Compliance vs. Calories-The Mental Game

or "when is 10% not really 10%?"


I have written before about the 90% rule. Simply, it states that in order to achieve any meaningful result on a given program, you must comply with that program to at least 90%. Less than 90% doesn't give you enough information to know if the program works, because you are introducing too many variables into it.

The other side of that is that for most people, the difference between 90% compliance and 100% compliance is negligable. We know that a LOT of folks can make big changes in body comp JUST by hitting their diet at 90% consistently.

Then there are guys like me. I have hit 90% consistently on paper since the beginning of the year. Read that again, pay attention to "on paper". Fact is, I actually got fatter from Jan 1 to Feb 1. I put on some muscle too, but I did in fact gain fat. How do I know this? I got dunked and was sitting at 27.9%.

Ah yes, Christmas is still with us.....

So I asked myself "What would I tell me to do if I was was my client?"
Step one-
Check dietarty compliance. Good. 90% weekly average.
Step two-
Check training. Good.
Step three- Check calories. hmmmm.....no data.

So I began keeping a fitday log again. This lead me to the I realization that my "10%" meals were more like binges. If you eat steak, salad and 1 cookie or fish & chips and a whole box of cookies, it is still the same in terms of the compliance number, but not in calories.

Ah, simple logic and the ways I trick myself.

So for the past 2 weeks here is how it has been going: Everday, everything I eat (or drink if it has calories) goes into the fitday.

100% compliant days are in the 2500-3000 cal range (BW is 277, was 282 at the onset of the new metric) Estimated maintainance level is 4500.

The important change: Non 100% compliant days are no more than 5000 cals. Notice the 5lb difference in 2 weeks?

Also, I need more accountability. Notice that I am posting here. I need to "put my nuts on the anvil" again, like I did last summer.

This week I will schedule another hydrostatic weighing for next month.