About this episode
Today’s episode features James Lowery from Rethink The Rat Race James is a repeat offender back from episode 36. In that episode, he dug into his background and how he and his wife retired in their 20’s after amassing real estate in just two years. This episode we dive more into his accomplishments in the health and fitness arena. From lifting, cardio, diet, and more all through the lens of someone on their FI journey. Listen, learn, and let us know what you think about this awesome episode! Episode Summary James’ Background As a refresh, James and Emily saved heavily Invested that into real estate properties in Huntsville, AL Then when they retired, they moved to Cyprus Obviously COVID-19 had other plans and they had to return to the U.S. Now they’re putting a little effort into some of their rentals And looking for their next adventure James’ Diet He refers to his diet as “Freegan” This is because he’s 95% Vegan but will make exceptions These exceptions are for non-vegan meals that avoid food waste So if the food is already there and it’s free, he’ll eat it James’ fitness ventures James has done bodybuilding competitions, lifting, and helped with physical therapy He takes some time to break down the positives of each of these Then we start ways to mix it up because cardio doesn’t have to be just running on a treadmill James loves trail runs, HIIT training, weight lifting, and the huge amount of content out there on YouTube He recommends you recognize your body can do more than you think but also be careful of going to some extreme right off the start Keep It Simple James mentions how entire food groups do not have to be eliminated Extreme style diets are so hard to be successful with long term He recommends mostly vegetables / not too much mindset That just means understanding the calories you have coming in but making veggies the prominent part of your plate Also don’t overthink the amount of weight your lifting Keep it light if your form starts to slip, don’t stress about breaking records Also, don’t forget the simple parts like hydration Hydration can impact your calorie burning, energy, and cognition Also don’t stress about finding the perfect ratio of Fat/Carb/Protein Don’t Get Intimidated This journey doesn’t have to be expensive The food costs can be reasonable James & Emily actually only spend $40/week per person and eat a ton of healthy foods and veggies Then you don’t have to pay a ton for a gym membership There’s plenty you can do at home, outside or for $20/mo at a Planet Fitness And if you need to earn some extra cash, James actually covers side hustles that are great for your fitness Also, don’t get intimidated with bulking up to fast Lifting weights doesn’t magically make you get bulky It can be a great way to get toned and burn calories Key Takeaways Get Creative: I loved the story of James doing this floor exercise to replace a pull-up movement It doesn’t have to be complicated: Too many people sit on the sidelines because they’re looking for the perfect diet or workout plan when simple balanced eating and getting active is an amazing start. Call to Action Start a fitness or health challenge with someone. Maybe even put a little money on the line to keep up the motivation. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review ! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android Check out our Partners If you’re a rental property investor or business owner, you’ll definitely want to check out igloohome . Have you ever had to give out a door code or leave a key under a mat for people to enter your property? Not anymore. igloohome’s smart locks work entirely on an app + Bluetooth connection so there’s no need to sacrifice security. Check out their products today at igloohome.co and get 15% off with promo code FISHOW . Express VPN is one of the leading virtual private network service providers in the industry. Before I learned about Express VPN, I used to use incognito mode when I wanted to protect my information and browsing history. But I was wrong. Your internet service provider can actually still legally sell your information even if you’re using an incognito browser. But when you use Express VPN to surf the web, the software encrypts your web traffic and masks your IP address to give you real privacy. Use limited-time offer ExpressVPN.com/FiShow for 3 months off a 1-year subscription. Start protecting your privacy today! James’s Information Website: Rethink The Rat Race Instagram: Rethink The Rat Race Learn More About Your Hosts Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)