19 most common mistakes that limited the health of care seekers

Your health is 100% your responsibility

1) Looking for a quick fix

There is no such thing as a pill, diet, or infomercial product that can "fix" your health. The healthcare system supports this model because it makes you a consumer for life. You either keep buying their bandaid solutions or choose to put in the work.

2) Lack of personal responsibility

No one else got you into this position and no one else can get you out. Blaming everyone else for your lifelong choices is keeping you where you are.

3) Took their doctors word

MDs are not God though some believe it. They have biases and are working based off of their own educational experiences. Med school provides limited education in the areas of nutrition and fitness. Ask questions and seek second opinions.

4) High stress and anxiety

The mind and body are a single functioning unit. If you mentally are a wreck it will manifest itself in the body slowing recovery, increasing pain, and shortening your life. Your mind needs training and recovery the same way your body does.

5) Chose surgery right away

Surgery should be your last option in all non emergent scenarios. The body has tools to heal itself when given a proper diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management routine. Surgery is irreversible and often leads to additional surgery.

6) Lack of compliance

Many people are given the formula for success but lack the discipline to see it through. Education and building a wealth of knowledge are pointless without application. Discipline is built on consistent action.

7) Allowed others to influence their health

Young athletes often allowed parents and coaches to impact their readiness to return to sport. Only you know if you're ready for competition again and only you will deal with the consequences of going back before you're truly ready.

8) Poor diet

Exercise cannot overcome a poor diet. No matter how hard you work it will continue to hold back your recovery and your performance. Whether you're 18 or 80 your diet will play the biggest role in you reaching your fitness and longevity goals.

9) Strength without mobility

When you build strength without proper range of motion you will consistently find injury. Muscles operate best at specific muscle lengths with full range of motion throughout the joint. Establish mobility, build strength, and improve performance.

10) Limited understanding of medications

Anything that goes into your body is your responsibility. Never take anything without knowing what it is for. The less you understand about them the greater your dependency and higher your risk for negative complications.

11) Unrealistic expectations

Goals are great but they must be attainable. No one trains for a marathon in a week. Starting your training at 0 and trying to run 10 miles the first day only ends one way. Set big goals but be sure to build a progressive and sustainable plan.

12) Waited too long

Pain is the body's way of letting you know there is a problem. You can continue to ignore it or you can find ways to address the source of the problem. When you identify the source of a problem you can not only take care of the pain but improve performance.

13) Terrible recovery

You can be the hardest worker but never reach your goals when you don't know how to recover. Approach your recovery with the intensity you do your training. -Diet -Hydration -Sleep -Mobilty -Stress Management These are the ways you unlock your potential.

14) Lack of preventative care

This is healthcare in a nutshell. Wait until a problem presents itself before doing anything about it. This doesn't work on your house or car but you expect it to work on your body. 30 years of neglect can't be solved in a few weeks time.

15) Quantity over quality

Stop focusing on the volume, weight, and pace of your workouts and stay focused on building quality. Just going through the motions or trying to impress others in the process is not serving you.

16) Didn't advocate for themselves

Health professionals job is to advise others to help them make an informed decision not make the decision for them. If you do not agree with them speak up. Their feelings shouldn't be your concern.The only life impacted by this decision is yours.

17) Injection over exercise

As mentioned earlier pain is a clue that something is wrong. Steroid injections have a time and a place but using them to mask a functional problem is not a longterm solution. You need to identify the root cause and restore strength and mobility.

18) Didn't value sleep

Your sleep and recovery are closely connected. It makes little sense to pour your time, sweat, and money into trying to be at your best and then neglecting the time for your body to rebuild.

19) Wouldn't listen

Some people can be given all the knowledge and resources in the world but they simply will not listen. Don't let stubbornness and arrogance prevent you from taking the next step.

Author: Chris Boettcher