If you need to hear this…

I’ve received several messages from readers recently that have my Spidey senses tingling.

Here are some examples:

“I’ve been training 3 times a week for 16 weeks. It’s going well and I’m seeing changes, but I’m not sure if my progress is good enough or what I’m missing.”

“I’m afraid my goals aren’t specific enough. I feel a little lost and there are so many things to consider. I’m not sure I have it all figured out.”

This echoes a question I’ve talked about before: What “enough” fitness actually looks like​?

It is normal to ask these questions. We all need reassurance that what we do actually matters.

And if you’re looking for a starting point or a recalibration, the Nerd Fitness Getting Started Guide​ offers excellent frameworks to point you in the right direction.

But what if our fears fell prey to a fitness industry obsessed with optimization – by focusing on details and exaggerating their importance? And as a Magic: the Gathering nerd, I get it. I love know the details and fine-tune the system.

But if we focus too much on perfection, we can lose sight of the real impact of the fundamentals. And how awesome that you’re already working on these pieces. Don’t get me wrong. My message is not “Don’t worry! Just do the basics.”

For many people I talk to, it’s this: You are already doing very well.

If you want to make some adjustments, that’s great, but make sure you Also celebrate the foundation you are building. Fitness shouldn’t be another reason to feel bad.

Most of us are already juggling a lot of things: work, home, imperfect schedules, and limited time and energy.

The more people I talk to, the more I realize that what most people need is not more information, but rather reassurance and clarity that they are on the right track. That they are doing enough. That they are enough.

And often, that clarity comes from understanding what you can let gonot what else you need to add.

If you strength train several times a week, take short breaks during the day, or do a few hours of general activity each week, you’re already doing it. so much good.

Everything else? Details.

And sure, it can be fun to get lost in the details, but not at the expense of celebrating what you’ve already built.

Every representative. Every walking break. Every little victory.

Everything counts.

-Mast