Think of it as a rollercoaster… Sure it can seem fun to have a huge ramp-up BUT the descendent/downfall is just as drastic. Is the thrill of the immediate results worth it in the long run? *Probably not*
This idea of a huge climb & fall does not seem as fun when we are talking about our health & weight-loss journey. The aftermath of an approach aimed at the *most immediate* outcome(s) and gratification might not lead to the greatest payoff.
Instead, a slow ramp-up in “intensity” (referring to appropriately calorie-cutting, increasing NEAT, & more) is more sustainable and tends to have greater long-term effects/results and less adverse effects.
Rebekah’s SUSTAINABLE Weight Loss
Rebekah started at M2 20 months ago. Her goal was to make a lower weight class for an upcoming strongman competition; she started at 222 lbs and was aiming to make it at 198 lbs over the span of a few months.
*40+ lbs were lost between the pictures below and more importantly it has STAYED off
Starting Point
To reach this goal #, Rebekah committed to making these changes:
-Hit 25% caloric deficit daily. (There were several intentional diet beak days within the process = having Rebekah eat at an appropriate level to the level she was burning. *Basically at maintenance level not at a deficit.)
-Train 5x/7 days a week in the gym
*also focused upon increasing food quality*
Using these strategies and lifestyle changes, Rebekah successfully reached this first goal.
What to do now?
Then, Rebekah wanted to compete in the Strongman middleweight class at 180 lbs. Mike respected the drive and desire from Rebekah, but he explained that there might be some benefit to taking time “off” and allowing for her metabolism to restore, build lean muscle mass, avoid a restriction mindset, and more.
Although this might not have been what Rebekah initially wanted to hear, she trustingly said yes and was committed to this mutual decision.
Through the taking “off-time” we slowly ADDED ~700 calories to her target macro goals. Rebekah STILL implemented many of the same lifestyle changes that were put in place for her initial weight-loss phase; she was hiking in the woods daily, journaling, and completing other stress reduction practices.
After taking some time to restore her metabolism (physical and mental health) instead of continuing to go further into this period of “cutting,” it was then an appropriate time to focus on another phase of weight loss. In-person competitions were returning as COVID was winding down and the goal was now to get to 180lb for a different weight class in her Strongman competition.
Because this time period helped to restore metabolic health and since Rebekah maintained the prior lifestyle changes, she was then able to have an *easier* process this second time around and like a rollercoaster, the “second wave” was much milder than the first. The approach now utilized a series of progressive calorie cuts with more frequent diet break days (not just a huge rollercoaster drop,) that lead to consistent weight loss WITHOUT negatively impacting Rebekah’s energy and performance in the gym or on competition day.
Substitution, not subtraction
Notice that she did not change *much* IN the gym (same training volume & frequency) but instead much of the difference occurred OUT of the gym. What we DID do was substitute certain actions with other actions, not just subtract or take away things.
That cheesy phrase “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle” holds in this case; it was not a change in the gym that lead to her results, it was the changes and work in her LIFESTYLE that made the results happen (focus on food quality, sleep, stress reduction, and non-exercise activity/ walking more.)
This is not about a 12 week or 3-month crash course where you “can only” eat eggs or *insert the latest crazy diet-fad here* This IS about the rest of your life…
I know that seems daunting, but what we mean by this is what are you going to do after those 12 weeks? What are you going to do when you are celebrating at a family party/ friend’s wedding/ eating at a work luncheon? You get the point.
Another thing to consider is that success in your weight-loss or health journey should not only be defined by the specific number on the scale.
Unless you are competing in a sport with specific weight class parameters (bodybuilding, Strongman, powerlifting, more), there most likely are better metrics of positive progress for you and your ultimate goals (perform, look, and feel better) than just using the one data point of the scale alone.
What are you REALLY losing?
Recognize that, there is so much more to a transformation picture than you see… There might be more than just weight that is being lost.
If the plan or approach you are following is impacting your life in a negative way(s) like drastic loss of energy, mood swings, irritability, unable to spend time with friends/family due to events including food, and more… You might want to analyze the cost.
What are you really losing? Weight? Or something more?
“Over the past 2 years, I’ve learned more about my body and what makes it run, and run well, than I did in 25 years as a (pretty high-level) athlete. I sat at the same weight for an *entire year,* relearned balance, maintaining what feels good, and how to fuel and move for the long term…
Y’all the reality is that weight loss (or gain!) doesn’t change who you are. If you don’t like yourself fat you won’t like yourself skinny. Nutrition isn’t for aesthetics, it’s like research: garbage in, garbage out…
A GOOD coach can ignore weight and focus on health — physical AND mental — for the *long term,* whether you’re a pro athlete or a mom/student/amateur/stress case.”
Of course, you were able to see the amazing physical progress & athletic feats that Rebekah accomplished in the photos above, but her statements above help to show that the positive mental progress was SO MUCH GREATER. She now acts like the athlete she knew she always was.
Do you want to make a change but don’t know where to start? Do you feel like your current results are not reflecting the work and effort you are putting in?
Reach out to us at M2PN and we would LOVE to help you. Let us help you to WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER.