Have you been working out everyday for hours on end and not seeing results? Eating great and yet you still can’t get why the scale isn’t going down or your clothes are still not fitting you the way you want it to? Have you ever considered that it might just be your workout?
Ask yourself; Are you really challenging yourself while you are working out?
Now, before I begin and those who read my FB fan page might have already seen I have spoken about this yesterday (and got some negative responses). If you are happy with your work out, then this post isn’t about you…. If you are doing physical therapy, then this post isn’t about you… If you have busted your ass all week-long and just need a light workout, then this post isn’t about you….
Who I AM talking to is those and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE who are working out on the machines for 30 minutes up to hours, at the same speed never letting up BUT you are upset that day in and day out while you devote an hour on that treadmill you still are not getting results. You tire yourself out and for what?
What if someone told you that you could do a harder work out in less time AND still burn more would YOU do it? Or that in the time that you worked out if you pushed a bit harder you could of burned almost double? Would you then? If your answer is NO, then this post is no longer for you, you are happy with your work out and I am not directing this post to you. If you said yes, then this *may* help.
Now I could link you a ton of sites online that show time and time again that if you want results, if you want to maximize your fat loss you have to have resistance to your work outs. I used the words yesterday how “sad” it made me feel to see a sea of level ones, or many machines without inclines while at the gym.
Now, I figure a portion could be one of those I mentioned above (remember those of you I am not talking about). Of course I have NO clue each individuals story But this my friends, is a trend that I have noticed far too often and it’s from people of all shapes and sizes. It’s something I have heard not only AT the gym, something being told to me and just in general by personal trainers AND physicians that if you really want to *that* body (you know what I am talking about here) you have done really do more.
It sucks! I know, but it’s true. Take a look at the gym, find the person who has a body you would die to have and just watch them work out. Now, notice do they run on level one? Do they use zero resistance, are they not working and pushing their bodies?
You say to yourself, but Misty, of course they can do those things, they are fit!
Well, I am here to tell you that so can you! Are you going to be running a 5k tomorrow when today is your first day running ever? No! BUT you can work yourself in time to do that. How do you do that? By pushing yourself and one of the most effective ways is interval training. This is where you do high and low intensity workouts, you walk fast for a period of time and then you pump it up for a short period of time. You keep this rotation until you are done.
This isn’t just treadmills either you can do this on elliptical, bikes, pretty much anything! You name it! Heck even with your own body. Most machines have an option where you can make it harder. The problem is YOU DON’T WANT THE MACHINE TO WORK FOR YOU, you want the machine to be a tool to help you achieve your goals. So that means hands off on the treadmill, once you get coordinated enough try this on the elliptical too (it’s really hard on there! I can only do it a few minutes at a time sometimes, seconds). But just TRY!
So then you say, But Misty you are being insensitive those people ARE trying, they are at least not on a couch. Or maybe, they are a beginner and they “just don’t know” I would say you are right… Yes, the first step is working out. I applaud anyone for doing so. I know just like anyone else how hard that step is. I am not perfect, and I have fallen before and probably will in the future. I have my moments that you all have read here! I won’t sugar coat this. If you want roses, don’t read any more because I won’t give you roses. But if you want honesty then keep reading.
If you are HAPPY with your workout and HAPPY with your results that’s great! But you are not who I am referring to! I am talking to those who are NOT HAPPY. That person that you see that complains about how so and so looks great and yet she isn’t getting anywhere “but I work out for an hour at the gym” girl (or guy)! Those who I have heard in the gym, those who have talked to their friends, those I see day in and day out. The trainers see, we all see and we DO feel sad, because deep down we KNOW your pain.
We don’t pity you, we HURT for you. There IS a difference. We hurt because we know you have been told that you at least did something. Right? How many times have we heard this? How many times have we said it to ourselves? While it is in part true, eventually if you WANT (want being key word here) more you have to GIVE more!
We have been told if you move you burn calories and that’s all there is to it. But then you do work out, you do sweat, you do burn calories and you still don’t really go anywhere. You wonder what the heck am I doing wrong? I don’t blame you for NOT knowing, I’m sad that no one has helped you too like many have helped me. I’m sad that you have been lead to believe this is really giving your body a max work out because the duration you worked NOT by the intensity of your workout.
So then you ask, What should I do???? How do I know if it’s my workout???
After you have consulted with your doctor to make sure there isn’t anything medical, you have really HONESTLY looked at what you are eating and see nothing wrong there, and then you have to think is it my work out? Am I making my workout to benefit me? If your answer is NO YOU are who I am sad about. I want to hug you. I want to tell you and say it’s okay…. Because I didn’t know either!
I didn’t know that just walking 4 miles a day just may not be “enough”. My metabolism just needed MORE. That hurt. It HURT BAD. It was a HARD realization I had to accept. I pushed, I even didn’t listen to others, and said no, that can’t be…. You are freaking crazy! How on earth can you walk 4 miles and that NOT be enough. BUT it wasn’t.
Why? Because I wasn’t challenging myself. My body adapted. And yours might have too! If it has there is good news. It’s an EASY fix. Try just changing it up. When working out up it a level, or two or heck get crazy and do more. Change the resistance. I don’t care if you do it even for 10 minutes. The fact is you are trying to show your body who is boss and that you are a STRONG person who can do this!
Show yourself what you are capable of. I would have NEVER thought I could do an HOUR on the elliptical On intervals of level FOUR to level TEN mind you! With resistance up to 5!!!! I would have LAUGHED at you, because the first time I did it I did THREE minutes on level ONE. But now I can do ONE WHOLE HOUR! AND still do MORE! Can you believe it???? I couldn’t at first. But I did.
I would have NEVER known that about myself! If I didn’t take the chance to CHALLENGE myself. And guess what else??? I measured myself today too…. I am proud to say I have lost a total of 17.5 Inches in the past three weeks and a total of 24 inches in the past month! Now you guys KNOW how hard before I felt I was doing everything I could.
Not only have I already seen a change in myself this past month (wow can’t believe it’s been a month since we joined) but D has had a change too. He has lost almost 10lbs and we are measuring him to tomorrow to see how many inches. He before was just running for an hour or so at home before and now since going to the gym both of us have been able to drop some unwanted pounds.
I hope mine continues for sure!
So those who may have been taking the easy, slow, comfortable road because you are afraid. I say, don’t be! I just ask that you Trust yourself, for you will find that your body is AMAZING…. Show yourself just how amazing it can be! Don’t allow people to make you think that you can do a little and gain a lot. Lets face it great things come to those who bust their asses for it. And if you are fine with your works outs, then good for you. The key is to be HAPPY WITH YOURSELF!
The first step is to move, and your next is to amaze yourself!