It’s something I’ve noticed for a little while now. When someone discusses their workout/diet/lifestyle with me (we’re not talking clients here), they fit into one of two groups:
Those who tell you what they did; and
Those who tell you what they didn’t do.
Makes fair enough sense. Conversations over health and exercise invariably lead up to this kind of chit-chat. What I have noticed, however, is that “those who tell you what they did” are the ones that are unfit, overweight and unhealthy. And “those who tell you what they should have done” tend to be healthier and fitter.
Interesting.
Yes, I know I’m making a sweeping generalisation with that statement, and yes, I realise it doesn’t apply to everybody. But I think back to the overwhelming majority of people I meet through friends or while I’m on the road that fit this bill.
I don’t mean to single people out or upset people by saying this. I just wonder if there’s a connection between the pattern of thought and the physical condition of the person.
Let’s be realistic for a second. Unhealthy people are unhealthy for a reason – lack of exercise, poor diet, stress, social situation…the list goes on. It seems, however, that when in conversation, I only hear about the amount of vegetables they eat, or how recently they went to the gym.
Are they searching for positive feedback on what they’re doing? Of course, yes. The fact that you ate a healthy meal or went to boot camp is fantastic. But what aren’t you telling me? The other seven meals of the day made up of the three C’s – cakes, cookies and chocolate?
The flipside. I have some friends who are fit, and do exercise regularly. I generally don’t hear of their successes. Only those times when they had a few too many drinks, or when they skipped a training session. They’re almost pessimistic (and sometimes downright pissed off) about what they haven’t done.
What Do We Make Of This?
My point is this – does that ‘negativity’ in a health-conscious, fit person act as a motivator to keep them on track in the long run?
And is a positive streak in an unhealthy person a trait that’s more likely to “allow” them to feel less guilty about missing a training session in the future?
Do we support and reinforce the “positive” behaviour, given it may well act as a justification for a future slip up? Or do we brush over it, and make a point of the “negative” behaviour, just like the fit and healthy person does.
I’ve always been taught to support positive behaviour. It’s expected (and I like to think it makes the people around me happier about life.) But does it create an atmosphere for results?
I’m interested to see what you think. Are you a person that tells people “what you did?” Or are you the personality type that tells people “what you didn’t do?”
athletics and aesthetics|by dan shute 
Interesting observation. I tend to be a “Tell people what I did” kinda guy. My diets are up and down, as well as my weight. Its kind of like saying “I stayed out of jail” and the answer, of course, would be “You’re not supposed to be in jail.” How about this one – “I had a healthy salad for lunch” but you noticed they put tons of ranch dressing on it.
I think I do both. My present situation I’m doing quite a lot of strength work which is getting good results, but I’m quite aware that I’ve been a bit lax on my cardio work and my diet is quite up and down. What I think you might be alluding to is that fit people recognise when they are doing something that isn’t healthy. E.g. Feeling guilty when you eat a pizza, skip a session. Possibly other people who don’t have fitness as a high priority don’t have that same recognition E.g. They see a pizza as tasty food not as a pile of mostly useless kilojules, skipping training as a chance to relax, not as a missed opportunity to work towards fitness goals.