What it Really Takes to Get the Body You’ve Always Wanted

Working as a personal trainer in fitness industry for many years I’ve noticed one common trend, about 90% of the people that workout struggle to change their body and reach their goals. I see member after member coming into the gym 5 to 6 days a week without dropping a single pound. Now, there are obviously other reasons for exercising such as health and longevity, but in the area that I live most people care about one thing, aesthetics. So why does your average person struggle to lose weight, gain muscle, and reap the other benefits of their hard work? It’s quite simple; your average person doesn’t know how to program their workouts properly, and your average person doesn’t change their diet enough to change their body.
Let’s start with the workouts. For your body to respond to exercise in the most efficient manner it must be challenged with a new stimulus to adapt to. What does this mean? Simple, don’t do the same thing every time you go to the gym. There are many factors that can be altered to provide the need for adaptation when weight lifting. Some of these parameters are the load or weight being used, the amount to rest between each set, the number of repetitions per set, the number of exercises in a workout, the tempo of the exercise, or the exercise itself to name a few. When it comes to cardiovascular training the same holds true, try changing the type of cardio you do by using a different machine, try changing the speed or intensity, try going for a longer bout, try intervals, or you can even try cardio at a different time of day. If you don’t provide your body a new stimulus to adapt to then you are basically going through the motions without reaping the benefits of your workouts. There is no such thing as maintaining your body must be challenged with something new even if it is a subtle change in your workout from one week to the next.
Now, the second part of this equation is the diet. First let me say that it takes A LOT of exercise to outdo a poor diet, more exercise than your average person has time for. Have you ever heard the phrase, “You are what you eat?” Well it’s the truth. Most people struggle to change their bodies because they can’t commit to a significant change in their diet. Committing to a workout regime can be tough, but it’s nothing compared to making the commitment to change your diet. Changing your diet is a 24/7 commitment, but when you do finally change your diet for the better then you’ll see the difference. To start, increase your lean protein intake, start eating the “good” low glycemic carbohydrates, and cut out all liquid calories. You’re specific goals will determine what other factors related to your diet should be changed so you may need to seek the advice of a fitness professional.
A final note, changing your body can be a never ending battle for some of us, but the information is out there for you to find out exactly what needs to be done. So stop wasting your time “trying,” and get on a safe and effective diet and exercise program. Then, eventually, you will finally be on the right path to having the body you deserve.