Have you ever eaten that next slice of pizza knowing it will make you feel uncomfortably full?

If this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone.

Here’s why knowledge doesn’t always lead to action and what you’re able to do instead.

There are three main roadblocks that prevent knowledge from turning to action.

None of them are about laziness or beginner’s ignorance, but human nature.

In fact, they affect everyone, even fitness professionals.

Theythinkthey know all about fitness, but they don’t.

It’s no coincidence, either.

Thus, by showering the world with their nuggets of WisdomTM, they construct a persona for themselves.

It also introduces an awkward situation when you attempt to explain why they might be wrong.

Do you know what happens when you contradict someone’s deepest convictions?

They don’t listen.

It’s due to a phenomenon called the "

Backfire Effect

."

This also explains why we have

such polarizing opinions on everything

from vaccinations to America’s involvement in Iraq.

When it comes to fitness, doing the wrong thing leads to burnout.

For example, I see many peoplechase feelings of pain or hungerwhen they give a shot to lose weight.

Just like learning to ride a bike or learning how to program, it’s important tobe curious.

The temptation is to tie fitness to your sense-of-self and develop an ego.

Instead, start fitness with a blank slate and finda place to start learning.

Knowledge, in fact, is the easiest fitness hurdle to get past.

These are known are thought patternsmany of which are cognitive biasesand they influence you to make irrational decisions.

One more won’t hurt.

(Not a formal logical fallacy, but another common rationalization.)

In this case, more knowledge won’t help, and in fact,can actually hurt.

The key to getting past this roadblock is understanding that understanding yourself, not knowledge, is the answer.

You do this by developing the skill of “mindfulness.

“Mindfulnessis theintentional act of being present and focusing your awareness, objectively and without judgement.

You then felt pressure after being offered a cupcake and guilt after finishing it.

When these emotions start coming on, examine them objectively, and without judgment.

You may want to write this pattern down for future you.

Rather, it’s an inevitable one brought on by the emotions and events leading up to it.

You cannot control your feelings.

You are responsible, however, for what you do with them.

Determine the root cause behind your emotions.Perhaps you are stressed at work because of a deadline.

Realize that your need to binge eat or drink stems from the deadline.

Figure out what it’s crucial that you do to fix the root problem.

Focus on how good you will feel the next day after you successfully decoupled your emotions from your actions.

Know that because of this win, you’re less likely to sabotage yourself in the future.

If you’re having problems with motivation-related action, perhaps the action is too large.

It’s worth checking out BJ Fogg’sTiny Habits solutionto get things started.

Regardless, knowledge of yourself is the only bang out that will get you past this second roadblock.

Even the best fitness professionals have problem with following through.

There is a very weak link between theoretical knowledge and practical software.

We could call this the “coaching paradox.”

Interesting, or so I thought before I gradually thought more and more about this issue.

And I’ve done a whole lot of thinking about it throughout the years.

I’ve seen the patterns so many times.

This question is not quite what it first seems to be.

This is about a deep understanding of the self, yourself and others' selves.

Before I only covered the question on a very superficial level.

I didn’t really answer the core question.

The big “Why?”

It’s often hard to take your own advice seriously.

The same things happen with friends and especially family.

Your mom may ask you for training advice, but does she take it?

She goes back to doing the same yoga-cardio hybrid she read in a gossip magazine.

The same thing applies to you, yourself.

The only person who’s known you longer than your mom is YOU.

That immediately places them in a different category.

You never think about what your trainer was like when he was 5.

You never stop to think about all the idiocy they got into in high school.

In short, you view them as an authority, and nothing but an authority.

It’s a strange little phenomenon, but we humans are, after all, strange little creatures.”

The first thing that you’ll need to do is trust in yourself.

By the time you reach this stage, you have demonstrable results to show for it.

Trust in your ability to be mindful.

Don’t second guess yourself.

Next, reframe the knowledge that you want to turn into action as a friend asking you for help.

What would you tell a friend asking you for help on the same problem?

The saying “knowledge is power” is somewhat misleading as it relates to fitness.

Knowledge is aplenty; it only becomes power when you take action.

Images byBoykung(Shutterstock),Iulia Pironea,The Street Photograph, andppix.