Is Working Out Enough?

The age old question that every personal trainer has heard, and will continue to hear. “I’m exercising an hour or two a week, why am I not seeing results?” As my fellow trainers and I wish we had one proven answer for everyone, in actuality, there are SO many reasons why this could be a problem for you. The truth is, you Can see a difference while only seeing your trainer one day a week, but it takes a LOT of effort on your part. Of course, the more you see a professional, the better off you are, and the faster those results will come. Regardless of seeing your trainer one, two, or three times a week, that alone is not enough. Lucky for you, I have some answers to your problems. Although they’re pretty simple, I’m not here to tell you that they’re easy. (In my past articles I’ve talked a LOT about getting more sleep, and unstressing your lifestyle to the best of your ability. I’m not going to be just repeating myself here, I promise)

If you’ve read my articles in the past, you have heard me talk about the importance of consistency. Yes, this means not missing your training sessions, as well as training frequently enough to cause a change, but there’s also so much more. Here’s something that I’m sure we all know, but many people need to be reminded. Your training session should Not be the only movement you do throughout the day. Sitting on the couch all day after your training session because you “worked so hard so you’re tired” is counterproductive to the hard work you put in. Here lies the importance of Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT as its referred to. What this is telling you is something that seems pretty obvious. The more you move throughout the day, the more calories you burn! Do not count on your personal trainer to be a magician. Give him or her some help and keep moving! Mow the lawn, do some gardening, finish that house project, play with your kids, ride a bike, take a walk, make a few extra trips up and down your stairs, just MOVE! There’s a reason why people wear step trackers. No, they’re not 100% accurate, (the last study I saw shows the best ones are still 30% off) but if you see your tracker saying you got 1,000 steps in, that should still be a wake up call to you to get up and get active. Seems easy enough, yet so many people think that “resting their tired legs” is the top priority. The more you move them, the less they’ll tighten up and less sore they’ll be. Less soreness, AND increased calories burned! Sounds like a win/win to me!

Another big reason I’ve seen for not seeing the results you are working for is that you are flat out lieing to yourself. “I’ve been so good on my diet!” you say. Three questions I have for you:

1. Do you know what “good” nutrition is? It seems like there are more fad diets out there than there are to use them. Not every diet is right for every person. Does your body react better on higher carbs and lower fat? Or higher fat and reduced carbs? Do you know? There are some basic guidelines that Everyone should be following. Eat more natural foods. If it had a life, its probably good for you. With that comes eating less processed food, and less refined carbs. Chances are, if you’re trying to lose weight, you’re not eating enough protein. Lean muscle mass will help speed up your metabolism. To build that lean muscle mass, your muscles need the protein to grow. If you’re a male, 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is recommended. If you’re female, .7 grams per pound is often recommended.

2. Are you HONESTLY tracking your food intake? There are all sorts of apps that will help you track your calories, and macros. Some more intensive then others. These DO work. However, they only work if you’re honest with them. Are you weighing your food to know how many ounces or grams you’re eating? Most people say they are eating a lot less than they actually are. When you input your food, are you including the sauces, and dressings, or oils that you’re using? When it comes to tracking your calories, its similar to exercise in that you get out what you put in.

3. Is your current diet sustainable? The worst part about any fad diet is that most of them are not a way of eating that you can keep going for your whole life. They’re extreme, and when you stop following it, you have no guidance on how to keep your body from going back to how it was. I tell all my clients, if you are working as hard as I know you are, you should also be able to enjoy your life. When you’re home and making your food, stay good and clean. Find food that you enjoy, that will help you reach your goals. I promise they’re out there. But of course opportunities come up to go out and enjoy life (Post quarantine). Go do it! Nobody, not your favorite celebrity, or fit best friend, eats clean every meal of every day. Enjoy your life! That will make your diet much easier to stick to. Its the 80/20 rule. If you’re eating clean, and hitting your calories and macros 80% of the time. That is enough to reach your goals, and THAT should be sustainable. (That being said, do NOT be the one who gets on the scale every single day. It will drive you Crazy, and make our think you’re not doing enough)

If you’ve read my articles before, you see that heath is about a lot more than just working out. Any trainer worth their weight will know that, and will help you stay on track as much as they can. But in the end, You are an adult, You make your decisions, and the decisions you make, are what will determine the results you get. As always, I am here to help in any way that I can. Summer is coming, and little by little the country is opening back up. If there is any help I can give, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram @Fitnesszadok21 or fill out the form on my website www.joeszadokfitness.com, and let me give you the jump start you need to living the happy healthy life that you deserve!

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