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Summary
On episode 545 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan introduces the MNS Temperature Check, a weekly self assessment tool for movement, nutrition, and self-care that trades pass or fail tracking for a more honest, subjective read on how the week actually went.
His argument is that measuring only results, the number on the scale, a personal record in the gym, can be misleading because results don’t always match effort, and that simple yes or no tracking (did you work out today) invites perfectionism, where missing one workout out of four feels like total failure even after three good ones. His fix is a two part weekly check-in: rate movement, nutrition, and self-care on a temperature scale from freezing to boiling with a short reason why, then pick exactly one area, the biggest rock, to focus on for the coming week.
He credits the idea to a mix of sources, including a subjective rating system from a conversation with Alan Aragon and Tony Horton’s habit of marking a red X on a paper calendar for each completed workout, and walks through how the process builds self-awareness over time.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Measuring only results can be misleading. You can do everything right, food, training, sleep, and still have the scale not move or a workout feel off, because results and effort don’t always line up in a straight line.
- Simple yes or no tracking invites perfectionism. Missing one workout out of four planned sessions can feel like failure, even though three completed workouts is real progress.
- The MNS Temperature Check rates three foundations on a temperature scale rather than a stoplight. Movement, nutrition, and self-care are each rated from freezing to boiling, which gives more nuance than a simple red, yellow, or green.
- Each weekly check-in has two parts. First rate and briefly explain why for movement, nutrition, and self-care, then pick exactly one area, the biggest rock, to put extra effort into for the coming week instead of trying to fix everything at once.
- Self-care is defined broadly. It covers sleep, stress management, social connection, avoiding toxins, and doing things that bring joy, not just diet and workouts.
- The process is designed to be fast and low-tech. It should take only a few minutes, done on paper or a calendar, borrowing Tony Horton’s method of marking a red X for every completed workout.
- Honesty is what makes the tool work. Because the rating is subjective, it only has value if you are not just telling yourself what you want to hear, which is why Allan recommends doing it when you are clear headed rather than frustrated.
- Grace matters as much as the rating itself. A rough self-care week during a vacation or a busy stretch isn’t a failure if you can explain why, and three out of four workouts still counts as a solidly warm week, not a loss.
“Self-reflection, self-assessment is not meant to be a punishment. It’s meant to be a learning opportunity.”
Coach Allan Misner
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