The Single Best Way to Get Into Shape!

Photo by Jonathan Perez

Over the last 12 years working in the NFL, NCAA, and now as a NYC personal trainer, I have dealt with many different goals. Throughout this time I’ve found that a single method can get you into the best shape of your life. No more fad diets, crazy non stop workouts, juicing, or supplements with this simple method you’ll look amazing, be strong, and feel great! So what is this method?

It’s called PATIENCE!

Before you get your panties in a bunch hold tight.

In our current culture where data is readily available and fast results are expected, why wouldn’t we expect the same out of fitness? Sadly, that’s not how the human body works. Think about it, say you eat a pizza every day for a week, you won’t suddenly become over weight that week, maybe gain water weight and bloat a bit. But within that week you won’t gain 5lbs of fat, do this on consistent basis then you’re well on your way. Yet many people don’t think fitness in the same way, we wants fitness results NOW! You hit the gym hard for two weeks, so you should gain 3lbs of muscle mass or slim down 2 sizes. If this doesn’t happen then fuggedaboutit! This isn’t the right mind set, even if that two weeks is 6 weeks, it still is NOT the right mind set.

Patience Lost

Lack of patience is the issue here, which then leads to inconsistency with your diet and fitness program. Naturally we’re looking for the next best thing and fitness marketers are taking advantage of this. This is why you see so many appealing advertisements with false claims. Yet if you took your time, focused on the process of getting into shape (eating clean, working out, getting sleep, etc…), and ignore all the marketing frenzy, then you’ll be well on your way.

Remember my interview with Michelle Davis, she cuts down 6 months in advance. That’s 6 months of CONSISTENT dieting and training = major patience 🙂 Here’s her progress pic from December 1 – April 20th and she still has 5 weeks to go for her competition.

Keep in mind that she dieted down slowly and CONSISTENTLY throughout this period. And of course there were times her diet was not 100% perfect but she stuck with the process and made adjustments as needed. If the work or diet template didn’t achieve the results she wanted then she’d small changes. The point here is that she didn’t quit just because she didn’t get her immediate results. With that said, her body will clearly react a more aggressively since she’s an elite athlete and has been doing this for years.

Consistency

I’d say that a very high percentage of fitness enthusiasts that have failed at their goal is because of a lack in consistency, patience, and realistic expectations. Yet many people say they are “consistent” but when I get to the heart of it, they skipped part of the warm up,  cut a set here and there, skipped a few days to go drinking, and so on.

You have to be honest with yourself, shit happens, I’m not making any judgement but you need to be 100% realistic about your efforts. If you don’t train and eat well consistently then you’ll get what you’re putting into the process. Also the training intensity doesn’t mean riding the elliptical as you read your newspaper or do 5×5 squat sets that takes you an hour to complete. Train hard, train smart, sweat a little bit, get a little pump, and you’re moving in the right direction. Bottom line be honest with yourself, if it takes you 2 hours to do a 45minute workout, you’re eating pizza and doughnuts on the daily then you’re going to get the results you put into it.

Don’t Compare

I often hear people that are just starting compare their results to XYZ person. The truth is your fitness results are not only due to consistency but also genetics and where you’re starting. For example: If I trained Client A, a retired NFL lineman vs. Client B, a 45year old overweight fitness enthusiast that has barely trained before, the retired NFL lineman will most likely get into shape faster.

Why?

First despite the fact some lineman are overweight, they are heavy for a purpose. With that said they are still very active, strong, and fit = a strong foundation to build off of which makes getting into shape that much more easier. Versus Client B, will need to be the exercise movements correctly and efficiently, build his general strength and work capacity to handle higher intensity work outs. Therefore Client A will clearly be in a higher bracket and will more than likely progress a bit faster than Client B.

Conclusion

Being patient and sticking with the process is a constant battle but that’s the beauty of it. It’s constantly changing and it’s FUN! If you ever talk to an elite bodybuilder, they have years of workouts and diet journals that allow them track what worked and didn’t to keep tightening up their body each competition cycle. It’s actually quite fascinating how precise some of the elite level athletes can be. In the end, ignore any quick fix promises stick with a good game plan that includes weightlifting, cardio, stretching, dieting, rest, and balancing your LIFE. Just because you’re dieting and training does not mean that you can’t be social it just may mean you need to prepare for those events a bit better.

Stay PATIENT and strong,

Team Fusion Trained