{"id":18783,"date":"2024-05-20T18:59:58","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T18:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=18783"},"modified":"2024-06-04T22:11:18","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T22:11:18","slug":"the-never-two-in-a-row-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/the-never-two-in-a-row-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201cNever Two in a Row\u201d Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>I was talking with a friend recently who said he had hit a bit of a plateau.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve all been there &#8211; that uncomfortable place where the scale stops moving, or the strength gainz slow down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heck, I\u2019ve even written a whole article about<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/what-to-do-when-you-hit-a-plateau\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">busting through a plateau<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I\u2019ve been revisiting the last 15 years of Nerd Fitness, I stumbled across an absolute doozy of an old video of me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s baby Steve, from 11 years ago, sitting on a poop-brown couch (Why did I think this was the right color couch to buy?), with helmet hair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I laughed as I watched this video, but I\u2019m also proud of Past Me for putting this out in the world!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The &#8220;Never Two in a Row&#8221; Rule<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nerd Fitness: Never Two in a Row\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/53652759?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>The \u201cNever 2 in a Row\u201d Rule is simple:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow up any \u201cunhealthy\u201d meal with a healthy one.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you miss a workout, do it THE NEXT DAY.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, who cares if you \u201cmess up\u201d once? Just don\u2019t \u201cmess up\u201d twice in a row. Because missing two in a row quickly becomes 3 or 5 or 10 or a lost year. But missing <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">once?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Fine! Just get right back on track.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Think of it this way:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you followed up every unhealthy meal with a healthy one, then at least 50% of your meals would be healthy! That\u2019s a pretty dang good percent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can also help us avoid an \u201call-or-nothing\u201d mindset.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Now, I wanted to update my philosophy around plateaus and this rule, so let\u2019s get weird.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>A plateau doesn&#8217;t have to be a bad thing.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>A plateau is often frustrating, because we humans love progress.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the thing: when the alternative is \u201cmoving in the wrong direction,\u201d a plateau IS progress, especially if you\u2019re used to losing weight and then backsliding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we\u2019re not losing weight, and we\u2019re not gaining weight, then we\u2019re eating roughly the same number of calories that our body burns daily. That\u2019s it. This is neither good nor bad, it\u2019s just math.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, a plateau can be a really really good thing. It can mean you\u2019ve chosen to just tread water for a bit, or you\u2019re taking a strategic pause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re not getting stronger in the gym, there\u2019s still a benefit to keeping your muscles warmed-up with a basic workout, even if it\u2019s not an improvement over the past workout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When life is a dumpster fire, a \u201cplateau\u201d can be a HUGE win.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, let\u2019s talk about \u201cNever two in a row,\u201d and how I would update my language these days.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Healthy vs Unhealthy<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my video above, I say, \u201cfollow up an unhealthy meal with a healthy one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 years later, I don\u2019t love using the word \u201chealthy\u201d vs. \u201cunhealthy,\u201d because it assigns some morality to the foods we eat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(I realize most of us <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">know<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> roughly what we mean by healthy, so I don\u2019t eliminate the word completely from my vocab!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, let\u2019s talk about a reframing of \u201chealthy vs unhealthy\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, we eat fast food because our kids want to eat it (or because we\u2019re traveling and it\u2019s the only option at the airport). We don\u2019t have to always optimize for weight loss or calories. Sometimes we optimize for convenience, or family, or sustenance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is neither morally good nor bad. It&#8217;s simply a meal we chose to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we have a goal that requires a calorie deficit, great! We can follow up a high-calorie meal with a lower-calorie meal. No morality or shame or judgment required. Just math and progress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because a \u201ccalorie\u201d is just a unit of measure, not an indication of its quality!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>This is how a professor famously lost weight on<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2010\/HEALTH\/11\/08\/twinkie.diet.professor\/index.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><b>the \u201cTwinkie Diet,\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><\/a><b> specifically to show the math of weight loss does come down to calories:<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On his &#8220;convenience store diet,&#8221; he shed 27 pounds in two months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a class project, Haub limited himself to less than 1,800 calories a day. A man of Haub&#8217;s pre-dieting size usually consumes about 2,600 calories daily. So he followed a basic principle of weight loss: He consumed significantly fewer calories than he burned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His body mass index went from 28.8, considered overweight, to 24.9, which is normal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two-thirds of his total intake came from junk food. He also took a multivitamin pill and drank a protein shake daily. And he ate vegetables, typically a can of green beans or three to four celery stalks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I talked about in my<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/email.nerdfitness.com\/posts\/5-fitness-beliefs-i-ve-changed-my-mind-on\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 Beliefs I\u2019ve Changed My Mind On<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, I\u2019ve cut way back on my fear mongering around certain foods &#8211; we beat ourselves up enough, and our weight is unbelievably complicated and nuanced.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>So where does that leave us?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are adults and we can make our own choices. We can choose to follow up a high calorie meal with a more nutrient dense, low calorie meal. We can mix and match.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s NOT all or nothing, and it\u2019s not immoral to eat chips or ice cream. It is what it is!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In our<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/healthy-eating\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGuide to healthy eating,\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we point out which foods are nutritionally-light and higher-calorie (processed foods, snack foods, candy, soda, etc.), and which foods are nutritionally-dense and lower-calorie (fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can decide what \u201chealthy\u201d means to you, and what \u201cunhealthy\u201d means. You can also decide to switch your language to \u201chigher calorie vs. lower calorie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And then apply the Never 2 in a Row Rule!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Missing a workout<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/vLfyFdQbMeov1cipFzfUPi\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Sometimes, we miss a workout.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This also doesn\u2019t need to be a source of shame or guilt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nor does it mean \u201cI suck and I\u2019ll try again next year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s just a thing that happened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of saying \u201cI didn\u2019t have time to work out today,\u201d which brings up feelings of guilt and shame and sadness\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead we can say, \u201cWorking out today was not a priority.\u201d Strategic! Sure, we might need to do some compassionate inner work on <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">why<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it wasn\u2019t a priority, but sometimes it\u2019s just because life was an absolute dumpster fire that day!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This past week, my workout schedule was thrown off, and I didn\u2019t work out on my regular workout days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It wasn\u2019t because I didn\u2019t have time to work out\u2026but because working out wasn\u2019t a priority for me\u2026I had other things going on that were more important to me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, I knew my mental health would benefit from me doing <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">something<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so I did my two half-assed workouts, went for a quick walk on the other days, and that\u2019s it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Never Two in a Row<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>To recap: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you miss a workout, who cares! Just do whatever you can to not miss <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">workouts in a row. This can help us from losing too much momentum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you eat a high-calorie meal, great! I hope it was delicious. Follow it up with a lower-calorie meal, hopefully one that\u2019s satiating and nutritionally full.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All-or-nothing doesn\u2019t work. And we don\u2019t have to be perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And if we overeat at one meal, adjust the next one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we miss a workout, get the next one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just, don\u2019t miss two in a row, and you\u2019ll be surprised how much progress you can make!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if that progress is a plateau\u2026it\u2019s better than going in the wrong direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>-Steve<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/never-two-in-a-row\/\">The \u201cNever Two in a Row\u201d Rule<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\">Nerd Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I was talking with a friend recently who said he had hit a bit of a plateau. We\u2019ve all been there \u2013 that uncomfortable place where the scale stops moving, or the strength gainz slow down. Heck, I\u2019ve even written a whole article about \u200bbusting through a plateau\u200b. As I\u2019ve been revisiting the last 15&#8230;<br \/>\nThe post The \u201cNever Two in a Row\u201d Rule first appeared on Nerd Fitness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18783"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18783"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18786,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18783\/revisions\/18786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}