Welcome back to the Daily Dumbbell! We're like your corner man in the ring. You might end each day beat up and sweaty, but when that bell rings, we're here to patch you up, give you some good advice, and get you hyped up to take on another round.

Today we’re talking about the importance of persistence in your fitness journey as well as our newest feature: Metabolic Monday!

With seemingly everyone armed with a study that backs up their insane position, how do you sift through the nonsense and find the truth? We’ve got you covered.

Let’s dive in!

Mind The Gap:
The Role of Persistence in Your Journey

In the world of sales, there's a concept known as The Persistence Gap.

The Idea: Potential clients need to hear from you on average 5 times before they trust you enough to do business with you.

The Problem: Most salespeople give up after 3 unsuccessful tries.

This is why persistence is so crucial in sales – and the same is true for your fitness journey.

Whether you're trying to establish a gym routine, incorporate more vegetables into your diet, or break the habit of using your phone before bed, you probably won't nail it on the first try. 

In fact, studies have shown most smokers try to quit 30 times before successfully kicking the habit. THIRTY!

You’ve likely heard that it takes 21 days to build a habit. Or was it 30 days? Well it’s neither because it’s not that simple. From James Clear:

Make sure to read that last part again.

It doesn’t matter if you mess up every now and then. It’s not an all or nothing process.

Changing how we go about life is hard. True change is difficult. It will be messy. So what can you do to make it easier? Well, read James Clear’s book Atomic Habits for one. But we have a simple mindset shift for you:

Understand that there will be bumps in the road.

You will experience setbacks and moments of frustration. If you know this going into it, you can avoid those feelings of guilt, shame, and frustration that so often drives us to give up.

Because you already know you’re going to: 

• skip the gym sometimes

• indulge in your favorite fast food

• get injured and feel discouraged

Reframe: Instead of feeling like a failure for missing a workout or even skipping for a week. Take the pressure off. It’s all part of the process.

Think of it like a punch card for your favorite coffee shop.

So you botched it, that just means you’re one step closer to getting it to stick. Keep going.

Embrace the challenge and close the habit gap. Success and a free coffee are waiting for you just around the corner.

Sweet Confusion:
Artificial Sweeteners & You

In the age of social media, it's easier than ever for a single tweet to spark a heated debate, and this week, we saw it happen with artificial sweeteners. Dr. Mike shared a study from 2021 suggesting that these sweet substitutes might actually increase food cravings and appetite, reigniting the controversy surrounding their use.

But are studies like these really worth the attention they receive, or are they just muddying the waters and fueling the fire for health conspiracy theorists?

Have you heard the expression “Can’t see the forest for the trees?”

It refers to someone who gets so involved in the details they aren’t able to see the situation as a whole. This debate, and many others in the health and fitness world suffer from this exact issue.

The Problem: An obsession with mechanistic data. Mechanistic Malaria…or Myopic Mania… Malignant Myopia? We’ll keep workshopping that.

Said another way: Many influencers and health gurus get caught up in cellular functions and acute bodily responses to certain foods/activities. They then extrapolate short term changes into long term results, ignoring that we already have long term results…

For instance, this Meta Analysis of 17 Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) that showed people who switch to diet drinks lose more weight.

So why do these seemingly contradictory studies still make headlines? And how can we protect ourselves from the Madness of Myopia?

It's no secret that research can be complex and often confusing, especially when it comes to nutrition and health. With so many studies out there, it's easy for jabronis to twist the conversation and make us question our habits.

But before we let these attention-grabbing headlines sway our decisions, it's essential to consider the bigger picture. While some studies might suggest that artificial sweeteners increase cravings or appetite, this isn't the full story.

The real question we should be asking is: do people who drink diet soda end up stuffing their faces more and gaining weight?

The answer: according to numerous RCTs, is a resounding no. In fact, people who switch to diet drinks not only lose more weight compared to those who continue to consume the sugary version, but they also hang with the water drinking crowd just fine.

The Bottom Line: Don't get sucked into the black hole of conflicting studies and health conspiracy theories. Keep your focus on what really matters in your health and fitness journey.

Health isn't just about a single study or headline. It's about making smart choices, paying attention to your body, and finding what feels groovy to you and your body.

Anyway, this issue was brought to you by Diet Coke! Your ally in weight loss. And for 30 days a year, your ally in all things LGBTQ. Just don’t ask them about it before or after June.

JK Fitness Fam. We don’t take bribes. Yet. If you have a bribe for us though please reach out.

If not, have a Marvelous Monday and be sure to stop by tomorrow morning for our feature on the new creatine study!