It Took Me 20 Years to Figure This Out (So You Don't Have To)

After over two decades of training others and using myself as a guinea pig, I've learned a few things the hard way. The fitness industry is full of trends, fads, and extremes that promise quick fixes or the secret formula to achieve your goals. But when it comes down to what really moves the needle in terms of health and fitness, the truth is that the fundamentals have stayed the same for years.

It took me twenty years to truly figure it out, but you don't have to. Let's dive into the core principles that stand the test of time—and why focusing on them will get you the best results.

The Fundamentals: What Really Works

1. Eat More Protein and Whole Foods

We've known for decades that protein is the building block of muscle, and countless studies have confirmed its critical role in improving body composition, maintaining muscle mass, and even boosting metabolism. If you want to gain strength, lose fat, or simply stay healthy, you need to prioritize protein.

But it's not just about protein—it's also about whole foods. Processed foods contain empty calories, added sugars, and chemicals that do little for your health or fitness goals. They are designed to make you want to eat more of them... they are designed to be addictive. On the other hand, whole, nutrient-dense foods fuel your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive. This isn't new information, but it's easy to overlook in an age of fad diets and miracle foods.

What's changed over the years? The volume of information we now have to back up the benefits of prioritizing these foods. Science keeps proving what we've known all along: eating more protein and focusing on whole foods will move the needle more than any diet trend ever could. Studies show that the typical person will consume an extra 500 calories per day eating a diet heavy in processed foods vs a whole food diet - that adds up quickly.

2. Strength Training Is King

Trends come and go—high-intensity interval training (HIIT), Pilates, Zumba, you name it—but one thing that hasn't changed is the superiority of strength training. If you want to build muscle, improve mobility, and increase your metabolism, strength training is the most effective tool in the fitness toolbox. It's not just about lifting heavy weights; it's about sending the proper signal to your body to adapt in ways that improve your performance and enhance your health.

Over the years, research has consistently shown that strength training beats cardio for long-term fat loss, metabolic health, and functional fitness. Sure, cardio has its place, but if your primary goal is to transform your body and maintain health as you age, strength training is where you should spend your time.

3. Recovery, Sleep, and Stress Management Are Non-Negotiable

This is a hard one for many people to embrace, especially in the "no pain, no gain" culture that's dominated fitness for years. But here's the reality: your body needs time to recover. Sleep, stress management, and recovery practices like mobility work or rest days aren't just "nice to have"—they're essential. Without recovery, your body can't adapt to the training stimulus you're giving it. You can work out like a beast, but if you're not sleeping enough or managing stress, you're not allowing your body to rebuild and improve.

We've known for a long time that sleep and stress management are critical to everything from muscle growth to fat loss, but people still underestimate their power. Over the years, I've learned that these areas are even more important than the time spent in the gym. Without them, progress stalls, motivation dips, and injuries happen.

The "Macro Trends" That Get It Wrong

In my 25+ years of experience, I've seen the fitness industry recycle the same misguided ideas over and over again. These "macro trends," as I like to call them, continue to derail people's progress and keep them stuck in an endless loop of frustration. Here are three of the most damaging trends I've encountered:

1. Using Cardio as a Calorie Burner

Cardio has its benefits, but using it as a way to burn calories is an ineffective approach to weight loss. The problem with focusing on calories burned is that exercise is a poor tool for weight management—especially cardio. You'd need to run for hours to make a dent in the calories you consume in a single meal, and your body becomes more efficient over time, burning fewer calories for the same effort.

Cardio is excellent for cardiovascular health and endurance, but it shouldn't be your primary strategy for fat loss. That's where strength training and nutrition come into play.

2. Focusing on the Scale

One of the biggest traps people fall into is measuring their progress by the number on the scale. Weight can fluctuate for all kinds of reasons—hydration, muscle gain, and hormonal shifts—so using it as your primary metric for success is a recipe for frustration.

The real goal should be improving body composition—building muscle and reducing fat—rather than achieving a lower number on the scale. Over time, focusing solely on weight can lead to an under-muscled population constantly dieting but never seeing the results they want. The scale won't tell you if you're getting stronger, if you're improving your mobility, or if your metabolism is in a healthy place. All of those things are far more important than what the scale says.

3. More Is Better

We've been conditioned to believe that pushing harder, doing more, and going to the limit is the only way to achieve results. But more isn't always better. In fact, the sweet spot for training is finding the point where your body receives the signal to adapt without overtraining.

Training to the extreme only leaves your body focused on repair rather than adaptation. You're missing the bigger picture if you're always chasing fatigue and soreness. The goal is to send the proper signal—whether it's to build muscle, improve strength, or boost metabolism—without overtaxing your body. Working smarter, not harder, is the key to long-term success.

The Bottom Line: Stick to What Works

Trends come and go, and new ideas are constantly being pushed in the fitness industry, but the truth is, the basics have always worked—and they still do. Eat more protein, focus on whole foods, prioritize strength training, and make recovery, sleep, and stress management a priority. These principles have stood the test of time because they're rooted in science, not fads.

It took me over twenty years of training to figure this out, and I can confidently say that sticking to these fundamentals is the best way to achieve lasting results. Don't get distracted by the noise—stay focused on what truly matters, and you'll see real progress. If you would like some help with your health and fitness goals, let's get started!