Do You REALLY Want to Lose Weight…or Just Saying That?

Over the course of my career as a fat loss and fitness professional I’ve encountered many different aspirations, dreams, desires and goals from scores of different people. Of all of the varying levels of success people seem to want to achieve, yet the one that escapes many, is fat loss.

Here’s a common scenario: Client approaches me and asks, “Steve, what kind of cardio/exercise/routine/extra training can I do to drop some more weight?”

Typically, I stare at them for a few seconds, giving the impression that I’m pondering their query and formulating an astounding and insightful response. Truth is, I’m probably finishing the last stanza of “Long Way to the Top” by AC/DC in my head…but I digress…

“Well (clients name), I can offer you a few different routines for cardio, or suggest some specific training you can do in the evening, but first, tell me about your eating habits?”

At this point, if I listen really well, I can hear an almost audible, ear splitting scream coming from their soul.

You see, most people I work with are impostors. Oh they sound sincere and say all of the right things, but they’re delusional. Don’t get me wrong, I love them dearly and more than likely it’s not their fault. It’s just that I know from experience who is in it to make a difference in their overall look and level of fitness, and who wishes they could. I can tell by how they respond to the “eating habits” question.

Here’s the secret: there is no secret.

In the words of Dale Carnegie, “Anything in life worth having is worth working for.” If your goal is fat loss, you simply must change or dramatically improve the level of your eating habits. You must begin to eat supportively on a consistent and regular basis or you will never obtain the level of success you say you desire. No amount of hard work can overcome a crappy diet.

Please read that last paragraph again because it’s that important – In the words of Dale Carnegie, “Anything in life worth having is worth working for.” If your goal is fat loss, you simply must change or dramatically improve the level of your eating habits. You must begin to eat supportively on a consistent and regular basis or you will never obtain the level of success you say you desire. No amount of hard work can overcome a crappy diet.

If I were to label, in order of importance, the things I believed were responsible for immediate as well as long term success in a fat loss, overall fitness and wellness regimen, it would look like this:

1.      A strong and encouraging accountability and support network.

2.      A well researched supportive eating program.

3.      A well researched supportive eating program.

4.      A solid recovery program of sleep, massage and quiet time.

5.      An effective and research based, ability level exercise program.

By the way…I INTENTIONALLY repeated #’s 2 & 3…it’s that important.

There are 3 things to note about my list: 1) I’m talking long term success here. It’s what my colleague John Berardi of Precision Nutrition calls “sustainable results.” I’m not a big proponent of short term measures or quick fixes. Those things are typically not conducive with the way the human body works. Things take time…we don’t go from infancy to adulthood overnight. It takes many years. I weigh around 218 pounds. Did you know, based on data, if I want to lose 20 pounds, AND KEEP IT OFF, research shows that it should take about 16 to 18 weeks? Surprised? You shouldn’t be…that’s why proper diet and exercise are first a mindset, then a lifestyle, then an activity.

2) I’m not just concerned with fat loss. Yes, of course I want you to succeed in your goal for fat loss, but what good is looking lean if you’re unhealthy? I want folks to live long and productive lives, able to do things when they are well into their “golden” years. I want folks to die very young, very late in life.

3) Notice where I put the emphasis on exercise. I think exercise is important. That’s obvious because it’s how I make a living. But it is simply one facet of the larger picture. Exercise is of little consolation to the person dying from some incurable disease. Don’t wait to begin an exercise program, or to start eating well, or resting adequately or any of the myriad of other things you CAN and SHOULD do to care for yourself…or your loved ones.

Just so you know here’s one example why I put exercise at the bottom of the list:

A researcher named Dr. Homann performed a study whereby 56 girls in the South Dakota Department of Corrections, between the ages of 14 and 17, volunteered for a 4 to 6 month program of wellness. If you didn’t already know it, a young lady aged 14 to 17 typically has a metabolism like a racing engine…

Optimally these young damsels were going to exercise for approximately 14 hours per week. That’s 2 hours of activity per day.

2 hours.

Per day.

They did things like hike, circuit training, run, basketball and step aerobics. All good stuff, right?

So why is it that after 2 hours per day of exercise that these girls ALL got fatter?

All of them…

JUST SAY NO!

It’s because they followed the most worthless piece of nutritional advice ever provided to a human being: the USDA Food Guide (otherwise known as “the Pyramid”)!

These girls were measured at the beginning of the study and again at the end. The measurements were pretty standard stuff, like:

- A mile run for time and step test to gauge their level of cardiovascular fitness.

- Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), skinfolds (for % body fat), waist and hips circumference for body composition.

- The shuttle run for agility.

- Standing long-jump, sit-ups and bench press test for muscular strength and endurance.

- Sit-and-reach and the straddle test for flexibility.

Care to guess the results?

As you’ve probably figured out, the girls did pretty well in the cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, agility, and flexibility realm. However, their body composition measurements got worse. Yes, they got fatter.

Rather than slim down (as you would expect from all of that exercise) and lose a dramatic amount of body weight and fat, ALL of these young ladies made gains!

In fact the average net gain was 6lbs!

They increased the size of their waists by 1/2 inch, increased the circumference of their hips by 3/4 of an inch, and increased their body fat level by as much a .5 percentage points!

Still think adding MORE exercise to your program without modifying your diet will work?

I’ll give you all of the necessary tools for success, but I cannot implement them for you. If you’re really serious about seeing changes to your overall health, fitness, fat loss and wellness, please consider joining us at Firestorm fitcamps! or just write me with your questions. I’ll assist you in any way I am capable.

Steve

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