Overthinking things may be keeping you overweight, out of shape, and unhappy.

Let me explain with a story.

Recently I gave a 55-year-old guy, married with kids, a simple blueprint for losing five pounds of bodyfat per month.

I'll call him "Perseus" (obviously not his real name). 

We discussed a sensible approach to nutrition, including what to eat and drink, as well as things like what the ratio of protein-carbs-fat should be.

Perseus was given access to a paint-by-numbers nutrition blueprint to help simplify everything.

I asked him to do some "homework" and study the plan.

By the way, I suggest that all new students "suspend your disbelief and take imperfect action."

Respectfully speaking, Perseus did a whole lot of second guessing. He also talked badly about himself, saying he "always failed at getting healthy."

As a coach, I teach that there is no such thing as a foolish question; however, I'm not sure Perseus even bothered to review my plan before firing off at least a half dozen questions.

"OK, great... and do you have any other ideas?"

"What else should I do?"

"Sure, but what's the most important thing I should be doing?"

Hmmm, I thought.

Now it was crystal clear that Perseus didn't do his homework.

Maybe he couldn't suspend his disbelief that change was indeed possible. Or perhaps it was something else.

But if you delay "getting started" too long, you'll end up sabotaging your long-term results.

Good news is that we talked, I answered his questions, and gave him some actionable strategies.

And at the end of his first week, when he followed the exact nutrition plan I suggested, he lost two pounds.

How to Accomplish Your Plan

Now, based on the negative way Perseus sees himself, I have a hunch that he's not going to adhere to the program in the long run.

He'll likely come back three months from now asking me for another blueprint for success.

Truth is, he already has the formula.

It's in his hands, sort of like an unclaimed winning lottery ticket.

But this self-sabotage happens more often than you'd imagine.

Let's say you want to lose weight (aka bodyfat) or get strong. Maybe you want to feel better with fewer aches and pains.

Well, I might suggest you follow these five golden rules:

1. Train smart

Train four times per week, for 45 minutes per session.

When it comes to your workout, don't reinvent the wheel.

Instead, follow a tried-and-true formula: Do resistance training using the principles of progression and overload.

My research-proven plan includes progressive resistance exercise and metabolic conditioning... and a few other not-so-secret "secrets."

2. Practice mindful nutrition

Eat and drink according to your weekly goal.

So if you want to go from 250 pounds to 249 pounds, over the next several days, your nutrition plan should reflect that desire.

I provide my clients with a follow-along "Nutrition Masterclass" to create your exact meal plan so you hit your weekly body recomposition goal.

Every. Single. Week.

3. Get quality sleep

Both your mind and body recovers from stress when you enter the deepest stages of sleep.

Research demonstrates that eight hours of quality sleep nightly seems to be the sweet spot for optimal recovery.

Also, your body manufactures and releases powerful restorative hormones when you are sound asleep.

By the way, your pre-bedtime ritual is often the key to getting a restful night's slumber.

4. Manage your stress

There is no such thing as a "stress-free" life; however, the secret is how you handle the trying times.

Will you manage stress in constructive ways, like with four weekly training sessions?

Or, when times get tough, will you choose to numb yourself with alcohol and other vices?

A well-designed training plan is about the best stress-reducing strategy around.

5. Stay accountable to a coach

Do an accountability check-in on Mondays... aka "Measurement Mondays."

Measure your bodyfat and bodyweight.

Write notes about your training, sleep, and stress from the previous week. 

Discuss what went right and also talk about your "growth areas."

And then send all of this to your spouse, best buddy, or co-worker for them to critique and then offer feedback.

Just kidding!

Your spouse, best buddy, or co-worker should not be coaching you up.

That would be a terrible conflict of interest and these folks are probably not qualified to coach you either.

But even if they were qualified to offer you advice on how to get in the best shape of your life, you would likely ignore their advice.

Why?

Because you are NOT invested and there’s no skin in the game.

People who pay, pay attention.

And those are the ones who get results.

We all need coaching and accountability.

I met another guy, in his early 60s with a big family and a stressful job, who we'll call "Thanatos" (not his real name either).

And he also received a goal-based plan for losing weight and feeling better.

We discussed the aforementioned five golden rules.

Unfortunately his reply was eerily similar...

"Is that all of your ideas? I already know this."

"Can I do anything else?"

"Sounds perfect, but what's the top thing I should do?"

What both of these guys, and so many others, miss is this:

The magic is in the execution of the plan, not the plan itself.

The more you execute, the better you get.

And the more you execute, the more you learn.

It's kind of amazing when you have the right plan and you take imperfect action.

I am here to help you execute a plan to reach your goals and avoid the shiny-object stuff and magic-bullet solutions.

But, if you're not careful, you may fall into those same traps.

If there is a wish I have for you today, it's this:

Execute a simple plan exceedingly well.

Do that and you'll likely exceed your goals.

To your success,

Coach Joe

Joseph Arangio helps 40+ men and women get leaner, stronger, and happier. He's delivered over 100,000 transformation programs to satisfied clients around the globe. If you want to lose weight from home, with the best online longevity personal trainer, or you want to visit the best age-management personal trainer in the Lehigh Valley, you can take a free 14-day trial.