What do I do with all this crap? I am not a carpenter.
I am not a carpenter. If you handed me a toolbox filled with all of the nifty tools that carpenters use to build all the cool shit that they create, I would be pretty lost. I know how to use a hammer and nails to hang a picture, and I can even hang a shelf, but that’s about it.
If you wanted to build some magnificent thing, would you grab a toolbox filled with all the tools a carpenter might use to build his thing and assume that you could do the same? Or rather, would you be more successful in building your magnificent thing if you invested some time to learn how to use all of the tools in your nifty toolbox? Not that I am trying to influence your decision (alright, I am) but, it seems to me that you might be a whole lot more successful if you knew how to use these tools.
By now you can imagine where I am going with this. I was walking this morning and thinking about you and everyone else who is seeking help with fitness, nutrition or health. I feel like frequently folks look for tools but never invest the time to learn how to use them OR they are given a nail with no hammer or wood with no toolbox (most of the shit on social media). There is a lot of harm being done here. You may end up feeling like you are trying your hardest simply because your brain is saturated and you are confused by the abundance of tools. Think about it: have you ever wandered around the plumbing aisle at Home Depot? I have, I don’t have a clue what any of that stuff is for. I imagine that’s how most folks feel when they enter the nutrition and fitness realm.
When folks want to change their bodies they rarely know where to look. You may cherry pick the stuff that appeals to you or the stuff that seems quick and easy or the stuff that your friend swears by. This makes me nervous because I know many folks in this industry put out information with the sole intention of making money with no regard for wanting to help people. Folks ask me all the time what I eat or how long my workouts are but I dont really share that information much because that information in a vacuum has absolutely no value on its own. I hesitate to share information that people may take out of context and confuse themselves more. I have been there; it’s no fun.
So you have this thing in your mind that you envision. It matters to you and you can conceptualize it but you aren’t totally sure how to create it. Well, you know yourself, so you know more about this concept than an outside source.
Other people’s tools may not be of any use to you. Those are their tools to be used for the thing that they are envisioning, this thing that will be of use to them in their life.
If we are talking about physique or health change what might some of these tools be?
macro tracking
specific training plans
meal plans
specific diets
I want to help people feel better and understand what they are actually questing for and how to get what they seek. Therefore, I don’t want to throw more useless information out there.
Do you want to build something beautiful or do you want to nail a bunch or boards together with no reason or purpose?
How might you take the tools I mentioned above and tailor them to your amazing vision of this magnificent thing you want to build?
reasonable and achievable movement
identify your values and why this thing is important to you
create meals you enjoy and look forward to
a nutrition plan that suits your current lifestyle and goals
manageable steps that you can adhere to over time
Your path to improving your health or enhancing your physique has value to you and it requires that you invest your time. Don’t assume you need every tool being offered to you, though! You only need the tools required to build the magnificent thing that you are trying to build. Once you determine which tools you need, next you need to learn how to use them, ONE TOOL AT A TIME. Become a master of each tool. Imagine how amazing your magnificent thing could be if you gave yourself time to learn.