“I just can’t lose any weight….”
Every week I speak with members of our gym that say those very words. They claim that they have tried everything, and nothing works. Yet, I have watched the fighters that I train for competitions continually drop large amounts of weight. If they can do it, why can’t everyone else? Is there a secret formula? Can only top level athletes lose weight consistently?
The truth is that there is no secret formula, and while MMA fighters and Kickboxers may be well conditioned and tough…they struggle with their weight just like everyone else. I struggle too. Not long ago I made some lifestyle changes that I’m gonna share with you today. I lost 10 lbs in about a week using these same tips. Hopefully they will help you as much as they did me!
3 Reasons People Fail
First of all there may be any number of reasons why folks might fail at losing weight, but today I wanted to share with you what I call “The Big 3”.
- Knowledge – Most people just don’t know how to lose weight. That is shocking considering how much information is out there about the subject. Between Google, Youtube, Bookstores, and Libraries, there is an unlimited amount of knowledge available at your fingertips. Literally. However, I feel this overload of info leaves more people confused than informed. The 5 Tips below will give you plenty of info to start you on your way.
- Desire – Here’s the big difference between those Fighters I mentioned earlier and regular folk. Fighters have the desire to reach their goal. You may have a desire to be lean, but don’t desire the work involved in the process. That’s a big sticking point for most people, because we get used to a certain lifestyle. Changing that lifestyle is very difficult to do. You’re Lizard Brain will fight you every step of the way. That lizard brain is part of your genetic code…it protects you, and keeps you alive. In the animal world…change can lead to death. So that part of your psyche is trying to protect you, understandably. But you need to view failing at change more horrible than staying on your present course. That’s the key
- Follow Through – Can you create a plan and stick to it? Most people can’t, and it’s not your fault. You’re an expert at what you do, not what a personal trainer or health coach does. Habit change is hard, and it takes certain steps to make permanent. If you are having trouble staying the course, hiring a professional is a great way to reach those goals.
Living The 5 Tips
Dr. Steven Covey made a living telling people to “Live the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Well, the following 5 tips are no different. You have to live them. Don’t just do them when you feel like it, you have to make a lifestyle change to warrant success.
- LIVE CLEAN – Start by eliminating all of the junk you shove into your mouth. Easy, right? Wrong! Most of what you eat, and think is healthy is packaged to look healthy…but it’s really not. Don’t eat anything in a wrapper, bag, box, or sack. Even use can goods sparingly. If you read a label for a can of peas, and it has 12 ingredients…that’s not food. It’s chemicals. Eat Fresh and Clean Only, and Count Chemicals Instead of Calories.
- LIVE LEAN – You want to lose fat? eliminate the bad fats from your diet. Saturated and Trans Fats are not only contributing to your pudgy waistline, they are slowly killing you. Look at #1. If a fat is solid at room temperature…stay clear. Instead of butter, cook with avocado oil. Instead of Mayonaise, try some Veganaise
Eating wild caught salmon provides vital Omega 3s and is a great protein source. made with good Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
- EAT SOME FAT – Wait! Didn’t I just say Live Lean? Well, your body actually needs fats for basic everyday functions and energy. Just make sure you are sticking to good UnSaturated fats. Olive Oil, Avocados, and Flax Seeds are great sources of good fats. Eat more chicken and fish, and start limiting how much fattier protein sources like Red Meat and Pork you take in. Every once in a while is fine…just don’t live on the stuff.
- EAT MORE! – I gained a ton of weight when I started my own business. I would eat maybe one huge meal a day. I would literally have days where I would not eat for over 16 hours. You want to burn fat? You have to keep your tank full of food. Your metabolism will stay high all day, and even stay high while you sleep. Too much fasting puts your body into a state where it thinks it has to increase fat stores to stay alive. That’s the opposite of what you want.
- DRINK – Your body is practically 70% water. We live in a society where there are bottle waters everywhere, yet we don’t drink enough of it. The old “Eight 8 ounce glasses per day” mantra is old science. It’s probably not enough water for most people. A good rule of thumb is drink half your bodyweight in ounces per day. So, if you weight 200 lbs, you’ll need to drink 100 oz of water. It sounds like a lot, but consider that as little as a 10% dehydration can impact your metabolism greatly. Drink more water!
The bottom line is that you don’t have to be an MMA fighter or high level athlete to lose weight. It just takes commitment to change, and a few basic tweaks to your currently lifestyle. If you make small changes, then build upon them it will be easier to stick to them for the long term.
If you don’t know where to start, I’m here for you. Each and every week I set aside times for what I call Success Strategy Sessions. These short (and FREE!) coaching calls are designed to get you moving toward your goals and reaching them at lightening speed. During the call we’ll talk about where you currently are, where you’d like to be, and come up with some quick actionable steps you can take right away.
These calls are FREE, but I only have a limited amount of time to do them each and every week. They are “first-come-first-serve”. If you’d like to schedule a free Success Strategy Session CLICK HERE!