routine. Use little motivational boosts when you need them. Equip your kitchen to make good choices easy.

Do these things, and you’ll be shocked at how much progress you can make — without burning yourself into the ground.