HABIT CASE STUDY - Akash...

How I Lost 15Lbs of Fat,

Put on Lean Muscle &

Got Into the

Best Shape of My Life

Akash Karia www.AkashKaria.com

HABIT CASE STUDY

2www.AkashKaria.com

How I Let Myself Get Out of Shape

As a tee ager, I as a physi ally a ti e you g a . While I as ’t part of a y sports tea s, I as part of the Fit ess Clu here a group of us would meet up after school and go through circuit-based training.

Furthermore, I was very heavily into bodybuilding. Even on my birthday,

my best friend and I could be found working out at the gym.

Unfortunately, that all changed when I got into my mid-twenties. When I moved into the corporate

world, the pressure on my time grew. As the Chief Commercial Officer of a multi-million dollar tech

company, I worked hard at my job. While the company I worked for was amazing, I didn’t want to continue being a salaried employee.

I was passionate about making a full-

time living as an author, speaker and

consultant...so when I got out of my

job, I went home and spent late nights

working on my books.

On many occasions, I got so immersed

in working on my passion projects that

I’d forget to eat dinner.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), there

was a pizza place below my house that

was open till late nights.

Over a period of two years, that became my routine: wake up, skip breakfast, rush to my day job.

Come back from work, Skype with my girlfriend (long-distance relationship), work on my book till

midnight. Order pizza and a Coke. Eat, continue working on my book till about 3:00 a.m. Fall asleep.

Wake up, skip breakfast, rush to my day job...you get the point.

3www.AkashKaria.com

Does this sound familiar?

Does my story relate to yours in some way? Have the

stresses of daily life – job, family, etc. – led you to neglecting your

health?

During the one year that I followed my unhealthy routine

(working late nights, not exercising, eating unhealthy food), I gained

excess weight around my mid-section and face.

I am genetically pre-disposed to being skinny, so I was

shocked when my family and friends began to comment on the fact

that I was beginning to gain weight rapidly. I brushed their

comments aside, until I saw this picture (the one on the right).

This particular picture was taken during an awards-gala,

where the organization I was working for was honored with a trophy

for exceptional performance. Only when I saw the picture did I

realize that my face was beginning to balloon up.

Now, I know, some of you may be thinking, “That’s no big deal. You’re certainly not overweight!”

And you’d be right. I wasn’t obese...but as someone who’d been physically active as a teenager, noticing a double chin

beginning to appear came as a shock. When I took off my shirt, I

noticed large rolls of fat around my mid-section.

Worse than how I looked was how often I got sick. During my

tenure working for the technology company, I got sick VERY often.

I’d estimate that I fell sick (with some kind of infection, virus, etc.) about once a month. And worse still, it took me one to two weeks to

recover from the illness.

My immune system was not functioning well. I was stressed.

I wasn’t taking care of my body. I wasn’t taking care of myself. And my body was beginning to complain...climbing the three flights of

stairs to my apartment had me panting; I could feel my heart

beating loudly against my chest. Even short walks would have me

breathless...

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It wasn’t just about how I looked; it was about the fact that my immune system was breaking down...

Seeing this, I made a CONCIOUS decision to turn my

lifestyle around. I applied my expertise in the realm of habit

formation towards building a fitness habit.

In this short guide, I hope to inspire you to take charge of

your own health. The benefits to me have been life-changing.

Once I built the fitness habit, I have managed to:

• Lose several inches off my waist

• Shred over 15lbs of fat

• Get rid of my double-chin

• Gain significant muscle mass

• Become stronger and more flexible

• Improve my cardiovascular fitness

• Have more energy throughout the day

And, MOST IMPORTANT to me...since starting my fitness

habit last year, I have fallen sick only twice. And it took me just

one to two days to fully recover (If you remember, previously I

fell sick – on average – once a month, and it took my body up to

two weeks to recover).

My double chin was beginning to show. And when I took

off my shirt, I was “skinny fat”. My arms were skinny, my legs were skinny...but there were rolls of fat around my

midsection.

That’s me next to Brian Tracy. In this picture, I’m only 26 years old. But I look much older. And, right after this picture, I fell sick for two weeks.

I kept falling sick so often that I wondered if I’d been cursed with a genetically-bad immune system.

www.AkashKaria.com

5

Ready to learn how to build the fitness habit?

Ready to take control of your health?

Ready to lose weight, pack on the muscle, improve your cardiovascular fitness and boost

your immune system?

Whether you’re male or female – whether your goal is to lose weight or pack on muscle –the tools in this guide will work for you. Why? Because these habit formation principles are

universal. Just apply them towards your own goals.

Finally: you don’t have to do EVERYTHING that I did. I’m simply sharing my own experience. So pick and choose what resonates with you...and more importantly, DECIDE once

and for all to take charge of your physical health.

Let’s get started....

www.AkashKaria.com

6

The Habit Tools:

1. Create a small habit

2. Set a target – 100 days

3. Track your progress

4. Be a realistic-optimist

5. Make it convenient

6. Utilize the if-then technique

The Fitness/ Diet Specifics:

1. Work out at least 20 minutes per day, 3

days per week

2. Eat a low-carb, high protein diet

3. Photo-log meals

4. Slowly cut out sugar

CREATE A SMALL HABIT

The key to habit formation is to start with SMALL

habits. Many people make the mistake of

embarking on ambitious goals, only to fail

because the large size of their habit exhausts

their willpower.

The SMALL HABIT I created for myself was to

work out just FIVE MINUTES per day..that’s it.

See, my goal WASN’T to go to the gym every day. It wasn’t to work out one hour per day. It was to work out just five minutes per day.

Why?

Because it’s such a SMALL habit that it requires relatively low willpower.

Even on days when I am NOT feeling like working

out, I can muster the willpower to work out for

“just five minutes”.

Do you know what happens once I begin working

out? I usually end up finish the full workout – even

though I was initially hesitant about starting. Once

you START working out, it becomes much easier

to continue. The key is to start... Small habits are

magical because they help you get started.

If you find yourself failing to work out “just five minutes”, then set an even SMALLER habit. Perhaps – “do just one push up per day”. Or even “do HALF a pushup.”

The goal with small habits is NOT to create any outer change in your body. The goal is to set the

FOUNDATION for a habit where the habit becomes such a natural part of your day that you feel

incomplete without it (like brushing your teeth, or taking a shower).

ACTION 1: What’s YOUR small habit? Write it down in your worksheet.

www.AkashKaria.com

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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


SET A TARGET

Once I’d selected my small habit, I set a target.

Most habit experts say that it takes “21 days for a habit to become permanent”.

According to research, that’s false. First, habits are never “permanent”. It’s easy to fall back into your old ways unless you have a strategy to keep

the habit going (follow the strategy in this guide,

and you’ll have a lifelong habit).

Furthermore, research has found that it takes

anywhere between 18 to 254 days for a habit to

form.

Thus, I decided that I was going to set a target of

100 workouts. Why 100? Because I wanted to

ensure that I was looking beyond just a one-

month “results-oriented” workout approach. Most people work out hard for a month, realize that

results are not coming quick enough, and then get

demotivated. So it’s important that your “habit challenge” be long enough...I suggest anywhere between 60 – 150 days.

The other reason that I chose 100 days is

because the three digits is a MILESTONE to

celebrate. It signifies that I went from double

digits (99 workouts) to triple digits (100

workouts)...and the psychological reward of that

was enough to keep me motivated.

CAVEAT: Of course, I didn’t just STOP after I hit the 100 day milestone. Once I hit that milestone, I increased it to 500 workouts (that may sound crazy, but that’s a milestone that motivates me. So far, I’m 162 days in. I can’t wait to reach 500 and celebrate).

ACTION 2: Set yourself a challenge to continue your habit for X number of days. Be in this for

the long term.

www.AkashKaria.com

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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

One of the most important things I’ve learned when it comes to habit formation is to COUNT

your progress.

Previously, I used to record each and every

workout in a journal. Then, I switched the Seinfeld

calendar technique (which I talk about in my book

here).

Nowadays, I keep track of my progress by posting

on Facebook.

Why do I do this?

1. I’m too lazy to keep a journal. Plus, I keep losing it.

2. I log into Facebook everyday. It’s just easier to use Facebook like a mini-blog / journal.

3. I use Facebook to keep me accountable. When

I run into any of my Facebook acquaintances and

friends, they generally ask how my workouts are

going. As a perfect example, when I stopped

working out for a period of about 2 weeks, a friend

of mine messaged on Facebook asking why I’d stopped.

4. My annoying habit of posting my workouts on Facebook has inspired several of my friends to start

working out as well.

I’m not suggesting that you start annoying your Facebook friends by posting your workouts. What I am saying is – ACTION 3: Find a way to track your progress...

www.AkashKaria.com

http://viewbook.at/habit-project

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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


BE A REALISTIC OPTIMIST

I’ve talked about the research behind “realistic-

optimism” in my book, so I won’t go into details here. However, what I will show you is how I

applied it to my own life.

When most people set a goal, they have one of

the following two mindsets:

1. Optimistic – “Yes, I can achieve this!”2. Pessimistic – “There’s no way I can do this!”

Research shows that optimistic people are more

successful than pessimistic people. Given that

you’ve set a SMALL goal, you should already be confident about your ability to achieve your goal.

However, there is a third mindset that will set you

up for even greater success. It’s called “realistic optimism”. What that means is that you are optimistic about your ability to achieve your final

goal, but you are realistic about the fact that the

PROCESS will be tough.

When I set my goal of 100 “small” workouts, I was confident that I would achieve it. However, I also

envisioned the obstacles that I would face – the

temptations to skip workouts, eat unhealthy foods,

etc. I then set up strategies to deal with those

obstacles.

The benefit of being a realistic optimist is that

even when things get tough, you expected

them...and therefore, those difficult circumstances

don’t deter you.

ACTION 4: Be a realistic optimist. Be confident in your ability to achieve your goal, but realize that

the process will be tough.

www.AkashKaria.com


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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


MAKE IT CONVENIENT

When establishing a new habit, it’s important to make it as convenient as possible. The easier it is

to engage in your desired behavior, the more

likely you are to do it.

Earlier on, I mentioned that I stopped working out

because I got “too busy” with my job + trying to establish a second career.

However, when people say that they are “too busy” or that they “don’t have time” (both excuses that I used), what they really mean is that

“exercising is inconvenient”.

When you think about having to pack your gym

gear, driving to the gym, looking for a parking

space, working out, getting showered, driving

back...it all seems like it will take too much time

(and it will)! A one hour workout at a gym can

easily take two to three hours out of your day due

to preparation time required...

I followed Tony Horton’s P90X3 workout program – which meant that all I had to do was watch the

video on my laptop while I followed along. When I was done, I could shower in the comfort of my own

home and call it a day.

Now, for some people – going to the gym (even though inconvenient) may be GREAT for

accountability. You know yourself better than I do. The point is – do whatever you can to ensure that

working out is as CONVENIENT for you as possible.

ACTION 5: Make it convenient....

www.AkashKaria.com

In other words: working out at the gym can be inconvenient, especially if the gym is not located near your

house / work place.

The way I made fitness a regular habit was by making working out as convenient as possible. How? I

decided that I would work out at home – that eliminated all the set up and driving time.

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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


UTILIZE THE IF-THEN TECHNIQUE

Using if-then implementation plans have been

found to triple your odds of success in achieving

your goals.

What are if-then plans?

Simple, you say:

If it is X, then I will Y...

By setting such a conditional trigger, you set up

your unconscious mind to look for the trigger and

then automatically push you towards the desired

behavior.

The way I did this with my workouts was to say:

“If it is 10:00 p.m. then I will work out for just 5 minutes...”

Thus, every night (I enjoyed working out at night –it was convenient for me to work out, then get

showered and get straight into bed), I would do a

short workout routine.

Most days, my “5 minute workout“ ended up being a full 30-minute P90X3 workout. On some

days, it was only a 5-minute workout...which is

OK, because my aim was simply to establish a

habit.

The if-then technique can be utilized in any way

you like.

“If I am done brushing my teeth, then I will immediately drop on the floor and do 10 push-ups”

“If it is 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, then I will work out for 2 minutes.”

Simply, take an EXISTING action (something you do regularly), and attach the desired behavior after it.

ACTION 6: Create an if-then trigger.

www.AkashKaria.com

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Perfect! So we’ve looked at the six actions I used to developed a fitness habit...

Unless you master the HABIT side of fitness first, you won’t be able to maintain your fitness routine for long.

With that being said, now that we’ve already looked at the “habits” side of things, I am happy to share with you the fitness strategies I used.

Now, keep in mind that I am not a nutritionist nor I am an accredited fitness guru.

Everything I am sharing is based on my own personal experiences...learn from it, do

your own research and be smart in how you go about with things.

Unless you master the science of habit formation, your fitness routine and diet are useless...

www.AkashKaria.com



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The Habit Tools:








1. Work out at least 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week


3. Photo-log meals


30 MINUTE WORKOUTS

According to research, just 20 minutes of exercise

are enough to allow you to experience the

benefits associated with exercise.

I would also recommend working out a minimum

of three times per week in order to gain consistent

benefits and results.

With that being said, I followed Tony Horton’s P90X3* workout series. I worked out 5 days per

week, and each workout was only 30 minutes

long. That’s long enough for me to experience the benefits, but short enough that I can’t use the excuse “I don’t have time...”

Now, bringing small habits into play: My SMALL

goal was to workout just 5 minutes per day...that

was the MINIMUM I would allow of myself. My

larger vision was to do 30 minute workouts. By

using the small goals strategy, I was able to trick

myself into doing 30-minute workouts even on

days when I didn’t feel like getting started...

EAT LOW-CARB, HIGH PROTEIN

All the research that I’ve read suggests that, in order to lose weight, you need to REDUCE white

carbs (white rice, potatoes, bread, pasta). Less

carbs means fewer calories, which equals weight

loss (that’s simplifying it, but it works).

Furthermore, in order to gain muscle (and lose fat), you need to increase your protein intake. Protein

helps build and grow your muscles. Furthermore, protein helps you feel fuller for longer, which means

that you’re less likely to snack on junk food.

Furthermore, I ensured that I started my day with a high protein breakfast. Research has found that

people who eat a high-protein breakfast are able to kick-start their metabolism and lose more weight

(and build more muscle) than those who don’t.

www.AkashKaria.com

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The Habit Tools:









days per week


3. Photo-log meals


PHOTO LOG MEALS

Research also shows that people who keep

“photo food diaries” (taking pictures of what they eat as part of an eating journal”) lose more weight than those who don’t.

Of course, if you prefer – you can keep a food

diary instead (recording with text what and when

you ate).

I personally prefer to photo log my meals because

it’s easier to take a picture than it is to write something out.

The idea here is that: by tracking what you eat,

you’ll be more conscious of ensuring that you eat healthier. The fact that you’re keeping a food diary will motivate you to eat good, nutritious food

– try it.

The final diet-related strategy I used to lose excess fat was to slowly cut sugar out of my diet. That

meant starting by removing sugary drinks (bye-bye Coke) from my eating plan. I slowly cut out the ice-

cream, chocolates and other artificial sources of sugar. Finally, I became more careful with how much

sugar I was putting into my coffee (previously, I used to heap several large spoons into each cup). Once

you begin to monitor your sugar intake, you’ll find natural opportunities to reduce it.

SLOWLY CUT OUT SUGAR

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THE RESULTS

Using the strategies I’ve outlined in this guide, I was able to go from looking like this:

www.AkashKaria.com

To this (below) within 15 days To this (below) within 90 days

No Photoshop. Zero editing.

While looking good feels

great, I am more proud of

the fact that I finally got my

health back. My immune

system is stronger. I have

more energy. And I feel at

my physical peak.

I wish the same for you...

Akash Karia

www.AkashKaria.com

http://www.akashkaria.com/

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