One Size fits all? As I have been looking over all of the information out there about fitness and exercise, I keep coming across the marketing technique of saying "One Size Doesn't Fit All! My plan will give you several different programs designed to help you achieve your individual goals"
I have some thoughts about this based on my experience working out, and based on my experience as an elementary school teacher in a variety of settings.
One size fits all isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's adjustable.
Several options aren't necessarily a good thing if you don't really know what you're looking for.
The bottom line is that you have to be consistent to achieve results, whether you are getting in shape or learning to read, and in my opinion, most people fail because of a lack of consistent effort than because of a plan that doesn't fit perfectly.
Here are some benefits of using a "One Size Fits All" prpgram:
1. Other people are also using the plan, so you can relate.
2. There are others who have used the plan before and can be an inspiration to you.
3. You can actually do the plan with somebody, or help somebody else get started.
I know that for myself, using a plan that had already been established as effective helped me 'buy in' for the first few weeks while I was wondering if it would really work. In addition, I had a partner in my girlfriend who was doing the exact same plan, so we could eat and exercise together on the same schedule.
I also know that what I needed more than anything was a kick start and a change. By starting with a plan that was simple but clear, there was no grey area about what I needed to do every day. This took the stress out of feeling like I had a bunch of decisions to make, based on my specific body type, blood type, lifestyle type, and on and on.
This isn't to say that I am following all aspects of the plan exactly the same anymore. There are parts of it I have altered. For example, I do a lot more functional training and one-legged exercises than I had been doing. I found that using lighter weights for my lower body exercises was easier on my back. I just turned leg press into one-leg press and calf raises into one-leg calf raises. Deadlifts became one leg dead lifts. I am still working the muscles, but it's a little different than the plan I started with. I also don't always do cardio interval training for 20 minutes each time. I have modified some of my workouts to include dynamic warmups and plyometric drills aimed at improving my jumping and agility.
With nutrition, I have experimented with increasing the amount of carbohydrates I eat and made other minor changes.
However, I have kept what I know works from the workouts I started with. I still do a free day, I still workout 6 days a week. I still do the "pyramiding" style of weight training and mostly use free weights. I still eat 6 meals a day and stay away from sweets and bad fats.
One size is not going to always work the best for everybody, but no plan works if you don't use it consistently, and that should be your main concern when starting an exercise and nutrition plan - sticking with it.
You must exercise and eat right consistently to be healthy. That's the one size you can't go without.
