I was on a flight this week.
Delayed, cramped, some bloke trying to shove a suitcase the size of a fridge into the overhead locker.
You know the drill.
Anyway, we’re sat on the runway, and I started thinking about this random thing a member once told me who is a pilot.
That planes fly at different altitudes depending which way they’re going.
Eastbound flights use odd numbers like 31,000 feet.
Westbound go even, like 32,000.
Now, I might’ve remembered that completely wrong, could be absolute bollocks, but you get where I’m going with this.
It’s a system.
A structure.
So everyone knows where they are and no one crashes into each other.
Which is kind of like what I wish more people did with their health and fitness.
Because I’ve seen this play out time and time again.
Someone starts making progress.
Losing weight.
Feeling better.
Getting stronger.
Then suddenly, they change direction.
They start tracking calories, but then switch to low carb because a podcast said insulin is the enemy.
Then they throw in intermittent fasting.
Then they’re doing ‘clean eating’ … whatever that means.
Then they panic because the scales go up after a Chinese, so they cut carbs again.
It’s like switching from eastbound to westbound mid-flight.
No wonder they end up confused, frustrated, and getting nowhere.
Here’s the truth.
You need to stay in your lane.
Stick with one approach long enough to actually let it work.
You don’t have to be perfect.
But jumping between methods every week is like building a house, knocking it down, and starting again, over and over.
It’s tiring.
And it gets you nowhere.
Next bit, and this is important.
It’s the boring stuff that keeps you moving.
No one thinks about what altitude the plane’s flying at.
You just want your bag to arrive and to get off before everyone else stands up.
But those invisible rules are what keep the thing in the air.
Same in fitness.
It’s not flashy.
It’s protein targets.
It’s steps.
It’s planning your meals.
It’s getting to bed on time.
It’s not smashing it for 2 weeks and then ghosting the gym for 3.
It’s doing the boring stuff consistently.
That’s what works.
Last one, and this is where people trip up most.
Stop trying to outsmart the system.
There is no hack.
There is no perfect split.
There is no supplement that lets you eat like a bin and still lose fat.
You’re not broken.
You’re just fighting the basics instead of following them.
I get it.
The basics are dull.
You won’t go viral on TikTok for drinking more water or having a proper meal at lunch instead of skipping it.
But that’s what actually works.
So look …
Next time you’re tempted to switch plans again…
Next time you feel like “it’s not working”…
Next time your mate sends you some new diet thing to try…
Remember this.
Planes don’t change altitude every 10 minutes.
And the people getting proper results aren’t chasing shiny new ideas every week either.
They’re staying in their lane.
Following the basics.
Doing the boring stuff well.
And that’s why they get to where they want to go.
-Ryan