If you've been to our gym recently (or our Facebook page) chances are you've seen a video featuring one of our members, Sue. Sue came to us during last year's New Year, New You Body Transformation Challenge and in less than a year she went from a size 12 to a size 2! (To watch the video of Sue's story, click here.)
Sue's results are phenomenal and we are very proud of her dedication and drive - they have paid off tenfold. But, what really encourages us when we watch the video of Sue is an important word she uses four times over the course of the 5 minute video - lifestyle. For instance, when she talks about the nutrition guidance she received during the challenge she says, "... I really learned to put that into my lifestyle." She uses the word lifestyle twice when talking about working out at Evolution Fitness and she ends with this key phrase: " ... a great place to come and get a healthy lifestyle."
Lifestyle is where the magic happens.
We live in a day and age where there is an enormous amount of information regarding fitness and nutrition. There is also an enormous amount of misinformation and confusion. After all, the fitness / nutrition industry is big business with sales in the billions. Fad diets and quick fixes sell. And they often work - for a little while. But the results don't last and before long you find yourself right back where you started, and sometimes even worse off.
At Evolution Fitness, we live, breathe, eat and drink fitness. Not only have we collected a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience, we also constantly and incessantly read articles related to fitness and nutrition. Here's what we know for sure:
IF YOU WANT RESULTS THAT LAST, YOU NEED TO MAKE IT A LIFESTYLE. ANY CHANGE YOU MAKE MUST BE SUSTAINABLE OVER TIME.
There are three areas to focus on in terms of lifestyle changes: nutrition, exercise, and mindset. When you break it down, you realize it's pretty simple.
Nutrition:
Eat!
It may seem counter-intuitive but most people have to ADD FOOD into their diet in order to lose weight / body fat. Whenever we do our New Year New You challenge, the participants inevitably remark upon how MUCH they are eating. "I feel like I'm eating all the time!" is a common phrase heard around the gym, especially during the first couple weeks of the challenge.
Eat real food.
If it's processed, odds are it's not good for you. We need to get back to how our grandmothers ate and cooked.
Eat a protein, carbohydrate and fat at every meal.
(Carbohydrate options - vegetables, fruits or starches like whole grains.) Vegetables should be eaten at almost every meal. Fruit should be eaten at the others. Don't be afraid of fats - your body needs them in order to burn fat.
Exercise:
Move your body!
Here's an interesting fact: you cut your risk of cancer in half if you take a brisk twenty minute walk every day. So, walk a little more, take the stairs when you can - the little stuff adds up, or rather, multiplies.
Exercise smarter, not harder.
It is not necessary to workout 7 days a week for hours at a time. That is completely unrealistic and if you try to do it, you'll eventually burn out. (You also won't get results because your body can't recover.) When you do exercise, get the most bang for your buck by following these simple guidelines:
- Focus on functional, compound exercises that incorporate many muscles at once. Never compromise form for intensity.
- Since your metabolic rate is primarily determined by the ratio of lean muscle in your body to everything else, focus on strength training.
- When doing cardio, focus on high-intensity interval training. Better for your heart, better for your waistline.
- Change it up. If your body gets 'used to' or 'good at' an exercise program, it stops getting results. You have to constantly challenge it.
- Recover! Rest! If you don't allow your body the time it needs to recover and rest, you don't allow it the time it needs to produce results.
Mindset:
Keep a positive outlook.
We've seen many people's eyes start to glaze over when we talk about mindset at the gym because they don't realize just how important it really is. The biggest indicator of success is whether you believe you will be successful, and that's true for any endeavor you take on. The problem with telling people to "stay positive" is that it's a blanket statement that does little for them. What does it mean anyway? Sometimes trying to force yourself to "stay positive" causes more stress than it's worth. But it's not about whether you believe the glass is half full or half empty. That's immaterial. What matters is whether you believe there is a pitcher next to the glass to fill it up with.
Be realistic.
Rome wasn't built in a day. You didn't develop the not-so-good habits you have in a day. A healthy lifestyle won't be built in a day either. True change takes time. Stop asking yourself to be perfect, just ask yourself to be better. If you focus on small changes, on continually improving one step at a time, you'll not only reach your goal, you'll be able to maintain it.
Be kind to yourself.
This means that when you allow yourself that birthday cake splurge (as you should in a balanced, healthy lifestyle), you trust that it's all going to be ok and you'll continue to stay on the path and take care of your body. It means that you talk nicely to yourself, as you would to a good friend or your child. It means that if you momentarily slip up and have a few too many splurges one day / one week, you don't get down on yourself, berate yourself or give up on yourself. You just do better next time.
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