Whether you’re experienced in the field of diet and fitness or a total beginner, following a structured plan can be a great option. That said, this way of life won’t suit everybody, and many people opt to fly solo, looking at their relationship with food and exercise as a case of trial and error. Neither method is right nor wrong, it’s simply a case of finding what works for you – and running with it. Like everything, there are pros and cons to both options, so let’s dig a little deeper on the subject, shall we? Pros of following a plan
  • You might find that you’re more motivated to stay on track. Having something that isn’t too dissimilar from a script is a great way of pushing your boundaries on a daily basis. Furthermore, having something to refer to when you get stuck, somebody to talk to when you feel as though you’ve hit a wall and the ability to have a peek at what lies ahead can be extremely motivating for many people. If you decide to embark on this journey alone, you may feel lost, and before you know it you’ve delved into the sweetie cupboard because “you have no plan to follow, so it’s ok”.
  • You know what you’re doing is right. When you follow a plan that has been created for you specifically, you are confident throughout that you’re working towards that end goal. You know what to eat and drink, and you know what to do when you rock up at the gym. All you need to do is stick by it, and let the magic happen. On the other hand, if you’re plan-free, you might question absolutely everything. “Is this workout good enough for my level of fitness?” “Am I eating too much or not enough?” “Am I doing well?” Hands up if this sounds familiar...
  • The support is always there. If you follow what is considered to be a well-known plan, such as one created by a popular publication, a company that sits highly in the health industry or a global fitness personality who has transformed seemingly half the world's population, you will have thousands of people supporting you. Whether it’s in the form of weekly meet ups, an online group or forum, or even just social media – you’re not alone. There is a huge community of people doing it with you. On the other hand, if you’re following your own guidelines, it can be tricky to find somebody to turn to – unless you’re lucky enough to know people with outstanding health and fitness advice!
Cons of following a plan
  • You might feel restricted. Having this so-called ‘script’ to follow day in, day out, might do the opposite and in fact tear down your motivation, leaving you unsure about a number of aspects when it comes to both diet and fitness. Naturally, everyone’s minds and bodies work in their own, individual way, so it’s unrealistic to expect one person’s routine to work for everyone. This is where creating your own rules could become a more realistic option, that way, the only restrictions you have are the ones you’ve set yourself.
  • You might disagree with it. “But I don’t like this food?” “This isn’t the sort of exercise I want to be doing!” These are two examples of questions that might play on your mind as you work your way through a plan. You’ve paid for it, and you’ve committed far too much time and energy into it to simply give up, but you’re still not happy – what do you do? Again, this is the beauty of ‘winging it’, shall we say. If you don’t like the targets you’ve set yourself, you can change them at zero cost.
  • You could do damage to existing progress. This is unlikely, of course, but unfortunately not all structured plans are winners. If you’ve made great progress before starting the plan, and then begin to find that your results are heading in the wrong direction, do you pack it in or do you soldier on through and hope for the best? If you go solo it's likely that you made that original progress by following similar principles, and so the only way you can damage that progress is by scoffing cake and sipping one too many G&Ts. An easy mistake to make, granted.
Plan vs no plan. What do we think? They are fairly equal in the grand scheme of things, with plenty of pros and cons to both, but this opinion will vary from person to person. If you’ve had great results from either following a plan, or taking matters into your own hands, we’d love to see! Tag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, or use the hashtag ‘fitnesssuperstore’.