Today it’s my pleasure to share with you an interview I recently did with one of my good online friends, JC Deen.
Back in June 2011 I published a guest post from JC titled How Extreme Focus Can Change Your Life. It’s a long post (4,000+ words), but funnily enough it’s also one of the most popular I’ve ever published with 100+ comments. If you haven’t already done so, I highly recommend giving it a read.
Given the continued popularity of the post I thought it would be a good idea to catch with JC and see what he has been up to. Enjoy!
1. What’s been happening since you wrote “How Extreme Focus..” in June 2011?
JC: A lot, actually. Looking back, I can’t hardly believe I put so much out there, but I’m glad I did. 2012 was a huge year for me. In February, my friend Roger and I were featured in a Forbes.com article, and then I later made various publications (both print and online) such as Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Livestrong.com, AusFit Pro, and more. I wrote my first fitness course LGN365, and it was well-received and even got the endorsement of various pros in the fitness industry.
I actually quit all my freelance web design work and turned my blog jcdeen.com into a place where I could journal about things in my life such as meditation, and how it’s affecting my life.
Most recently I wrote an article for T-Nation about the most effective way to build muscle and was even on AskMen.com as a “trainer you should know about.”
2. What advice do you have for beginners who want to change their body in some way (lose weight, gain weight, redistribute it)?
JC: My advice is pretty simple. Start slow, and start with something you can do immediately. It might mean changing a single meal for a better choice, or getting out and walking for 10 minutes. The key is to make changes you can sustain and create a lifestyle out of, instead of going on a “diet” or starting an exercise plan that’s no doable for the long term.
So pick a goal, and chip away at it each day. Just do something, and keep improving on what you did previously.
3. Why do most people fail when building their ideal physique?
JC: Most don’t know what they truly want. We think we do, but when it comes time to commit to whatever it takes, we second guess, and rethink our decisions. Another reason people fail is due to a crazy amount of information we have at our disposal. It’s easy to get lost in all of the fitness advice and products. It’s like we’re too distracted to actually get anything done.
4. Tell me about LGN365.
JC: LGN365 is simple in its aim, but complex in its contents.
It’s simple in the fact that it gives you the essential information to make a change to your body, whether you want to gain some strength and muscle, or lose some body fat. It’s a step by step guide to get you to your goals in a systematic fashion. I leave no guesswork and make sure you have all the tools to just go straight to work.
It’s complex due to the sheer amount of information I crammed in there. With 12 exercise demo videos, 5 expert interviews, nutritional calculators, 7 training programs, and well over 300 pages of content, there’s a lot to cover. However, the getting started guide helps you establish your goals, which then gives you direction on how to process the rest of the information.
5. What do you have planned for 2013 and beyond?
JC: I wish I could say my list of stuff was long, but it’s not. It’s very short, actually. I have 3 things I’m focusing on, and that’s daily meditation/stress relief. I began meditating in July 2012, and have been ever since. I’ve written a good bit about this on my personal blog. The other 2 things I’m focusing on is building my fitness business, and spending more time on personal things I enjoy. I’ll continue building JCDFitness, ensuring that I reach more and more people through articles, products, services, podcasts, and other various mediums.
As for my personal time, I enjoy writing and creating music. In fact, my friend Alan Aragon recently shared one of my music videos on Facebook and the response was quite funny (you can see the comments on the youtube video) and well-received. I’m also planning on some international travel this year, and I’m open to learning more and developing as an entrepreneur.
Thanks for the interview JC!
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You can learn more about JC’s course LGN365 by clicking here.
I’ve checked out the course – trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
JC has also been generous to offer an exclusive discount to TCB readers who use the following code:
ChgBlog20Off
(It needs to be exact so I recommend using copy/paste)
Peter
PS – do you have a question for JC about changing your body, LGN365, or whatever? If so, JC will respond to your questions in the comments section below.
Not sure what I’m doing wrong, have had trouble with weight since I was a child. My question is how’s the best way for me to loss weight now I’m in my 50′s. I can’t afford to go to gym, I can’t afford expensive food. If I stop exercising I gain weight very fast. Is there anything you could tell me to help me in my quest.
Hi Sandra,
I’m not JC, but we’re in the same game (I’ve also been a client of JC’s).
When you say you “have had trouble with weight since I was a child” – the first thing that comes to my mind is stress.
It seems like you have been focusing on that for a long time, which could be causing you a lot of stress.
Perhaps a shift in your focus will help you achieve the change you wish.
You also ask about “the best way for me to loss weight”. I’m sure JC will agree, there is no ‘best way’ (as long as what you does ensures you are in a negative energy balance over time) to lose weight. The best way is whatever fits your lifestyle, interests and budget.
There are plenty of bodyweight exercises you can do (resistance training is important when losing weight, it maintains and strengthens your lean body mass – like muscle and bone – which is important because not only will it help keep you moving well, it will give you that ‘toned’ look as well), check out this article for examples: http://greatist.com/fitness/50.....re-030612/
Additionally, the simple act of going for a walk every day will do wonders for your health, well being and stress levels, not to mention it can help you use a bit more energy each day.
Food is the other piece of the puzzle, and aside from ensuring you get adequate protein, and that you eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables, there aren’t any hard fast rules with nutrition.
Most would say to minimise overly processed foods – like pre-packaged meals, sugary cereals etc – and I tend to agree, but if you really enjoy a certain food, you shouldn’t deprive yourself of it, just eat it sparingly.
Listen to your body, try to minimise your stress in all areas of life and get as much restful sleep as your body needs.
Try and focus on maximising your body’s function, and you will not only get more out of life, but you will most likely see positive changes in your appearance too.
I hope I haven’t been out of line with this reply, and I’m sure JC will chime in, I’m just trying to help.
Sandra,
This is a great reply, and don’t have much more to add.
good job, Nick.
Exercise is a big part of weight maintenance for most.
If you’re gaining weight rapidly, it might be worth investigating with the help of a doctor.
I love the change blog and i love JC Deen’s work as well. What a great pairing here! Keep up the good work– both of you :-)