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Exceptional and practical advice! I'm married with six kids, 39 years young. Stopped drinking this past August 2024. I wasn't a heavy drinker, but God told me you don’t need to bring that habit into your 40's, let it go. Alcohol is a liability not an asset, that's how I measure things now. Be your families Super Hero not a super zero! Kill the dad bod and build a Hot Rod! Love your channel brotha, your the man!
Nate. 58 years old. Workout hard and have for decades. My 2 biggest vices are Beer and Copenhagen. I needed to hear this TODAY. This is your best content thus far in my opinion. Thank You Brother, no more making excuses and being a Bitch. It starts now. Always looking foward to your next content. 🙏👊🇺🇸
I quit smoking/dipping/hard alcohol last September, almost a year later and it’s probably the best decision I’ve made, infinitely more healthy than I’ve been in a long time and feel 1000x better overall.
Love this video man. I'm almost 18 months sober this go. I workout 6-7 days a week, I eat right, sleep right, guard my peace with a vengeance. Life is good bro. It's all about perspective. And yeah the vape n rogues are my next "endeavor" lol. But hey, I vape inside on company time while I watch this video. 🤣🤙
Kicking energy drinks seriously improved my quality of life. Almost as much as alcohol. Used to drink at least 4 Bangs a day. Called it a Gang Bang. Energy levels skyrocketed after replacing those with glasses of water.
Mentor/peer accountability is key! One of the better spots to encounter that outside of the military is real combat sport gyms. They hold you accountable for for staying fit and building your character inside and outside of the cage. Keep dropping these gems brother I will keep an eye out for future videos!
What i have noticed about getting older, is i DO NOT bounce back like i did when i was younger. From a hangover to the flu, what used to take a day now takes 3 days. Love the content my guy
Incredible video! I know I always had the rule I would never drink on days I have to work the next day. But I found myself starting drinking on the golf course at 9 am and drinking till late that night. I Deff think post this deployment I will be greatly knocking back my drinking even further. I do have a habit of smoking a cigar once a week as a way to relax and enjoy a cigar. I started an 80/20 running program and started the warfighter performance today and my legs are smoked but I feel extremely accomplished.
From a fitness standpoint alcohol is probably one of the worst possible things to put in our body. I still haven’t given it completely as a last vice but I’m about there. Good to hear bro keep crushing it.
“I am not a psychologist I am not an expert” *gives better advice than any expert or psychologist* 🫡 respect ❤ daughters are awesome & when I feel like a b*tch I just think of her or look at her .
Thanks for this Nate. Getting ready for med school, and I plan on saving a lot of children’s lives so that they don’t have to live a life dependent on medication and doctors. That voice in my head has always been tough to deal with, and I know I need a strong mind to take on the cesspool of corruption in this field + the trauma of sick kids and grieving families. Your mentality and message really resonate with me, and I’m gonna stop negotiating with the internal terrorist. Love your channel man your impact and lessons are what we need to grow🤙🏻
its no secret that spec ops members are heavy drinkers/smokers. i think the fact that you were as reliant as you were and still performed to standard is insane. i gotta kick this smoking habit man. i'm a beast that would rather die than quit, but my run time is gonna raise some eyebrows no matter how i do in everything else.
I am reading Atomic Habits by James Clear right now. I am only half way through it, but it is one of the few books in the genre that gives lots of good, actionable ideas you can implement to create good habits and kick bad habits. What a coincidence that this video is uploaded today while I am in the middle of that book. Must be a sign. Thank you, Nathan!
@@sirloin9348 Sure, and I will also share some of the supporting evidence/examples I found interesting so far. I am only half way through the book, but I can already recommend getting your hands on a copy. The suggestions alone will not click in your brain if you dont understand the bigger picture, and I cant express the bigger picture in a youtube comment without just transcribing the book. The process of building a habit can be divided into four steps which form a feedback loop. 1: Cue. 2: Craving. 3: Response. 4: Reward. (Not from the book, but this cycle subconsciously runs through your brain continuously like the OODA loop). The Cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. Cravings are the motivational force behind every habit. What you crave is not the habit itself, but the change in state it triggers. Response is the actual habit or action you perform, which can take the form of a thought or an action. Whether you actually take an action depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the behavior. If something requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, you wont do it. Finally, the response delivers the reward. The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtining the reward. Eliminate the cue, and the habit wont start. Reduce the craving, and you wont have enough motivation to act. Make the behavior difficult, and you wont be able to do it. If the reward fails to satisfy you, your brain will decide that there is no reason to do it again. Understanding the existence of this feedback loop is the foundation of understanding how to create or destroy habits. Examples: You walk into a dark room and flip on the light switch. You have performed this simple habit so many times it occurs without thought. You proceed through all four stages in a split second. The urge to act strikes you without thinking. The cue is the dark room. The craving is the desire to be able to see. The response is flipping on the lights. The reward is satisfying your craving to see. Habits result from your environment, which you have lots of control to design. For good habits, you want to make cues obvious, cravings attractive, responses easy, and rewards satisfying. For bad habits you want to make the cues invisible, cravings unattractive, responses difficult, and rewards unsatisfying. Your habits are shaped by the systems in your life. A challenge in changing habits is having awareness of what you are doing. Make a list of your daily habits, which consists of many actions you probably do subconsciously. Example: Wake up, Turn off Alarm, Check my phone, Go to the bathroom, Weigh myself, Brush my teeth, Put on deodorant, Hang up towel to dry, Make a cup of coffee, and so on. Then, go over your list and ask yourself if each item is a good habit, a bad habit, or a neutral habit. Good =(+). Bad =(-). Neutral =(=). Wake up =, Turn off Alarm=, Check my phone-, Go to the bathroom=, Weigh myself+, Brush my teeth+, Put on deodorant+, Hang up towel to dry=, Make a cup of coffee+. Whether something is positive or negative depends on your goals. If you are trying to lose weight, eating a bagel with peanut butter is a bad habit. If you are bulking, the bagel and PB is a good habit. Ask yourself if each habit helps you become the person you wish to be. If you eat cookies for breakfast every morning, acknowledge it, but almost as if you were a 3rd party observing someone else. "How interesting that they would do such a thing". If you want to cut back on a habit, but notice yourself about to do the bad habit, say out loud, "Im about to eat this cookie, but I dont need it. Eating it will cause me to gain weight and harm my health." Hearing your bad habits spoken aloud makes the consequences seem more real. It helps prevent you from mindlessly slipping into an old routine. Also, just saying out loud "Tomorrow, I need to go to the post office after lunch" increases the odds youll actually do it. Researchers in Great Britain worked with a group of people to build better exercise habits. They were divided into 3 groups. The control group was simply asked to track how often they exercised. The second group was given a presentation about the benefits of exercise, and asked to track how often they exercised. The 3rd group received the same presentation as the 2nd group, but were asked to verbally state, "During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on (Day) at (Time) in (Place)." In groups 1 and 2, 35 and 38 percent of people exercised at least once per week. The motivational presentation seemed to have little impact on group 2. 91% of group 3 exercised at least once per week. This verbal statement is called an Implementation Intention. For any habit you want to perform, use the template "I will (Behavior) at (Time) in (Location). From there you can begin to implement a technique called habit stacking. One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day, and then stack your new habit on top. "After (Current habit), I will (New habit). Example: After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute. After I take off my work shoes, I will immediately change into my workout clothes. For me this morning, for example, I am trying to drink more water AND more protein, as well as read a chapter of a book each morning (in addition to a chapter of a book before bed each night). So I verbally stated aloud that "After I make a cup of coffee, I will read one chapter of Atomic Habits. After I finish my cup of coffee, I will chug a glass of water. After I finish my water, I will drink a Muscle Milk." I actually did these things today, after months and months of telling myself things like "I need to drink more water" or "I need to consume more protein each day" or "I want to read more of my giant pile of untouched books". I've also been telling myself "I need to run more" for awhile, but today I told myself "Today when I get home from work, I am running the 5 mile route on the mesa". And guess what, when I got home, I drank some water, did some stretching, and ran my 5 miles. Maybe I have some extra motivation right now as a result of being in the middle of this book, but as I type this I am reminded of the example of group 2 above. Just knowing that I should run more wasn't causing me to rebuild my old habit of daily runs. Speaking aloud a specific and actionable plan actually caused me to run. Another idea is designing your environment for success. During the energy crisis and oil embargo of the 70's, dutch researchers began to study the country's energy use. They found that some homeowners used 30% less energy than their neighbors, despite homes of similar sizes and other variables being similar. It turned out that the houses were nearly identical, except in some the electrical meter was in a hallway, and in others, the meter was in the basement. The homes with the meters in the main hallway used less energy. Designing your environment involves identifying and either emphasizing or hiding cues from yourself. If you want to remember to take your medication each night, put your pill bottle next to the faucet on the bathroom counter, instead of hidden inside the medicine cabinet. If you want to practice guitar more, place the guitar in the middle of the living room, or next to the couch you lounge on. You can alter the spaces where you live and work to increase your exposure to positive cues, and reduce your exposure to negative cues. Habits can also be easier to change in a new environment. In one study, insomniacs were told to get into bed only when they were tired. If they couldnt fall asleep, they had to sit in another room until they became sleepy. Over time, subjects began to associate the context of their bed with the action of sleeping, and it became easier for them to quickly fall asleep when they climbed into bed. Their brains learned that sleeping, not browsing phones or watching TV, was the only action that happened in that room. Create a separate space for work, study, exercise, entertainment, cooking, sleeping, etc. One more interesting example. In 1971, Research revealed that 35% of service members had tried heroin while stationed in Vietnam. as many as 20% were addicted. When soldiers who had been heroin users returned home, only 5% of them became re-addicted within one year. Only 12% relapsed within 3 years. So essentially 9 out of 10 soldiers who had become addicted to heroin while in Vietnam had eliminated their drug addiction nearly overnight. Compare that with typical drug users, who become addicted at home and around friends. They go to a clinic (devoid of all the cues they had at home that would start a craving), get clean, then return home to where all the previous cues are. Typically, 90% of Heroin users become addicted once they return home from rehab. People who have the best self control really have the best environments to expose themselves to good cues and avoid bad cues. So far, you have Implementation Intentions, Habit Stacking, and designing your environment as 3 easy to implement techniques to form better habits. Buy the book. My copy was given to me by someone who is VERY successful after I noticed his large book collection, and asked him if there was a great book he would recommend to someone who wants to be like him when they grow up.
@@tyranasaurusty1180 thank you again. Since you've recommended such a powerful book, please allow me to do the same: Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse. One of the most impactful books I've read. The book outlines how all behavior, situations, or events in life can be identified and broken down as either a Finite game or an Infinite game. Once identified, there are processes and strategies to practice in order to "play" the game effectively. A Finite game is the easiest to understand. A Finite game has clear rules and boundaries. Football, for example. There are 2 clear teams, a certain field size, boundaries, and goals. After the time is up, the team with the most points wins. Our lives contain many Finite games. Our job, for example: you accept a job with (hopefully lol) clear terms and understandings. You will perform X labor from this time to that time. There are ways you are expected to dress, decorum you are expected to have, things you can and can't say, etc. The limits to and setting of the game are defined, with expectations for you to meet and goals you are expected to accomplish. An Infinite game is a bit more tricky. An Infinite game does not have the same clarity of rules, boundaries, and objectives. It does clearly have its limits, but they aren't defined and must be navigated by the player. Dating is a good example. There's no clear starting/ending point with dating. While there are obviously some type of rules (don't punch your date while at dinner), there are no clear/universal guidelines for how the game can or should be played. It requires a process of identifying the "rules" as it's being played. Games can exist within games and effect one another. If 2 people go on a first date at a movie theater, the event of being in the movie is a type of Finite game: don't be on your phone, don't talk during the movie, don't smoke in the theater, etc. That Finite game will have an effect on the Infinite game of the courtship process: if you act rambunctious during the film, your date may not want to go on a second date. The book helps you learn how to identify the different games you're playing, who your team mates and opponents are, so that you can play them more efficiently and with a higher chance of success. Because of this, you can be a better, more caring/effective team player so that those you're playing the game with can succeed too. The book is only about 150 pages and can be read in an afternoon. Some of the best "bang-for-your-buck" reading I've encountered.
some extra level of self bullying I picked up from Goggins; film yourself speaking your thought process when you're making excuses. Make yourself look into your phone camera and explain why you're being a bitch and failing yourself. Then you watch it and shit talk yourself. Nothing beats seeing thst shame on your own face and then saying "wow, I sound truly pathetic"
Bro, I liked your video but wasn't looking to get called out like this. I need to get my ass in gear. Good advice in this video. I need to get back to my service wieght and condition.
The last week or so I realized I’ve been getting super complacent. This was perfect timing for me to actually use to help get myself back into a productive schedule. Especially since I start the Q in a few months
Now is not the time for complacency, I know a shit ton of dudes who showed back up to the Q course and were immediately dropped for failing PT events. You should be grinding right now harder than ever.
Goddammit Val the timing. Bro your better than a psychologist, your what there was before psychology and that is a wise man who been true a lot, lived and is now doing good an sharing wisdom. This kind of stuff you won't get from a doctors office. I want to be an 11b or get into mechanics ( you know for after service work) and your definitely the man to listen to for advice. So thanks a lot for your work,l this stuff kicksass and is fuel to keep trucking towards my goals. Bless you and your family man hope one day soon I to can serve our country. P.S. your cat cuteness was already to much then you say the name munchkin and I nearly collapsed. This is why I want service, so that one day munchkin can grow up to be a doctor in a safe country.
Congratulations on the 50k mate! Love from Australia. Yeah it's interesting how so many smokers used to ace fitness when many non-smokers struggled. I was only a Grunt, however much of the same applies.
@@ValhallaVFT 100% mate. And when deployed to East Timor, when I was surprisingly the fittest I had ever been in my life, I was one of those. Discovered American Camels (extra toasted) at $2 a pack, was smashing well over a pack a day, and was running sub-9 BFA's😆 Again mate good on you and I am stoked to have come across your channel👊
Thanks for the video, Nate. I’m 5’10” 270lbs and I really want to get in shape, and like you talked about in this video, I keep making excuses. I am making a commitment to myself to exercise and eat healthy starting today. I’m going to use the methods you shared in this video to help myself through this process.
Dude this video made my day currently trying to quit smoking it’s hard man been at since 14 years old smh so it’s very deeeep in my subconscious I switched to vapes at 20 and never thought it was a big issue due to my decent fitness and I’m almost 24 now but I realized how bad it was at selection because I literally snuck in a vape and it died during day 1 of the star course. It definitely was a wake up call because I didn’t get selected therefore I promised my self I will kick it realizing how weak I was for that. before I get back after it in 2025 Thank you man for the video.
Thanks for doing this video. Definitely some things I need to work on that I hadn’t thought about recently. Especially how we are creatures of habits and how we need repetition of good habits. Going to try to quit smoking cigarettes soon. Keep up the good work and thanks again! 🇺🇸💪
One of the weird things youll see during SFAS, RASP, BUDS, etc. is guys straight up convincing themselves theyre injured. Its crazy. On top of that, medics simply ask "do you want to quit?". Makes it very easy to say yes
I will say this for anyone who cares. Regarding hard substances: if your friends are not supportive of you stopping that substance, then they are not your friend. It is as simple as that. It sounds harsh, but it's your life. Cigarettes might or might not be in this category but you get it. Drinking, drugs, even dieting to some degree. Enablers only enable to make themselves feel better, not to benefit you.
Im glad you kicked the habit, of dipping and smoking. I didnt have zyn when I quit and then nicotine patches made me sick. I found out the hardway with energy drinks, lol i drank 24 of then a day but i ended up in the hospital because of it. I even sniffed pre workout powders in combination of energy causing me to have tachycardia abd afib at the same time. I been also clean for over 10 years i haven't fell off back into my cocaine habit and i was taking Ritalin in my teens. I definitely can relate with habits
Never thought I was able to but I successfully kicked my smoking habit of 18 years so I could get fit and train for selection. I was a half packer and quitting cold turkey was not as difficult as I imagined because I actually have a clear goal now. Overcame my years of substance abuse as well just like that. Now I just need to learn better sleeping habits 😄
Started dipping in the Infantry. Kept the habit for 20 plus year. Quit cold turkey. One of the best things I have ever done. I am no longer a slave to nicotine. You can do it also.
was a diesel/ heavy equipment mechanic for 13 years , i was fit enough to do my job i guess. now im in an office for the past 5 years. its crazy what that will do to you sitting for 10 hrs a day. started attending an eastern orthodox church and now doing BJJ, gotta keep myself busy .
I really never thought that SF guys could maintain a habit like smoking, especially due to all the high tempo activities. Why would you even want to smoke? It definitely slows you down a significant percentage of your physicality.
People smoke to relax, I've never served, but I fully understand being a smoker why people in the army smoke. Why wouldn't you? It's a pretty stressful job! By all accounts
A thousand thank yous to yourself, your daughter and munchkin sir. Id be honored to fly the Valhalla flag Looking forward to todays video topic Currently sending 700 skadoons a week to sweden to feed the zyn habit.
Thing about nicotine and caffeine alike is that they're both vasoconstrictors and go against fitness goals by robbing your extremities of much needed oxygen while putting more pressure on your heart than needed.
Been training for my SFRE, hopefully then going to SFAS, me and my generations worst habit is our phones and vaping, luckily I don’t use TikTok or any of that shit, just RUclips and instagram to connect with family and friends and I don’t vape or anything with nicotine. But I feel so bad for this next generation because at least I’m old enough that I grew up not getting a phone till high school and playing on a ds and a Wii and got a Xbox in late middle school. My little cousin is in 3rd grade and has a iPad, Nintendo switch, iPhone, and Xbox and there’s kids in his school who got in trouble with vapes, he’s fucking 8 years old.
I want to feel bad for our generation, but there is no need to. It is YOUR choice to just throw the fuckin vape away. I know people who tell themselves that they NEED to smoke weed “ I need to hit my weed pen and smoke weed🤓” shut up. My mom came from a fuckin war torn country with $0 in her account and having her house burned down. She has not once smoked weed. Don’t feel sympathy for the people our age cause they need to grow up mentally
How do you work out every day? The fitness community swears you need a rest day or two each week. Are you actually lifting weights and running every day?
Low zone 2 cardio/active stretching. The idea I need 2 days a week where I do nothing physical is 30 years outdated. Maybe for body builders, but that’s not what 99.99999% of people are.
Is there a moment when you signed the contract you felt ready or was it something you never really felt ready for? Currently I am meeting all competitive SFRE standards or close to but feel unprepared still.
@@ValhallaVFT thanks man you’re an inspiration for me. I’m hoping to finalize an 18x next month, scared as hell if I can be honest but I’m 25 and don’t wanna live with regret on never trying.
I started smoking and drinking when I was 14. When I was 21 I started smoking weed, and when I turned 24. I stopped everything for 1 year and a half never did drugs again. But started smoking and my friends who smoke told me to stop, and I did just like I did at 24. Just stopped from one day to the next I started drinking again after the 1 year 1/2 started drinkin just as hard. I started drinking very hard every day for about 3 months. After my first wife left me, like 27 and then I got sick of it. Because I didn't feel good. I was always sad I stopped for almost a year now if, I drink it's 1 beer or 2 beers. I stopped drinking liquor I don't drink to much. I feel great I just stopped eating fast food and started cooking my own food. Trying to fix my health. I don't drink like I used to because. I don't find it to be fun also if someone tries to convince me to do something. I walk away. Most everybody I consider a friend smokes, drinks or uses drugs or all. One of my good friends recognizes that I don't like to be pushed. To do something I find wrong. But the rest still try to convince me. But I don't get convinced easy. I'm 29 about 1 year without smoking it might have been a year now. Thanks for the video it was great.
Hey brother, I would call you “Shipmate’ but you wasn’t NAVY😂lol. I will just call you the coolest Green Beret (Non-Dick) on RUclips. My daughters both nineteen and twenty one love your channel and have actually started their own “girlie Tactical fitness” lol. Thanks for your service brotherman in Christ and thanks for being an inspiration to my kiddos and the next generation.
Giveaway winners, post a comment here or email me/message on instagram.
Get signed up and start getting with us at MASS today:
marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/modern-athlete-strength-solutions?attrib=260991-aff-valhallavft
Don't forget to grab yourself from Valhalla VFT merch:
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Awesome!
Me: *reads multiple books and researched best habit breaking techniques*
Nate: “call yourself a bitch, dawg”
Hey I prefaced up front that I’m not a psychologist and it was just techniques I use lol
@@ValhallaVFT brother following your message will probably land me the most success
Sometimes you break the habits, sometimes the habits break you. The choice is yours.
That's the perfect way of looking at it!
Exceptional and practical advice! I'm married with six kids, 39 years young. Stopped drinking this past August 2024. I wasn't a heavy drinker, but God told me you don’t need to bring that habit into your 40's, let it go. Alcohol is a liability not an asset, that's how I measure things now. Be your families Super Hero not a super zero! Kill the dad bod and build a Hot Rod! Love your channel brotha, your the man!
Nate. 58 years old. Workout hard and have for decades. My 2 biggest vices are Beer and Copenhagen. I needed to hear this TODAY. This is your best content thus far in my opinion. Thank You Brother, no more making excuses and being a Bitch. It starts now. Always looking foward to your next content. 🙏👊🇺🇸
I quit smoking/dipping/hard alcohol last September, almost a year later and it’s probably the best decision I’ve made, infinitely more healthy than I’ve been in a long time and feel 1000x better overall.
Impressive you were a smoker but still ran a sub 35 minute 5 mile and squatted 585
Except I probably would have been running a sub 32 had I not, so it’s all about perspective in that regard.
And squatted 595 🤘🏻
@@ValhallaVFT585?? Were you a powerlifter sir? Thats crazy awesome 👌 👏
@@colbyspranza lol no, just performance based lifting
Love this video man. I'm almost 18 months sober this go. I workout 6-7 days a week, I eat right, sleep right, guard my peace with a vengeance. Life is good bro. It's all about perspective. And yeah the vape n rogues are my next "endeavor" lol. But hey, I vape inside on company time while I watch this video. 🤣🤙
Oh boy, looks like someone got a sunglasses sponsorship
Kicking energy drinks seriously improved my quality of life. Almost as much as alcohol. Used to drink at least 4 Bangs a day. Called it a Gang Bang. Energy levels skyrocketed after replacing those with glasses of water.
Holy shit!
Ya man I was around 3 a day for awhile. And agreed it’s the last vice I’ve been working on kicking completely and it does help.
Im gonna try that, I think im addicted to energy drinks!
Mentor/peer accountability is key! One of the better spots to encounter that outside of the military is real combat sport gyms. They hold you accountable for for staying fit and building your character inside and outside of the cage. Keep dropping these gems brother I will keep an eye out for future videos!
What i have noticed about getting older, is i DO NOT bounce back like i did when i was younger. From a hangover to the flu, what used to take a day now takes 3 days.
Love the content my guy
Incredible video! I know I always had the rule I would never drink on days I have to work the next day. But I found myself starting drinking on the golf course at 9 am and drinking till late that night. I Deff think post this deployment I will be greatly knocking back my drinking even further. I do have a habit of smoking a cigar once a week as a way to relax and enjoy a cigar. I started an 80/20 running program and started the warfighter performance today and my legs are smoked but I feel extremely accomplished.
From a fitness standpoint alcohol is probably one of the worst possible things to put in our body. I still haven’t given it completely as a last vice but I’m about there. Good to hear bro keep crushing it.
Thank you to you Nate, your daughter , and Munchkin for an excellent video .
Excellent content, dude.
Best vet RUclips channel by far.
“I am not a psychologist I am not an expert”
*gives better advice than any expert or psychologist*
🫡 respect
❤ daughters are awesome & when I feel like a b*tch I just think of her or look at her .
I think advice from experience often outpaces advise from academia, thanks bro.
Thanks for this Nate. Getting ready for med school, and I plan on saving a lot of children’s lives so that they don’t have to live a life dependent on medication and doctors. That voice in my head has always been tough to deal with, and I know I need a strong mind to take on the cesspool of corruption in this field + the trauma of sick kids and grieving families. Your mentality and message really resonate with me, and I’m gonna stop negotiating with the internal terrorist. Love your channel man your impact and lessons are what we need to grow🤙🏻
Mad respect for your reason to go to med school. Don't let it go away. Go conquer the school!
@@sirloin9348 thanks brother I will with help from the L-rd🤙🏻
@@ABTV0135 Darn right brother. He's always there and always listening. Talk to Him instead of your inner voice. Praying for you 🙏
its no secret that spec ops members are heavy drinkers/smokers. i think the fact that you were as reliant as you were and still performed to standard is insane. i gotta kick this smoking habit man. i'm a beast that would rather die than quit, but my run time is gonna raise some eyebrows no matter how i do in everything else.
Thank you that. Was very inspiring and best mental health advice I have heard ever I have fought with smoking for years will start in the morning
I am reading Atomic Habits by James Clear right now. I am only half way through it, but it is one of the few books in the genre that gives lots of good, actionable ideas you can implement to create good habits and kick bad habits. What a coincidence that this video is uploaded today while I am in the middle of that book. Must be a sign. Thank you, Nathan!
Can you share a few of the ideas?
Haven’t read it. Sounds like a good book I’ll have to check out.
@@sirloin9348 Sure, and I will also share some of the supporting evidence/examples I found interesting so far.
I am only half way through the book, but I can already recommend getting your hands on a copy. The suggestions alone will not click in your brain if you dont understand the bigger picture, and I cant express the bigger picture in a youtube comment without just transcribing the book.
The process of building a habit can be divided into four steps which form a feedback loop. 1: Cue. 2: Craving. 3: Response. 4: Reward. (Not from the book, but this cycle subconsciously runs through your brain continuously like the OODA loop). The Cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. Cravings are the motivational force behind every habit. What you crave is not the habit itself, but the change in state it triggers. Response is the actual habit or action you perform, which can take the form of a thought or an action. Whether you actually take an action depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the behavior. If something requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, you wont do it. Finally, the response delivers the reward.
The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtining the reward.
Eliminate the cue, and the habit wont start. Reduce the craving, and you wont have enough motivation to act. Make the behavior difficult, and you wont be able to do it. If the reward fails to satisfy you, your brain will decide that there is no reason to do it again.
Understanding the existence of this feedback loop is the foundation of understanding how to create or destroy habits.
Examples: You walk into a dark room and flip on the light switch. You have performed this simple habit so many times it occurs without thought. You proceed through all four stages in a split second. The urge to act strikes you without thinking.
The cue is the dark room. The craving is the desire to be able to see. The response is flipping on the lights. The reward is satisfying your craving to see.
Habits result from your environment, which you have lots of control to design. For good habits, you want to make cues obvious, cravings attractive, responses easy, and rewards satisfying. For bad habits you want to make the cues invisible, cravings unattractive, responses difficult, and rewards unsatisfying. Your habits are shaped by the systems in your life.
A challenge in changing habits is having awareness of what you are doing. Make a list of your daily habits, which consists of many actions you probably do subconsciously. Example: Wake up, Turn off Alarm, Check my phone, Go to the bathroom, Weigh myself, Brush my teeth, Put on deodorant, Hang up towel to dry, Make a cup of coffee, and so on. Then, go over your list and ask yourself if each item is a good habit, a bad habit, or a neutral habit. Good =(+). Bad =(-). Neutral =(=). Wake up =, Turn off Alarm=, Check my phone-, Go to the bathroom=, Weigh myself+, Brush my teeth+, Put on deodorant+, Hang up towel to dry=, Make a cup of coffee+. Whether something is positive or negative depends on your goals. If you are trying to lose weight, eating a bagel with peanut butter is a bad habit. If you are bulking, the bagel and PB is a good habit. Ask yourself if each habit helps you become the person you wish to be. If you eat cookies for breakfast every morning, acknowledge it, but almost as if you were a 3rd party observing someone else. "How interesting that they would do such a thing".
If you want to cut back on a habit, but notice yourself about to do the bad habit, say out loud, "Im about to eat this cookie, but I dont need it. Eating it will cause me to gain weight and harm my health." Hearing your bad habits spoken aloud makes the consequences seem more real. It helps prevent you from mindlessly slipping into an old routine. Also, just saying out loud "Tomorrow, I need to go to the post office after lunch" increases the odds youll actually do it.
Researchers in Great Britain worked with a group of people to build better exercise habits. They were divided into 3 groups. The control group was simply asked to track how often they exercised. The second group was given a presentation about the benefits of exercise, and asked to track how often they exercised. The 3rd group received the same presentation as the 2nd group, but were asked to verbally state, "During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on (Day) at (Time) in (Place)."
In groups 1 and 2, 35 and 38 percent of people exercised at least once per week. The motivational presentation seemed to have little impact on group 2. 91% of group 3 exercised at least once per week. This verbal statement is called an Implementation Intention. For any habit you want to perform, use the template "I will (Behavior) at (Time) in (Location).
From there you can begin to implement a technique called habit stacking. One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day, and then stack your new habit on top. "After (Current habit), I will (New habit). Example: After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute.
After I take off my work shoes, I will immediately change into my workout clothes.
For me this morning, for example, I am trying to drink more water AND more protein, as well as read a chapter of a book each morning (in addition to a chapter of a book before bed each night). So I verbally stated aloud that "After I make a cup of coffee, I will read one chapter of Atomic Habits. After I finish my cup of coffee, I will chug a glass of water. After I finish my water, I will drink a Muscle Milk." I actually did these things today, after months and months of telling myself things like "I need to drink more water" or "I need to consume more protein each day" or "I want to read more of my giant pile of untouched books". I've also been telling myself "I need to run more" for awhile, but today I told myself "Today when I get home from work, I am running the 5 mile route on the mesa". And guess what, when I got home, I drank some water, did some stretching, and ran my 5 miles. Maybe I have some extra motivation right now as a result of being in the middle of this book, but as I type this I am reminded of the example of group 2 above. Just knowing that I should run more wasn't causing me to rebuild my old habit of daily runs. Speaking aloud a specific and actionable plan actually caused me to run.
Another idea is designing your environment for success. During the energy crisis and oil embargo of the 70's, dutch researchers began to study the country's energy use. They found that some homeowners used 30% less energy than their neighbors, despite homes of similar sizes and other variables being similar. It turned out that the houses were nearly identical, except in some the electrical meter was in a hallway, and in others, the meter was in the basement. The homes with the meters in the main hallway used less energy. Designing your environment involves identifying and either emphasizing or hiding cues from yourself. If you want to remember to take your medication each night, put your pill bottle next to the faucet on the bathroom counter, instead of hidden inside the medicine cabinet. If you want to practice guitar more, place the guitar in the middle of the living room, or next to the couch you lounge on. You can alter the spaces where you live and work to increase your exposure to positive cues, and reduce your exposure to negative cues. Habits can also be easier to change in a new environment. In one study, insomniacs were told to get into bed only when they were tired. If they couldnt fall asleep, they had to sit in another room until they became sleepy. Over time, subjects began to associate the context of their bed with the action of sleeping, and it became easier for them to quickly fall asleep when they climbed into bed. Their brains learned that sleeping, not browsing phones or watching TV, was the only action that happened in that room. Create a separate space for work, study, exercise, entertainment, cooking, sleeping, etc.
One more interesting example. In 1971, Research revealed that 35% of service members had tried heroin while stationed in Vietnam. as many as 20% were addicted. When soldiers who had been heroin users returned home, only 5% of them became re-addicted within one year. Only 12% relapsed within 3 years. So essentially 9 out of 10 soldiers who had become addicted to heroin while in Vietnam had eliminated their drug addiction nearly overnight.
Compare that with typical drug users, who become addicted at home and around friends. They go to a clinic (devoid of all the cues they had at home that would start a craving), get clean, then return home to where all the previous cues are. Typically, 90% of Heroin users become addicted once they return home from rehab.
People who have the best self control really have the best environments to expose themselves to good cues and avoid bad cues.
So far, you have Implementation Intentions, Habit Stacking, and designing your environment as 3 easy to implement techniques to form better habits.
Buy the book. My copy was given to me by someone who is VERY successful after I noticed his large book collection, and asked him if there was a great book he would recommend to someone who wants to be like him when they grow up.
@@tyranasaurusty1180 you are a Saint and I'm very grateful for you doing this 🫡🙏
@@tyranasaurusty1180 thank you again. Since you've recommended such a powerful book, please allow me to do the same: Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse. One of the most impactful books I've read. The book outlines how all behavior, situations, or events in life can be identified and broken down as either a Finite game or an Infinite game. Once identified, there are processes and strategies to practice in order to "play" the game effectively.
A Finite game is the easiest to understand. A Finite game has clear rules and boundaries. Football, for example. There are 2 clear teams, a certain field size, boundaries, and goals. After the time is up, the team with the most points wins. Our lives contain many Finite games. Our job, for example: you accept a job with (hopefully lol) clear terms and understandings. You will perform X labor from this time to that time. There are ways you are expected to dress, decorum you are expected to have, things you can and can't say, etc. The limits to and setting of the game are defined, with expectations for you to meet and goals you are expected to accomplish.
An Infinite game is a bit more tricky. An Infinite game does not have the same clarity of rules, boundaries, and objectives. It does clearly have its limits, but they aren't defined and must be navigated by the player. Dating is a good example. There's no clear starting/ending point with dating. While there are obviously some type of rules (don't punch your date while at dinner), there are no clear/universal guidelines for how the game can or should be played. It requires a process of identifying the "rules" as it's being played.
Games can exist within games and effect one another. If 2 people go on a first date at a movie theater, the event of being in the movie is a type of Finite game: don't be on your phone, don't talk during the movie, don't smoke in the theater, etc. That Finite game will have an effect on the Infinite game of the courtship process: if you act rambunctious during the film, your date may not want to go on a second date.
The book helps you learn how to identify the different games you're playing, who your team mates and opponents are, so that you can play them more efficiently and with a higher chance of success. Because of this, you can be a better, more caring/effective team player so that those you're playing the game with can succeed too. The book is only about 150 pages and can be read in an afternoon. Some of the best "bang-for-your-buck" reading I've encountered.
some extra level of self bullying I picked up from Goggins; film yourself speaking your thought process when you're making excuses. Make yourself look into your phone camera and explain why you're being a bitch and failing yourself. Then you watch it and shit talk yourself. Nothing beats seeing thst shame on your own face and then saying "wow, I sound truly pathetic"
Bro, I liked your video but wasn't looking to get called out like this. I need to get my ass in gear. Good advice in this video. I need to get back to my service wieght and condition.
"Older...30s" ouch, man. Very ouch. Nearly 54; cuts me deep.
The last week or so I realized I’ve been getting super complacent. This was perfect timing for me to actually use to help get myself back into a productive schedule. Especially since I start the Q in a few months
Now is not the time for complacency, I know a shit ton of dudes who showed back up to the Q course and were immediately dropped for failing PT events. You should be grinding right now harder than ever.
@@ValhallaVFT Yessir. It definitely won’t be me. God bless
That cat is so adorable 🥰
lol I said the same thing and I’m not a cat fan. Unless they’re wild cats.
Goddammit Val the timing. Bro your better than a psychologist, your what there was before psychology and that is a wise man who been true a lot, lived and is now doing good an sharing wisdom.
This kind of stuff you won't get from a doctors office. I want to be an 11b or get into mechanics ( you know for after service work) and your definitely the man to listen to for advice.
So thanks a lot for your work,l this stuff kicksass and is fuel to keep trucking towards my goals. Bless you and your family man hope one day soon I to can serve our country.
P.S. your cat cuteness was already to much then you say the name munchkin and I nearly collapsed. This is why I want service, so that one day munchkin can grow up to be a doctor in a safe country.
Another necessary drop by Nate. VOV brotha
This vid is stronger than my morning coffee 👍
🫡
Congratulations on the 50k mate! Love from Australia. Yeah it's interesting how so many smokers used to ace fitness when many non-smokers struggled. I was only a Grunt, however much of the same applies.
Dude I had buddies that would huff down a full cigarette minutes before a 5 mile run and destroy me, some guys are just wild like that.
@@ValhallaVFT 100% mate. And when deployed to East Timor, when I was surprisingly the fittest I had ever been in my life, I was one of those. Discovered American Camels (extra toasted) at $2 a pack, was smashing well over a pack a day, and was running sub-9 BFA's😆 Again mate good on you and I am stoked to have come across your channel👊
Thanks for the video, Nate. I’m 5’10” 270lbs and I really want to get in shape, and like you talked about in this video, I keep making excuses.
I am making a commitment to myself to exercise and eat healthy starting today. I’m going to use the methods you shared in this video to help myself through this process.
Dude this video made my day currently trying to quit smoking it’s hard man been at since 14 years old smh so it’s very deeeep in my subconscious I switched to vapes at 20 and never thought it was a big issue due to my decent fitness and I’m almost 24 now but I realized how bad it was at selection because I literally snuck in a vape and it died during day 1 of the star course. It definitely was a wake up call because I didn’t get selected therefore I promised my self I will kick it realizing how weak I was for that. before I get back after it in 2025 Thank you man for the video.
Thanks for doing this video. Definitely some things I need to work on that I hadn’t thought about recently. Especially how we are creatures of habits and how we need repetition of good habits. Going to try to quit smoking cigarettes soon. Keep up the good work and thanks again! 🇺🇸💪
One of the weird things youll see during SFAS, RASP, BUDS, etc. is guys straight up convincing themselves theyre injured. Its crazy. On top of that, medics simply ask "do you want to quit?". Makes it very easy to say yes
Ya that’s super common for sure
Love your honesty.
Brilliant content as always. Congrats brother on the subs!
Thanks bro 🫡
I will say this for anyone who cares.
Regarding hard substances: if your friends are not supportive of you stopping that substance, then they are not your friend.
It is as simple as that. It sounds harsh, but it's your life.
Cigarettes might or might not be in this category but you get it. Drinking, drugs, even dieting to some degree. Enablers only enable to make themselves feel better, not to benefit you.
This is the video I need.
New to your channel. You are spot on bro!! Thanks for the encouragement 👍
Im glad you kicked the habit, of dipping and smoking. I didnt have zyn when I quit and then nicotine patches made me sick. I found out the hardway with energy drinks, lol i drank 24 of then a day but i ended up in the hospital because of it. I even sniffed pre workout powders in combination of energy causing me to have tachycardia abd afib at the same time. I been also clean for over 10 years i haven't fell off back into my cocaine habit and i was taking Ritalin in my teens. I definitely can relate with habits
Never thought I was able to but I successfully kicked my smoking habit of 18 years so I could get fit and train for selection. I was a half packer and quitting cold turkey was not as difficult as I imagined because I actually have a clear goal now. Overcame my years of substance abuse as well just like that. Now I just need to learn better sleeping habits 😄
Great video! From now on I’ll treat my inner monologue like a terrorist lol
I like that cat!
Started dipping in the Infantry. Kept the habit for 20 plus year. Quit cold turkey. One of the best things I have ever done. I am no longer a slave to nicotine. You can do it also.
Cute cat and kid. Best thing i ever did was have a dog and cat for each kid.
You’re awesome man. Thank you.
Love the channel. Great video topics, keep it up man! Thanks
Great information brother! 🇺🇸🇺🇸
was a diesel/ heavy equipment mechanic for 13 years , i was fit enough to do my job i guess. now im in an office for the past 5 years. its crazy what that will do to you sitting for 10 hrs a day. started attending an eastern orthodox church and now doing BJJ, gotta keep myself busy .
Video on your best physical feats during your prime???That way we can have a Standard to compare too
I really never thought that SF guys could maintain a habit like smoking, especially due to all the high tempo activities. Why would you even want to smoke? It definitely slows you down a significant percentage of your physicality.
I’d say probably 80-90% of guys smoke or dip. Very normal part of the culture.
People smoke to relax, I've never served, but I fully understand being a smoker why people in the army smoke. Why wouldn't you? It's a pretty stressful job! By all accounts
I still struggle with smoking weed i need to get in shape
A thousand thank yous to yourself, your daughter and munchkin sir.
Id be honored to fly the Valhalla flag
Looking forward to todays video topic
Currently sending 700 skadoons a week to sweden to feed the zyn habit.
Hey bro if you’ve got Instagram message me on there or email and I can coordinate getting you some merch, you’re one of the winners by the way lol.
@@ValhallaVFT Sent you over an email there horse.
@@Paddy-McNasty Trackin bro just emailed you back.
Congratulations to those who won and, beat wishes to everyone who hang and watch Valhallas content.
10:00 yes sir. Meditation makes this even easier.
thumb up!
Thank you!
Thing about nicotine and caffeine alike is that they're both vasoconstrictors and go against fitness goals by robbing your extremities of much needed oxygen while putting more pressure on your heart than needed.
we don't negotiate with ourselves! wow
I needed to hear this
I saw the movie Valhalla … amazing
Hey bro you and Jake Zweig should collab
I don’t know Jake but I know some guys he does stuff with sometimes, I imagine we might eventually. He seems like a good dude.
Fuck 32 didn’t think I was that old ouch
So rad!
Are there special force operatiors whom had bad habits but quit them in the military?
Been training for my SFRE, hopefully then going to SFAS, me and my generations worst habit is our phones and vaping, luckily I don’t use TikTok or any of that shit, just RUclips and instagram to connect with family and friends and I don’t vape or anything with nicotine. But I feel so bad for this next generation because at least I’m old enough that I grew up not getting a phone till high school and playing on a ds and a Wii and got a Xbox in late middle school. My little cousin is in 3rd grade and has a iPad, Nintendo switch, iPhone, and Xbox and there’s kids in his school who got in trouble with vapes, he’s fucking 8 years old.
I want to feel bad for our generation, but there is no need to. It is YOUR choice to just throw the fuckin vape away. I know people who tell themselves that they NEED to smoke weed “ I need to hit my weed pen and smoke weed🤓” shut up. My mom came from a fuckin war torn country with $0 in her account and having her house burned down. She has not once smoked weed. Don’t feel sympathy for the people our age cause they need to grow up mentally
Also it is the parents responsibility not to give them a tablet, phone, switch, etc. so their kid having it “hard” with that is all on their parents
@@nikolasekulic673 100% agree, so glad my mom never gave me a phone when I was young, and when I was allowed one, I had to pay for it.
023 Muriel Walk
can we get more info on dive teams?
How do you work out every day? The fitness community swears you need a rest day or two each week. Are you actually lifting weights and running every day?
Low zone 2 cardio/active stretching. The idea I need 2 days a week where I do nothing physical is 30 years outdated. Maybe for body builders, but that’s not what 99.99999% of people are.
How on earth do you keep up the level of cardio fitness necessary while smoking cigarettes? That’s almost more impressive 😭😭😭
Leaving this comment for myself :
I will get rid of my phone addiction within 100 days
Is there a moment when you signed the contract you felt ready or was it something you never really felt ready for? Currently I am meeting all competitive SFRE standards or close to but feel unprepared still.
I don’t think anyone ever feels totally “ready” but physically I knew I was where I needed to be, experience wise not so much.
@@ValhallaVFT thanks man you’re an inspiration for me. I’m hoping to finalize an 18x next month, scared as hell if I can be honest but I’m 25 and don’t wanna live with regret on never trying.
@@trevorsouthard7784 actually the perfect age to go, good luck bro.
I started smoking and drinking when I was 14. When I was 21 I started smoking weed, and when I turned 24. I stopped everything for 1 year and a half never did drugs again. But started smoking and my friends who smoke told me to stop, and I did just like I did at 24. Just stopped from one day to the next I started drinking again after the 1 year 1/2 started drinkin just as hard. I started drinking very hard every day for about 3 months. After my first wife left me, like 27 and then I got sick of it. Because I didn't feel good. I was always sad I stopped for almost a year now if, I drink it's 1 beer or 2 beers. I stopped drinking liquor I don't drink to much. I feel great I just stopped eating fast food and started cooking my own food. Trying to fix my health. I don't drink like I used to because. I don't find it to be fun also if someone tries to convince me to do something. I walk away. Most everybody I consider a friend smokes, drinks or uses drugs or all. One of my good friends recognizes that I don't like to be pushed. To do something I find wrong. But the rest still try to convince me. But I don't get convinced easy. I'm 29 about 1 year without smoking it might have been a year now. Thanks for the video it was great.
do you have a tactical school
I teach about of tactical based classes if that’s what you mean
@@ValhallaVFT okay only online?
@@MenofRenowndiscussions my company teaches courses in person in Oregon.
👍🏼
what is dipping ?
chewing tobacco
Nate also looks like the guy from Medal o Honor Teir 1
Bro…. So glad I saw this video …. Seeing your kid makes me not take you so seriously …. But cool cynical voice
Imagine being scared of kids what a weirdo.
Like this comment
First
Hey brother, I would call you “Shipmate’ but you wasn’t NAVY😂lol. I will just call you the coolest Green Beret (Non-Dick) on RUclips. My daughters both nineteen and twenty one love your channel and have actually started their own “girlie Tactical fitness” lol. Thanks for your service brotherman in Christ and thanks for being an inspiration to my kiddos and the next generation.
....kitty cat! 😊