This is a thought that came to me earlier this week, and I wanted to think about it a little longer before spewing some thoughts onto a screen and making sense of it. This idea is an interesting one and a felt compelled to discuss because it is how I have approached my fitness and nutrition for a while now, and it is what works for me and my life that has so many different aspects.
So what are we talking about here? Perfection and neglection. I have seen both of these far too often being a coach and gym owner, and I find they are the circumstances that lead to the most struggles, rather than the open area in the middle that is left up for interpretation to each individual.
Let’s attack the easy one first, which is neglection. When someone starts to neglect the things that are going to move the needle in the right direction, it is safe to say results are not going to show and frustration will ensue. This usually happens to two specific group of people from the data and cases I have seen.
The first person is the person starting fresh, and diving into a whole new world for the better, but the biggest challenge is breaking old habits of not having good habits at all. With this situation it is easy to be excited and motivated in the beginning, but when it starts to become routine and not as exciting anymore is when neglection for this group of people starts. It is usually, oh today just isn’t going to work tomorrow or next week is ok, and then BAM! Back to old habits and neglecting the things that are going to lead to positive changes.
The other group in this, is the one that realizes there is a problem and they need to make a change for the better. This group is very busy and on the outside very much self-starters. They do a lot, they have great careers, but their health and fitness is at the bottom of the priority list. They get super excited to get going, but anytime something comes up, instead of doing the hard thing and showing up, and simultaneously just being ok with doing what they need for the day, they neglect all together. It is the bottom of the priority so it is easy to just cross off and get to later. As you can see, this form of neglection all together also does not lead to positive change.
Ok now, the interesting one. Perfection. This group is one that people are less aware of and they get less attention because you don’t anticipate anything being wrong. They are doing the thing really well, but at what cost? In the gym regularly. Pushing it regularly. Nutrition is 100% on point all the time. The issue with perfection here is that in some cases it is not sustainable. But these people are hardcore so it isn’t going to be neglection. What happens here is that it’s really strong and perfect for a burst, and then it drops for a short period, and then picks back up. The problem here is that it has to be perfect. So when it does pick back up, the body is confused and cannot adjust to what this group wants to do. It leads to injury, frustration, and constant back and forth. The rhythm we look for is hard to establish because it is always something new.
So with all that being said, what is the middle ground. Where do we want to strive to be? In my opinion it is the grey area in the middle. The place of balance. Even equilibrium you could say. I have used this approach for a few years, specifically once I realized what I was using my fitness for.
I love CrossFit. In my opinion, it is the most well-rounded fitness program that provides the highest results for the work/time put in. It is constantly different and challenging in its own way, and when expressed in its true form, it is elegant.
There are many forms that it takes and when you start to view your training as needing to be perfect every day, it is not sustainable. This goes for nutrition as well. Good nutrition is simple, satisfying, and provides incredible results to short term and long-term health, but there is a level of perfection that just does not lead to sustainability.
Before we go any further I am going to lay some ground rules, because in today’s world I see way too much of locking onto an idea, and using it as an excuse to not do something. Justification if you will. That is not at all what I am saying because you still need to prioritize and work hard at both for this concept to be true.
Now that we have that, what does this balance look like?
Well the gray area approach to me looks like this.
For fitness, a consistent training routine and schedule with the flexibility for things to look a little different day to day depending on how the body is feeling and how the day goes. So for example, my normal routine is Monday- Wednesday, Thursday rest or something light to feel good, Friday & Saturday, then Sunday completely off. As a business owner with a whole bunch of things going on. I need to be ok with sometimes not having a whole hour to workout. Sometimes it needs to be 10-15 minutes and move on, and that is totally ok. However, what I am not doing and never do is neglect. It’s not always perfect, but it always gets done in some form or another.
Take that same idea into nutrition now. I track my food every day and work with a nutrition coach. I check in with that coach every 2 weeks and we see what is going on, how I am feeling, and what is coming up to make adjustments. I prioritize protein and whole foods at ever meal and snack. It keeps my body feeling good, performing, recovering, and injury-free. It is amazing, but I never say no to a date night. Days that are adding quality to my life I usually don’t track. When I am traveling, I do my best to stay on point but if it is off, I don’t sweat it. I enjoy a good cheese cake every now and then. Again, it is not always perfect, I don’t deny quality times in my life of enjoyment with others because I have to be perfect, but 99% of the time I don’t neglect the fact that healthy eating is important and needs to be done. It’s not every day. It’s usually not even every week, but when the times do come up, I rely on my consistency to be completely ok with not worrying about it so much in leu of enjoying important parts of life.
So with all that being said, the gray area, where balance resides, is the sweet spot we should all aim for. It's not about striving for perfection or succumbing to neglection; it's about consistency, adaptability, and the understanding that both fitness and nutrition are long-term games. By embracing this balanced approach, you allow yourself the freedom to enjoy life without losing sight of your goals. Remember, it's not about being perfect every day—it's about showing up, doing your best, and letting that be enough. Consistency over time will always trump short bursts of perfection or long stretches of neglect. So, find your rhythm, stick to it, and trust that the results will follow.
