To have quick results or a sustainable approach. That is the question. We want it both ways!!!
While there’s no shame in looking for a top secret shortcut or magical wand to “Expecto Patronum!” away the body fat, we need to appreciate that all good things take time. Especially fitness results.
Let’s face it. It’s 2020 and we all walk around with teeny tiny computer in our pocket that contain the secrets of the universe. It’s not entirely our fault, nor is it entirely new, that as a society we tend to look for instant gratification in our endeavors. Whether it be a poke on Facebook; a match on tinder; a like on Instagram; or a re-tweet; we crave quick results, to the point it becomes an addiction.
DO SHORTCUTS WORK?
So what, exactly is the secret shortcut you ask? There are no shortcuts! Well, at least nothing that’s sustainable. When it comes to living a healthy and happy AF life it’s about finding a sustainable approach and understand that it’s going to be a forever-evolving process that cannot be rushed. We must trust the process and be patient.
While shortcuts and extreme measures may yield some small degree of change in the short term the reality is that they are temporary and in some cases potentially dangerous. For example, things like extremely low carb/calorie diets may begin by reducing weight for the first week or so, but the weight loss is mostly water leaving the body, which will return upon resuming a healthier eating pattern.
Depriving your body of essential nutrients and food can affect everything from health, sleep, energy, recovery, and the list goes on. If we are serious about making healthy changes in our life, please understand that your body needs time to adapt. Any true adaptation is achieved through repetition, practice, and patience. For real results, you MUST trust the process.
HATCHING SUSTAINABLE RESULTS
Let’s consider a chicken egg. After a chicken lays her egg, it takes around 21 days for the egg to hatch. There are 3 weeks where the mother sits on this visibly unchanged egg, but does the mother give up on the egg, throwing her wings up in disgust because it remains visibly unchanged? No, she trusts the process, knowing that just because she can’t see anything happening on the outside, there is plenty going on inside the eggshell. This is the process. This is THE WAY.
I will admit however that ‘the way’ isn’t easy to trust. When you can’t see it, touch it, smell it, snuggle it… it’s hard to have faith. But just because you can’t always see the progress doesn’t mean it’s not there!
So now that we understand what to do, we must now figure out how to do it. Understanding this is a process, we must be patient and have a plan. The first step is to create a plan, and to establish a few short and long-term goals, because failing to plan = planning to fail. Here are the next steps of taking action!
1. HAVE A PLAN
I won’t sit here and tell you can’t succeed without a plan. But I will tell you that your chance of ultimate success and fitness glory will increase exponentially when you have a plan of attack.
Your plan can (and should) include things like:
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A training program. This can be tailored to your abilities and should include things you can do both in AND outside of the gym. What exercises will you do? How will you increase the weight/challenge over time? When will you change up the program? How will you honor your body?
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A nutrition plan. This should be EASY for you to follow and help you directly work on improving your own habits. It’s important to have a few go-to meals handy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as what to eat when you’re at home, on the road, or in a rush. How many calories should you aim for daily? How much of your daily nutrition is coming from fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed whole foods? How much protein do you need to consume daily?
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S.M.A.R.T. goal or goals. It helps a TON to have a specific goal to work towards that you can measure and has and end date. It can help you know when you’re on or off track and give you some focus BUUUUUUUUTTTTT, and I can’t stress this enough, a goal is a moving target. Even if you don’t hit it you’re moving towards something. That is the secret key to a goal.
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Backup plan. This is where I tend to see most people fail. What happens on this days/weeks/months when shit hits the fan? What happens when life gets in the way or motivation is just in the crapper? Rather than being sabotaged by an ‘all or nothing’ mindset, having a backup plan to do ‘lite’ workouts (20min here and there), work on tiny habits (just nail breakfasts every day), or just recognize that you can take a week or two off and get back on track goes a long way. Having that back up plan ready before you get started: gold.
Don’t know where to start with your fitness or nutrition plan… or both? Let our team guide you towards getting started and having a plan!
2. TRACK RESULTS + ADJUST VARIABLES
This requires a little strategic planning up front and I will admit, tracking isn’t fun for most people. You should still do it.
Here are three reasons why:
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It can help you know exactly where you are now.
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It helps you know when you’re on or off track.
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When you can see metrics you can adjust.
As the saying goes: “What get’s measured can be managed and what can be managed can improve.”
The first step is to figure out what you want to measure and when it comes to physical changes, how you measure is also important. If your goal is to look better in the mirror taking pictures is great strategy but if your goal is to drop 2 pants sizes, your measurement may be your pants. Measure what matters most to YOU.
When it comes to nutrition, most people I’ve worked with think tracking calories is THE WORST. But I’ve got a little secret work around for you. Just measure for a week or two to get a handle on what your normal routine is like so you can see what needs to change. From there, calculate what a good week should look like for you and aim for having mostly good (and GREAT!) weeks.
Now, when most people would struggle to figure out what’s not working you’ll have the variables and the tools to change!
3. FIND AN EXPERT
I’m cleeeeeeaarly biased but that bias is exactly the reason why I coach and love what I do. I know how powerful it can be to have someone guide you on your journey. Someone who can help you stay accountable to the things you want to change. Someone who can help you stay focused when you want to throw your hands up in the air and give up. Someone who will be honest with you and offer solutions. Someone who will listen and not judge. Someone who’s sole purpose is to help you succeed in living your BEST life and reaching your hopes and dreams.
A good coach will help you uncover your inherent badassness and reach your true potential by helping you discover the best strategies for YOU. They’ll help you create both sort AND long term goals and strategies and then help you pivot when things stop working. They also help you learn, have autonomy, and offer 100% support. They help YOU do the work.
Or, at least, they should.
You may have to shop around but find a coach like that. You can thank me later.
YOU GOT THIS
As you start to shift from quick fixes towards a healthier and more sustainable approach, remember that you don’t have to be perfect.
Having a plan is much like having a roadmap (like, those things before we all had GPS on our phones) and tracking is like plotting the route. If you’re not quite sure what that route should look like, find a good tour guide and your journey will be a pleasant one.
I believe in you!
Why have one coach when you can have a whole team of coaches! Want to learn what it’s like to work with the AMP Team? Sign up below for 2 FREE weeks of group classes to see what it’s like to be a Member and get RESULTS!
Ari is one of our expert coaches at First Guess Fitness and with over a decade of training experience is a wizard when it comes to coaching best training practices, mindset, and motivating people to squeeze the juice out of life. He loves anything that involves physical activity, the outdoors, and dogs (especially his dog, Clover!) Who doesn’t love puppies?