DO WHAT YOU KNOW: SUPERSIZE IT?

“But why should these companies want to change? Their loyalty isn’t to you, it’s to the stockholders. The bottom line: They’re a business, no matter what they say. And by selling you unhealthy food, they make millions. And no company wants to stop doing that. If this ever-growing paradigm is going to shift, it’s up to you.” – Morgan Spurlock, Supersize Me

It’s up to you.

Guys, if you only take away one thing from Sam’s post yesterday let it be that. It’s up to you. I’ll say it again and again because it’s probably the most important thing we could ever beat into your head. If I can tell you anything from my experience as a personal trainer it’s that my clients that took PERSONAL responsibility for their actions – both good and bad – were the ones that saw the most progress, because they were the ones that were most aware of how those actions affected their goals.

I think a really good thing to think about here is the understanding that if you want to make a major change in your life – and I mean a major, true, real and LASTING transformation – you’ve got to break the mindset that you’re powerless and instead, take power in knowing that you, and only you, are what will make those goals happen.

We all know that in many ways the cards are stacked against us. As Sam’s post points out, fast food companies, soda companies, and snack companies all have the upper hand, one they’ve had on us since we were young (For a very interesting example of this, check out this study). But, the one thing they can’t control is the power we all have internally of self-actualization. See, the reality here is we’re not robots. Although we can very easily have our emotions and the chemicals in our bodies manipulated by feel good advertising and tasty treats, at the end of the day, you still have a conscious being that chooses to make decisions. It may not be easy, but it’s still there. (This goes back to a previous post about pain/pleasure).

So – what does this all mean in terms of a real world application? How does any of this help us reach our fitness goals? Knowledge is power.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War, 500 BC

Now guys, understand this isn’t about being perfect. This isn’t a post to say never eat fast food ever again. What we’re trying to do here is help you understand what you’re up against so you can make a conscious decision on what you want to do. If that includes going out to eat with friends or family every now and then, well, so be it. At least you’ll be making the CHOICE to do that instead of just going along with the ride and not realizing why it is you crave fast food. It’s about a conscious awakening to your decisions. This isn’t about what you SHOULD do – in that context, should is a very dangerous word. It turns our actions into something we feel we HAVE to or NEED to do instead of something we CHOOSE to do. Don’t work out because you know you SHOULD. Don’t eat healthy because you think you SHOULD. CHOOSE to do these things. That’s the only way a true and total transformation will occur.

It’s a choice. And once you know that – once you’re fully aware that you’re in control – well, at that point the world is yours.

Keep up the good work and keep doing what you know,

Nico

P.S. For those of you that aren’t friends of ours on facebook, here’s a cool video about just how “real” McDonald’s fries are.

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