What Is This Episode About…

“It might surprise you to learn the biggest determining factor when it comes to changing your health and keeping your weight off! Can you guess?”

In this episode, I, together with my sister Cari, will talk about the biggest determining factor in keeping your weight off. I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.” And here’s another kind of catchy way of saying it: “You are the sum of the five people you hang around the most.” 

Have you noticed that? 

So if you want to learn more about how you can change your mindset with regards to health and keep your weight off, listen in as we will tell you how important for you to have a community with like-minded people and how the people around you can affect you and your weight loss journey.

Key Points Discussed:

• You are the sum of the five people you hang around the most. (01:50)
• No. 1 biggest determining factor in keeping off your weight (02:41)
• Relationships with like-minded individuals determine longevity (03:20)
• Go and be with people who believe like you (04:46)
• Concepts of community that make such a big difference (09:24)
• Community is a good source of ideas (11:03)
• People need social interaction (16:35)
• Physical interaction matters too! (18:02)
• The power of community (20:24)
• Importance of putting yourself out (23:32)

Learn More About The Content Discussed…

Get the Code Red On-The-Go Guide here.

Join the next 10-Pound Takedown Challenge here.

When Was It Released…

This episode was released September 4, 2019

Episode Transcript…

The Transcript Is Auto-Generated And May Contain Spelling And Grammar Errors

Intro: 00:03 I’m Cristy Code Red and you’re listening to Rebel Weight Loss and Lifestyle where we believe food pulls the power to heal or poison and we believe our society has been misled regarding proper nutrition and weight loss. You’re in the right place if you’re looking for some truth because I’m here to shed light on the lies and brainwashing that has taken place over the past five decades. Thanks so much for listening.

Cristy: 00:28 We’ll come back to Rebel Weight Loss and Lifestyle. I am Cristy Code Red, your host and I’m here with my sister Cari. People call her Cari Code Red.

Cari: 00:36 Eh! They do. That’s funny. On the plane, there’ll be like Cari Code Red and I’m like, I have a last name. I wasn’t sure you guys knew that or not.

Cristy: 00:46 Yeah, curious like, I’m somebody else other than Cristy’s sister. So I want to call back to the podcast. You guys, thank you so much for being here with us and Cari. I asked Cari to join me on this podcast. She always has great insight on things and it is just so much fun to have her on. So thank you, guys! Thank you guys for helping Rebel Weight Loss and Lifestyle climb the church. We are in striking distance of you more to the top. I mean Gosh I haven’t heard the latest from the podcasting agency that I use. But at the time of this recording, we’re in the top 30 of all weight loss, fitness and nutrition podcasts in the whole United States!!!

Cristy: 01:25 That’s pretty impressive. That’s all because of you. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Today, you know this is a great one. This is a great mindset one, we’re talking about the importance. Of the community around you in doing anything. And you know Cari and I haven’t talked to her about this. That’s why I don’t like to talk about the things before we podcast cause I want her reaction to be genuine. Cari, do you remember what mom used to say to us? Yes, I know you marry who you date. Yes. you, who you’re going to marry who you date. And that is so true. You marry who you date. Right? So you are the sum. Another kind of catchy way of saying it is, you are the sum of the five people you hang around the most.

Cari: 02:12 Right, right. So true. Our mom used to say like I see women all the time like I just want to date a bad boy. Bad boy for a while and then I’ll settle down with an accountant and then three kids later they got some, you know what? Poopoo head ex bad boy with a bunch of kids. So you are who you date. I mean you’re going to marry who you date and you are who you hang around. That is so true.

Cristy: 02:41 And the biggest thing, 25 years I’ve been in this business for 25 years I’ve been in the health and fitness industry. What we have noticed especially Cari the last three, four years of really being doing hardcore Code Red, like really being like since my book came out. And since I’ve really been doing media and traveling in countries doing events since the revolution, the rebel revolution has spread. The one thing that we notice more than anything. The number one biggest determining factor, whether someone keeps her weight off or not is being a part of the rebel community or not.

Cari: 03:20 It’s very true. Cristy always says, you think you got this, you ain’t got this and it’s true. We do see this beyond weight loss a lot about community. Have you noticed that? And he says the one determining factor to longevity in life, okay is not if you take your co Q 10 it’s not if you eat Code Red, although all these things matter. You should drink your water, you should absolutely eat a high-fat lifestyle. You should feed your brain, you should cut out crap. But he says they’ve done studies, Cristy and having community with other people. Having relationships with like-minded individuals determines longevity. Can you believe that?

Cristy: 04:03 I can believe it cause Cari and I were raised in the church. Our dad…both our mom and dad are both ordained ministers and now our dad pastored a church growing up. We are preacher’s kids and that’s why probably we liked John Kris. So much. Shout out to John. Chris, the Christian, we were raised in church and it’s just like being in church. I mean it’s just like being in CrossFit community is just like being in your quilting community. You will pick up the habits of the people around you and if you want whatever lifestyle that is, like the CrossFit lifestyle or the church, the Christian lifestyle or whatever lifestyle you want, if you want it to really go deep and really be deep-seated in your life, you want to be around people who believe the same thing

Cari: 04:46 the Bible says, do not forsake the gathering of the brethren. And that’s a fancy way of saying, hang out with people that believe like you. This is why Cristy, that our VIP and our after-hours with Cristy events are so popular. I mean, you know, you can go have dinner and meet somebody that you’re fond of. Uh, I mean like they have meet and greets all the time. You guys, Cristy wouldn’t say this necessarily talking about herself, but people are just so excited to meet her and to get to be in that. It is about Cristy cause people just love, Cristy. She’s very dynamic, engaging, but it is a lot about getting to be around people who are also not eating Twinkies 24 seven who are also talking about drinking water and hey I had five-bathroom stops on the way here. It’s being around people that get what you’re doing and like, Cristy said, it doesn’t matter if it’s CrossFit or a knitting club. Go be with people who believe like you.

Cristy: 05:43 Yeah. Who Really, who do believe like you cause it’s so hard when you first get on Code Red. I will just use Code Red for an example. It’s so hard because we’ve heard it and we feel so sorry for some people cause they lose friends. They lose friends when they first changed their eating style because it’s not just changing your eating style. It is changing your whole outlook on food and it’s changing the way you socialize because you no longer weave your vacations no longer revolve around food your night out with the girls. No longer, maybe you guys are going to go play, go bowling instead of go to Taco Tuesdays, all you can eat and maybe it’s so things changed in your life because we don’t realize and maybe you guys that are listening right now and watching, maybe you do realize and Cari was heavy before and she can tell you a lot of stories about while she was thinking about the next meal, while she was eating her current meal and always worried where the next meal is gonna come from. So maybe you realize this, but I don’t think a majority of us really realize how many of our activities revolve around food. And when you start shifting your mindset to food as fuel instead of food as a reward or punishment or way you celebrate things, it starts eliminating certain people like relationships.

Cari: 06:52 When Cristy and I went on vacation to Turks and Caicos. This is a great example. I mean we, Hey, we like food too. Just because we do this does not mean that we don’t like food. So I don’t want you guys to think, I mean, Cristy does eat her food standing up at the countertop, which drives me crazy. I hate that you’re just like my husband and like go sit down, you’re stressing me out. But anyway, we, so we had a plan for every day. We knew we were going to have high fat, low carb breakfast at the resort and then maybe eat, maybe not, but we had like Chia seeds and almond milk and all that already ready to go. Chia seeds and flax. So it took the stress of the day away from us. So we could go paddleboarding. We could go sit on the beach for 15 minutes very carefully. So we didn’t burn. We could go walk downtown, we could jump on the bikes. And because we already knew what we were going to eat. It wasn’t eating your way through Europe. It wasn’t eating your way through Disney World. Do you know what I mean? We had a good time and I loved that freedom. That’s a whole other topic. But it had I not made plans with Cristy. I would have been with someone else’s like, well, and I vacationed with, I don’t think our cousin will ever listen to this, so I’m going to mention her. I won’t say her name, but it’s always like, well, we going to go have tacos. Do you guys want to come when like we just ate breakfast, you know? Well, what do you guys want to do for dinner? I’m like, oh my Lord. You know? I mean, and I get caught up in that too. So being around like Cristy like-minded person changed my entire perspective for that vacation.

Cristy: 08:25 Oh, Cari, it was literally an I vacation all lot. I mean, at the time of this recording, I’ve been to Europe nine times and so I have a vacation a lot and I love to travel, but carry traveling with you. It was a whole different experience for me too. Even though miles his, his life doesn’t revolve around food either. He still eats more often than I do and he eats three meals and two snacks. He’s not really Code Red guys. I know you guys talk about your spouse, Brandon. Yeah. And so when I was with you, my gosh, I mean the guesswork, it just, my mind was freed up. It was so freeing and I leaned on you and you leaned on me. Cause we, we have the same outlook so we know firsthand how powerful community is community, whether it’s the Bible says where the two or three are gathered together in his name. I will be amongst you. So whether it’s just two of you or three of you or thousands like we have in our Code Red life, rebel community,

Cari: 09:24 I think there’s a couple of concepts of community that make such a big difference. So number one, accountability. I think that even if you live in 10 buck two and you’re doing Code Red and you are on one of our pages, find somebody that you can connect with and be accountable with. Now of course we sell accountability and we have built in accountability. But if you can find, you know, Betty from New Jersey and you guys text every day, we have an Auntie that’s going on vacation, I am going to be her accountability partner for the vacation to help her get through that. And just because it’s a place where there’s lots of food and it’s very hard when you’re in weight loss mode. So I think having community provides accountability and also I believe that it provides people that understand. That’s the other thing is just having somebody that gets it. It’s why are there cancer support groups, why are there take off pounds sensibly? The tops groups, it’s just having people that get what you’re going through. And I don’t know, that’s such a big thing for me. I love one famous podcast I listened to. She goes, do you want to look better? Of course they’re into exercise. She goes, find someone who’s more fit than you. That should be your best friend and that will push you. So just knowing like I’m going to see Cristy and a couple of weeks or I have a rebel event coming up. That accountability keeps me on track. And also finding friends. You know, our new next door neighbor, she runs every day. I see her out there at five 30 going on a run. Now she’s in the army. But just knowing like she’s my friend, we talk about recipes, we talk about feeding kids, you know, it’s just a, it’s a good relationship. It’s not all about taco Tuesday like, Cristy said.

Cristy: 11:03 Right. And just that’s a great segue into another reason why being a part of a community as good as for ideas for ideas on how to get through things. I know with our rebel community we have parents who have autistic kids and so the autistic parents will say, hey, they’ll post on the in the group and they’ll say, is anybody have an idea? My son is very, you know, they’ll reach out to other parents who deal with autistic kids, but they treat through nutrition therapy as well as medication and they’ll get other food ideas from that. How about someone who has had a gallbladder removed and someone will say or gone through a colonoscopy and they don’t want to drink the high sugar drink or Gatorades? The cleanse the colon so they reach out and they get ideas, so it’s, so it is accountability. Cari and I are accountability partners to each other. We always turn in our weight to each every single day. We say accountable to each other, but it’s also ideas from like-minded rebels.

Cari: 12:00 You know, I think one of the biggest things for me is I have coached with you over the years is just seeing people come together to help each other out. The idea thing, for instance, when I first started this lifestyle, I would, and I’ve seen people do this, Gosh, I’m going to New York for a trip. What do I do? I love how people that have this down pat. There’s a rebel that travels constantly. We have a lot of rebels like that. She’s like, oh my gosh, I stick jerky in my bag. Cristy was just going on a trip and I was like, you need to order some of that jerky. And she was like, ah, that’s right. I’ll stick that in my bag. You know? I love seeing that other rebels got the, I’m going to use jerky again, but the deal pickle chips, the ones you can buy at the store that are already cut up and they’re a little too go back. My husband’s been eating the heck out of those. Every time we stop at a convenience store, he gets dill pickle chips and nuts. Hilarious. But just knowing that’s out there. Oh, I’m at the airport. Oh, you know Wolfgang Puck, you can get two eggs fried and two pieces of Bacon. Of course. He told me that one time in the airport and I was like, oh, thank you Jesus. Like I was stressing out on what to eat and she’s like, walk over to somewhere and get bacon and eggs Cari. And I was like, I can’t believe I run this company. And I didn’t know that. But that’s a whole other story.

Cristy: 13:15 It really helps to have people help me out in that moment. Cristy. Yeah, it really helps to have people to get you through those situations and I’m always amazed at the ideas that people have. Our coaches are Code Red certified coaches, Curie. They have these meal prep ideas and Code Red kid ideas and feeding your elderly dad ideas. And I’m just amazed cause I didn’t know that. I can’t think of those ideas. And those come from people who live it every day.

Cari: 13:44 We’ve got some real foodies in our group that are amazing cooks. And I mean, one of our certified coaches, Heather, came up with a cauliflower waffle that is ridonculous are you serious? And for her, I’m in the, this thing is like, like it should be at the four seasons with like uh, some, I don’t know. I was like, what? And then I invited myself to her house. No, I’m teasing. Jessica. Coach Jessica, she feeds atonic kids and man, she makes them toe the line and she comes up with some like, and again, we aren’t big into desserts with Code Red, but for a kid, so much better to come up with a Code Red, heavy whipping cream and sugar free pudding recipe, then a bomb pop for 26 grams of sugar. So I’m impressed with, and you know what the other thing is, let me say this, I’m impressed the ideas and I’m impressed with how willing rebels are to share. They’re not stingy. They aren’t like, oh well that’s proprietary. What? They’re like, oh, I did this in a crockpot. You’ve got to try it. And that’s the whole rebel community. Kristy, everyone is so kind to help and share.

Cristy: 14:50 Yeah. Now what worries me and what makes me now, it’s a little getting a little harder nowadays to keep track of everybody because we have literally thousands of rebels small over the world. Right. Back in the day when we were smaller, I knew everybody. I knew their families, I knew their kids, I knew their dogs, I knew their routine, their jobs, everything and their weight and their weight and of course their weight. Absolutely. And I would be able to keep track and what I can feel, I can feel when someone’s not, hasn’t been checking in. I can feel when they haven’t been posting and 99% of the time, and I am telling you, I know that you think that sounds dramatic, 99% of the time when they back off of the community when they check out and they don’t communicate, they don’t post, they don’t text me back, they don’t check in with their coach when they back off of us, 99% of the time that means they’ve fallen off the wagon and they’re embarrassed and they’re getting their weight back and that’s what scares me the most. So I have a kind of a mental check of people that I have or hadn’t heard from in awhile and I reach out to them and I say so hey and men, I’m always right. I’m always right Cari.

Cari: 16:00 Yeah you are. You have a really eerie sense of people and I have people that are like, I’m going to turn my weight into you as a friend every Friday and then I don’t hear from him for three Fridays. I’m like, I bet their weights up. Now. My stuff is a little more obvious than Cristy’s, but it is funny. Cristy has a, it’s eerie you guys, she’s like, oh that person was one 5.27 yeah, I can guess weights. I know I can see someone in like the Costco Food Court and I, I know that their weight is up or there are so many ever seen anybody except for that one ICU doc that can do it.

Cari: 16:36 Like Cristy, you know, that does remind me of something else is, you know, I do care for my disabled mother-in-law at the House here and you know, she spends a lot of time in her room and I the other day was thinking about it and I thought, I wonder how many hugs a day she gets because she’s in a room and you know, I get hugs from Brandon, I get hugs from Emory. Of course the dogs, all that. But like if you’re in your room and you’re away from other people, again, lack of community, you’re not going to get that physical interaction. So I committed to giving her at least one hug a day and I make Annmarie and Brandon do it too. I was like checking off your list. That’s for hugs people and you need interaction socially. Physically you need to be touched. You need someone to put their arms around you and just hug you, even if it’s just a strain. Not No, don’t be hugging strangers, but that all goes to the same idea that you need that physical interaction with our people. I just think it’s so important and, and she’s responding so well. She says last night she said, do you think you have another hug that I could have before I go to bed? And I was like, yes. And shame on me for not being better about it. It’s because I get hugged a lot during the day. So I don’t think about it. But you guys, you need a virtual or a real hug every day from someone in your community. You really do.

Cristy: 17:54 Yeah. And you know, Code Red’s online company. That’s how we’re able to reach people show much. And we do online. It’s all online. And thank the Lord for the Internet. Thank the Lord for the different social media platforms that allow us to connect and grow relationships, but don’t underestimate the power of a meet and greet. Don’t underestimate the power of an in person. That’s why our certified coaches will actually put on meet and greets when they travel to an event, they’re going to go have their own little mini meet and greets. I mean, people want to come see me, but they want us to come see their coach as well. And so that’s why I mean the power of gathering together and giving each other hugs and physical touch. I mean, I know that it’s funny because Cari and mom and I, we talk every day. We have a three-way communication system and we check in with each other every day. So why is it that I miss Cari so bad? I mean, why is it, why is it that my heart aches for her? Why is it that I’m like, Oh, when do I get to see her again? I know. Or when I go to leave her I say, okay, it’s okay. Breathe Cristy. You get to see her in one month, it’s okay. And why is it because I talked to you every day that I left you at an airport. We’ve gone separate gates and I’ve been sobbing uncontrollably. So it’s because there’s something powerful about being in person as well. So we do want to encourage you to be in person with your CrossFit community, with your knitting group, with your church group, with your dog walking group, with your ladies group, with your mom’s group, where you guys all pushed the strollers together, the Western mall walking group. Whatever you do, build those relationships, strengthen those.

Cari: 19:29 Cristy, this is so good because I absolutely think that the physical part is so important and I want to talk about one aspect of this is that hey rebels, is it hard to set up a time and go have lunch with people? Yeah, there are days when you’re just like, like now I don’t feel like that with Kristi because I love being with her so much. But there are times when I’ve tried to develop relationships and they’re like, how about Tuesday at 10 how about Wednesday at 11 it’s like I’m trying to get a nail appointment scheduled. I just, you know, it’s, it’s painful and awkward at first, but if you can push through, let me encourage you to push through that awkward and Oh, I’d rather stay home or you know, the means I took my bra off. I’m not going anywhere. You can just push through those feelings and actually set it up and go and be faithful to do it. It really will get easier after a while. Really? Really, really.

Cristy: 20:24 There’s something about that energy absorbing the energy of the people around you, like actually feeling their energy and vibrating together. It’s so incredible. And you know guys, the power of the community, it is the number one biggest determining factor. And on the flip side, we have never seen, I shouldn’t say the word never. I can think of one person literally out of thousands that has remained a part of the community and has still struggled. I can only think of one. So those are just going to say 99% of the time if you stay a part of the community and you stay that, did the keyword connected, you will pull through you vested best as well.

Cari: 21:02 I like the word connected but vested like you have something in it that is meaningful to you that will help you keep your weight off. Let me just tell you, you want to keep your weight off. No, you have to go see 500 rebels that are going to be looking at you. Not judgy but they’re going to be, that’s a motivator. That is a motivator.

Cristy: 21:22 It is. It is a motivator. And Cari and I, we have our ways of staying motivated as well and that’s absolutely true. And you know it’s funny cause I am very brand loyal when I have a brand that I really believe in, I buy all their stuff. I do, I mean you can see in my, there’s a company called Grrrl clothing, G R R R L. Shout out to Courtney Olson, the CEO of Grrrl clothing and I love their leggings and all their products and I have just bought up and they’re just good quality. I like the way they feel, but I love supporting Grrrl leggings. I love supporting Grant Cardone. I am a huge fan and read every one of his books I have bought his merchandise. I’m going to his 10X Growth Con in February in Vegas. Like I am just such a big fan. But you know what is funny about wearing the girl clothing or wearing the Grant Cardone merchandise or listening to his podcast or whatever. I feel connected to him. I feel like I’m a part of something that he is doing and even if it’s just wearing the shirt or if it’s watching the Instagram live, it is a way I feel like I am a part of that.

Cari: 22:25 Oh, I love that. I just love the connection. I had someone say to me yesterday, I saw your daughter at a theme park. She was there with her dad. And it’s funny because of course I knew she was going, but I didn’t know she was seeing other rebel. She was like, I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to freak everybody out like, but she knows me from this and it’s that connection. She feels connected to my family because I put myself out there. You have to put yourself out there for people to feel connected to you. You guys know about my chickens and my spoiled duct, Julius. And I mean you guys know all this because Cristy and I put ourselves out there. You know about Annabelle, you know how she whines every time Cristy gets in the car to go to the cabin, you know how excited she is. She sits by the door before Cristy goes for a run. So you guys, you guys have gotten to know us and our families because we put ourselves out there. So is there an element of vulnerability when you join a community? Yes, it’s very vulnerable. It’s very hard to put pictures of yourself in your swim suit up there or talk about pooping or talk about the things that you, you know, struggle with. It really is, but it’s worth it in the end. It really is.

Cristy: 23:32 You bring up such great point and I can’t believe I almost didn’t. I almost forgot to even say that. That’s a huge part of being connected and staying connected and being vested is contributing. You want to contribute. I, you know, I’m always frustrated with my coaches because they don’t post enough on Instagram. I say post more pictures of your kids, of your dogs, of what you’re eating, of what you’re doing, of gardening. Because I enjoy watching them. I feel like I’m able to look in on a small sliver of their life and it’s really great to me to be able to do that. That’s a huge part. I really want to encourage you guys to put yourself out there and we get people called sleepers. They’re sleepers in our groups and these are, I’m just asleep or I don’t post much. Well, I want you to get past that. I want you to attend the events. I want you to post in the group. I want you to reach out. Say something, help somebody you know. I think, I don’t know about, part of the Bible says this. I notice has it all throughout the Bible, but if you are feeling, of course I’m paraphrasing. If you are feeling down a little bit, if you are feeling depressed or down or whatever, go help somebody.

Cari: 24:38 Yup. When you give up yourself. Yes. It’s like, Cristy said, a rising tide lifts all boats. Same idea.

Cristy: 24:45 So I think we’ve lost Cari. She is frozen. Sorry about that guys. Live video. You know what? Let me go ahead and close this down. I guess is I, you know, I think you guys get the point. What a great podcast. What a great reminder for everybody and I’m so happy that you guys listen to us. Thank you for being here with us and I really want to encourage you guys to connect with your community. You know, really stay connected and participate. Sorry Cari, I lost you. Now you’re back. I’m gonna go ahead and close down this podcast before it happens again. So sorry. But guys, thank you for being a part of this episode. Rate and review and 10poundtakedown.com. Everybody asks all the time or Cristy, can I work with you? And the answer is yes you can. You can get coaching from me. You can be connected with me and that is 10poundtakedown.com that’s your next step. You guys will. Cari, thank you so much for your time.

Cari: 25:41 Thank you for letting me be a part. This is a great topic guys. Put yourself out there and you will not be disappointed.

Cristy: 25:47 Absolutely. You guys have a good one. We’ll talk to you on the next episode. Bye, everybody. Bye.

Outro: 25:54 Thanks so much for listening to Rebel Weight Loss and Lifestyle. If you’re a Code Red Rebel and you haven’t already downloaded your free Code Red lifestyle on the go guide, then now is your time to get a copy. This guide will teach you how to stay Code Red approved even with your crazy light schedule to get a copy right now. All you need to do is open your podcast app, go to this episode, show notes, and click the link to get your Code Red approved on the go guide. So I will see you on the next episode of Rebel Weight Loss and Lifestyle.