Transcript: From Working Out at Night to Fitness Instructor | Rhonda's 21-Day Habit Secret (Part 3)

What's up, you guys? Famous Ashley Grant here,

and welcome to More Movement, Please. We've made

it to the final episode of my three -part series

with the one and only, the fabulous, the myth,

the legend, Rhonda Goode. She's my fitness instructor,

and even though she kind of gagged at me saying

this, she's my inspiration. If you haven't listened

to the previous episodes, I highly recommend

going back to the start and listening to all

of them. I'll put the links to the other two

episodes in the show notes, but... we're going

to make this episode work as a standalone too.

So far in this series, we have talked about how

Rhonda transformed her own life by losing 120

pounds and breaking her family's generational

health patterns. We dove deep into watching her

mother's health decline and how that shaped everything

Rhonda has done for the last 15 years. And today,

well, today we're getting into the practical

stuff. We're talking about what to do when you

hit a plateau, how to actually start if you're

a complete beginner. the 21 -day habit rule,

and Rhonda's three non -negotiable do's and three

don'ts for anyone who's stepping back into a

gym. Or maybe stepping into a gym for the first

time. We're also going to tackle the big mindset

shift. How do you stop seeing exercise as punishment

and start seeing it as peace? Oh, and Rhonda's

going to tell you straight up, if you're not

having fun, you're in the wrong place. Period.

This is it, you guys. The final episode, so let's

finish strong. Let's get into it. Speaking of

gaining, you had posted that your body gets used

to everything you do when you work out. And at

some point, you're going to need to change it

up. So when people hit a plateau, what should

they do about it? Well, unfortunately, sometimes

like the best thing that they could do is work

out at a different time. And when you're retired

and you only come in the morning, you're not

going to come at night. No. So it's hard for

some people because you really should switch.

your work I mean I try to switch up workouts

as much as possible yeah I mean try but at the

same time there's only so many things you can

do yeah so you know I try to keep things varied

as much as we can but a lot of it is that working

out at a different time of day or choosing not

to go to the gym and taking the hike instead

or You know, doing something difficult outside

that you would never do otherwise, but you're

going to have the energy to do it. So like for

here, people hiking the pinnacles, there's an

easy pinnacle hike and there's a hard pinnacle

hike, you know, but doing things like that instead

of going to the gym every once in a while. I

know, but it's really about varying your eating

schedule and when you're working out sometimes.

It's hard for people because people get in routines.

So it's really it's really hard for people to

switch up, especially people that work and have

many people retired. I think retired people are

more stuck in their routines and the people that

work, honestly, because it's like, no, every

morning at 745, I have coffee, you know, and

it's like, OK, so and I'm like that. I don't

like my routine messed with at all. I mean, I

don't. And you know, I do not. I have my specific

morning routine. I have a specific afternoon

and evening routine. I don't like my routine

messed with. And when I wasn't as old as I am

now, you know, occasionally I would take the

extra walk just so around the park and, you know,

but just breaking it up a little bit sometimes.

And even... You know, you don't always have to

carry big weights. I mean, I used to tell people

all the time when they were trying to just start

in fitness and, well, I don't have time to go

to the gym, whatever. It's like, well, do you

walk? Well, I just started walking. Okay, well,

start walking and then add some wrist weights

to your walk. You know, I don't tell people to

add ankle weights very often because ankles and

knees, like, I mean, it's one thing if you're

19, but as you get older, they don't really like

that weight thing to me added to them. But it

is hard for people to change up routines. It

is. And sometimes it's just a matter of changing

what you're eating. And like if you're carb heavy,

always at lunch and switching it to dinner, which

sounds crazy. But your body doesn't know if you

do things like that. Like sometimes I eat a salad

at night. It's like, oh, you know. But that's

it. And you will hear people, too. And I did

find it to be true. I don't do it anymore because

I just don't enjoy it. But you will hear people

say that I've been working out forever. And like

there are some people that really go into that,

you know, 80 percent clean diet thing and 20

percent. It's not me. But they would have like

their cheat meal on the weekend and they would

go eat garbage and notice that they would take

weight off from doing it. which sounds crazy,

but it is true. I mean, any kind of thing you

do that switches up what your body is used to,

whether that's food or working out, a lot of

times, not always, you'll notice that you'll

drop weight. It's weird. But you also have to

know that you're going to fluctuate. Everybody

does. Got to make your body confused. Yeah. So

you kind of already touched on this, but if someone

was starting from zero and they're overweight,

they have health issues, they're intimidated,

whatever, what would you say step one is? I think

step one for most people is still to go to the

gym, which sounds really intimidating. But unless

you're going in like, I mean, they exist. We

have one here in town. Unless you're going to

like the muscle gyms. Most gyms are filled with

pretty average looking folks. There's not, you

know, I mean, it doesn't mean you're not going

to be intimidated, but for the most part, when

you walk in a gym, people around you are going

to introduce themselves. Hi, nice to meet you.

What's your name? And they're going to tell you

the equipment you need for the class if I'm not

there yet. And they're going to suggest to you

that, you know, just do what you can. That's

what they'll always say to you. That's what I'll

say to you. Just do what you can. But whatever

you do when you start is better than sitting

on the couch at home. Or they'll tell you you

need a different class. Yeah. Like what happened

to me? Yeah. Yeah. But it's hard to start. But

you have to be determined that you're going to

do it for you. Because it's never for anyone

but you. And when it is, you don't, it doesn't

work. That's right. I know we've been taking

a little bit of time and I'm trying to respect

your time. So I might have to bring you back

on for more. But in 2018, you said 21 days is

a habit. Try working out for 21 days in a row

and see if you stop. Is that still your recommendation

for people? Oh, yeah. Because that's just science.

I mean, there's books all about that, right?

That if you do anything for 21 days. Books? You

don't read books. Yeah, I know. I don't. But

yeah, if you do anything for 21 days, that makes

it a habit. So, yeah. Okay. Yeah. In January

2020, you shared your comprehensive do's and

don'ts list. You shared you do have to show up

even when you don't feel like it. You don't have

to buy specific clothes for the gym. If you could

give listeners just three non -negotiable do's

and three don'ts, what would they be? Oh, do

go to the gym and close your comfortable in.

Comfortable to sweat in. Comfortable to move

in. Don't worry about what you look like. Nobody's

there to look cute. People are there to work.

And don't worry about what you look like in the

mirror if you're in a class. No one's looking

at you but you. Everyone else is looking at me.

So you're not the focus. You may think you're

the focus, especially if you're new, but you're

really not. Really not. So do take water to the

gym. And be prepared to sweat. I mean, if you

have not... been moving and some people naturally

just don't sweat. I think those are the weirdest

people ever. And I kind of am envious of them

actually, but they, I know I have like two of

them. I'm like, y 'all, I mean, I'm just drenched,

but be prepared to sweat and have water because

you don't want to get dehydrated and get lightheaded

while you're working out. And it does happen,

especially people starting, you've never done

it. So, and do focus on The small things that

you can change first, like especially with diet,

the little things. So everyone has their really

bad habits or a bad habit. So whether that's

eating. I had someone once that told me that

they had nachos every night in their toaster

oven. And because we were having a discussion

about the fact that they were pre -diabetic and

in their 30s. And they were coming to the gym,

but they weren't seeing a lot of results. And

I said, well, what's your what's your thing?

Everybody has their thing, whether it's a bowl

of ice cream at night, like everybody has their

thing. And they said, oh, well, I have nachos

every night. And I said, well, perhaps you could

consider maybe nachos three times a week. Drop

it back. Pick days, you know, I'm willing to

do that. Well, then you're probably not going

to see any changes. I mean, you've got to make.

You've got to make some small steps. That's probably

why I'm so anti going no sugar, no carbs. It

has to be things that are livable. And for most

people, that's not livable. It's just not. So

just focus on the small things that you can do.

And then I guess the other do would be always

measure when you start. Always measure. Yeah.

And stay away from the scale. Because. The scale

will really upset you. It'll make you cry. Yeah,

it will. And as you gain muscle, you do indeed

gain pounds when you gain muscle. And your body

just fluctuates and changes. So, you know. So,

yeah. Wear comfortable things. Show up and focus

on the small things you can do. Don't compare

yourself to other people. Don't compare yourself

to you 20 years ago. Because for most people,

that's not going to happen. And don't listen

to all the people in your life who tell you that

you're not worth it or that the time you're spending

is not worth it. Or if they're suddenly jealous

of the time you're away from them, that it's

not worth it because you are the only one that

you know you can depend on. And if everyone else

around you is gone, what does your future look

like? Well, that was intense. Yeah. I think we're

going to stop it there because I do have a lot

more questions, but I hope you will consider

coming back and chatting with me some more. I

guess it depends on how I edit it. Because, yeah,

I had some other stuff, but... You can add a

couple more. I can? Okay. Alrighty. Well, let's

talk about the people who disappear and people

who have fallen off the wagon hard and you'll

ask them, you know, when will I see you again?

And what do you say to someone who keeps starting

and stopping? How can you get them to break the

cycle or how should they go about breaking the

cycle? It is hard for people to, that's why I'm

so adamant about don't stop because any excuse

you can find to stop. I mean, a day or a week's

vacation is different. But you know my people

check in. If they're going to be gone for a week,

they tell me. Because they know I'm going to

message and be like, hello. But people that just

start and stop, they tend to always be the ones

that stop permanently. And there's just nothing

you can do. And again, if you don't want to do

it for yourself, then no one else can make you.

Well, you're pretty scary. I mean, so, you know,

and there are some that I just I've lost people

over there. I mean, a lot of people just come

and go. I mean, that's just part of it. But I've

definitely lost people that have gotten mad at

me. I mean, I can name them on one hand. I mean,

I know who they are and they know who they are.

Yeah. But but that it's always, you know, those

people that. Well, they come to me. It's not

like I go to them and say, hey, you look just

like you did three months ago. I mean, it's not

like I do that. They're like, gosh, can you,

I'm just not seeing, you know. And then when

we start having the discussions about the nachos

or that you're going home and drinking a bottle

of wine every night. Yeah. I mean, you can't.

And then that whole thing about you can't outwork

a bad diet. I mean, that's the, you know, that's

the phrase. I'm like, I mean. Depends on how

bad your diet is. I mean, that's why I believe

in living the way I do and, you know, eating

some of what I like. It just depends on how bad

your diet is. But it's really hard for people

that start and stop. I mean, I will occasionally

try, but there are times when I just am like,

there's nothing I can do. I mean, you know, you

give up. I can only imagine. And it's got to

be rough because, you know, you'd see what could

be done. And then if they're not making the change.

Well, it's always rough for me when I see people's

potential. But then again, I'm like, do you not

have anyone in your life? I mean, my mother was

such a driving force for me to not be that. And

I think when people either don't have that because

they haven't experienced it yet, because if you're

younger and you're in your 20s, your 30s and

your mom's 50s, then no, it's not bad yet. Yeah.

I mean, but it's coming, but it's coming, you

know, so. I think that when people don't have

something like that to drive them and, and they're

just not naturally want to be physical, that

it's hard for people, a lot of people to just

stick with it. But the other thing is, and I

used to preach this all the time too, and I've

made Facebook posts about this years ago, but

you know, it was like, well, I have kids and

they all play sports and you know, like, okay,

well your kids are probably not going to be the

next Michael Jordan. And any little trophies

they get for all these sports they're playing

aren't going to mean deadly to them when you're

70 and can't move. And so if your kids' activities

are taking up all of your time when you have

work and house and everything else to do, then

you really should think about what you're handing

your kids' future. Because your kids are the

ones that have to deal with your future if you

have kids. And would they rather have a healthy

parent? Or a parent that dragged them to the

ball field six nights a week and gave them trophies

that meant nothing. That's all I'm saying. I

know that I used to take my husband to he was

in soccer. And because I didn't want to just

stand there on the sidelines, I walked the field

because at least I was still moving. Yeah. So

maybe they should at least do that. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, one of the things that you. posted that

kind of broke my heart is you shared a heartbreaking

story about someone who approached you outside

the gym. They wanted to talk to you about their

health. They came to one class, but they never

returned. Four years later, they received a terminal

diagnosis. And you said the fact that they didn't

do what they needed to do gnaws at you. That's

heavy. How do you process stuff like that whenever

you hear these stories from others? Yeah. And

I still know who that person is. And they are

dead. And, you know, and I tell people to like

none of us know what our future holds as far

as I mean, any of us can get a diagnosis today,

tomorrow. And that's why I preach what I preach.

Control what you can because none of us ever

know. But when you know that. Obesity and bad

choices makes you more prone to get diagnoses

like cancer and that we've known this for years.

Uh, it's always difficult when you see people

that don't choose to make lifestyle choices and

then get those diagnoses. And it's, I mean, to

me, I would always be, what if, what if I have

no idea if it would have mattered? I have no

idea, but it, it's difficult. It's difficult

for me too, to see people that come in. Cause

I had somebody on probably four months ago now,

probably. And she came in. definitely overweight

and brought a child that was overweight with

her to class. And the child didn't want to do

anything. And so she is trying to get the child

to move. And again, this is learned behavior.

So clearly this child sits when they're not,

well, they sit at school and then. whether it's

video games or whatever it is, this child is

forcibly lazy and now looking at you and saying,

I'm not going to do that. I mean, she fought

with her the entire class and they never came

back. They didn't come back because regardless

of how the parent wanted to do, it was also really

out of shape because she couldn't get her child

to do it with her. She's not going to come back

because A, it's not worth the fight. B, maybe

she thinks that, you know. It's not worth my

time being here either. And I can't not come

without her. Yeah. Probably wasn't a child that

was the age for childcare. I mean, it was older

than that. Yeah. But those are the ones that

really just get to me because it makes me angry.

Okay. Because it's like, you know, you have chosen

your life. And then you have now passed it on

to this child that you're responsible for their

rearing, their activity and their food. Yeah.

And of course, we see that everywhere. But and

I knew they would never come back. And so they

came to one class and that was it. Yeah. Well,

I mean, that kind of leads into something else

that you had posted. You said sitting equals

dying. Don't roll the dice on your future. That's

stark. So paint the picture of what rolling the

dice looks like in 10, 20, 30 years to the people

that just continue sitting on their butt. Well,

I mean, I've witnessed it. I've watched it. And

even when we're hurting, which for me now is

daily, pretty much daily, something hurts. But

the more I sit on it, whatever it is, the more

it hurts. And that's what all of my seniors and

people with back problems and replaced knees

and all that they know. And that's why they're

at the gym, because sitting on it isn't going

to help and not using it isn't going to help.

So regardless of what ailments you have or don't

have, your body was meant to move. Yeah. I mean,

that's why society is where it's at now versus

years ago when everybody had physical jobs. like

getting up and changing the TV without a remote.

I mean, everything has become automated and we

look like it. I mean, it's seen in Wally. Yeah.

We are. Yeah. I mean, we, we are definitely a

product of an automated society where anything

that you ask someone to do, they're like put

out. Yeah. Like I have to get up. What? What?

So. Again, any of us could receive a terminal

diagnosis at any time. I mean, we cannot ever

predict what we're going to see or face. But

that's why I'm adamant about control while you

can, because we know that obesity and diabetes

and all of those things lead to other ailments

or immobility, period. Once you're immobile and

you lose muscle mass and muscle tone, same thing

for people that like break a hip in their 70s

and end up in a hospital bed. And then they end

up usually a lot of times in a nursing home because

muscles atrophy. So I don't care what age you

are, if you're sitting all the time and you're

not using your body, then eventually you're not

going to be able to use it. So you need to start

using it. Yeah. Or you'll lose it. Yeah. And

that's kind of what started this podcast and

why I named it More Movement, Please. It's like,

you know, the fact that I was sitting all the

time and recognizing that I needed to be moving

more. Yeah. And, you know, I guess we'll finish

with this, that you've said repeatedly that fitness

isn't temporary. This isn't just a temporary

thing or phase. It's a lifestyle. You said that

it gives you peace and a clear mind in a chaotic

world. So for someone who sees exercises as punishment

or a chore, how can they shift to seeing it as

peace and something that needs to happen? They're

not in the right place, period. If exercise isn't

fun, I mean, it's not always during the process.

It may not always be fun. But if my people have

fun, they have fun. They have fun with each other.

They have fun in class. If it's a chore and you're

not having fun, you're in the wrong place. Find

another place. Or find another activity. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Find another group. Find another.

Yeah. Because it may not be fun all the time,

but yeah, the gym should feel like the church,

as you say. I mean, it should. I mean, it should

feel like the place where... you come in and

have the most peace because you're focusing on

you and, and fun because of the people around

you. I mean, you even have fun people you don't

necessarily like because y 'all got the same

goals. So, you know, but yeah, if you're not

getting any enjoyment out of what you're doing,

then you're doing the wrong thing or at the wrong

place. Definitely. Okay. Yeah. That's, that's

good advice. Yeah. So is there anything I didn't

ask you think I should? Or any parting words

that you really want to make sure are said in

this? I think for most people, just start doing

something. And if you don't know where to start,

surely there's someone in your atmosphere or

someone's someone that you can talk to about

where to start. To just start moving. And I know,

too, people sometimes say things like, well,

you know, the gym is just another expense, especially

now. I mean, and it is. And I get that people

say, well, just stop getting your Starbucks and

whatever. And well, not everyone does that sort

of thing. I mean, I never really did. I mean,

so, I mean, I gave up fast food, but I mean,

I was not drinking expensive coffees and things

like that. But most people can find that much

money in their budget. by giving up something.

And gyms don't have to be expensive. Well, yeah.

And even the Y has a financial aid. Oh, yeah.

They have financial aid assistance, definitely.

But gyms don't have to be expensive. And it's

definitely not always about the prettiest facility,

the newest facility, the most hardcore looking

facility. I mean, if you go to a CrossFit facility,

you're $125, $150 a month here, which I think

is insane. But that's me. But, you know, just

start. Find some place. Get a day pass. And if

you walk in and it's not your thing, then, you

know, you haven't joined. You don't have a contract

or whatever to cancel, membership to cancel.

So get a day pass. Try some places out. But for

most people, group fitness is far more satisfying

than trying to do things alone. That's true.

I can definitely attest to that. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, that's all I've really got for you. I could

keep harassing you, but I think we'll stop there.

All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right. See

ya. See ya. Have a good one. If exercise isn't

fun, you're in the wrong place. I mean, mic drop

moment, right? That's what I love about Rhonda.

She doesn't make fitness complicated. She doesn't

tell you that you need expensive equipment or

a perfect diet. or to look a certain way. With