The Success Equation in Nutrition and Fitness: Embracing the Power of Useful Failures

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I get Mark Manson’s (author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope) weekly newsletter. Yesterday’s was all about failure and our abilities to learn from it. Here’s an excerpt:

It immediately struck me not only how true this is, but that we can connect this philosophy to our fitness and nutrition pursuits. I also imagine that many of us may not already be doing so.

In the journey towards better health and fitness, the road to success isn't always a smooth one. Mark Manson's success equation offers a valuable reframe into how we can navigate the challenges and setbacks that often accompany our wellness pursuits.

I imagine it can go something like this… We try a certain workout routine or food plan and if it doesn’t “work” for us, we give up on it. For example, “Oh yes, I tried the Whole 30, it wasn’t right for me, so I just went back to how I was eating before.” Or, “I went to a CrossFit class and hated it! Maybe I’ll try another workout class some other time.”

Equally, the idea of potential failure might deter us from even trying something new or “risky” in the first place. I know I resisted trying CrossFit for a long time because I didn’t want to work hard and be bad at it.

Are these exaggerations? Sure. But my point is that many of us try something and that particular thing isn’t right for us, so we stop looking for the thing that IS right for us, and stay stuck.

I get it though. Embarking on a new nutrition or fitness plan can be like stepping into uncharted territory. We have to change things… like schedules or food choices or effort levels… and that’s daunting. That, plus, initial attempts may not always get you the expected results. It's essential to recognize that failure is not the end, but a crucial stepping stone towards success and finding the thing that IS right for you!

So, let’s follow this reframe. Let’s say you try a specific dietary approach, only to find it doesn't align with your lifestyle or preferences. Instead of viewing it as a failure, consider it a valuable discovery about what doesn't work for you.

You’re going to learn as much as possible from that failure. Reflect on why a particular approach didn't work and identify the factors contributing to the setback.

Here are some questions you can ask, but really you simply want to NOITCE what happened that made things not work:
-Why didn’t that fitness/nutrition plan work? What specific challenges came up?
-How did this fitness/nutrition plan leave you feeling? (For example, if a high-intensity workout routine leaves you fatigued and demotivated, it's a chance to understand that your body may respond better to a more balanced and traditional strength and cardio plan.)
-Was there a tipping point? Like, were things going well with the approach until a certain thing happened?
-Was this plan unsustainable for my lifestyle? Did the plan align with my daily schedule, work commitments, and personal life?
-Did I feel deprived or restricted, leading to cravings or binging? When or with what types of foods?
-Did I consider my personal preferences and find a plan that suits my tastes and interests?

Once you start checking in with questions like these, you have to SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. One of the secrets to success in nutrition and fitness is accelerating the feedback loop. Instead of dwelling on setbacks, actively seek out the lessons they hold. This proactive approach transforms failures into useful insights that propel you forward.

So, if you’ve been trying to track your food for the week, but found it to be too overwhelming because (specifically) you don’t always have access to a food scale or measuring tools then, instead of giving up, you decide to measure and pack your food in advance, or just weigh/measure/track meals when you’re home and build from there as you can. These are just problem solving examples, but the idea is we’re using the failure/challenge points to change things moving forward in a way that does fit our lives.

This process of try something→ recognize challenges → problem solve → try something is an infinite loop that goes on forever. Remember, success in nutrition and fitness is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Embrace the idea that your approach, the things you try, the challenges, and the solutions will continually evolve. The willingness to adapt, learn, and refine your strategies ensures sustained progress.

Like this:

In the pursuit of health and wellness, adopting Manson's success equation empowers us to view failures not as roadblocks but as stepping stones towards our goals. By trying, learning, and iterating, we create a dynamic and effective approach to nutrition and fitness that aligns with our individual needs and preferences.

If you connect to this idea, I enjoyed Mason’s books and recommend checking them out!

If you have specific food/fitness challenges you’re running into, I’d be happy to brainstorm some solutions with you! Reach out in the comments or email sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com.

As always, thank you for reading,
xoxo,
Sara

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