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Have you ever been walking through a grocery store and seen something that sent your cravings into overdrive?

That was me at Sam's Club the other day.

After a long day of training clients, I stopped at Sam's Club to pick up a few things. I didn't get far before the smell of food hit me.

That smell brought me back to my college days when I was so poor that the $1.50 hot dog combo was just about all I could afford. As weird as it sounds, I miss those days sometimes.

The problem is that I'm a personal trainer. Surely, I'm supposed to eat healthily and set a good example for my clients, right?

Wrong.

Not only did I buy that delicious hot dog combo, but I also threw in a slice of greasy pizza to boot. I enjoyed every bit of it without the slightest bit of guilt.

Why?

Because perfection is massively overrated.

Perfection is Overrated

As a young personal trainer, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect. I thought I needed to be in "perfect" shape so my clients would take me seriously.

Thankfully, I came across an article that changed my outlook on fitness.

The article was by Precision Nutrition. They looked at their clients' data to determine how much consistency people needed to lose weight.

It turns out that the answer is not a whole lot. Clients who were only 50% consistent with following their diet and exercise plan still lost a respectable amount of weight.

Yes, being somewhat consistent is important. More consistency leads to better results, but perfection isn't even close to necessary.

That knowledge completely changed my life. It allowed me to live a healthy lifestyle while still remembering to live a little.

Cheat Meals Are Good

Not only would I argue that perfection isn't necessary, but I would also go as far as to say that cheat meals are good.

Most diets suck and are largely unsustainable. If a cheat meal or two will help keep you sane and allow you to stick with your diet longer, go for it.

Obviously, you shouldn't eat "unhealthy" foods all the time. But there is a time and place for everything.

Keep The Main Goal in Mind

The main goal of any diet or exercise routine should be to help you live a happier, healthier, and longer life.

I strongly encourage everyone to live a healthy lifestyle. Just don't take it to an extreme that drives you crazy.

After all, what's the point of living a long life if you don't live a little?