The Fitness Industry Myth That’s Keeping You Weak and Sick | Kim Constable – Sculpted Vegan Founder
Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Kim Constable's appearance on Scott D. Clary's podcast, covering everything from childhood resilience and fitness myths to the psychology of belief systems and entrepreneurial success.
1. Boarding school resilience shaped entrepreneurial mindset
Kim Constable's experience being sent to boarding school at age seven fundamentally shaped her character and business approach. When her parents separated shortly after she arrived, she only saw her mother every other weekend, forcing her to become extremely self-reliant. This early hardship taught her to solve problems independently and care for others, including her more fragile sister.
The boarding school experience created someone who could adapt to any situation, from luxury hotels to camping in muddy fields. More importantly, it developed her problem-solving abilities since she couldn't rely on parents for help. She learned to either accept discomfort or find creative solutions to get what she needed. This foundation of resilience and self-reliance became crucial for her later success as an entrepreneur.
2. Critical thinking skills are severely lacking in modern education
Constable observes that schools fail to teach students how to evaluate data objectively, separate from emotion and perception. She notices this problem when people misinterpret her fitness content, assuming she's giving prescriptive advice when she's simply explaining biological processes. For example, when she explains how fructose is processed by the liver, people incorrectly conclude she's telling them to avoid fruit entirely.
The issue extends beyond fitness content to general information consumption. People cannot distinguish between what someone said, what they meant, and what the data actually shows. They struggle with assumptions and presuppositions - understanding what would have to be true for someone to make a particular statement. This inability to think critically about information, especially on social media, leads to poor decision-making and misunderstanding of scientific concepts.
3. Popular cooking oil advice is scientifically backwards
The current trend of cooking with avocado oil represents a fundamental misunderstanding of fat chemistry. Despite being solid in the avocado fruit, avocado oil is actually a polyunsaturated fat with multiple places on its molecular structure that can accept hydrogen atoms. When heated, it becomes highly unstable and readily converts to trans fats, which the body cannot process properly.
True saturated fats - coconut oil, animal fat, and ghee - are the safest for cooking because they're already saturated with hydrogen atoms. They remain stable when heated and cannot become trans fats. The confusion arises because people assume avocado oil is saturated fat due to its solid state in the fruit, but this is simply because it's contained within plant matter, not due to its molecular structure.
4. Rules versus ethics determine how we defend our beliefs
When beliefs are held as rules based on fear, people feel compelled to punish others who break those rules. Constable illustrates this with her son's extreme veganism, where he would argue with her daily about not being "vegan enough." This punitive behavior indicated his veganism was a fear-based rule rather than an integrated ethical stance.
When something becomes a true ethic, it integrates into your identity without creating defensive reactions. You don't need to convince others or punish them for different choices. If someone challenges an ethical position, you can simply acknowledge their point without feeling threatened. The key difference is that rules require external validation and conformity to feel secure, while ethics are internally consistent and don't depend on others' behavior.
5. Veganism won't magically transform your health or physique
Despite common expectations, transitioning to veganism typically produces no noticeable health improvements. Constable emphasizes that she experienced no changes in energy, digestion, muscle growth, or overall wellbeing when becoming vegan. This honesty contradicts the common narrative of dramatic health transformations that many vegans claim to experience.
The myth of vegan health benefits often stems from cognitive dissonance - people need to justify their dietary choice after making it, so they retroactively attribute positive changes to veganism. This creates unrealistic expectations that lead to disappointment when the promised benefits don't materialize. A healthy omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan diet can all be equally effective depending on individual circumstances and adherence.
6. Childhood trauma creates lifelong stimulus-response patterns
Constable explains how seemingly minor childhood incidents can create permanent behavioral triggers through the limbic system. Using the example of spilling milk while her mother was stressed, she shows how a child's fight-or-flight response links environmental cues to emotional states. These patterns persist into adulthood as non-cognitive reactions to similar triggers.
Adults then apply logic to these irrational fears without addressing the underlying emotional programming. Someone might develop an aversion to certain foods, sounds, or situations based on these early experiences. Understanding this process helps explain seemingly irrational behaviors and reactions. The key insight is that these responses operate below conscious awareness, making them difficult to change through rational thinking alone.
7. Attention determines what exists in your personal reality
A profound realization came when Constable heard about negative content created about her by someone with millions of followers. She recognized that if she deleted her social media apps, this content would effectively cease to exist in her reality. This insight revealed that we have complete control over what influences us by choosing where to direct our attention.
The principle extends beyond social media to all aspects of life. External criticism, praise, or drama only affects us when we engage with it. By consciously choosing what deserves attention, we can eliminate sources of stress and negativity from our experience. This perspective provides tremendous freedom from external validation and criticism.
8. Most diet benefits come from macro elimination, not specific protocols
Different diets succeed primarily by removing entire macronutrient categories, making overconsumption difficult rather than providing unique metabolic advantages. Keto eliminates carbohydrates, while low-fat diets remove fats, both naturally creating caloric restriction. Even extreme approaches like eating only rice and chicken make it nearly impossible to overeat due to appetite suppression.
The effectiveness of any diet depends more on consistency and adherence than the specific protocol chosen. The "best" diet is simply the one someone can follow long-term while maintaining appropriate calorie balance. This practical approach removes the mystique around popular diets and focuses on sustainable behavior change rather than searching for magical solutions.
9. Menopause creates biological insulin resistance requiring dietary adjustment
During perimenopause, declining estrogen triggers the body to divert more energy toward fat storage to compensate for reduced hormone production. This creates insulin resistance in muscle cells, making weight gain inevitable even without dietary changes. The process represents a biological adaptation, not a personal failure or lack of willpower.
Women can counteract this effect through precise calorie and macro counting combined with resistance training. Even if insulin resistance initially stores more energy as fat, maintaining a proper energy balance ensures the body will break down fat cells for fuel. The key insight is that menopause requires more disciplined dietary management, not because of personal weakness, but due to legitimate physiological changes that demand adaptive strategies.
10. Difficult conversations measure life success
Constable's core philosophy centers on willingness to have uncomfortable conversations as the primary determinant of life satisfaction. This means directly addressing problems with the relevant person rather than avoiding conflict or complaining to others. Such directness prevents issues from festering and eliminates the mental burden of unresolved tensions.
This approach requires developing comfort with discomfort and prioritizing honest communication over temporary peace. The practice extends to all relationships - family, work, and personal connections. People never have to wonder about your feelings or intentions because you communicate them clearly and promptly. While initially challenging, this habit creates deeper relationships and eliminates the stress of unspoken conflicts.