
As the CFM community reaches the 5 year mark, I have grown increasingly reflective about the experience. Most of these reflections are not terribly pertinent to you guys but one was worth sharing. Its the 80/20 effect. Those who put forward 80% of their maximum effort will receive 20% of the desired benefits where those who give 100% will receive 100% of the benefit. Now it is important to mention that working out at a high level of intensity is not the area where this mark is missed. The vast majority of you understand and hold yourselves accountable for working hard every WOD. 100%, nothing left, supine exhaustion, 4-5 times a week. NOBODY would give 80% in the box and expect anything remarkable. Furthermore, if they did only give 80%, and experienced a less than remarkable benefit, they would immediately own the lack luster results (without frustration) as directly related to their half hearted efforts.
Nutrition on the other hand is an entirely different story. Most clients just don’t hold themselves as accountable to their efforts eating well as they do with training hard. Somehow, there is an expectation that 80% effort with eating should yield dramatic results where there is a broad recognition that 80% effort with training is not enough. It baffles me. And by baffle I mean frustrates me to death. Even more proplexing is how this happens in the context of a broad recognition that nutrition is the key. Lets say I have two athletes. One who will train with 80% intensity and eat with 100% discipline while the second trains at 100% intensity and eats with 80% discipline. Which one will experience dramatic results? Which one are you? Are your efforts being frustrated by factors out of your control or are you just plain and simply not trying that hard to eat well?
Tomorrow is my 4 yr crossfit anniversary. Best midlife crisis present I ever gave to myself!