Too much. Too little.
You often make the mistake of doing too much. And then too little. And then too much again. And then too little again.
You go all in. You do the craziest diet for 8 weeks. And sheesh, you haven't had chaat, your favourite dessert, your second favourite dessert, your least favourite dessert in 8 weeks. Time to schedule all of the missed treats in. Coz, you know, you missed out on all of them.
Impossible
This eventually comes to a stop. In one of two ways - you run away from it and never do a diet again. Or you figure out a sustainable approach.
Now, this applies to most things in life. But I will continue sticking to the places where I have the most experience - via making most mistakes possible - which are fitness and nutrition.
Complication
But what is too much? And what is too little? Should you believe the latest news article about how that woman lost 27 kilos by drinking lime juice while standing on one leg? Or the other article about that guy who lost 38 kilos by standing on the other leg?
Or should you listen to Arnold Schwarzenegger and practice the Gamechanger diet which disses all animal products? (And has absolutely nothing wink wink to do with the fact that he sells vegan products)
Goldilocks
Let's take a left turn and discuss Goldilocks. While there are multiple versions of the story, let me tell you about the one I read 35ish years ago.
Goldilocks was this girl who went on a walkabout. And came across a house. And being a jerk, she went right into the house and proceeded to behave as if it was hers. She sat on a chair and found it too hard/big. So, she sat on another chair and found it too soft. And subsequently sat on the third chair, found it just right, and broke it.
She then raids the kitchen and finds porridge. The first bowl is too hot. The second bowl is too cold. The third is just right, and she laps it all up.
Then, she potters about to the bedroom. First bed, she finds some problem. Second bed, another problem. Third bed - perfect! And proceeds to sleep.
The owners of the house, who happen to be 3 bears (yes, bears) come home. Papa Bear growls in annoyance at his chair having been sat on and his porridge tasted. So does Mama Bear. Baby Bear has the worst of it all as her chair is broken, her porridge all gone. And she finds Goldilocks in her bed and yelps. Goldilocks proceeds to jump out the window and runs away. The End.
What the fudge?!?! What kinda story is this and why am I telling you this?
Well, that story makes very little sense, true. But the concept of "just right" needs a better moniker and so was born the Goldilocks zone. Not too hard, not too soft/easy. Not too much, not too easy. But just right.
Your turn
From that nonsensical story, your takeaway is to find what is just right for you.
It is irrelevant what works for someone else. Remember, everything works, from a twinkie diet to walking daily to stupid stuff to the best training plans. But remember, nothing works too. Including the best diet and training plans.
Because if they are not right for you, it wont work.
Now, what does "right for you" mean? Not something you find easy and comfortable to do. If it was easy and comfortable, it would involve having chocolate ice cream for breakfast, and unfortunately, I've made the sacrifice for you and tested that theory out. Nope, does not work.
Right for you means something you can twist and tinker and suit to get to your goals. Not someone else's goals but your goals.
So, figure out your goals. Remember to distinguish and separate it from your friend's goals, and whatever else you see on social media.
And then, liberally steal and copy and chop and change from whatever you see to make your own perfect concoction. Keep doing it, keep tinkering with it and make your own special brand of awesome-sauce.
And remember, the recipe will keep changing every few months or years. Most of it will remain the same. But similar to you changing a wee bit each year, your Goldilocks zone of eating and training will need to change along with you.
Do the work. Find your zone.