Slow Down For Faster Results

You want to lose fat and see muscle definition and you want it done yesterday right? Well getting faster results requires that you sloooooooow down. This time I’m not talking about the speed at which you lift, press, or do your cardio. I’m talking about slowing down long enough to evaluate what you are already doing and to make small, continuous improvements for better results. I have come across many ladies who are frantic for quick results and ready to pull out all of the stops to get them. Maybe you can relate. I know I can.

Here’s the scenario. Suzy sets a fitness goal and deadline and then begins to follow her program – 6 small meals, 3 metabolic strength sessions, 3 conditioning sessions, daily activity and so on. A few weeks pass and Suzy hops on the scale, pulls out the tape measure, and takes some pictures to assess her progress and….. she doesn’t like what she sees. Less weight loss than she had hoped for, only a few fractions of an inch change in measurements and no noticeable difference in the pictures. Suzy is driven and ready to make her goal happen so she starts to wonder what she needs to do to “get this thing going”. She contemplates more conditioning, lower carbs, two a days and more. No price is too high because she is determined. Does this sound familiar?

Here’s what you do to get the change you want without wasting your energy on stuff that doesn’t move the needle and only stresses you out.

• Track what you are doing in a fitness journal- workouts, meals, sleep, and stress levels.
• Note what you are already doing that supports your weight loss goals.
• Note what could be improved to get better results.
• Commit to ONE CHANGE.
• Continue to do that new action until it is a habit.
• Then pick one more change that you are willing to make and stick to for the long haul.

Keep doing this and before you know it, you will have a great number of habits that are pushing you toward your goal- without stress.

Things to Look For When You Review Your Fitness Journal

• Protein intake- Eat a source of protein every time you eat and the right amount of protein for your body each day.
• Vegetable intake- Eat 5-7 servings of  vegetables each day.
• Water intake- Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces (i.e. 50 ounces or more if you weigh 100 pounds).
• Portion sizes- Ensure you are eating proper portions at each meal (not to small or too large). Sleep Patterns – Get 7-9 hours per night. Workout Frequency – Do 2-3 strength sessions and up to 3 interval sessions-each week. Stress Reduction- Walk daily as much as possible and take at least 10 minutes each day to decompress.
• Portion sizes- Ensure you are eating proper portions at each meal (not to small or too large).
• Sleep Patterns – Get 7-9 hours per night.
• Workout Frequency – Do 2-3 strength sessions and up to 3 interval sessions-each week. .
• Stress Reduction- Walk daily as much as possible and take at least 10 minutes each day to decompress

As for managing your expectations with results and progress, make peace with the fact that your actions influence your results and if you are doing only 1 of the 3-5 things that you need to master to get results that things may be a little slow at first with results.  Resist the urge to just start doing everything at once because those actions will likely be unsustainable and if you don’t keep doing them you still don’t get results.  Identify what is going well and what isn’t. Make sustainable changes to what isn’t working for you and then sit back and enjoy the accelerated results that you crave.

What did you think. Let me know in the comments below! And if you found this helpful or inspirational, be sure to share.