"We’ve all heard the saying that you're the sum of the five people you spend the most time with..."

Managing the Social Aspect of Change / Elite FTS: "Everyone knew that I was getting ready for a competition, and they let me do my thing. I couldn’t help but compare that to the last time I did a bodybuilding show about six years ago when I worked at a commercial gym. Every social experience sucked because people were constantly trying to get me to “break” my contest prep. At one point, my manager called me into her office to offer me a cupcake at about two weeks out (and yes, she knew what she was doing). There are several important strategies that must be used whenever you’re looking to implement some type of change, especially one that revolves around health and fitness. Mental toughness is vital. Goal setting and a good plan are necessary as well, but I think far too many people fail to properly develop a social strategy for change. We’ve all heard the saying that you're the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. So if we want to change the sum, we must address the particulars upon which that sum is determined. With regards to changing your training, nutrition and lifestyle habits, you'll probably have to address five social networks: family, friends, work, gym and online...

Everyone’s family has a different dynamic. This could refer to your household, your blood relatives or your non-blood relatives who are like family. In the end, family is your foundation. It’s who you look to for help in times of need and comfort in times of sorrow. They’re your rock. On that same token, family can also bring lots of stress. They’re the most likely to express their opinions, especially if that opinion is dissatisfaction in something you’re doing. You need to be prepared to address any type of change when dealing with family...

Hopefully, you have a supportive wife at home (God help you if you don’t) and/or a supportive family structure that is willing to grow with you during your progress. In the end, they care about you and want to see that you care about them...

Priorities can shift at different times. Just make sure that they come back in balance. If your family isn’t supportive, that sucks, but there isn't a whole lot that you can do other than explain why you want to make whatever changes you're making and make sure that you aren't fighting fire with fire..."