Welcome to Overcoming Genetics!

This is a project that has been on my mind for a while now, and I am excited to kick it off and share it with you.

No matter who you are, whether you realize it or not, fitness is an important part of life. Exercise controls weight, combats health conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy, promotes better sleeps, and improves sex life. This is especially important now, as obesity and being overweight in general is ever increasing. If you are an athlete, fitness is also extremely important. You want to be in peak physical form in order to compete at the top level.

At the same time, getting fit can be difficult. Many people are not sure what to do, whether that be workout types, how to workout, what to eat, and so on. Others feel like there is no time, it’s too hard, or they don’t think they can do it. Clearly, there is a problem.

What is Overcoming Genetics?

Overcoming Genetics is a project for eliminating limitations to reach certain goals. And what does this mean? Well, I’m glad you asked.

People have good intentions for wanting to exercise and eat well. But as you well know, people have a tendency to start that new exercise routine or diet, work hard for a week or two, and then give up and resort to their old habits. Here are some of the most common reasons people give up.

• Don’t see results quick enough
• Takes too much time/not enough time in the day
• Have to eat foods they don’t like/diet requirements are too strict
• Cost
• Not sure what to do (the whole process is too confusing)
• It’s boring

Through Overcoming Genetics, we want to simplify exercise and diet. We want to show people that no matter their age, race, height, weight, or gender, they can get fit. They can achieve the body they want. They can reach the goals they desire. Breaking it down and simplifying exercise and diet means that there is no guesswork. No more reading countless workout magazines and diet books to discover the mythical treasure of fitness. While it definitely won’t be as easy as four minutes in an ab chair a day, we will show you the path to success.

But my project has another goal. People often focus on genetic reasons for why they are unable to improve fitness or do something in general. Some common excuses I have heard are being too short, being too old, being born unathletic, or (especially in sports) being the wrong skin color. For the last one, we mean the following. Sports and race are often inextricably linked, and usually in a negative fashion. White people can’t jump, Asians can only play ping-pong and tennis, Hispanics can only play soccer, etc. All these stereotypes about race are negative & restraining. People begin to believe them and the stereotypes become performative. For example, white people start to think they are born with a disadvantage, & regardless of whether they are or not, they let the stereotypes control them. This may be a sensitive or taboo subject, but to ignore the issue is to live in fantasy.

But these genetic limitations do not apply only to sports and race. As I pointed out earlier, other excuses include age, height, and being born to unathletic parents. The important thing is that people can overcome genetics! So what if someone is born faster or stronger or taller; if you sit back and complain and make excuses about how it sucks to be (insert genetic disadvantage here) and don’t work to improve, then you have already lost the battle. People place way too much importance on genetics and not enough on hard work and desire. If it was all up to genetics, how would Muggsy Bogues at 5’3” ever play in the NBA? He wouldn’t. Good thing he didn’t listen to people and continued to pursue his goal.

Lebron James, Mike Trout, Adrian Peterson, and every other top athlete had to work their butts off to get where they are at. They didn’t just get to the top top by sitting around all day. No, they worked as hard as they could and they made it. People need to stop making excuses about what they can’t control and start working on what they can control. Overcoming Genetics shows people the possibilities.

Who is Overcoming Genetics for?

Overcoming Genetics  is for a wide variety of people. This includes:

• People who want to get fit, lose body fat, and get into shape.
• People who want to get stronger and put on muscle.
• Athletes who want to improve performance.
• Anyone who wants to improve confidence, health, and the way they look.

So in short, everyone.

How?

Overcoming Genetics will be an ongoing project featuring:

• Workouts
• Training Programs
• Excuses Busting
• Recipes
• Videos
• Motivation

Through this, we want to show people that truly anything is possible. It doesn’t matter if you are a 55 year old father of 4, a 30 year old single mother, or a high school freshman trying out for the basketball team. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to climb Mt. Everest or complete your first 5k run. It doesn’t matter if you are the most athletic person on the court or if you haven’t gotten off the couch in years. All that matters is that you have a desire to go for it.

Mark Twight, one of my favorite writers (and a workout fiend), wrote once that “if you don’t believe you can do it, you can’t. If you believe you can do it, and that belief is founded on actual experience, on truth, then you can. You cannot outperform your self-image, unless pushed beyond it by something out of your control. Progress and overcoming can be driven by one or two acts: do the work, practice, pay attention, improve performance to the degree that self-image evolves, dragging performance with it, or take the headlong dive into a situation you may not be equal to and hope to God you are more capable than you believe.”

Take the leap of faith and join us on the journey. It may not be easy, but I promise it will be worth it. Overcome Genetics!