I have written in the past about how irrational we tend to be. From giving up on an diet/exercise plan when things don’t go perfectly, or not starting something because it isn’t the perfect situation. The bottom line is, our emotional brain controls most of our actions. And if we can tap into our rational brain we will get more things done and be more successful. Not to say we should ignore our emotions, but it is important to learn how to keep them in check.
My goal of this article is to help you pay more attention to the things you should be listening to and forgetting about some of your preconceived notions. I want to start with an interesting fact that is brought up in the book, The Power of Habit.
Did you know that there is no benefit of shampoo lathering when you put it on. I know this might sounds completely unrelated, but hear me out. When you take a shower and rub shampoo into your hair (sorry my bald friends out there), you will feel the bubbles come and then you can wash them all out.
Shampoo doesn’t need to foam in order to clean your hair. Same thing with tooth paste. These products have been altered so they do this because you expect it. You feel like you have done something when you create the bubbles or foam and then wash/spit it out. When it is all out of your hair or out of your mouth then you know you are done.
What if you had shampoo that didn’t do this? Actually, a better question would be, what if you had a shampoo or toothbrush that was more effective than what you currently use? But it didn’t do what you expected it to do. Even though it did a better job, you probably wouldn’t like it. You are so use to doing things a certain way, that even though something will do a better job you won’t perceive it that way. Most people will pick the inferior product based on this.
We see the same exact thing with out clients. Many of them fight us in the beginning. They are so use to exercise, fitness, and nutrition being done a certain way. Exercise is suppose to be really intense and make you hurt all over. Diets are suppose to be really hard to follow and make you hungry all the time. Certain foods are to be avoided and only certain foods are healthy.
But what if you followed an exercise plan that didn’t’ leave you in a pool of sweat and unable to move the next day? What if you followed a diet plan that didn’t leave you starving and had foods that tasted really good? What if you did these things and started to see the scale more? Or your clothes started fitting better. You get stronger and just overall feel better.
Sounds pretty awesome right? We hear this all the time, but then there is still a complaint. “Even though I have lost all this weight or gotten this much stronger, I can still push harder, I can do more, etc.” We always love the enthusiasm, but this is where people often get into trouble.
Here is the irrational thought coming back into play. Even though everything is working and you are getting results, you still want to bring in what you expect you should be doing. But let’s be honest. How well was that working for you in the past? They abondon what has been working in order to make it fit with what they are use to.
Listen, I am all for a tough a challenging workout. It has a place. Sometimes, yes you will be hungry when you are trying to lose weight. It is all part of the process. What I want you to start considering is what are you using to evaluate your success. Trying to live up to an unrealistic expectation? No pain no gain mentality? Instead try focusing on the bigger picture. Are you picking up habits you can realistically continue long term? Are you exercising in a way that is making you better and not just destroying your body in hopes to burn more calories or just to feel tired? Are you having fun and doing something you enjoy? Are you feeling better, moving better, seeing changes in your body?
If you are answering yes to these than you are on the right track. Don’t focus on what we have been lead to believe works. Focus on what is actually working for you.
If you need help finding the easy way to betting health and fitness give us a try for free.
Mike Deibler MS, CSCS, SGX
Owner
San Diego Premier Training