Tag Archives: iifym

Obsession

ob·ses·sion
/əbˈseSHən/

noun. 1) the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc. 2) a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal.

The second definition makes obsession sound pejorative: “not normal”.  Sure obsession can be bad, but there are some that would call obsession “commitment” or “focus” which are great qualities.

My obsession recently has been with counting macros.  I’ve done the Zone diet on and off for many years, so I am familiar with many of the concepts in “Flexible Dieting” or “Counting Macros”.  However, finding a new prescription and using an app on my phone to track everything and preparing the night before has brought a new level of obsession to my food game.  Is a normal? Probably not.  Is it an eating disorder?  No.  It’s just a quest for a deeper level of understanding.

Any quest for deeper knowledge will take on a form of obsession as the student thinks constantly about the topic.  New levels of understanding and knowledge can only be achieved through obsession.  Anybody that is an expert at something at some point was obsessed with that something.  My goal to understand my diet inside and out and to use nutrition to fuel my life and my performance is currently in that process of obsession.  After a month of this I hope to be far more knowledgable and intelligent with regards to my nutrition.  I don’t know that the obsession will last but the knowledge, once acquired, will be with me forever.

What’s your obsession?

 

 

Ready, Fire, Aim!

The concept of “Ready, Fire, Aim” is simple, you have to act first, see how far off target you are, and then make proper adjustments.  This is how real life works.  In real life we are not snipers.  We do not abide by “One Shot, One Kill.”  In life we can’t plan and plan and plan and then just execute once and be perfect.  Our lives are lived paddling a boat in a storm.  Life is constantly conspiring to push us off course and our job is to keep redirecting and steering ourselves back toward the lighthouse.

I started counting my macros last week.  I executed the plan to a “T” all week.  Every day I was supposed to hit my goal of 185g of protein, 204g of carbohydrates, and 53g of fat.  I was within 2 or 3 g of my goal every day.  You know what happened.  I started losing weight for a few days and then it stopped and went back up.  That’s not how it’s supposed to work.  Week 1 was a failure. If I had a “one shot, one kill” mindset, I would say, “This shit didn’t work. It’s not for me.  Counting macros sucks. I quit.”  However, I embrace the mindset of “ready, fire, aim” and think, “Something is not right, I have to recalculate my macros and try again.”

If every time you eat a slice of pizza, you think to yourself, “My diet is ruined, I might as well eat the whole pie.”  You will surely never hit your target.  If you instead say to yourself, “That slice threw me off course, what do I have to do to get back on course.”  You will be able to achieve your goals and enjoy a slice or two along the way.