4 Big Rocks Of Exercise

Have you heard the story about the big rocks before? It bears repeating even if you’ve heard it before.

The Dr Stephen Covey story goes….

 ‘A man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers, he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.”

Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one by one, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone in the class said, “Yes.” Then he said, “Really?”

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he added some gravel and shook the jar, causing the pieces of gravel to work their way down into the spaces between the large rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time, the class was onto him. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” he replied.

And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in, and it filled all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more, he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted. Once again, he said, “Good!” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.” (1)

How Does This Relate To Exercise?

When it comes to exercise, fat loss, weight loss, muscle-building, or any other goal fitness-related, you (and I) sweat the small stuff, especially when your progress stalls.

You fill your exercise jar with gravel, sand, and water, and end up having no room for the big rocks.

With all the information available on exercise, nutrition, and what’s good for you, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Considering that this changes daily, you may fall into the trap of focusing on the gravel rather than the rock. 

You cut out fat because someone told you it makes you fat.

Ditch squats because someone told you they’re bad for your back.

You cut carbs from your diet because someone convinced you they’re all evil.

The treadmill is your happy place because you heard that lifting weights makes you bulky.

I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the point.

Getting sucked in is easy.

However, it takes you away from what’s really important about exercise in the first place. Or worse, you’re paralyzed in a state of indecision, and you end up doing nothing.

This stops now.

Get in a plane and take in the exercise view from 10,000 feet and admire the big rocks. And once you do, getting sucked in will be a thing of the past.

Start With Fundamental Human Movements

What do I mean by this?

Think about the movements you do daily without realizing it.

Sitting down to go number 2: Squatting

Bending over to pick up something from the floor: Hinging

Opening and closing a door: Pushing and pulling

Carrying groceries in from the car: Carrying

Walking, running, or climbing stairs: Single leg

Ideally, you would train these movements in a gym. However, if the gym isn’t your thing, it’s essential to find something that is and do it every chance you get, because all movement is good movement.

Eat Like An Adult, Not A Kid

Think about all the stuff you used to eat as a child.

Chicken nuggets, pop tarts, sugary cereal, donuts, candy, chicken strips, fish fingers, and frozen pizza. This list could go on, but the point is clear—sugar and fat-laden food out of a box.

You get away with this when you’re a child because you have the metabolism of a Ferrari. You probably burn off those calories even before they hit your stomach.  

But as an adult, your Ferrari metabolism morphs into a tortoise. And that’s okay because you can’t devote your life to play like you once did.

So, stop being in denial. It’s time to eat like an adult.

You need to eat more single-ingredient/whole foods, such as meats (sorry, vegetarians, but you get the point), fruits, and vegetables, and less of the foods that come out of a box or bag.

If it draws its nutrients from the earth and wasn’t built entirely by someone in a lab coat, it’s probably better for you.

And when you push the arrow more in the adult direction, your waistline will be pleased, and the diet companies disappointed.

Fun

Remember fun?

It’s the stuff you love doing—the kind that leaves you smiling and already looking forward to the next time.

Yeah, that stuff. Unfortunately, for many people, this doesn’t involve exercise. People treat exercise like a punishment for what they ate the night before, rather than as a reward for what their body can do.

Want proof? Go to your local gym to see people running on the dreadmill or watch the unhappy joggers from your car. They’re having no fun whatsoever. The pained look on their faces is hilarious.

And rather than continuing down this path of punishment, put the fun back into your exercise. According to Michelle Segar, author of No Sweat, enjoyment is the best motivator for exercise.

“Logic doesn’t motivate us; emotions do,” says Segar. In other words, people who exercise for fun stick with it more than those who do so for medical reasons. 

And when you enjoy something, you’re more likely to do it again, and exercise can be one of those things.

Here are a few ideas to start you off.

• Join a recreation league to play a sport you enjoyed during your childhood
• Play hide and seek with your kids or other adults
• Catch, jump rope, or hopscotch
• Play fetch with your dog

But I don’t know what you find fun. Experiment and find out. Your waistline will thank you for it.

Consistency

When life gets busy, chaotic, and overcomplicated, the last thing you want to do is exercise. There is no time to drive to the gym, get changed, do your workout, shower, and drive home. And, not to mention, your energy or lack thereof. Because what you have in the tank changes from day to day.

You know you need to move often, eat fruits, vegetables, and protein, stay hydrated, and get 6-8 hours of sleep a night. The problem is the execution, especially when time and energy are of the essence.

When life feels like a workout, focus on the one thing that will keep you on track with your health, even when you’re buried under everything else. It could be

• Going for a daily walk
• Going to bed earlier
• Eating a salad instead of a hamburger
• Getting some stretching in
• Prepping your food/menu for the week

Because that one thing will feel like you’re doing something positive for your health.

Wrapping up

These four rocks will keep you on the fitness straight and narrow and less likely to be sucked in by the latest and greatest fad. And your money can stay in your wallet for more important things.

Like the Ferrari you’ve had your eye on.

If you need help with the four big rocks, this will help.