The Five Percent

by Kris Pitcher

For those wanting to make lasting, lifestyle changes, there are a lot of components to focus on. It is challenging at best to know just where to put your focus. Especially in a multi-billion dollar industry where marketing is pulling at your heart strings.

It's human nature to look for the easy way. Believe me, if there was a magic pill, I'd sit on the couch eating bowls of Cap-N-Crunch cereal with peanut butter toast and never work out. But there is no magic pill. And Cap-N-Crunch cuts the roof of my mouth.

It also gives me a great big giant butt. The point is, there is no easy way. There is focus and attention to your goals. Finding the right information to pay attention to is tricky. What we do know, is the basics work.

What are the basics? Good solid, clean, nutrition. Cutting out the sugar, the fast food, the calories from beverages. We know eating lean meats, "good" fats, and complex carbohydrates in moderation are key.

We know that cardiovascular exercise is critical for burning fat, and building muscle through strength training is essential. This is where we should place our focus. These components of diet and exercise will drive us right to our goal.

But then we see a flash of something shiny. A glittery sparkle of something that catches our eye. A  shake, something special, a pill, a fatburner, some kind of product that is going to help us get there faster.

We think we might be able to make shortcuts if we just take this magic thing. We assume everyone around us experiencing success must also have this "thing". Guess what, they are just doing the work.

Supplements only "supplement" a strong and solid foundation. They don't do the work for you. I don't take a pre-workout drink full of stimulants because I workout in the evening. I would be up all night writing blogs and you'd have to read 6 each day.

I don't need that. I'm making gains because I am eating my food. I don't need an intra-workout shake. Those carbs and calories don't fit into my macros, and because of the structure of my plan - I'm not in the gym for more than 45 minutes. And you shouldn't be either.

My point is, I am not focused on the 5% that might give me a "leg up", the supplements. I am focused on the 95% that will ensure my success. I am focused on the food, the nutrition, the exercise, the rest and recovery.

Are you all wrapped up in the magic powders and pills, when you take this, and at what exact moment you take that? Or are you focusing on the bigger picture? If you're skipping out on the 95% you are kind of missing out.

You must build the strong foundation before those things will make any difference. Supplements have their place in our plans. But they are simply there to enhance the solid work we are doing correctly, they aren't there to fix bad habits. Five percent, or 95%? You decide.