The Efficiency Paradox, a Honey Shrimp Salad, and Why Motivation Isn’t Enough

NUTRITION
Recipe Of The Week
Hot Honey Shrimp Cobb Salad
Approx Macros: 36g C/ 49g P/ 28g F

Ingredients:

FOR THE SHRIMP

• 16 ounces shrimp, frozen or fresh

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons hot honey

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• ½ cup fresh cilantro

• 1 jalapeno, stem removed

• ¼ cup lime juice, about 2 limes worth

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

FOR THE SALADS

• 1 head romaine, chopped

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes

• 1 large avocado, flesh cut into ½-inch pieces

• ⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 3 pieces cooked bacon, chopped

• 3 hard-boiled eggs, halved

• 1 lime, cut into wedges

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Add the frozen shrimp with the olive oil to a large skillet over medium/high heat. Cook and keep stirring until the shrimp are defrosted and starting to look opaque.

2. Add the chili powder, salt, oregano, garlic powder, hot honey, and the lime juice. Toss to combine and keep cooking until the shrimp have curled tightly and are completely opaque. This should take about 10-15 minutes total.

3. Make the dressing by blending the Greek yogurt, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and sea salt together in a blender or food processor until smooth.

4. To assemble the bowls, add an equal amount of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, chopped bacon, egg halves, prepared shrimp, lime wedge, and salt and pepper to taste.​​ Enjoy with the dressing right away or store for later.
   

FITNESS
The Efficiency Paradox: Why Your Workouts Might Be Burning Fewer Calories Over Time

You’re doing everything “right.” Hitting your workouts, getting your steps in, following your routine. But somewhere along the way… your results plateau. The fat loss slows down. You’re not seeing the changes you expected from the same amount of effort.

What gives?

Welcome to the Efficiency Paradox.

Here’s what it means in simple terms:
The better your body gets at doing something… the less energy (aka calories) it needs to do it.

It’s a concept called exercise efficiency, and it’s a double-edged sword. Great for performance, not always great for fat loss.

Let’s break it down:

Your body is smart. When you do the same type of movement repeatedly—say walking 3.5mph on a treadmill, lifting the same weights, or hitting that go-to spin class—it adapts.

Your heart gets better at pumping blood.
Your lungs don’t have to work as hard.
Your muscles become more coordinated.
And your calorie burn? Goes down for the same workout.

In college I used to watch women go for the same run every day…they’d show up to the gym at the same time and do the same exact run every single time. You know what I noticed? They never changed…their running or their physique. they had adapted so even though they were doing a workout every single day, their body had adapted and was not changing.

Why? Because your body now sees that workout as “easy.” Less effort required = fewer calories burned.

Efficiency = Less Energy Spent

Now, this is good news if you’re training for endurance, performance, or athletic goals. A marathon runner wants to be highly efficient so they can go farther, faster, and longer with less energy output.

But when fat loss is the goal?
You actually want to be inefficient. You want your body to work harder, not easier, to complete the task. That’s where the calorie burn lives.

So… should you keep changing everything?

Not necessarily. This isn’t about ditching your entire routine. It’s about strategic variety and understanding adaptation.

Here’s how to use this to your advantage:

• Change up your cardio every few weeks. Try new machines, outdoor routes, or interval formats.

• Periodize your training. Adjust rep ranges, rest periods, or training splits every 4–6 weeks.

• Incorporate “newness.” New stimulus = more energy demand. Even changing the order of your exercises can challenge your body differently.

And most importantly—don’t forget progressive overload.
That little phrase is your secret weapon. Continuously increasing the demand (weight, reps, intensity, etc.) is how you push through plateaus and keep your body adapting.

The Takeaway

Your body wants to be efficient—it’s literally built to adapt and conserve energy. That’s a gift, but also a challenge when you’re aiming for fat loss.

The key? Stay one step ahead. Keep your body guessing, stay curious, and remember: plateaus aren’t the end. They’re just a sign it’s time to level up.

Coach’s Tip: Keep Your Body Guessing

Try this next week:
Swap one of your regular steady-state cardio sessions for a 20-minute incline walk or a bodyweight circuit (think: squats, push-ups, mountain climbers, jump lunges).
→ Set a timer for 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest. Cycle through 4–5 movements, rest 1 minute, then repeat 3–4 rounds.

Why it works: These quick shifts in movement type, intensity, and muscle recruitment challenge your body in new ways—exactly what you want to stay “inefficient” and keep that calorie burn high.

MINDSET
Never Rely on Motivation

One of my friends posted on Facebook the other day “ I really need to start exercising but have zero motivation. How in the world can I get motivated to get started. NOT EVEN MY CARDIOLOGIST can motivate me….” Read that again. This person’s LIFE is in danger if they don’t start exercising and they are WAITING for motivation. Here’s what I have to say:

Nobody is going to come along...

Hold your hand...

Give you a "kick in the ass"...

...and motivate you to do all the things you said you would.

Nobody.

So quit looking for motivation.

You're not always going to feel motivated.

You're not always going to have energy.

You're not always going to want to do the work required.

...But if you truly want to build a life of greatness...

You need to execute on these days too.

This requires discipline.

Condition yourself to push through the uncomfortable moments and times you don't feel like doing what needs to get done.

The more you do...

The more you will build the skill of discipline.

Motivation is temporary.

Discipline is forever.

...but only if you continue to exercise it.

Make yourself Better Today.