What gets measured, gets managed.
As a fitness professional, people usually think that performance goals, weight management and overall wellness should come easy to me. Early in my twenties—when I was still new to this career—I made the same (incorrect) assumption. The sad truth is that I was actually burning the candle at both ends: sleeping just 5-6 hours a night, powering through on too much caffeine, drinking a moderate to heavy amount of booze, and training my body harder than I ever have in my life (before or since).
The stark reality soon became clear: I had lost too much weight, was tired and stressed all the time, was grinding my teeth at night and my testosterone had tanked. It took some slightly scary test results and frank conversations with my doctor for me to realize that I was overtraining, underslept and in need of some dietary recalibration.
More than a decade later, my life (and health!) is way more in balance. But I still make incorrect assumptions about my habits all the time. Recently, in pursuing a Level 1 Coach certification with Precision Nutrition, I had a dramatic realization about the role of perception in goal setting. It turns out—whether we’re talking hydration, nutrient ratios, sleep or even screentime—humans are typically 20-30% off in their assumptions vs. reality.
20-30% isn’t just a little bit off…it’s WAY off! Let’s use calories as a concrete, simplified example. If you need to eat 3,000 calories a day to gain muscle, and you are only eating 2000-2200 a day, your performance will inevitably suffer. Similarly, if you are aiming to lose weight, eating 20-30% more calories than you should will lead you to conclude you “can’t lose weight” or that you’ve simply plateaued.
The truth for any fitness goal is that measurement is the key to success. If we keep ourselves honest the chances that we will meet our goals increases dramatically. Most importantly, actively practicing accountability helps increase our long-term motivation because when we see measurable progress, we become more invested in making long-term commitments to our health and wellness.
If this resonates with you—or if you’re simply curious to see how your assumptions stack up to your reality—I’d love to collaborate on a fitness and nutrition plan that fits your personal goals.
SUMMER SPEED & STRENGTH
2024 Summer Speed & Strength is on! Our focus is to build stronger, faster, more resilient athletes. Any male athletes entering grades 8-12 are welcome! The specific exercises and drills will be adapted to the age and strength levels of the athletes registered in each group.
Sign up by Tuesday, May 14th.
NUTRITION COACHING
After years of continuing education in fitness, I finally made the commitment to leveling up my nutritional knowledge. Since early this year, I’ve been offering nutrition audits and programs to my fitness clients, and would love to talk about how these individualized recommendations can help superchange or expedite the road to reaching your goals.
EVERGREEN HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE
This spring, I’m thrilled to be serving as the new Head Strength + Conditioning Coach for the varsity boys lacrosse program. After several years of working with the JV team—and running numerous pre-season training programs—I’m excited for the opportunity to make an even greater investment in the future of this incredible team.
LEVEL UP WITH THORNE SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements have become an important support in my own athletic performance, but determining the quality of these products can be challenging. Thorne is a third-party verified brand I return to regularly, and I'm excited to be able to offer 20% off a first purchase to everyone. Email me directly for the discount, and you can also check out their products through my affiliate link.
For those who are new to the world of supplements, simply bring it up at our next session, and I’m happy to share my experience!