I’ve been doing more early morning sessions lately like the old days. A bunch of TBBC team members are away on vacation so I had to step up. At first, I thought I’d be overwhelmed with everything else on my plate. I’m actually not. I’m fired up to be back “in the trenches” doing what I love. I’m actually excited going to bed because I get to work with some awesome people the next day.
Just this morning I was working with Melissa and Zoe. It was an awesome session. Nothing like Turkish get-ups and shuttle runs at 6AM. They really got after it and I was super proud.
Somewhere toward the middle of the session Melissa looked at me and said, “Is the whole 80/20 thing true?” I thought she was talking about the Pareto Principle which states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our effort. An awesome principle but that’s not what she meant. She was referring to our fitness and weight loss results coming from 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.
I don’t know about the percentages but nutrition is way more important than people give it credit for. Not only is this backed by science but we see it over and over with our clients. Heather, for example, was working out with us for months. She felt better but it wasn’t until she dialed in her nutrition that the dramatic results came.
You can’t out exercise a bad diet
Many people think that because they’re working out they can eat whatever they want. Big mistake. People over estimate how many calories they’ve burned during exercise and under estimate how many calories they are adding with the extra slice of pizza. If you are exercising regularly, it’s all the more reason to dial in your nutrition.
Which Diet is Best?
I don’t believe any particular diets are better than all the others. Sure, I have my thoughts about which principles are best. I base this on 20 years of experience working with real people. The reality is I’ve seen almost all diets work on some level. It’s not so much the diet. What’s important is that the person is becoming intentional about what they are eating. And what we pay attention to makes a difference.
Regardless of which diet you choose, don’t let go of common sense. Most people need to make better food choices (e.g. the apple rather than the cookie) and eat a bit less (e.g. just one plate full).
Billy Hofacker – Owner & Transformation Coach at Total Body Boot Camp – BS, CSCS