January 2 is International Shortcut Day!
A few days ago, you set some new year’s resolutions. A few days later, you were thrilled to discover that you could achieve them all EASILY AND FAST in the next 30 days! Nice!—what will you do with the rest of your year??!
Of course, I’m referring to the get-lean-quick shakes, the crash diets, and the zero-money-down gym sign-up programs that prey on people like us.
There ARE shortcuts to fitness. But it might not be the kind of shortcut you're thinking of.
When can a shortcut help us and when does it hurt us? Here’s a four-question test that I took from Seth Godin’s blog.
Is it repeatable? Can I keep doing this for a long time, or is it a crash diet?
Is it non-harmful? What are the downstream effects on my health?
Is it additive? Will it improve over time?
Can it survive the crowd? Does it have to be a secret?
Let’s take a few examples of past fitness trends (and the stuff you’re probably being pitched on your Facebook or Instagram feed today) and hold them up to our four filters of shortcut validity.
Weight Loss Shakes
Is it repeatable? Can you stay on this diet of shakes forever? No. Are you really going to do this for the next 20 years?
Is it non-harmful? Actually, they’re harmful. Licensed Dietician Cara Herbstreet has this to say about Weight Loss Shakes: "The severe restriction in calories can create unintended side effects, such as suboptimal intake of certain nutrients, slowed metabolism and loss of connection with hunger or satiety signals. The liquid nature of this diet also can remove fiber from one's diet, potentially altering gut health or creating a less-filling eating, or, in this case, drinking experience."
Is it additive? Will it improve over time? You’ll probably start to hate taking weight loss shakes instead of eating real food. Some of them taste great when you first start drinking them. Then you're on your 47th shake in a week and things change. And every shake you drink is less effective than the one before (see above). You’re getting smaller by starving out your metabolism.
Can it survive the crowd? Perhaps … except that, eventually, someone will tell you the truth. The only people sharing their huge weight loss from diets or shakes on Facebook or Instagram are the people who make a commission by signing you up.
The Keto Diet / Paleo Diet / XYZ Diet
Is it repeatable? Can I keep doing this for a long time, or is it a crash diet? People have been using ketosis and intermittent fasting and high-fat diets since the Stone Age. And if you’re trying to beat a sugar addiction, a short ketogenic period might actually help. But the real question is, “Can I sustain this for the rest of my life?” And the answer to ALL “diets” is “no.” If you stop eating grains, your body will lose the ability to process grains. If you stop eating carbs, you’ll become less resistant to insulin in the short-term…but your body will learn and become better at gluconeogenesis (breaking down your muscle tissue to trigger an insulin response). And we all know how isolating it can feel to be in a social setting and feel like you can't enjoy the food with everyone else. Food and eating is communal by nature and ignoring that can negatively impact your ability to stay consistent over time with any new eating style!
Is it non-harmful? What are the downstream effects on my health? Long term, kicking sugar is a very positive thing. But rapid weight loss, binge dieting, or any unsustainable practice will always have a rebound effect. You have a relationship with food. One-night stands with diets will always come back to haunt you.
Is it additive? Will it improve over time? You might get better at eating paleo. But you might also go crazy about food. There’s a reason people with eating disorders jump from diet to diet: They love the feeling of control, and diets give them a clear “good and bad” line. Unfortunately, that’s not sustainable in life, and everyone knows the term “yo-yo dieting” by now.
Can it survive the crowd? Does it have to be a secret? If you’re part of a group and dieting together, you’ll definitely have more success. You eat like the people you spend most of your time around. If everyone eats a ketogenic diet, you’ll do better at sticking to the ketogenic diet. SHOULD you stick to it? See above.
Joining A Gym
Is it repeatable? Can I keep doing this for a long time? Yes. You can join a gym and keep going for 40 years. We think you should do coached fitness, but even a $9.95 access-only gym will benefit you long term (if you show up).
Is it non-harmful? What are the downstream effects on my health? Yes. There probably are no negative effects. Very few people get injured in the gym. When they occur, injuries are usually overuse problems (you leg press every Monday and do leg extensions every Friday) and don’t occur for a few years.
Is it additive? Will it improve over time? Yes. Training with weights has a compounding effect. You get stronger, your muscles improve your metabolism, and you get better … UNLESS you’re sticking to the same old 3-sets-of-8-reps program you did last month. You need constant variety. But in general, running becomes more fun the longer you run, weightlifting becomes more fun the longer you lift, and fitness gets even more exciting over time.
Can it survive the crowd? Does it have to be a secret? Yes. Discount gyms will see a huge influx of new members until March 13 (the average date most new gym-goers give up and quit, except in coaching gyms like Victory Performance.) And you can’t really “fill” a discount gym, because their business model is based on members who never show up. We’re the opposite, so we have a membership cap.
Joining a Coaching Gym or Personal Trainer or Nutritionist
Is it repeatable? Can I keep doing this for a long time? Yes. We have members who have been with us for 5, 7, and 10 years! Are there injuries? Yes—the same amount as a normal gym, far fewer than hockey or soccer. But our program has also fixed thousands of people's chronic problems. Which directly increases the likelihood that you will stay consistent on your journey!
Is it non-harmful? What are the downstream effects on my health? Yes. When a gym works 1:1 with its members to measure progress and set goals, the effects compound, and you don’t waste your time doing stuff that doesn’t work.
Is it additive? Will it improve over time? Yes. When an objective source measures your results, they can point to what’s working and help you focus more.
Can it survive the crowd? Does it have to be a secret? No. Coaching businesses are anti-crowd; because of the 1:1 relationships involved, coaching businesses can’t take 1,000 clients. But maybe that’s OK.
You’re going to get pitched this week. If you feel like you’re being sold, don’t buy. And if a new super-secret fitness method isn’t sustainable, don’t start it: You’ll probably be moving backward.