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One of the most interesting things I hear people say is that they don’t have money to work out, eat right, or take good supplements. Sometimes this excuse is valid. Most of the time, it isn’t.
This excuse for younger men and women usually plays out with them saying, “Eating healthy is so expensive.” Women say this and then go spend $100 on a haircut, $300 on a designer bag, and $35 weekly on a “mani/pedi.” Men, on the other hand, go out and party like rock stars, spending upward of $100 each time they go out on drinks and food afterward. God forbid these details are ever pointed out to them, though, because they act like self-justifying machines. “But you don’t understand. I want to have a life.” Really? That’s your excuse? Seriously?!
My point is that it’s essential to know what your priorities are and set out to live by them. Everything else that’s non-essential is just that—non-essential. A quote from the movie Fight Club sums it up perfectly—“No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide” (screenplay by Jim Uhls).
It’s in that moment of awareness—of being able to differentiate between what’s important and what isn’t—that separates those who succeed from those who don’t. Many people will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to keep from feeling insignificant. They’ll drive cars that are out of their price range and pay for bags that could feed a hundred starving kids in Africa for a month, but they won’t take care of the one thing that, if done correctly, will give them the true feeling they’re looking for—their bodies.
They try to gain self-worth through things instead of earning that self-worth through actions and integrity. What they don’t understand is you don’t gain self-worth by having things but by doing meaningful work. This work can be in a career you find satisfying or it can be found in the work it takes to eat differently than others and train hard.
You don’t gain self-worth by taking the easy path that leaves you feeling empty but by taking the path that leads to a larger purpose. Sometimes, if not most of the time, that path towards a larger purpose isn’t the easier one. But that’s what allows you to know that the self-worth is real and true, not because it’s hard or different for the sake of being different but because, at the end of the day, you know you had to earn the results of your life. Although life has a way of occasionally beating all of us down, you know that you can take hold of one or two areas of it. You don’t play the victim or martyr, but instead you become the captain of your life. The expression “you get out of this life what you put in” is so true. What is also true is that in modern day society, one of the best ways to earn your self-worth is to earn your body.
For most of human civilization, we were made to store energy and make our bodies more efficient at movements. This is why steady state jogging can be such a waste of time when you’re trying to lose fat/weight. We get so efficient at conserving energy while jogging that the results become nil. In the past, we were naturally thinner and skinnier because we naturally ate fewer calories. There wasn’t any refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup that had us eating excessive calories without feeling full from those calories. We naturally moved more because we had to normally take part in earning the food that was eaten. Lastly, the environment was more natural. This means there weren’t any man-made chemicals that interfered with your mitochondria to burn energy or trans fats that literally disrupt fat loss.
Therefore, in modern day society (for most of us), in order to achieve a body worthy of awe, you have to earn it. The best way to gain self-worth (not self-esteem) is by doing the work with a larger purpose in mind. You’re busy creating something that others won’t do. You separate yourself from the crowd and know that you’re doing something that takes hard work, some effort, and some thinking. At the end of the day though, everyone—and I mean everyone—that I’ve ever seen earn a body worthy of awe through exercise and nutrition manipulation has that “edge.”
They feel different about working out and eating right. It isn’t something to be sloughed through but is a point of pride for them. They know that with enough effort, by continuing to utilize smarter methods, they can have control over one part of their lives that most people “can’t” or don’t—their bodies. They don’t need to brag, and they don’t listen to the naysayers. They simply allow themselves to be a little different than the norm. They eat the high protein breakfasts that keep them fuller longer and therefore eat less throughout the day. They “go out for drinks” but only have one. They go out to dinner but have the salmon or chicken with double veggies. They wake up a little earlier to go to the gym, or they go to the gym right after work instead of plopping down in front of the television. They strength train more and do less mindless cardio. They have their protein shakes and multi-vitamins with them during the day. They read about fitness and find small ways to get a little extra motivation. They bring healthy lunches with them to work and plan healthy snacks, so they don’t give into temptation. They spend money on things that are important to them such as supplements and equipment instead of on things based on what others think. Basically, they do the work that separates them from the norm but doesn’t ostracize them from those they care about.
Those they care about accept them and know they’re a little different than the “norm,” but it’s all good. What they don’t do is try to appease any stranger who thinks it’s good to give them nutrition advice. In other words, those who don’t matter, they let slide. Often times though, their friends will wonder why they do it. They ask things such as, “Isn’t it hard to stick to your diet or workout everyday?”
For the person who works out every day, the answer is usually “not really.” It has become a habit for them. From the outside looking in, they look a bit “different,” but to that individual, it’s a way of life.
In the end, you should do the same—allow yourself to be a little different than the ‘norm.’ Don’t let those who don’t matter discourage you or tell you what you can or can’t achieve when it comes to your body.
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Great article, John! I really enjoyed this read and will definitely share it! Thanks for the great article.
Great Article.
I think about the quote “Only a surfer Knows the Feeling”. In our case, people who take training seriously know “The Edge”
Excellent article.
I’m making this mandatory reading for all of my clients. Excellent work!
Great article.. perfect read for those who find it easy to make excuses to not work hard
This is a great article that identifies major floors in modern day society. I think it’s quite shit that so many people value external things over the condition of their one and only body.
Fantastic Article!!!!!!!!!!!! So well written. Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
Good read, thank you.
Thanks for all the positive feedback. Anyone that’s been around the gym long enough (whether professionally or just training), will always find people who will give YOU crazy looks because you’re taking care of your body.
They do this, while justifying not taking care of theirs.
It’s good to see other people feel the same way about being a “little different than the norm.”
Amazing article, and relates to the OBESITY epidemic we have. All looking for the next quick fix, without putting having to put forth any effort. You just have to MOVE, as i say lol.
Excellent article! This really makes a bunch of points very well. I’m always at a loss when people express surprise that anyone makes the “sacrifice” of eating right and training hard. It’s not a sacrifice! I often think the same thing about them — what a sacrifice it must be for them to persist in spending 40 hours a week on a couch in front of flickering screen — UNPAID — and going day after day eating overpriced, processed foods that leave them feeling like crap all the time. Who’s making the real sacrifice?
Great article. I tell my clients and potential clients all the time, “You have the time; you have the money; you don’t have the priorities. Get your priorities straight and things will start to change for the better.”
Great article but not sure why ur so dismissive of “mindless cardio”. Could u clarify? I’ve never been fat but always hated to run. After starting steady state jogging 40min 2x a week last fall while my shoulder was injured my resting heart rate has plummeted, I can train harder now that i’m healed, I feel fantastic all day, sleep better, and can do much more at work (construction). There is loads of science to prove that cardio provides significant health benefits to ur circulatory system.
@Bob – This article was basically about two things: 1 – Getting rid of excuses about doing what you need to in order to earn YOUR body and 2 – Having that body be worthy of awe (where you’re primary individual who is being awed). With that said, you speak of health benefits of cardio – which there are many. You’ll have a lower resting hr, which means a greater stroke volume, which means your heart’s gotten stronger and there’s less resistance throughout your circulatory system. With more blood flowing through your body, you’ll be able to typically help with recover. This is one of the main reasons why most athletes should always include some general physical preparedness work during most of the year.
With that said, there are a TON of other things that also provide health benefits – Taking over 10,000 steps a day, fish oil, not sitting on your ass 8 hours per day, getting adequate sleep, etc. None of these things are bad and in fact form a solid baseline of health. Therefore, “Mindless Cardio” can have benefits – BUT – most of the people I know and train, most of the people who go to the gym to see body recomposition changes, and most of the people who have body’s worthy of awe earn it through smarter body recomposition methods other than simply “mindless cardio.” These modalities include heavy strength training, moving more (whether that be steady state cardio, taking more steps, strong man training, kettlebell training, HIIT or any combo of any of those methods), better nutritional habits and supplements. All 4 of those aspects play their respective roles in health and earning a body YOU feel proud of.
Which leads me to why I dislike “mindless cardio.” I keep using the term mindless cardio – because that’s what people do. Instead of taking a multi-pronged approach to training, they simply hop on the treadmill or elliptical, see results for 8 weeks and then stay at the same weight and body composition (if not worst) for years on end. They don’t get stronger, they don’t go further, go longer or push harder. They simply do their “routine” and then complain that they don’t see results.
In other words (I probably rambled entirely way too much in this response), it seems like you take a multi-pronged approach to fitness, which is awesome. Just never fall into the “Mindless Cardio” trap.
What is the mindless cardio trap? It’s when a person starts to think that doing cardio only, for 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times a week is going to deliver them the body they want – while continuing to eat like crap and neglecting strength training. Which is what most people do.
Oh – and many people have atrocious running form, which will lead them to more musculo-skeletal injuries – which will give a majority of the population a “reason” to stay away from the gym for as long as possible.
Also, I put a post up as to why people should do cardio about 8 months ago: http://thepsychologyoffitness.com/2010/12/03/fat-loss-and-cardio-revisited/
If you have any other questions, definitely let me know.
@ Jeff M – Thanks – and keep busting your ass. Even if it doesn’t pay off immediately, the peace of mind knowing that you did everything you can is better than wondering, “What if?”
@Chase – Surfing is on my list of things to do. Can’t wait to know that feeling also.
@Boone – Thanks – that’s a great compliment.
@Vic – I agree with you – you can have both, but don’t sacrifice your health, your body for those things.
@Chelsi – I’m glad you enjoyed the article. And on a side note, we’ve all been plagued by our mental excuses/justifications. Glad to read you’re fighting past yours.
@Matthew R – I agree – we’re entirely way too sedentary. In my previous article on this site I talk about Fat Loss Myths. http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/training-articles/fat-loss-isnt-easy-myths-and-facts-about-losing-weight/
@Peter P – Couldn’t agree more. It’s not a sacrifice, but most people have implicit (implicit because they don’t even know how they were formed) habits and breaking them out of those are extremely hard because they don’t intuitively know that there’s another way. Once many people lift the fog of those habits and actually take on new, healthier habits, they typically ask themselves, with slight disdain, “What took me so long?” In other words, once they CHOOSE to change (and not have it be forced), they like the changes.
@Charlie – Good quote – and I wish at 23 I would’ve known definitively what I wanted to do. You’ve got a head start on most people.
@all – Thanks for the comments.
Thank you for this- just what I needed to be reminded of!
I think you started to mention this quote:
“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because
Those Who Mind Don’t Matter
and Those Who Matter Don’t Mind.”
-Dr. Seuss
This pretty much sums up how I feel when I walk into the gym (and have trained my ass off to lift more than some men!) or the grocery store, for that matter (when I get comments at the check-out about how healthy my cart is!).
Great article, these it is really motivating to hear likeminded peoples views, as there is so much conflict and negitivity from the rest of the world!
@sara, nicely said! it is a fantastic feeling isn’t it to go into the gym and kick the buts of the lame ass guys in there that are ponsing around doing bicep curls and pec flys!
Thanks for the well-though-out response and for making ur case politely (such a rarity online). After ur clarification I realized that we totally agree. Thx for the article link. I’ll check it out.
Cheers, Bob
I’ll right away grab your rss as I can not find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.