Steve Says Relax

crazy_lego

This whole “diet and exercise” thing can be stressful, even panic-inducing.  This poor lego above couldn’t decide which health and fitness sources to trust, and unfortunately, went a bit crazy. 

However, have no fear, my dear Rebel!  

Today we’re going to learn one simple technique to break through the clutter and chaos and finally start leveling up your life.

Now, I get why people go crazy and freak out; there is so much conflicting information out there:

  • You can find scientific studies that prove or disprove practically anything.
  • You’ll find millions and millions of websites that promise you their eating plan/workout plan is the only path to success.
  • You could read two ‘health’ books that both have hundreds of success stories with completely conflicting ideologies.

Diet information can be horrifying:

  • Some people follow the Paleo Diet religiously, while others are believe that if they can’t eat 100% Paleo, they shouldn’t even bother.
  • Some people only eat plants and are terrified of meat after reading the headlines like these.
  • Some people eat low carb diets, others eat low fat diets.
  • Some people eat once a day, others eat every three hours like clockwork.

And then when it comes to working out? Forget about it! 

  • “Is working out in the morning better than the afternoon?”
  • “Is it better to do three sets of five reps, or five sets of three?”
  • “Should I do a circuit or one exercise at a time?”
  • “Should I stretch on off days, run, or work out more?”
  • “How much protein exactly do I need to eat after strength training?”

All of these questions, uncertainties, and anxieties are enough to drive a sane man crazy – I’d know.

Luckily for you, Nerd Fitness is here to provide you with the answers.

For starters, there’s one single thing you can do that will answer all of these questions at once…

FREAKING RELAX!!

relax

Do these rocks look stressed!? Of course not – they aren’t worried about their meal timing or workout splits.

Here’s the truth: There is no universal plan that works best for everybody.  Any person or site that tells you otherwise is lying.

We are all unique snowflakes (your mom was right!), so don’t panic when somebody is training, eating, or living differently than you.  They’re doing what works best for them, and you need to do what’s best for you.

Want to know something else? How you train and eat today will probably be drastically different from how you train six months or a year from now.

Researching the specifics of a workout or the exact specifications of your diet are irrelevant if you spend all day collecting underpants and never get started.

So do this instead:

  • Stop reading so many damn fitness sites.  Pick one or two that resonate with you (hopefully it’s Nerd Fitness), and stop confusing yourself.
  • Pick a simple workout. Like this one.  Or one of these workouts.
  • Pick diet advice that resonates with you, advice you can actually follow. Like maybe this advice.  Or slowly transition like this.
  • See how your body adjusts over time.  Take pictures and measurements.  Make adjustments along the way as you get better educated and see how your body reacts.
  • DO THE BEST YOU CAN!

And stop panicking so much!

  • If you can’t eat 100% Paleo, that’s fine! Start with 10% Paleo by making ONE change this week.
  • If you don’t have time to work out for an hour a day, that’s fine. Start with a 20 minute workout (and I know you have that).
  • If you can’t afford grass-fed beef and organic vegetables, that’s fine!  Eat the best vegetables you can afford, and the best cuts of meat you can find.  It’s certainly better than McDonald’s.
  • If you don’t want to give up bread and pasta, that’s fine!  Just work on eating a little bit less for now.

We’re all students, and we’re all learning every day, so stop being worried about being perfect; be okay with only having 80% of the information, or doing the best workout you know of.

Want to know what’s really important?

Do SOMETHING

starting line

Our time on this planet is too damn short to agonize over minuscule decisions.

Unfortunately, life has a 100% death rate.

So do the best you can, with what you have, where you are:

  • Eat the best foods you can as often as possible.
  • Eat food you love (that’s not good for you) occasionally.
  • Allow yourself to let loose sometimes.
  • Exercise as often as possible, even if it’s just for five minutes.
  • Work on making better decisions with each new day.

Want to know the best workout plan? It isn’t the perfect plan that you never do; it’s the ‘pretty good’ plan that you do consistently.

Stevie says relax! It’s going to be okay.

It will never be perfect, so let yourself off the hook and get started.

What tiny detail or problem used to freak you out? How did you let yourself off the hook?

What are you still confused about? How can I help?

-Steve

blamedcatTODAY’S REBEL HERO: BlamedCat, from the NF Message Boards, rocking his Superhero NF t-shirt, back down into XL clothing for the first time in a long time!

Congrats BlamedCat! 

True story: After taking this photo, BlamedCat stopped a bank robbery single-handedly, bench-pressed a Mini Cooper for fun, only before rescuing orphaned puppies from a burning building.  I won’t tell you the shirt was the cause of his superhuman abilities, but seems like  a funny coincidence…don’t you think?

Want to be the next Rebel Hero?  Take a photo of you doing something epic in your Nerd Fitness Battle Gear and email us at contact@nerdfitness.com so we can feature you on the site!

###

photo:  crazy lego, rocks, starting line

The Last Fitness Program You’ll Ever Need

Workouts, nutrition guidance, and habit-building. Never wonder where you should put your limited time, energy, and effort.

Get our FREE Starter Kit with dozens of resources today!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.