TREATS

* Note from Jason:  Here’s another excellent post by blogger, Jeromie Preas.  Enjoy!

This is NOT the post you think it’s going to be; I am not going to come down on you for the “cheat” treat that you may’ve indulged in recently. Rather, I want to use “treats” as an acronym.

People forget that results come with being consistent and mastering the basics. There are too many people who give up too easily or too soon. If you jump from diet to diet, training program to training program, or you burn the candle at both ends, you’re failing to master the basics.

Let’s breakdown the acronym:

Tr: Training.
What are your training goals? Are you following a periodized program? Are you training for a sport? And, because this is often ignored or neglected, are you giving yourself deloading weeks? Mastering the basics is being able to perform basic movements like a squat, hinge, push, pull, and weighted carry. You need to be able to move well through space, have the strength to tackle any task, and the endurance to handle a busy life or sport. Too many people want to jump on fancy bandwagons when they haven’t mastered some of the basics yet, so make sure you’re not diving into something too fast and too soon. You could end up hurting yourself in the long run.

Eat: Eat.
This should be obvious, but nutrition plays a ginormous role in how you look, feel, and perform. Nutrition is where most people jump from protocol to protocol looking for a quick fix. How are you supposed to know if it works if you stop doing it after a week? If you’re reading this blog, I’d hope by now you’re following Paleo nutrition to your highest capability. Not only will it aid in overall health, it has the potential to help you look great, too. There are ways to fine-tune things to fit certain dietary needs/protocols, but from a “basics” standpoint, being consistent with real, whole foods is key.

S: Sleep.
Ahh, yes. The infamous monster that has people burning the candle at both ends. This is the area that most people don’t seem to have figured out. Granted, there are work situations that don’t allow for good sleep patterns; I get that. For those of you who do have control over going to bed early, what’s stopping you from turning the t.v. off sooner or from closing your browser instead of hitting “refresh” every 30 seconds to see if something new popped up on Facebook? This is the body’s repair time. This is recovery. This is your “refresh” button. Aim for 7-9 hours a night and try not to go to bed after 10:00pm. Your body will thank you for this in the long run.

Mastering the basics is an often overlooked component of your journey, but they need to be practiced with consistency. Now when you think about giving yourself a treat, think about training well, eating well, and sleeping well; those will always lead to lasting results.

Move often. Move smart.

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