diet – SGB Success Strategies

My Body is stuck at this weight–it will never change!

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 500^th 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.

Why Isn’t My Body Changing!

Success Strategies for Nutrition / Majaid

“I workout 5 days a week, eat clean, and hardly ever cheat – WHY ISN’T MY BODY CHANGING!”

Have you asked yourself this question? Are you working hard every day but you just can’t seem to get any changes? Maybe you did change in the beginning but now, it seems like you are getting nowhere. Maybe you’re even gaining weight even though you started eating less.

I hear you, and understand where you are. I was there for a long time, and can find myself getting pulled back in that direction every once in a while. Habits beat good intentions when you aren’t paying attention.

Are You Getting the Right Information?

The messages put out in regards to losing weight or changing our bodies tend to lead us to believe the only way to accomplish this result is to do loads of cardio and restrict our calories. The problem with this recommendation is, a sudden increase of cardio, such as running or high impact activities, and a reduction in appropriate calories, will break the muscles down quickly, leaving our bodies vulnerable to injuries.

Our bodies need proper nutrition to recover and help us stay strong and pain-free. When we break-down muscle tissue we leave ourselves vulnerable to immune issues and we lower our metabolism, which makes it impossible to change our bodies. This is the exact opposite of what we want to accomplish.

The truth is, the cliché, “Less is more”, is true. The more we exercise and the less we fuel our body, the less of a result we will get. Our bodies don’t function quite as simply as calories-in and calories-out. Our bodies are a beautifully complicated system. You can count macros and calories all day long, but if you are not matching your exercise to how you fuel your body, you will forever be fighting a losing battle.

It’s All About the Right Balance

As crazy as it might sound, eating more of carefully selected choices, reducing your exercise hours, and making those workouts planned and structured, you will discover your body will begin to respond. We need to learn how to respect our bodies and fuel them so they can change, improve, and repair. If we starve our bodies of vital nutrients it can not make necessary changes. If we beat up on our bodies they can’t repair, they can’t change, and you will push yourself into a chronic state of injury and fatigue.

Losing weight, changing your body composition, getting leaner, whichever you want to call it, and whatever your focus, the rules are the same. If you want to change you must give your body the fuel it needs, the right amount of exercise, and the right type.

I would love to tell you there is a quick simple fix, like–just do XYZ and you will magically get the result you want. But I can’t. I would be lying. Everybody’s body is different because our metabolisms are all in a different state. Our metabolism is a complicated arrangement of chemical reactions affected by several factors: exercise, eating, body temperature, and most importantly, our muscle mass. This system is complex–permanent changes may take months or even years. I know that sounds depressing. But there is a silver lining. The silver lining is that you can learn how to eat more, and workout less to get a better result. And you can learn how to sustain your new positive habits and maintain the changes you have without going through a yo-yo process your whole life.

Establish Your Balance and Get Results

It requires educating yourself, learning how to prepare amazing, yummy meals in minutes, and structuring your workouts so they are efficient and effective and take up only 3% of your week. That’s about 3 hours a week to get a great result. The process itself can be simple–the work required doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The hard part is reprogramming ourselves to understand this process of change is not quick, habits are hard to change, and mind sets are even harder.

This is why we need to give ourselves longer to achieve the goals we want to achieve. You need support and encouragement along the way, and solid strategies that work. Results come in the mundane, everyday, consistent strategies that are not flashy or sexy. They won’t get millions of likes on Facebook or Instagram.

Our Functional Fat Loss Program encompasses everything I’ve mentioned. It is the complete package. If you are ready to commit time and effort into yourself, go to our website www.sgbfitbodies.com.

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