Live Wild with Remi Warren

Episode 217 | Tips for Staying Ready for the Hunt
Release Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Remi Warren
Guest: Dustin Diefenderfer (Mountain Tough Fitness Labs)

Overview

This episode unpacks practical strategies and mindset shifts for hunters—and anyone wanting improved year-round fitness and readiness—for staying physically and mentally prepared. Remi welcomes back Mountain Tough’s Dustin Diefenderfer, a regular New Year’s collaborator, to discuss not just how to get in shape for the coming hunting season, but how to develop a lifelong identity centered on readiness, health, and adventure.

Together, they dive into why most resolutions fail, the power of identity-based goals, the critical role of consistency, and how event-based motivation (like races or Mountain Tough’s own Tough Sheep and Tough Buck competitions) can serve as powerful short-term and long-term drivers of transformation. The episode also details actionable first steps listeners can take—no matter their starting point—towards crushing the year ahead, both on the mountain and off.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Psychology of New Year’s Resolutions

• Motivation vs. Consistency:

  • January sees a massive spike in motivation—searches for fitness/nutrition rise by 40–50%.
  • Statistics show 90% of people who start resolutions abandon them by February.
  • The critical difference between quitters and the successful 10%: identity. (05:00-06:00)

• Identity-Based Approach:

  • "If your identity isn’t driving your goals, you’re setting yourself up for failure." – Dustin (07:30)
  • Example: Short-term goals like “being ready for a specific elk hunt” often fizzle, while identity-driven goals—“I want to hunt mountains with my grandkids one day”—are sustainable and transformational. (07:30-09:30)

2. Vision, Consistency & Compound Progress

• Consistency Outweighs Intensity:

  • Use the “guitar analogy”—practicing something regularly (even at a low level) yields greater improvement than occasional high-effort sessions. (12:05)
  • Fitness, like saving money, feels awkward at first but becomes natural over time.

• Underestimating Long-Term Change:

  • People overestimate what they can do in a year, but underestimate how much consistent effort changes them in 5 or 10 years. (15:45)
  • "Consistency is that compounding interest… it just multiplies." – Remi (16:45)

3. Make it Enjoyable & Sustainable

• Find What Works for You:

  • Consistency comes from enjoyment as much as discipline. If early training means walking, swimming, or local classes, that’s great—as long as it’s repeatable. (18:50-21:00)
  • Sometimes group fitness or community (e.g., classes, group runs) foster accountability and enjoyment.

• Mission-Specific Training:

  • Different activities (running, biking, strength) train different systems—hunters need sport-specific prep (e.g., weighted hikes for pack-outs). (21:38–23:00)

4. Harnessing the Power of Events

• Event-Based Hacks:

  • Signing up for an event—be it a race, marathon, triathlon, or hunting-specific competition—can hack your psychology for motivation and discipline.
  • “There’s something about putting a date on the calendar that scares you a bit, that makes you train harder.” – Dustin (26:14-28:36)

• Personal Examples:

  • Remi: Ran his first marathon with his wife, setting a May goal that supercharged his early training.
  • Upcoming: A triathlon with his young daughter, pushing him outside his comfort zone (swimming, biking). (33:00-34:00)

• Notable Quote:

  • “If you don’t have that [event] fuel—if your only fuel is hunting season—that’s a little too long out there. It’s a little too far out to be hot-burning fuel.” – Dustin (28:50)

5. Events in the Hunting Community: Tough Sheep & Tough Buck

• Tough Sheep Event:

  • Mountain Tough’s hunting-fitness event at Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show.
  • Sold out at 500, ~425 finished, with a 1-in-425 chance to win a fully guided sheep hunt.
  • Winner’s story: Buzzer-beater ram on the last day; video to be released at Sheep Show. (38:55-41:23)

• Tough Buck Event:

  • Similar format at the Western Hunt Expo, Salt Lake City—chance to win a top-tier Sonora mule deer hunt.
  • "Another huge part: It creates the ability to give back to conservation partners—a $50,000 donation to Wild Sheep Foundation was made last year." – Dustin (42:15-44:00)

6. Practical: How to Start or Level Up Your Fitness Plan

For Beginners/New to Mountain Tough:

• Start with the “On Ramp” program.
  • Designed for anyone new/returning—three 20-minute workouts per week with gradual progression.
  • “The most important thing is consistency. So the answer might not be Mountain Tough—it’s whatever you can stick with.” – Dustin (20:15-21:00, reiterated at 47:55)

For Intermediate/Experienced:

• Postseason 2.0:
  • For rebuilding lost muscle after hunting season; ideal if you have a home or gym setup.
• Gym Daily/Minimal Gear Daily:
  • Coach-led, video-guided sessions; new workouts every 24 hours, creating “FOMO” for missed sessions.
  • "All you have to do is hit play… they're really addictive for consistency." – Dustin (52:42)

Remi’s Tip:

• Likes the timer-based, coach-led format: “I don’t have to think about it... Just hit play.” (53:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The 10% that are succeeding are succeeding primarily from identity… That’s an identity goal. My mindset now is, I need to be fit enough to hike around with my grandkids, and I don’t have grandkids yet.”
  — Dustin (06:38–08:30)

• "You kind of overestimate what you can do in a month, but you grossly underestimate what you can do in a year or two years… [Consistency] is compounding interest."
  — Remi (16:44)

• "The hack of an event for someone that’s trying to change a fitness journey is a complete, total game-changer. And they’re even more of a game-changer when it is scary to you."
  — Dustin (27:39)

• “I’m the type of person that needs that little bit of pressure. I like that pressure… Doing it with friends or family really kicks it into gear.”
  — Remi (32:00–34:00)

• “How you start is really, really critical… If you do something too hard or incorrect for you, you’ll get injured or quit before you start. That’s why we built On Ramp.”
  — Dustin (47:55–51:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|---------------------------| | 04:57 | Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? The "identity" factor (Dustin) | | 11:50 | The importance of consistency; the guitar analogy (Dustin) | | 15:45 | Over/underestimating what’s possible in a year vs. five years (Remi) | | 20:00 | How to find an exercise you’ll be consistent with; enjoyment matters | | 25:48 | Power of events as motivation hacks (Dustin) | | 31:56 | Remi shares upcoming event/competition plans (marathon, triathlon) | | 36:09 | Tough Sheep event—origin and community benefits | | 42:15 | Launch of Tough Buck and conservation donations | | 47:55 | Action steps for beginners and experienced athletes; Mountain Tough programs | | 52:42 | Why coach-led, video workouts drive consistency (Remi) |

Summary List of Actionable Takeaways

• Anchor your fitness goals in your identity (long-term vision surpasses event-specific motivation).
• Focus on consistency—choose routines you realistically enjoy and can repeat regularly.
• Consider event-based motivation: sign up for a race, competition, or challenging hunt to propel your early-year training.
• If new to fitness or returning, start slow (“On Ramp” or 20-minute sessions, 3x a week).
• Experienced? Shift to postseason muscle-building, or join daily, coach-led video sessions for accountability.
• Don't be afraid to switch things up—variety keeps training engaging and improves overall fitness.
• Community, fun, and accountability (with family or friends) can elevate your commitment.
• Use hunting-related events (e.g., Tough Sheep/Buck) for specialized motivation and conservation impact.

Closing Tone

Remi and Dustin keep a positive, relatable, and slightly humorous tone throughout—acknowledging both their own struggles and triumphs while reinforcing the importance of intentional, identity-driven prep over shortcuts or guilt.

For Listeners

If you’re looking to make 2026 your best hunting and health year, this episode is loaded with practical wisdom for anyone at any stage—and sets you up not just for one good hunt, but for many years of living wild.