Slow and Steady

As a trainer, one of the most frustrating things for me to see are programs that claim to get you to your goals in just a matter of weeks. There is no such thing as a magical pill or diet that is going to help you drop 10 pounds in 3 days. And if something does do that – it is not good for you. Apps that claim to take you from the couch to running a marathon in just a few months are not safe. There is no way to safely go from inactivity to running 26 miles at once in that short amount of time.

Everyone needs to stop looking for shortcuts to health and fitness. Because, guess what? There are no shortcuts. If you want to truly be healthy (and stay that way) you have to put in some time and hard work.

Set smaller goals, and no that doesn’t mean compromise on your big goals. Make smaller goals that will lead you to that big goal. You want to run a marathon? Don’t try some crazy training program that is meant to prepare you for one in a few months because you are putting yourself at risk for injury. Instead, sign up for a walking event, then a 5k and a 10k, and before you know it your body is just are ready to run the marathon as your head is.

You have to give it time. You can’t force your body to do things it just isn’t ready to do because you will hurt yourself. Most injuries happen when an individual is just starting a new workout routine. An injury at the beginning of a new routine will do one of two things: scare you away from working out or you’ll shake it off and make the injury worse. Giving up is just going to put you back at square one. Hurting yourself even more is not an option. So skip that complication all together by taking it slow at first and building up your strength.

Diets usually fail because eventually you stop them. When you put restrictions on your food, whether that is by eliminating carbs or only drinking juices, your body will respond and you will likely lose weight. But, a diet like that is not maintainable, and once you stop eating that way you will gain all of the weight you lost back. So, don’t try crazy diets or diet pills because, in the long run, they won’t work. Instead, eat healthy foods and control your portion sizes. It’s not complicated; you just have to be committed. As far as pills go… any pill that claims to do magical things for your weight loss is not safe and they don’t normally work. Even if it works, it’s filled with chemicals that probably aren’t so good for you. So skip it.

Don’t try to cheat the system – eat clean and workout safely. Don’t push yourself to the extremes. Extreme dieting and working out will only lead to injuries and an unhealthy life.