Remember the pixie dust from Peter Pan?

Couple of things before reading this blog:

-  Don’t be offended.  Wait…yes be offended.  I dare you

-  I included some video links, embedded them, or linked it to my other blog for a point

-  It may be a little long so bear with this

-  Lastly, the words and phrasing I give credit to where it is due…Pastor Ryan Meeks from EastLake Community Church

So………here goes:

My wife suggested to go to church Sunday evening.  I was sort of reluctant.  You know, tired, rainy, rough week last week, just kinda not in that mood.  It’s kinda funny that every time I resist something I know would benefit me, I do it anyways and I love it afterwards.  Ever feel that way?

So we went to church and the topic of the sermon was “Work Hard”.  Usually I write a blog from an inspiration of some sort and I found it tonight.  Some of you have been missing my emails.  Sorry, I haven’t found that inspiration till recently.

Now please bear with me and don’t worry I am not going to get “churchy” on you.  I may use some bible verses due to the relevancy of this blog and where it came from.  But, my goal is not to force anyone into thinking a certain way.  That is your choice and your views and I am ok with that.  What you do with this information in this blog is your choice ultimately.  In the end, I hope your offended enough to take action and get some work done.  So here is what I learned from going to a Sunday evening service at Eastlake Community Church.

LESSON 1

Work Hard

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk only leads to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23

This verse hit me pretty good.  It hit me from different angles.  Definitely from a business perspective and some other aspects as well.  Kinda like a “talk the talk well walk the walk” thing too!  The premise of this is not to just say your going to do something….DO IT!  Action speaks louder than words!  We have heard this line that too many times.

Speaking of talking the talk and walking it…Just recently, a bootcamper called me out early in the morning.  This person said…”why don’t you do the exercise with us?”  Well, my ego took over and so I did.  What this person didn’t know was that I blasted my legs the night before with a rigorous Muay Thai workout.  I didn’t have to justify myself but I did 30 Split jumps anyways WITH this person (even though it was only 30 step out lunges…I leveled it up a bit).

You know, I do ask the bootcampers to share their accomplishments, setbacks, and workouts as they go through their 21 day rapid fat loss journey.  So here is mine as I am being transparent.  I will give you a glimpse of the day before.  The day of my Muay Thai workout.

Thursday November 19th:

5am = wake up, 6am = bootcamp, 7am= egg whites and spinach breakfast, 8am = train, 9am = shake, 12pm = Unwich (turkey), 130pm = martial arts client, 2pm = corporate meeting representing Element 5, 3pm = chicken breast salad from subway, 4pm = corporate training Bellevue, 530pm = chicken breast salad, 6pm = bootcamp, 7pm = martial arts class (teach a portion but take as a student and get butt whooped!!), 830pm = cous cous with turkey meatballs and spaghetti sauce.  Then comes Friday…blasted legs and all and my little justification act/moment.

And just so you know what the high intensity of Muay Thai or boxing takes look at the videos posted and the link to my other blog (click—>) ”Boxing Mom” workout and check out the first video, read the blog later its cool though! Or to check out the actual video look below. (you can read that blog later about high intensity boxing workouts)

**FYI….this woman has three kids of her own**  Now that’s a MOM you don’t wanna mess with!!

Holding pads for these athletes IS A WORKOUT!!  Look below!

So yes hard work does pay off and talk is cheap.  I hope a look into my day shows you who I am and what I do.  Just to be clear, Rommel and myself, NEVER show an exercise we ourselves haven’t done.  More importantly, hard work gets you results.  I remember working hard to be a great defensive player for OSU’s Men’s volleyball team.  I didn’t have the luxury of being 6ft 5in++.  I had to work at being fast defensively, responsive, and tactful offensively as a server since the back row line is the most I would probably get to see.  Practice and tournaments and games was like a second job to school.  Work Hard…

Look, no one ever said achieving great things was going to be easy.  You set your goals, aim for it and work hard.

Pastor Ryan said something funny tonight.  He said we like to believe there is this thing called Pixie Dust.  Just sprinkle it and the problem (fat for us in the fitness world) goes away.  Pixie Dust.  Just sprinkle it and the magical opportunity comes your way.  Pixie Dust, your problems aren’t yours to own, just sprinkle it and it will go away.  Pixie Dust…bullcrap.  Work Hard.

LESSON 2

Work Hard at What You Do Best:

Colossians 3:23-24 starts out saying “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…”

Ah this part is good.  You see the Michael Jordans of the world have it easy.  Tiger Woods?  Cmon!  what’s so hard about walking in the park and swinging at a ball to a goal?  I mean the goal isn’t even guarded!  You won’t be tackled either.  So, lucky them eh?  Just naturally gifted right?  WRONG!

You think those great athletes haven’t put in the work?  Greatness is easy to see, but we neglect the process behind that greatness.

“I have failed many times, and that’s why I am a success” – Michael Jordan

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

It’s the very same reason why Rommel and myself are in this business.  We are good at what we do and we will work hard at what we are very best at doing.

LESSON 3

Work Hard at What Matters Most

One of my coaches Bedros Keuilian asked me a question.  He told me to name three things in the business that was successful to us achieving our goals.  He had told me to focus on what we are good at, and not to spread oneself too thin.  How true, how relevant.  Thanks Mr. Keuilian.

Life is temporary people.  If you give your life to something you are NOT good at, then you “betray yourself”.  You assassinate your character and destroy your integrity, as Mr. Meeks says.  Lasting greatness is due to hard work.  Your not entitled to it.  You want great results in fitness or in life?  Work Hard.  Simple yet hard to do.

After the sermon was over, (The Pastor said for anyone who he hasn’t met to feel free to come up and introduce themselves), I walked up to the front with Amanda and we thanked the pastor for his message.  We then went to Fred Meyer to return a Red box dvd. Amanda went off to look for an item and I was texting my business partner Rommel about the awesome church experience and you know how these grocery stores have banks in them?  Well as I was walking and texting with my head down I literally almost ran into one of the banks promo sign.  It was a promo sign for the bank and a Disney prize of some sort….it said:

PIXIE DUST………….and so my blog began.

P.S.  Please leave a comment with your thoughts

P.P.S.  Please subscribe to this blog and forward this to those you think may benefit from it.

Yours in Health,

Belton Lubas

Element 5 Fitness is giving back to the Kirkland community and surrounding Eastside communities during this Thanksgiving!

Just bring a can of food and you can workout at Kirkland’s leading fitness boot camp from November 25-28 for free. Belton Lubas and Rommel Acda, owners of Strong and Sexy Bootcamps, calls them “Turkey-Busting Workouts” because they burn off those monstrous calories we all consume on Thanksgiving.

“We’re planning on making this an annual tradition here,” says Acda, “because Thanksgiving is such a wonderful family and friends holiday, and a time to show our appreciation for all we have, especially our health.”

Strong and Sexy Bootcamps is open to all Kirkland residents and their family and friends on November 25th thru 28th with a class 6am Wednesday thru Friday and 9am on Saturday. Evening time is 6pm on Wednesday night. The cost of admission is just one can of food (preferably vegetables), otherwise it’s completely free to everyone who wants a great workout with fun people.

“All that we ask is that folks register in advance by emailing info@element5fitness.com with the subject line: Turkey-Busting Workouts, so we can be sure we have enough equipment on hand to accommodate everyone,” says Lubas. “Boot camp is perfect for all folks regardless of age or fitness level – we make everyone feel welcome and customize the workouts so everybody gets what they need.”

Strong and Sexy Bootcamps’ Turkey-Busting Workouts will be held at the Element 5 Fitness Training Center located at 11626 Slate Ave NE Suites 4&5 Kirkland, Wa 98034; The training center is located behind Napa Auto Parts on Slater Ave.

“We anticipate a great turnout because folks enjoy working out with family, friends and friendly people; and lastly because we’re supporting a great cause through The Hopelink Foundation. It’s a great way for us to give thanks for our health, our families, friends and good fortune, and help others who are less fortunate at the same time,” explains Acda.