How to Rebuild After A Long Absence
Many people who start training with us are starting something brand new – let’s say 50%. A few have been working with something for a long time but moved or are looking for a change in approach – let’s call that 10%. The remaining 40% are people who used to be in great shape but something – an injury, an illness, a move, a change in life circumstance – took them off track and after months or years, they just can’t seem to get back to where they once were. I see this all the time.
Usually three years ago, five years ago, ten years ago… these people were training 5-6 days per week, not eating any processed foods, eating lots of protein, tracking their macronutrients, drinking tons of water, sleeping well, stretching all the time, and generally looking and feeling great. By the time they come to us they’ve started and stopped a dozen times but just can’t go for more than a few days with that routine that worked so well in the past.
Two things are at play here, one (which is for another post another day) is that the system that they built is fragile. It worked while everything was going well, but when a wrench was thrown into it (and I don’t want to downplay this; often when I hear these stories, it’s a big wrench), the system collapsed. The other thing is what we’ll dive into.
A system where you’re training with the focus and intensity that people describe to me is what let’s call a Level 10 System. It’s advanced. It tackles movement, nutrition, hydration, and sleep and is pulling all those levers at high levels. I don’t know a single person though who starts with a Level 10 System.
All of these people usually started with something like working out twice a week (a Level 1 System). They liked it so they started going 3 times per week (a Level 2 System). Then they started doing a protein shake after the gym (a Level 3 System). Then they started to cut back on processed foods (a Level 4 System). And they kept adding/increasing/optimizing until they had this big, powerful Level 10 System that gave them results they were thrilled with.
Then something knocked them way back and they didn’t or couldn’t train/eat/sleep the way they used to for months or years.
So many people who find themselves in that situation very reasonably look back and say to themselves “That Level 10 System worked so well for me before! That’s what I need to do now.” The problem is that it took a long time to climb that mountain up to Level 10 (watch out, I’m mixing metaphors here). Once you fall off the top of the mountain you can’t just leap back to the summit again. You have to start at the bottom and begin climbing.
If it’s been a long time, it’s obvious to people that they aren’t at Level 10 in their health anymore, but it’s less obvious that they’re also not at Level 10 in their Systems anymore. So what’s a guy or gal to do?
Build a new Level 1 System.
That might be the same way you started the first time. It might not be. Things look different a few years later. It’s ok if salads were the first step last time and evening walks are the first step this time. But somebody who’s rebuilding after a long absence and somebody who’s starting fresh both need the same broad approach: start small and build consistency. Pick 1-2 things that you can reliably do at least 80% of the time that you say you’re going to them. Get those locked in for at least 6 weeks. Then, and only then, build to a Level 2 System.
This is how you go slow to go fast. This is how you build a foundation. This is how you stop having an all-out super amazing and intense four days and then a total crash for 3 weeks. And the great news is that although in some ways you’re starting over, your beginning point is way ahead of where it was the first time. And it’s totally possible to build back better, healthier, stronger, and more resilient than ever before.
