First Contact With the Enemy

 My father always used to tell me this. And the older I get the more it applies.

 

In the military, it is often said that "No plan survives first-contact with the enemy."  

While health/fitness and athletics are a far cry from military service, there is a lesson we can learn from this. What they are speaking of here is the importance of adapting the plan as circumstances change.

Where a lot of people get it wrong is the planning stage. 

They know circumstances will change, so they just don't plan more than a few days or so into the future and almost always neglect the weekends. 

I would go as far as to say a long term plan is necessary for someone to reach their full potential. 

So how do you take changing circumstances into account?

It's necessary to have a system for nutrition adaptation. All aspects of diet and training have to be flexible depending on how the individual responds. 

This goes from the set-to-set as a coach/trainer level all the way up to year to year. It all has to be adaptable.  

And if you don't have systems in place to allow this adaptation to happen, watch out because you're in for a lot of painful retests.

I think the point is clear - just as your body adapts, so must your nutrition and training program.  If the program doesn't adapt, then neither will your body. 

An easy way to combat the unknown

( restaurant menus, what's being served at a friends house for dinner, what alcohol is lowest kcal at social events, etc ) is to set aside a few minutes and educate yourself on choices and options.

We have every bit of known info in the world on this crazy thing called the Internet. 

If you don't believe me, try this. 

Go to google and type in 

"Why can't I have all of my carbs in the form of wine?"

I bet 99% of you will be surprised at the answers. 

Still there? Good.

Build momentum by being prepared. 

Patrick Ciera