Today I responded to a friend's status on facebook when she said that she's been working out extremely hard every day and still has not seen any results. K, I want to assure you that results will come in time, but you won't begin to notice them until a couple of months have passed. It's kind of like growing, you don't actually see yourself getting taller every day but over time it happens and you begin to notice it. I think that K's, frustration is experienced by many people, especially this time of year when lots of people have a New Year's Resolution that somehow relates to exercising. I know I did last year and this year, and the only reason that I got my results last year was because I stuck with a grueling diet and exercise program. Last year I went from 215 pounds to 180 (now I hover around 185) in about 3 months (February-May). This just shows you that if you stick to your program in time you will begin to see results, and once you're body's metabolism kicks into gear results will come quickly. It can be very frustrating in the beginning but you've got to go into serious exercise knowing that it is going to be very difficult and stressful on your body. There's a reason why we don't all look like supermodels; actually two reasons: We can be plagued by our genetic dispositions relating to metabolism and body type, and working out and staying in good shape can be very difficult. If you find yourself engaging in intense exercise in an attempt to lose some pounds or get into better shape make sure you focus on all three elements of exercise: resistance or weight training, cardiovascular exercise, and proper dieting.
Resistance training is so crucial to losing weight and getting into better shape and I feel that a lot of people brush it off and head straight for the cardio machines. Cardio is great because it takes energy, and makes you sweat, but weights allow your muscles to get stronger that you can work harder in cardio. If you engage yourself purely in cardio you'll most likely hit a wall at some point, where you will see little improvement in your body or in your fitness level. Resistance training allows you to strengthen and build muscle, prompting the process of protein synthesis, which in itself burns fat in order to produce more muscular tissue. Even if you don't like machines, free weights or gyms, simple body weight exercises such as pushups, pullups, dips, lunges, squats, crunches, and more can all be done anywhere and the only tool that you need is your body. I myself don't really like all of the fancy weight machines at the gym. Instead I use free weights and lots of body-weight exercises in my training programs. Find out what works for you and consult different sources for ideas and programs. I like Men's Health Magazine and there's also a version for Women (Women's Health). Experiment and try different things, but know that if you want results you've got to have some type of resistance training in your regimen.
Cardio is probably the most popular form of exercise that people engage in but beware, because some forms of cardio work more muscles than others. My favorite forms of cardio are running (outside not on a treadmill), swimming, and rowing. I find that all three of these work your entire body where other versions such as an exercise bike or elliptical machine mostly work your lower body or your legs. So often when I used to go to the gym I would see people with thin and defined legs overshadowed by a big gut. With the exception of rowing, sitting machines aren't going to get your quick results and won't work all of your muscles. Running outside also trumps a treadmill because you have to face the elements plus hills, and running outside requires more core stability because there's no bar in front of you to catch if you lose your balance or need to slow down. Swimming is the best but we don't all have pools or access to gyms with pools so you may have to go for running or rowing instead. Cardio like resistance training is another staple of any weight loss regimen and if you don't like it than get over it quickly because it's most likely going to be your major calorie burner.
In my opinion the toughest of the three elements of exercise is the dieting. Let's be honest, the best tasting food can be the worst for you. Who doesn't like burgers, fries, pizza, greasy Chinese food, candy, chocolate, and all of those other goodies? I know my last meal would either be a burger and fried or a big juicy steak with a baked potato on the side. In our culture we have endless options of unhealthy eating, and if you don't closely monitor your diet than it's easy to go overboard and pack on those unnecessary pounds. There's much to say about dieting and eating properly so I'll try to simplify my beliefs. First of all, you've got to eat breakfast every single day. Think about sleep; your body is deprived of any food or drink for around 8 hours, so the first thing you should do is fuel your body. The human body is kind of like a care, as long as you give it fuel and maintain it than it should keep running fine until it just gets too old. Think of food as your fuel, and what happens to a car when it runs out of fuel? It dies. A metabolism will only function well when the body has enough fuel. When your body is hungry it's telling you that it needs fuel and if you don't answer that call than your metabolism will slow down and your body will begin to store fat. The key to not letting this happen is eating 4-5 smaller meals a day, and opting for larger portions earlier in the day so your body has all day to burn off any excess calories. I think portion control and eating slowly are very important, and if you like to count calories than go for it. You shouldn't starve yourself or deprive yourself of food that you really like. Have a treat day once a week where you eat whatever you want, just make sure that it's only one day a week. Healthy eating takes lots of discipline but if you want to change your body than you've got to do it.
All three elements are very difficult and if you don't have the time, energy, or desire to do them all than you don't have to. I'm just saying if you want the quickest and best results you've got to do all three. Some people like to only do cardio and dieting, or just counting calories without exercising. Do whatever works for you, just keep in mind if you have the will, great results will come from the combination of resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and proper dieting. These results won't come instantly but when they do you'll look and feel way better than you did before. Keep up with your program and in a couple of months see how many waste sizes you've gone down and how many pounds you've dropped. If you stick to your regimen good things will come your way.
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