Transformation Depends on What You’ve S-A-I-D

Tiffany flashes a bright smile as she enters the gym with an energy that defies the lateness of the hour and the demands of her 14-hour day.  It’s hard to believe that she is the same twenty-something whose inner voice had the words “this will never work;” “you can’t change;” “it’s not worth it” on relentless repeat just eight months ago.  

Research psychologists say that the inner voice starts in early childhood and establishes an endless commentary on ourselves and the world around us.  Whether that internal monologue boosts us up or breaks us down initially stems from how our earliest skills were taught to us.  When it comes to health and wellness, a lot of us start like Tiffany: completely self-defeating, even downright mean to ourselves.  We constantly hear how “pathetic” “ugly” “lazy” we are in our self-talk.  

But we can change that.  We must.  In fact, we are empowered to change what we’ve said so viciously for so long with a concept that health and fitness professionals refer to as the SAID principle:

The principle of Specificity, often referred to as the SAID -Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands principle- states that the body will adapt to the specific demand placed on it.  However, the body can only adapt if it has a reason to adapt.

Why is the SAID principle the antidote to your inner hater?  Because SAID stipulates two crucial points: 1) that the body is infinitely adaptable and 2) given a physical demand the body has no choice but to comply.  The SAID principle changes the conversation from one based on physically irrelevant factors like doubts, grudges, and preferences to compelling parameters like heart rate, muscle recruitment, and consistency.

What this means is the body responds whether you like to exercise or not.  Indeed, one of the best examples of this concept might not even strike you as exercise.  When my teenagers were babies, it wasn’t considered safe to let them sleep on their stomachs although my siblings and I all slept that way.  Because of this, my pediatrician insisted that we dedicate some of their waking time to laying on their bellies.  They screamed.  They didn’t have the strength to hold their heads up.  But, those unwelcome faceplant- in- an- activity- blanket moments; those deliberate demands imposed on too-weak muscles and the dissatisfaction that came with them; is what told those bodies- “I have to put more muscle here.”  Liking the experience, feeling inept, wishing things were different-all irrelevant.

So, the next time you hear your inner voice saying you’ll “never be good enough” or “are disgusting, weak, or too far gone” remember that your body is not, in fact cannot be the enemy.  Be specific.  Impose a demand that aligns to your goals. If you’re uncertain like Tiffany was, enlist a friend, class, or professional who defines the details and changes the critique from appearance and comparison with others to effort and performance. In time, you’ll hear this person’s voice in your head. Then eventually you’ll find yourself saying positive and productive words in first person. Transforming the inside transforms the outside. Fitness becomes a second language that evolves from what’s been SAID.