Tuesday, May 10, 2011

It's been a crazy month of getting my world flipped upside down, but no worries. I'm back baby! The Living Your Dream Experiment continues...Stay Tuned :)
It's been a crazy month of getting my world flipped upside down, but no worries. I'm back baby! The Living Your Dream Experiment continues...Stay Tunes :)

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Ready for a Beach Body? Literally Freeze your ass off!

In the not so distant past, I was the guy bundled up in a winter coat to face the winter storms. The snow would fall, the roads were bad, and I couldn't find any positive outlook on cold weather. Then I picked up a book that changed the game..."The 4-Hour Body" by Tim Ferriss. In the book, Tim offers unique strategies to weight loss that are not found in your typical diet or health books. Interesting tips like strategically eating 10,000 calories in one day, ingesting certain teas, supplementing with garlic, and my favorite "Cold Exposure." As I began to experiment with the cold exposure myself, I noticed a dramatic shift in weight loss. So far I have managed to shred around 20lbs and have done it with very minor changes to my diet and lifestyle. I live in Michigan where the average temperature has been around 20-30 degrees for the past few months. Being outside without a jacket on for me was initially hard, but now I barely notice any discomfort being cold. Every night I place an ice pack around my neck and watch TV for thirty minutes as well. I have yet to man up to taking an ice bath, but I have toyed with cold showers and have been able to take them for longer periods of time the more I attempt them. Another positive effect the ice packs have had is that they seem to make me sleepy when I use them at night. By nature I'm an insomniac, so anything that can help me fall asleep is a huge bonus. It's still only March and I'm already well on my way to getting into my rockstar beach body shape for the summer. So as much as I know being out in the cold can be a drag, just know that if you grin and bear it, the cold will reward you with some nice blubber removal :)


Blessings,




-Johnny

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

My Four-Hour Body journey, The Complaint-Free Experiment, and the rest of my journey pursuing the life of my dreams... all coming this week! stay tuned

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Lesson of the week: Perspective

The word "Perspective" continues to show up as I make big changes in my life. As you may have read previously, my dreams in life are to become a successful actor and director in the film/movie industry. In order to take steps forward in my directing career, I recently decided to begin taking video/film classes at Specs Howard School of Media Arts. Last week was my first week of classes at Specs and it felt wonderful to begin training in the film industry. Last Friday (my 5th day at school) there was a wave of negativity throughout the local Michigan film industry. Newly elected Governor Rick Snyder announced a proposal that would significantly hurt the Michigan Film industry. Venom was being spewed all over my Facebook and in many e-mails received from fellow actors, filmmakers, and others in the Michigan Film Industry.

Yowzers! Here I am at school starting a new career in film at 28 years old and the first week my hopes and dreams could go down the toilet? I'll get back to this in a moment.....Let's get back to my fellow friends in the industry.

Can I blame them for being passionate about the issue of potentially hurting the Michigan Film industry? Certainly not! For the past few years, many Michiganders have poured their heart and souls into making Michigan the "Hollywood" of the mid-west. If things happen the way the new governor proposes it does, does that mean the end of all of us? I don't think so! As a matter of fact, I feel the opposite will happen. All the people in the industry that are involved in film because of the novelty of it all will slowly fade away. Passionate actors, filmmakers, and others will continue to build on the foundation that was built for us all here in the past few years. That's my perspective!

... but back to my Friday night at school. I'm in studio learning how to do an Adult Contemporary radio show with a really cool girl from my class. Trying to do my best, I try to forget about all the noise about the film industry I've heard all day. Still, it's there creeping in the back of my mind as I sit and ponder if learning more about making films instead of another career is the right decision. Then like clockwork, I receive a text message from my girlfriend saying I received a package in the mail from "Dr. Wayne Dyer." Dr. Wayne Dyer is one of my favorite authors who I have learned many life lessons from. I had written a letter to him thanking him for all of his lifes work.

When I got home after class, there it was. A sealed USPS Priority Mail package from the Dr. himself. As I opened it, I felt like it couldn't have come at a better time. I received an autographed picture of Wayne, his DVD "The Shift," and a hand written note that said "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." Enjoy your book Johnny! Love, Wayne Dyer.

Ahhh yes! Now it makes sense. It's all about perspective! Worrying about things that you can't control is useless. Changing your perspective is the key to life. There are so many people out there that have a harder life than myself. Some are poor, hungry, sick, disabled, traumatized, addicted to alcohol/drugs, struggle to put food on their plates, and many other unfortunate life cirumstances. For me to look at my life as anything else but a blessing would be the ridiculously disrespectful to god and to those people. The glass is never half empty or half full. Just fill up your glass with perspective and you will always live a fulfilling life. No matter what you think is ruining your life, I challenge you to find a different perspective and see things in a different way. Maybe things are better than you think.


Blessings



-Johnny








Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The results are in:
http://ping.fm/Uo56v

4 Hour Body 30 day weight loss results






Today I went and had my body fat tested in a Bod Pod to measure my 30 days on the 4 Hour Body: Slow Carb Diet. So far this diet has been beyond easy to follow for me. My results were great, but I learned a lot about what I need to correct from here on out.  More protein, more weight lifting, and just feed the beast!

It's been an amazing 30 days so far and I can't wait to continue on this lifestyle change until I hit my goal of 10% body fat and weight around 200lbs.


Thanks for checking up and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime at:

johnnydflynn@gmail.com


Blessings,


Johnny

Sunday, February 13, 2011

is going in for my 30 day Bod Pod results using the 4 Hour body tomorrow at 2pm. Can't wait to see the results!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Inexpensive PAGG Stack

For my fellow 4 Hour Body experimenters, here is a way to make the PAGG reasonably inexpensive for a 30 day supply ;)












I hope that helps those of you who are on a budget like me.



Blessings,




Johnny
















Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Complaint Free Experiment!









So here is the information about the challenge.

I will personally sponsor the first nine individuals to take this challenge with me and send them the purple bracelets for free. If you would like to be a part of this, please e-mail me at: johnnydflynn@gmail.com.  You will also be able to guest blog on this site as well.

Thanks again for stopping by! -Johnny

The Rules


A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted -The Book

11 Part Video Series

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Can't afford the book: The 4 hour body? How does free work for you?

If you're like me, you love getting all the details that you can about something you're about to experiment with. If you're not like me and just need to know the rules, here ya go!


This is from Tim Ferris (The author of the 4 hour work week and the 4 hour body) himself.

These are the basics you need to know to get started on the "Slow Carb Diet."  You don't need the book to try the diet at all, although I find it to be a very fascinating read. You may find that you'll want to read the book after you start seeing results.


http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/


Good luck on this adventure, so far this has been an eye opening experience of the ease of weight loss!


- Johnny
http://ping.fm/G8tXn

Dreams can come true: Local Michigan man becomes Movie Star

The Detroit Free Press: Troy car guy becomes Sundance movie guy  - READ ARTICLE HERE


This is a wonderful story about a great guy that received a once in a lifetime opportunity! The article not only inspires me because it's an example of how anything is possible, but because the article is about a good friend of mine Ian Minicuci. I met Ian last year working on a 48 hour film competition. We worked some long hours together during the competition and ironically ended up spending some time together as background extras on a movie called "Real Steel" starring Hugh Jackman for the next couple of weeks following the challenge. We had discussed our experiences in the industry and Ian modestly said that he had only worked on one project titled "Cedar Rapids." At the time, I assumed he meant that he was a background extra. I've come to notice in my brief career in the Michigan Film Industry that most of us that work on big films have typically only been extras, but not Ian! Ian actually plays a character named "Perry" in the film, but he had played the whole experience down as not to brag about his major accomplishment. I definitely think we could all learn from his approach, especially myself. I'm actually still waiting for him to get an ego, but it's just not in his nature haha. Ian is a funny, outgoing, modest, and an all around great guy. I am grateful to have him as a friend and I'm so happy and proud of his accomplishment.


check him out in theaters Feb 11th, 2011 Starring Ed Helms and John C Reilly!

If you live in Michigan, the release date is Feb 18th, 2011



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJqFUWbITug






Friday, February 4, 2011

2011 Ford Explorer: Kick the Tires






My first commercial came out today and I'm feeling good. That was so much fun to do and John Truong "the karate master" is an awesome guy!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

For those of you who are asking me about the Barnes and Nobles $20.00 gift cards for $10.00. Please click on my referral link first if you don't mind and sign up for an account on groupon.(it's free by the way and yes I get referral points). http://ping.fm/C2tch


Then you can go directly to the Barnes and Noble deal page at:

http://ping.fm/AKaSX

they e-mail it to you right away

The Perfect Body in only 4 Hours? Dr. Oz supports this idea!

Check out my man Tim Ferris author of "The 4 Hour Body" on one of my favorite day time TV shows "The Dr. Oz Show"









I've been doing this for 21 days now and I love everything about it! -Johnny
Invite to LivingSocial http://ping.fm/SX6dT

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The 4- Hour body 20 day results
http://ping.fm/pXoMb

The 4 Hour Body: Slow Carb Diet day 20 results








Starting weight: 224.7 lbs 1/11/11
Current weight: 216 lbs 2/1/11



Body Measurements:

1/18/11- Biceps 13.5 in, Waist: 41 in, Hips: 40.5, R- Thigh 24 in, L- Thigh: 24 in.


2/1/11- Biceps 13.5 in, Waist 40 in, Hips 39.5,  R-Thigh: 22.5 in, L- Thigh: 22.5 in.








Any questions about the 4 hour body, feel free to e-mail me directly at: johnnydflynn@gmail.com

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Today's weigh in 216 lbs, down from 224.5lbs 20 days ago. Stay tuned tonight for the 20 day detailed blog update. So much good info to share with you if you're doing the 4HB.

http://ping.fm/fEi3F

Friday, January 28, 2011

Thanks so much for following my blog. Close to 1,000 views in only a week! New blog videos coming Sunday!

http://ping.fm/7FiAb

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Got a little Captain in ya? I hope so if you're reading this blog.

http://ping.fm/FsbsP

Whose yo Captain?






It's about 2am, I'm listening to my friend Danny B "Spin Records" on the radio and I'm relaxing in a kick ass chair I bought off the internet (yep, you can save money on everything haha).  Tonight is such a perfect night to reflect on the choices I've made and where I'm going. I wake up now realizing that there are infinite possibilities each and every day. Anything can happen and it's up to me to "Chose my own adventure" if you will. Do you feel like you are steering your ship or are you allowing the ship to steer itself? Let me tell you it's not very easy to get where you want to go if the ship is sailing in any random direction.  It's time to Captain that ship and steer that thing full speed ahead! Now it's true there might be storms along the way that try and blow you off course, these are circumstances beyond our control. What we can control however is the decision on whether or not to continue sailing towards our destination after the storm hits us.  Maybe it appears that the storm has completely destroyed your ship. Now I guess there's no way to get there now huh? Of course there is! Swim there, borrow a boat, ride a dolphin, start dating a mermaid, I don't care. Don't let anything get in your way.




Regardless of your religious/spiritual beliefs, why should you ever feel like you can't have or be something in your life? Where did this belief come from? Do you think that "God" doesn't want you to live up to your full potential? There is a quote from the bible that says "With god all things are possible." I don't claim to be a Christian or a religious person, but I do believe in god or a higher power. If all things are possible, what does that leave out? The answer my friends is .......NOTHING! You can have anything you want, you can be anyone you want to be, and you can inspire others to do the same. Don't allow weak minded negative people to tell you otherwise. It doesn't concern anyone except for you, your heart, and your soul. Never be afraid of the passion and desire that lives inside of you. Those feelings are there  for a reason aren't they? If they're not, that would be a really sick joke ;)




Bless you all and thank you for reading.




"Live Your Dreams Today"






-Johnny

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Coming soon...guest blog from famous Chef, Author, and Speaker Chef Mark Garcia






First let me just say how honored and excited I am to have such a high caliber guest on my blog. I have been watching some of Chef Mark Garcia's online recipe videos as he is also doing the Slow Carb Diet from the 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss. Not only are his videos entertaining and high quality, but they are also very informative as well. Chef Mark has found a way to make a normally pretty bland diet seem like fine dining cuisine. I would like to thank him in advance for agreeing to be a guest blogger.






If you'd like to learn more about Chef Mark Garcia, here is a great article:



Sunday, January 23, 2011

If you're interested in "The 4-hour body" before to watch the Dr. Oz show tomorrow at 3pm EST. Author Tim Ferris will be on explaining the diet!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The 4-hour Body 10 day results!

http://ping.fm/SrQdM

The 4-Hour Body: 10 day results


The 4-Hour Body: Slow Carb Diet 10 day results from Johnny Flynn on Vimeo.

Today is my 10th day of the 4-hour body slow carb diet. So far this program has been far easier and more manageable than I expected. For the past nine days I have not done any working out of any kind. Today I have decided to start incorporating cardio and weightlifting into my program. I started off easy with 75 reps of 2-handed Kettlebell swings as well as the "From geek to freak" recommended lifts of pull downs ( 7 reps, pace 5/5) and shoulder press (7 reps, 5/5 pace). Needless to say, that was definitely enough to trigger some soreness for tomorrow. I will be ice packing my body down tonight to increase fat burning as well.

As you may remember, I didn't take my measurements on my first day of the diet. I did however weigh-in and measured my bodyfat percentage.

Here are the results as of today 1/21/11

1/11/11-   weight: 224.7 lbs/ bodyfat: 32.3 %


1/18/11- body measurements: Biceps: 13.5 in, Waist: 41in, Hips: 40.5 in, Thighs: 24 in.

1/21/11- weight: 222lbs, body measurements: Biceps: 13.5 in, Waist 40.5 in, Hips 40 in, Thighs 24 in.


10 Day Results w/o exercise:

Total pounds lost 1/11-1/21:                         2.7lbs


3 Day Results w/o exercise:
Total inches lost from 1/18-1/21:                  1 inch

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

check out the "About me" blog to know how I ended up where I'm at.

http://ping.fm/TlHkf

IN THE BEGINNING.....


I suppose before you embark on reading anymore of my rants and opinions, you should know a bit about me. I was raised in a loving middle class family in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. My parents didn't have college degrees, but both worked multiple jobs to provide for our family. My mother is half Chinese and my father was raised in southern Louisiana. Needless to say, I've had my fair share of experiencing different cultures since a very young age. In school I was nothing special. I failed many classes like math and science, but excelled in the arts. I loved sports, but was pretty much your run of the mill average athlete in everything I did. I was a very sweet and happy go lucky kid, but I was a day dreamer. It was also more important for me to be the "Class Clown" in school than it was to actually do well. Everyday to me was another day to try and entertain the masses. This is because I always found school so challenging and hard to follow. I didn't even read my first book until 7th grade. I had been very good at faking and pretending my way through it all.
As I later found out in my adult years, I have Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). It went undiagnosed as a child because I wasn't hyperactive and my parents didn't and still don't believe in such a disorder. Although both would disagree with you if you asked them, I believe my sister and my father also have ADHD. I would like to state that I don't feel it is a disorder as much as it is a gift. Although it can be challenging in careers, finances, relationships, health, and many other things, I wouldn't change it for the world. I believe that my creativity, humor, intuition, response in crisis, and out of the box thinking all are attributed to my mind working differently. As a matter of fact, I have four close friends who are also ADHD and also in the entertainment industry. There are also some other friends who definitely show symptoms of ADD, but it is not my place to run around trying to diagnose others haha.
Oops, looks like I got a bit off topic (Damn ADD haha). So how did I end up here is probably what you need to know about me most. Well.....ever since I was young, the thing that brought me the most pleasure in life was entertaining others and making them smile. When I was sixteen, I was forced to take a Drama class in high school as part of the graduation requirements. Thank god I did because it brought out the best of me. At the time, I went by John Flynn, just your average hormone heavy, goofy sixteen year old kid. I always fantasized about becoming an actor as a youngster, but always felt too shy and unconfident to do so. My drama teacher was a working actress in Michigan named Lane Sabourin. I'm not sure what she saw in me, but she took me under her wing from day one. At the end of drama class, I had received three awards for best in the class. One was for best actor, one was for best comedic actor, and the last one was for best written scene. I had never felt that I was really good at anything until that day. That was a day I'll never forget!
Let's fast forward my story as I could go on forever about my transition. Needless to say I didn't pursue acting after high school (Although I desperately wanted to). I let others decide my path and ended up studying communications at Eastern Michigan University. I took a couple theater classes there, but nothing was quite satisfying enough for me. My lifelong friend Brian (who I've known from school and in an advanced acting class in high school) was my partner in crime. At the age of 18, we both auditioned for a couple indy films, didn't get roles, and our enthusiasm wore out quickly. In our early 20s, we spontaneously went to an open call to be extras in a movie with Ewan Mcgregor called "The Island." That lit a fire under both of us once again, but we soon lost enthusiasm once again. Brian and I were the dynamic duo of wanting to become actors in Michigan. The problem was, there was nothing being done in Michigan at the time. Sure we could've picked up and gone to hollywood, but at the time we lived in the "Real World."
Due to my college experience (and my undiagnosed ADD haha) I had job hopped at rapid rates, racked up high amounts of credit card debt, and partied way too hard. My friend Pawel got me a job working with him at a debt collection company with mutual friends of ours and many of us stayed for a good amount of time. After all, it's very hard to leave a job if they are compensating you very well for your job duties. Sad to say, but I had jumped many jobs from 2000-2010 and most were again debt collecting or negative pressure sales jobs. In mid 2010, I was terminated from a job I had taken with a "For Profit" university for not being able to scam enough low income people into signing up for an overpriced and lower quality education. This is the blessing in disguise! As it turned out, Michigan now had a film incentive and the films were coming in like rapid fire!


So there I was in the beginning of the summer with unlimited career paths, no job, and a lot of free time. I did a lot of soul searching and over and over again my soul would keep bringing acting back into my heart. In January of 2010, I had gotten back into the Acting scene by taking classes, learning improvisation, and performing shows. I still couldn't picture my dream coming true because I was too focused on my 9-5 job. A nice paycheck and a false sense of importance is an evil little trap. Luckily, I had done a couple days of work as a background extra on a movie called "Real Steel" with Hugh Jackman previous to getting terminated by the university. I remembered that they were stil looking for background extras for multiple days for the summer. With nothing to lose I picked up the phone to see if I could get on it. As it turns out, I got more than I bargained for. I worked on "Real Steel" for 28 days over the summer. I also worked on Detroit 187, LOL, and a few other projects being filmed in Detroit. By working on these film sets, directing my first film, and taking acting classes again in 2010, I had found my true calling in life.
So that brings us to where I am today. In february I'm going back to school for Film so I can direct/produce my own projects. This time there won't be any C's, D's, and F's on my report card, i'm aiming for a 4.0! ADD is a superpower in the world of entertainment :). I signed with three talent agencies and just shot my first paid commercial for the 2011 Ford Explorer. I have a wonderful girlfriend of four years who I love with all my heart and who supports me and my dreams. I have so many new friends from the acting business that have become some of my closest and best friends in a very short amount of time. I'm finally living my dreams! All this is possible because I was forced outside of the "Real World" box by getting fired. I could always see outside the box of the "Real World," but was never brave enough to step out of it. Thank you "Un-named for-profit University" haha.
Although I am currently living my dreams, there are other dreams I have for myself. This is my journey and my experimentation on this puzzle we call life. Please join me won't you? I know I've rambled on for a long time and if you made it all the way through, I hope you enjoyed what you read. My future blogs will be short and sweet. That my friends is a promise! If you believe in miracles, positive thinking, the law of attraction, the power of your mind, the power of god, destiny, or the spirit inside you, this blog is for you. Until then......

"Live Your Dreams Today"- Johnny

P.S. Video Blog coming tonight:
topics:
The 4-hour body (How I let myself go physically and how I'm changing that rapidly)
Making and Saving money online (If I can do it, you can too!)
The power of "not listening" (Why it's a must to live your dreams)

If you're an Amazon shopper, you get get a $20.00 Amazon gift card today only for $10.00

You'll also get $5.00 towards a future purchase on living social if you click my referral link.

http://ping.fm/QpD9c

Monday, January 17, 2011

WHICH WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN?

WHICH WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN?

As the 2011 year begins, I am reminded of all my successes and failures in my life at the age of 28. 2010 was a year of life changing and eye opening events. Previous to last year, I had always feared what I wanted most, to "Live My Dreams!" I don't want to "Chase My Dreams" because that could mean I potentially could never catch them. Instead, I want to "Live My Dreams" each and every day. That's what this blog is about and why I decided to write it.

When we were young, it was okay to dream to be an Astronaut, a pro athlete, or a famous movie star. Why isn't it okay to still have those dreams? I know just the answer! I was told this answer many times in my life by others who just really aren't fulfilled in their lives. That answer you might have also heard is the "Real World." In the "Real World" dreams don't come true. You work as hard as you can and as much as you can to make the mighty dollar. It doesn't matter if you hate your job, spend less time with your family, and have health related stress because of it. It doesn't matter if your relationships suffer, you feel disconnected from friends, and are too busy to spend time with your children. In the "Real World" life is not about enjoyment. Life is about hard work so you can provide for your family, invest in your 401k, and retire at age 65. Now although I am not discrediting the importance of financial planning, making a steady income, and other "Real World" ideas. I am just stating these aren't as important as you were lead to believe they are. Maybe it's not worth it to sacrifice your health, your relationships, and your time. It's really up to you to decide.


A good amount of people who are close to me unfortunately live in the "Real World" which I alternatively call "Hell." When did you buy into this "Real World" mentality. Was this your life lesson from your parents? Teachers? Friends? Religious leaders? No matter what your answer, I can tell you that someone else put those ideas into your head. I've lived in the "Real World" for 27 years.

I can't tell you how good it is to escape Hell! Does this mean when you're out of the "Real World" that you are somehow careless, irresponsible, a pipe dreamer, or a lunatic? The answer my friends is no! Are there people out there that are completely delusional? Clearly! I don't consider myself to be delusional, but I've sure had my share of problems like anyone else. It's really just a matter of perspective of how you see the world. Which world do you want to live in? Either way, your perception creates your reality. If you are not happy in your life, I encourage you to reflect deep in your heart and ask yourself why you were put on this earth. When you receive the answer, do not fear it if it seems impossible. Use the fear to propel you forward!

If you are a believer in god (in some form) like I am, you might be familiar with the biblical verse "Through god all things are possible." If you believe this is true, what does that leave out? The answer my friends is NOTHING! Having faith and following the road less traveled is what believing in god is all about. Do you think god wants you to live to your full potential? Do you think the passion in your heart is from god or from evil? If your answer is that your gifts and passions are from god, the next question is why were they given to you?

I've rambled enough about this subject. If you're ready to give up living in the "Real World" and come join the rest of us in the "Through god all things are possible" world, please follow this blog. I will be discussing the mental struggles I face, the goals I have, the setbacks I've had, and how I'm learning to overcome them. I will be experimenting on my physical body, my health, my financial situation, the pursuit of my dream career, and everyday life fulfillment. Join me won't you? Let's experience this great journey of life together. God's biggest gift to us all is life itself. It is our own free will to decide what to do with it. God Bless you all each and every day. I will be back to blog tomorrow to tell you about myself and my life changing events that took place in 2010. Thank you very much for reading.


"Live Your Dreams Today" - Johnny Flynn