I love going to the annual Functional Movement Summit in Providence, Rhode Island. Each year, Perform Better brings together the nation’s top coaches, trainers, and fitness professionals. They come from all different backgrounds and have studied a variety of movement disciplines, from professional sports to martial arts, weight-lifting and dance. After listening to several talks and participating in hands-on workshops from members of this diverse group, certain themes emerged. This year I decided that the biggest take-away was this: for the average fitness client who is not seeing results, she can’t see the forest for the trees.
Have you asked yourself one of the following questions (or something similar) since you started your fitness or weight loss journey:
- How many IUs of Vitamin D should I take?
- Is Pilates or CrossFit better?
- What’s the best brand of nutrition supplement?
- Should I buy organic or conventional carrots?
- How many minutes of exercise do I need to get every day?
- When should I do my cardio?
If yes, then you’re just the person I need to talk to.
When focusing on the nitty gritty details, it can be easy to lose sight of the big picture. In other words, you can’t see the forest for the trees.
Let me recommend a few alternative questions you may need to ask yourself:
- Am I getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night?
- Do I eat enough veggies/fruit* and adequate protein with each meal?
- Do I move with light to moderate effort for a good portion of each day?
- Do I move with intensity or lift/carry heavy stuff a few times each week?
- Do I nurture healthy relationships with the people I care about?
- Am I doing something in my life that is fulfilling to me?
If you answered “no” to any one of these questions, then perhaps you need to think about those big picture items first. Meet your basic human needs, then tweak the details to optimize your health or move towards a specific goal. If you’re doing most of these things, but just some of the time, then building a more consistent routine is going to make a huge impact in your life.
You may have started training or reading about nutrition for a particular reason. If you’re experiencing symptoms that may indicate a specific medical concern, then it’s time to see your doctor, NOT time to read a bunch of health blogs. While trainers and health bloggers have the best of intentions, we are in no position to offer medical advice.
Can you see the forest or are you distracted by all the trees?
*If you asked “how many is enough,” then you’re not eating enough. Add more. If you think you’re eating enough, you’re probably not eating as much as you think you are. Add more.