Some tough fitness love. This is truly a must read, especially if you are frustrated about lack of results or feel you are owed faster results.
First, I want to say you will NEVER hate your body thin. It won't happen.
Even at my heaviest, 2 years ago (not pictured), when I was depressed, medicated, an anxiety ball 24/7 despite anxiety meds (another talk for another day about anxiety meds....), etc I never hated my body.
Hating your body comes from a low vibrational emotional place, and it does not create change. Now, please realize that I am NOT saying there are bad emotions. All emotions are good and serve however emotions have actually been measured and I am talking about their literal vibration within the Quantum field.
Further, hating your body and stressing about a skin roll or cellulite will CAUSE more stress.
Stress triggers cortisol.
Cortisol causes your body to RETAIN fat and BURN muscle.
Even if you have a rockin' metabolism and are stressed AF you will notice you end up skinny fat rather than Shredded, if your body has the good graces enough to allow any weight off. It will burn the muscle.
High cortisol = catabolic.
When you have anxiety, your brain sends messengers to your adrenal gland to release epinephrine (adrenaline) into your body. That adrenaline starts preparing your body so that it can react to danger.
You know what a body is NOT doing in this state? Losing fat.
And most people spend the majority of their lives in this state.
On top of the fact we are conditioned to basically live in a catabolic state, which sets us up for failure, most woman either knowingly or unknowingly have down regulated their metabolism from undereating.
Look, your body doesn't know the damn difference between following some stupid low calorie diet, being somewhere literally in a famine with no access to food and intuitive eating well below your daily caloric needs. It just doesn't.
I don't care how spiritual you are or how well you listen to your body.
The reality is if your metabolism has down regulated you will THINK you are full and listening to your body... And you are... But based on incorrect information.
The problem is also that most people don't focus on the long term. Everyone wants results NOW and gives up if they don't look like Erin Stern overnight (She was always my idol!).
So what happens? A life long on and off fad diets, restriction, binging, hating your body, trying to starve it into results, beating yourself up...
And you know who will win if you play chicken with your body and try to just cardio it and starve it into submission?
Your body. 100% of the time.
Further the next time you try to lose weight PROPERLY within a reasonable deficit what is very likely to happen?
Weight gain from the metabolic damage. Sometimes a lot before the body balances itself again.
I am NOT here for this hating your body, starving it into submission, must have fast results bullshit guys. Don't even bothering messaging me about personal training if that is what you are looking for.
Not because I am an ass. Not because I don't love you to bits. Not because I don't want you to see results.
But I will NEVER put someone's health at risk for results. Ever.
I will NEVER help you beat up your body. I WILL NEVER increase cardio or decrease calories to meet an unrealistic or unhealthy timeline or because of pressure from a client.
I simply don't hold space for it.
And I WILL be very straight that the only way to see long term results is to build quality muscle (of course if you have a lot to lose this can be done at the end of your shred).
Someone else will and happily take your money.
Why do I personally get quick results?
I spend the VAST majority of the year eating OVER 2500 calories and building quality muscle... Which also means gaining some fat.
I track all year long. I know exactly what goes into my body and I fuel it appropriately. Truthfully, left to my own devices I GREATLY under eat protein and calories.
And when I shred I do it right, get it over with and get back to proper calories.
I do have varying levels of stress but I keep it low the vast majority of the time.
Does this mean shit doesn't hit the fan? It sure does. Sometimes a lot does.
We can never control everything in life but the one thing you have control of is your reaction....whether you want to believe it or not.
I worked as a counsellor for over 10 years. I have seen it in clients and myself.
I will never forget when a coach sent me a message like this about maybe 6 years ago after a super low calorie diet had caused health problems and I wanted this coach to get me on stage again right away...
And he very bluntly told me basically what I said here... Although it was a bit more blunt and to the point.
I was pissed at first. I thought he was just being a jerk.
Looking back his online coaching was $500 a month. How easy would it have been to say yes and just do what I demanded?
Good coaches tell you like it is.
Set REALISTIC goals.
Be flexible. If you are gaining on weight loss calories and you start hating your body maybe first priority should be learning to love yourself and get healthy.
For progress pics look from the top down. Women tend to look at their butt and stomach first. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but women lose from the top down and very often (not 100% of the time but the majority) those trouble spots will be the last to go. Look at your face. Neck. Shoulders. Chest.