How to Refute the Most Common Self-Fulfilling Fitness Prophecies
“I ruined my diet” is a motivation-destroying phrase. We like to think that we are a fairly reliable analyst of our own fitness life, but we are often wrong – and doing our own dark analysis can actually lead to poor results.
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that makes itself come true. This is dangerous in fitness, where mindset is often the determining factor for success . Here are the three most common and how to overcome them.
Self-fulfilling Prophecy # 1: “I Ruined My Diet”
After a string of unsuccessful dieting days, you will probably not only feel like a Michelin man, but step on the scale to tell you that you have gained the weight of a young child. There are two possible reactions to this, one of which will actually knock you out of your diet.
The first and most common reaction is to raise your hands up and swallow the rest of the refrigerator. At the very least, you will continue a series of bad days until you finally stop. (But only because the Girl Scout Cookie’s self-loathing and stomach pains outweigh your desire for food. Not that I’ve had any experience with it.)
The second reaction is to analyze the damage – objectively and without judgment – and develop a plan. However, due to your body’s physiological response to a large excess of calories, this is easier said than done.
When we consume too many calories, we store those extra calories as fat or glycogen. Although it takes 3,500 extra calories to gain one pound of fat, it is much easier to gain weight from glycogen. Each gram of glycogen is accompanied by three grams of water, which leads to rapid weight gain and the appearance of a tumor that could be mistaken for fat.
But this weight is only a temporary “water weight”. In fact, 3-4 days after you mount the horse again, you will be back to your “ true weight ” and you can make an objective assessment. You will most likely find that you have only gained a couple of pounds if that is the case.
Dieters are not confused by random vacations, weddings, or celebrations, but by the perception of damage . So show yourself a little compassion and then get back to your normal routine.
Self-fulfilling Prophecy # 2: Training Would Suck Today
This prophecy is best explained by the story of renowned strength coach Bill Starr. Bill worked as a strength football coach at the University of Hawaii, where many of his players enjoyed smoking marijuana before hard training. Knowing that he can’t get them to ditch the cold turkey, he made a deal with them: Do it if you’re ready to train and set personal bests the next day.
While his players had the feeling that their training would suffer after a day of debauchery, Starr pushed them and told them it wasn’t true :
“As a result, they put more weight in various movements than they ever did before. They were both happy and somewhat stunned when they finished their studies. No one has ever forced them to do this before. Before I arrived, the weight training program was led by an assistant coach. When the athletes complained to him that they were not feeling well, he always allowed them to do the shortened program or allowed them to skip the day altogether. They learned that they can control their behavior if they also have a desire to become stronger. “
While somewhat anecdotal, stories like this are common among fitness trainers. Martin Berkhan, creator of the Leangane Method , said some of his best workouts were after a suboptimal day – lack of sleep, extreme stress, and so on. I have also seen many similar stories.
We’re not saying you should go smoke a joint, get drunk, and stay up late to exercise your best. Rather, you never know how you are going to perform until you start . If you skip a workout or mentally “check” before you warm up, then you are doomed before you even start. You may have missed the best workout of your life.
Self-fulfilling Prophecy # 3: I Will Never Be Fit
When someone views a picture before and after, two reactions are possible. The first is inspiration: the picture shows the viewer that change is possible. The second, ironically, is demotivation: the viewer sees in the picture a reminder that they will never change . How can there be such a polar opposite reaction to one picture (not related to the color of the dress)?
The answer may give the researcher Dr. Carol Dweck , a pioneer of the concept of “growth” and “fixed” mindset. People with the fixed mindset believe that abilities and talents are invariable qualities; they are either there or not. They take negative feedback personally because they don’t differentiate between their work and themselves. They avoid problems and believe that failure is out of their control.
On the other hand, people with the growth mindset believe that skills and talents are acquired through education and hard work. They take up the challenge and use criticism to improve.
Those who consider themselves incapable of improvement have a fixed mindset about fitness. They see themselves as a victim of circumstance, helpless to get in shape. In fact, they need to hear the harsh truth and understand that fitness is as much a skill as cycling.
Unfortunately, no one can make you realize this, except yourself. Of course, you may be persuaded by others, and even whole areas of research are devoted to this, but ultimately you must want to change. This is the danger of self-fulfilling prophecies … no matter what, in the end you are right.