January 5, 2021

Jerzy Gregorek | Pod of Jake

Getting in shape isn’t all physical; a large part of it is mental. You need to become your own master and tell yourself you’re going to work out.
Microprogression is the key to a successful life:
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
  - Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
    - “Microprogression is extremely important” – Jerzy Gregorek
“Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” – Jerzy Gregorek
Be careful of the voice in your head that complains, makes excuses, or says negative things about yourself
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
  - If the negative voices get extremely loud, consider getting help from an outside source (friend, family, therapist) if needed.
Forget about the past and the future, and focus on improving your life in the present moment. If you do that, your past and future will both get better.
Taking care of yourself through staying active and eating healthy is like stitching together a parachute: It’s a slow process but if there’s an emergency, you’ll be glad to have it

Jerzy Gregorek (@TheHappyBody) is an Olympic weight-lifter, trainer, poet and author of The Happy Body
Host: Jake (@blogofjake)

Jerzy Gregorek was born into a poor family in Poland in 1954
- Jerzy was bullied as a kid so he started lifting weights
  - From about 15-18, he became depressed and became an alcoholic. Fortunately, a friend was able to help him find a better path in life and Jerzy started focusing on educating himself and lifting weights again.
    - Jerzy later worked as a firefighter for a few years
In 1985, Jerzy moved to the US
- He found a job at a gym coaching people and earned $5 per hour
  - People loved his advice and asked him for custom workout plans
    - Eventually, Jerzy had so many clients that he decided to open up his own coaching business
      - About 10 years later, Jerzy and his wife decided to put all of their fitness and diet knowledge into a book: The Happy Body
Jerzy is also the author of:

Getting in shape isn’t all physical, a large part of it is mental. You need to become your own master and tell yourself you’re going to work out.
“Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” – Jerzy Gregorek
- Easy choices don’t require you to get better
- Hard choices help you improve yourself beyond your current level
  - Making the choice to workout when you wake up isn’t easy, but it will pay off in the long term
Microprogression is the key to a successful life:
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
  - Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
    - “Microprogression is extremely important” – Jerzy Gregorek
Be careful of the voice in your head that complains, makes excuses, or says negative things about yourself
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
  - If the negative voices get extremely loud, consider getting help from an outside source (friend, family, therapist) if needed.
Forget about the past and the future, and focus on improving your life in the present moment. If you do that, your past and future will both get better.

When it comes to fitness, Jerzy focuses on 4 parts:
- Coordination
- Strength
- Posture
- Flexibility
Obesity isn’t about how big you are, but how big your body fat percentage is. A person can weigh 100 pounds and still be obese.
Taking care of yourself through staying active and eating healthy is like stitching together a parachute: It’s a slow process but if there’s an emergency, you’ll be glad to have it
You want to take care of yourself while still young and healthy so that you’re can surf and ski with your grandkids when you’re older

Inside every person, there are two voices: the Master and the Fatalist
- The Master is the voice that tells you what’s right and the one you should be listening to even though it’s often asking you to do more difficult tasks
- The Fatalist is the voice whispering negative thoughts and telling you to take the easier path in life
The 5 combinations of Master and Fatalist:
- 100% Fatalist: This person is has a ton of negative thoughts, might be suicidal, and likely needs outside help
- 75% Fatalist and 25% Master: This person knows what the right thing to do is, but since the Fatalist voice is dominating the conversation, they often do the wrong thing
- 50% Fatalist and 50% Master: This person struggles to make the right decision because they’re constantly torn between two options
- 25% Fatalist and 75% Master: This person is aligned with the right decision and often does the right thing in life
- 0% Fatalist and 100% Master: This person makes the right decision for themselves and does good for others as well