I love a good fitness rant

Renaissance Periodization published a post today called “No more Sugar Coating!” And it is hilarious. And full disclosure, I’m guilty of everything in there. Snippet below:

Last time I checked, the RP Diet was not called “The Eat What You Feel Like Eating Every Day AND Lose Weight!” diet.

And it wasn’t called the “You Can Have a Cheat Meal per Week while Cutting and STILL Get your Best Results!” diet.

And it wasn’t called the “You Can Eat Everything You Eat Today and Still Lose Weight!” diet.

And it sure as sugar was not called the “Mass Without Eating Much Food” diet.

It’s not quite as snarky as “The Best Fat Loss Article on the Motherfuckin’ Internet” by Aadam, but equally worth a read and reality check if you are not reaching your goals.

I have been working with a Precision Nutrition fitness and nutrition coach since July of 2016. And while my physical transformation has not been fast, I am in the best shape of my life through consistently (a) doing the workouts, (b) eating to support my fitness goals, and (c) measuring and tracking those things that I want to improve.

Because I’m a scientist I track a ridiculous number of metrics: sleep (amount & quality), distance per day (walked, jogged, run), running cadence (actively trying to improve this), total calories, grams of protein, fat, fiber, & carbohydrates, workouts done, time spent lifting weights, number of reps, sets, weight used, how much alcohol consumed if any, weight, body fat (daily bioelectrical impedance, quarterly DEXA), and numerous body part girths. If I had to prioritize these, my two primary goals are related to (1) body fat percentage and (2) sleep. Everything else being tracked may impact those primary goals.

Here’s the funny thing. I have the RP diet templates, the book, & the physique templates for weight-lifting (20% off discount code = fall20 – expires October 16, 2017). I know that if I just followed their programming 100% for 8 to 12 weeks (they break everything into 12 week cycles), I could make dramatic physical changes relatively quickly. So, I’m definitely on the receiving end of the rant! I am not ready to be that hungry and tired. For now, I use RP’s strategies to tweak my much more sustainable Precision Nutrition programming for short bursts where I lose a few pounds and then hold. For me this is a marathon, not a sprint. I’m focused on staying injury free, not getting completely OCD about my nutrition and exercise, and finding the joy in my body becoming stronger, faster, and leaner. And I can get joyful about very small things – 5 unassisted pull-ups in a row, 1 arm planks, my first feet elevated push-ups, getting my running cadence close to 180 for a few miles, doing a front squat correctly (after my coach sent me video of how place the bar correctly), etc.

One article Precision Nutrition coaches like to share is “Side Effects may include Leanness.” In my first year of coaching I hated everything about this article. I wanted to achieve my goals quickly, get to my destination. Are we there yet? (Yes I was that kid in the backseat of the car during long road trips.) I am finally starting to appreciate the sentiment in this article. It’s the journey. It’s just life and the choices we make every day.