This is one of the most commonly-used phrases I hear as a body transformation coach.
I understand, the weight loss game is daunting and frustrating. It’s filled with ups and downs like a roller coaster. The belief tends to be that as soon as you begin a diet or program you should be seeing a deficit on the scale daily, or at the very least, weekly. And in a set amount of weeks you should be at your target weight. This method, or message, has been put out there for so many years it has been ingrained in each of us. I am sorry to tell you it’s not the truth.
Change your mindset – change your body.
But, there is hope. You can change your body, it’s not a lost cause, but it will require a shift in your perception of how quickly the weight should come off. And, it will require an understanding that habits and mind sets are getting in your way of change.
For example, when you have tried to change your body in the past, did it require you to become restrictive of calories, count your macros, or begin arduous hours of exercise in order to see that quick change you desired? Those should become red flags to you. Changing your body doesn’t require extremes, but it does require time. Putting a set time on your body transformation and comparing your timeline to everyone else is like saying every snowflake is exactly the same.
Our metabolisms are a complex system of chemical reactions. Think of all the years and diets you have tried that have interfered and damaged that very intricate system. Unfortunately, it is going to take longer than a few days or weeks to repair that. All the habits and mind sets you have adopted over the years have been getting in your way of sustainable body transformation. We try so hard to speed up the process by trying to be perfect and 100% compliant, and when we don’t get the results we want, we give up and get upset. We just haven’t given it enough time for the fuel shift to take place.
You don’t need to be 100% compliant to get great results. You need to be consistent and prepared to do the daily mundane things that get amazing results.
Social media only ever shows you the trendy, cute things that get your attention. It does not show you behind the scenes without the filters. It doesn’t show you that perfect “fitness model” having a melt down because she/he is so hungry, or is sick for the hundredth time, or doesn’t like how her/his body looks in the 500th selfie. It’s not as glamorous as you may think.
They very strategically paint a picture that changing your body is so simple and easy. But don’t get caught up in comparing your behind-the-scenes to their highlight reel. You can choose to have a quick-fix approach and have the consequences they don’t show you up front. Or, you can take your time, retrain your metabolism, and your mind.
Most diets require a substantial amount of restriction or change, and promise a very quick result. The fact is, they work. You will get rapid change in the majority of those diets or programs. You will lose weight on the scale rapidly. But the questions we tend to ignore and push to the side are:
- Can you sustain this diet as prescribed forever?
- What will happen to your body and your results when you stop this diet?
- Is it improving your health?
- Do you notice that when you perform restrictive diets you tend to get sick every 2 to 3 weeks?
- Do you start off with tons of energy then gradually feel exhausted all the time?
- Does the weight on the scale show you an accurate picture? Are you losing very important muscle mass?
Change is a journey.
The truth is you can change your body. It will take months and more likely years, but nobody tells you that, because it’s not flashy, trendy, or appealing. It’s not an easy sell. It’s hard to package focus and hard work. You cannot change with a magical supplement or a few weeks of restricting your calories.
To truly reset your metabolism, it will require a system that will become sustainable and support your health. It’s a journey worth taking on.