Manuel - Dai Manuels Whole life fitness manifesto: 30 minutes a day for a healthier body, mind and spirit

Whole Life

Fitness

Manifesto

Dai Manuels

Copyright 2016 by Dai Manuel

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the publisher or a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For a copy- right license, visit www.accesscopyright .ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.

Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada

isbn 978-1-928055-07-5 (paperback)

isbn 978-1-928055-08-2 (epub)

isbn 978-1-928055-09-9 (pdf)

The information presented in this book is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical counselling. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise and nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain the consent of your physician and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using the recommendations in this book you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions and recognize that despite all precautions on the part of the author or publisher there are risks of injury or illness which can occur in connection with, or as a result of, use or misuse of the programs, exercises, advice, diets and/or information found in this book. You expressly assume such risks and waive, relinquish and release any claim which you may have against the author or publisher.

published by

LifeTree Media Ltd.

www.lifetreemedia.com

distributed by

Greystone Books Ltd.

www.greystonebooks.com

distributed in the u.s. by

Publishers Group West

photography by Sombilon Photography, except for the following:

Makito Inomata (Dai Manuels quote sidebar head and page 168); Oren Jack Turner/Wikimedia Commons (page 11); A.F. Bradley/Wikimedia Commons (page 26); Mark Halliday (page 27, 154, [bottom left], 161); National General Pictures/Wikimedia Commons (page 45); MetalGearLiquid/Wikimedia Commons (page 51); Soupstock/ Bigstock.com (page 53); cbs Photo Archive (page 64); Purshi/Wikimedia Commons (page 65); Tenzin Choegyal (page 69); Matt Bevis (page 199 [left]); Brian Solis (page 120); Orange Memories Photography (page 157, [top and bottom right], 174, [top right]); and Associated Press (page 165). All testimonial photos are supplied courtesy of their subjects.

illustration by Mauve Pag, except Carolyn Lott (page 33); Hobbitfoot/ Bigstock.com (page 67); Blackred/iStockphoto (page 79); Nuraschka/ Bigstock.com.com (page 128) and Leontura/iStockphoto (page 164).

editing by Lucy Hyslop and Maggie Langrick

copyediting by Rachel Eagen

design by Mauve Pag

proofreading and index by JoAnne Burek

To the women in my life, without you I never would have had the courage to write this book. To the men in my life, thank you for pushing me to never settle for anything less than I am capable of. And to everyone else...Hoorah!

Im here to help people live happy, healthier, more active lifestyles while developing richer, deeper and more meaningful personal relationships with themselves, and their friends, families and communities.

Eliminate Your Why Nots

Eat Smart

s

do you want to live a life of total awesomeness?

Some years ago, I asked myself that same question. I realized that while I had a lot to be thankful for in my life, I was falling short of my own potential. Dont get me wrongI was doing the best I could, and life had been trucking along fine. I had moved to a new city on the West Coast, attended university, started to discover myself, landed a great job, fell in love, travelled a little and started a family. But I never seemed to have time for the things that were most important to me. I was also spending more money than I had.

My health and fitness ebbed and flowed throughout my life. When I only had to worry about myself, I could always find time for fitness. But when other peoplemy familybecame a significant part of my life, I felt pulled to prioritize us rather than me, and my health often suffered as a result. I figured that this was just the way it went; after all, it seemed like everyone else I knew was on the same path. But in the back of my mind, I was always thinking: Is this really how life is supposed to be?

As time went on, I kept trying to balance the priorities in my life, striving to attain perfection, but I was constantly disappointed in myself. I was never able to truly balance it all. When I let one part of my life become the shining star, all other aspects of my life would dim in comparison. If I focused on family, my career suffered. When I turned my energies toward my career, in particular when I was building my company, my family felt it, and so did my health. I just never seemed to have enough to make everything work. Do you know the feeling?

Like many people, I found happy distraction in activities that didnt propel me forward in lifepub nights, boys trips, nights out with my colleagues and long days on the golf course. I kept telling myself that tomorrow would be the day to reset and get everything in order: Tomorrow is the day to start my new habits. Tomorrow is the start of my path to awesomeness. But you know what? Every day Id wake up to today and tomorrow would never arrive.

INTRODUCTION

Dai Manuels Whole Life Fitness Manifesto

Maybe you can relate. Many of us put all of our obligations whether its work, family, or social lifeahead of our own well- being and personal growth. Were so busy taking care of what other people need from us that we forget to pay attention to our own needs. The problem with that is that while this might help us to get a lot done, mostly for others, were probably not feeling satisfied with our lives. Even worse, if were not care- ful, we can burn outboth mentally and physically. And when that happens, we not only let ourselves down, we also let down those who depend on us.