There are many factors — food hyper-palatability, high-stress lifestyles, and confusing misinformation — are all near the top of the list. But on a purely social level, the desire to chase the next trend is a big part of the problem.
In diet and exercise, consistent movement and healthy eating keeps the doctors (and obesity) away.
In social media, doing something new, cool, and different keeps FOMO at bay.
It’s the battle of FOMO (exciting) vs. repeated daily behaviors (boring).
In reality, it should be the battle of frustration (look, a new trend!) vs. confidence and results (I know what to do!)
The choice should be easy. But, the power of “what if” plays tricks on your mind.
“What if…This next trend is better?”
“What if it’s more effective?”
“What if I’ll be healthier?”
Your heart dreams of something better, but your mind ignores reality.
You don’t change jobs every day. You don’t move to a new home every week. You don’t substitute friends and family like socks and underwear.
Consistency and stability are a big part of what leads to more happiness and less stress. Reliable anchors make it easier to thrive in chaos.
It’s time to start asking: “What if all these distractions are the real reason I’m stuck and headed in the wrong direction?”
If you were forced to stick with one plan for a year, you’d see better results, stress less, and save a hell of a lot of time that’s typically wasted window shopping on your health.
We think doing something new is the missing part of the equation.
In reality, doing the same few healthy behaviors — and making progress over time — is what adds up to better results.
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.
👏👏 very good. So true. This needs to be reminded every week when we get tired and stray of course. Stick to the path.
Thanks for the kind words, Carl!
Love this! Focus, dedication, trusting the process, movement, and doing what works best for you is what matters. Everyone is different, so it’s hard to believe that any one trend works for everyone. As you mentioned with healthy behaviors, it always comes down to what you eat, how often you move, and how much rest you get. Back to the basics!
Yes! We are always stressing the importance of going back to the basics. Thanks for reading, Leah!
Well described post. Thanks for sharing this useful information. As always awesome content, I love reading your articles, much appreciated!
Thank you for reading and for the kind words. As long as it continues to help someone, I will continue putting content out there.
great tips for health fitness