Blog 20
By Jesi Mandagaran
At some point in our lives, we have all started a diet, whether to look like Jessica Alba or Dwayne Johnson AKA the Rock. And we have all gotten up out of bed, day 2 of our diet, looked into the mirror for a full body check-up, expecting to see a ripple of an ab or perhaps a bulging bicep. Okay, if not day 2 then for sure day 3, only to be disappointed and ready to give into that pancake hearty breakfast only to guzzle it down with a cup of hot caramel creamer and a dash of coffee. Mission super hero diet… failed. Why is losing weight and body transformation so hard and why does it take so long?
Firstly, I’d like to point out the obvious in our new age culture of “instant living”. Everything is moving faster, why mail a post card from the Grand Canyon when I can Insta-Twit-Twotter-Face-Snap-it-Book-Gram it instead?! Forgot to put on make up for your selfie? No problem, apps nowadays have filters that can Super-Barbie your face. Amazon prime, you can buy any item and groceries from the comfort of your home in your mismatched penguin p.j.’s and have it delivered that same day. While our technology is super-upgrading our living, it is also making us quite the impatient and lazy species we were so NOT meant to be. We want everything NOW, NOW NOW!! But unfortunately, in this time space and reality, our bodies don’t operate in the “insta” button world.
Our body is a complex machine, with 5 crucial organs we depend on for survival, as well as other jobs like circulatory, digestive, endocrine, lymphatic, nervous, and muscular system, just to name a few of many. How can you expect to go from 230lbs to your ideal weight of 180lbs in a week?! I mean, there is so much going on IN the body that requires a specific number of calories in order to simply keep us alive. We know that as, BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). So, we must consume at least our pre-determined number of calories…
So, you may want to think twice about those ‘yo-yo’ diets like, consuming 500 calories a day, or starving yourself every other week. It works wonders, sure… for a while, a very short while. Until your organs go Hulk mode on you, threatening to shut down. And if you are lucky to have survived that, you’ll probably go back to regular eating as you were before, in which did not serve you well the first time, and then your body goes into survival mode, super-storing
everything you eat. Thus, making you gain all the weight back and more. Revenge body diet quickie is not the way to go. It is safe to say, the body, our vehicle needs some extra lovin’ and time to accept the changes we want for the desired healthy body.
Here are some reasons why losing weight can be difficult:
- Misunderstanding. People making an effort but without the right education or knowledge about Nutrition or Exercising.
- Environment- Spouse or roommates eat like crap and drink frequently. Which, tends to make you fall off more often than not.
- Attitude- Motivation is temporary, it’s important to have a strong “why” for you your fitness goal. Creating the habits beats temporary highs of motivation. Also, it’s worth mentioning, self-talk is really important. Our mind is the power, the body is simply the instrument following whatever the mind is saying and thinking. #Thinkaboutit
- Stress– Those cortisol’s levels are a real doozy if you don’t keep them in check. Define what or who stresses you, eliminate or find a way to diminish time around it. Remember, high cortisol levels create stubborn belly fat.
- Sleep- Quality sleep people. Especially, when trying to hit fitness goals, the body needs sleep for recovery and rebuilding. #DUH See my blog on BEASTS SLEEP TOO for more in-depth information.
- Medications/Hormonal Imbalance/Underlying Health- Depression medications? Blood pressure medications? Birth control? Any kind of medication or other underlying health problems like, depression and Thyroid can have an affect on losing weight.
- Age- Sad but true, as we get older so does our vehicle. Our metabolism gets slower. More reason to stick to the clean eating rule of 80/20.
- Insulin spikes- consistent carb/sugar consumption = insulin spikes = blocking the fat burning hormones = sugar burner, NOT fat burner.
- Gut Lining Damage- This can easily be its own blog, oh wait—it is already a pre-written blog. INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY. In short, when your gut is damaged, the gut becomes inflamed, which results in weight gain followed by chronic illnesses. Not sexy.
- Mental Health– Mind chatter operating at low vibrational frequencies, like, jealousies, gossip, negative perspectives of the world and self. “Not enough” mentality. Great quote by Henry Ford, “Whether you think you Can or Can’t, you are right.”
How to allow efficient weight-loss:
- Relax and Trust. Put the scale away for a month and forget about it. Stick to clean eating and proper exercising 4-6x a week. Trust that your body is the majestic machine that it is. It takes time for cells and organs to communicate, eliminate the bad guys, resurrect the good guys, tear down and rebuild. Promise.
- Happy Hormones- Take time to laugh more. Watch funny movies, or go enjoy outdoor scenery. By doing more fun relaxing things, your body reduces stress and allows the good energizing hormones to roam.
- Know that the scale itself, does not tell the whole story. Keep your focus on Body Fat.
- Surround Yourself with Right People and Information- It’s true what they say, we become like the 5 people we hang out with the most. You become your environment. As for information, is the exercise the right kind for you? The Nutrition plan, was it prescribed by a certified professional and not some Instagram Tea selling celebrity? Are the people you running with an inspiration or vampires.
- S-L-E-E-P!!!! Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Evenings are meant for winding down, relaxing and preparing your body for its much-needed sleep. Sleep is where ALL THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
Over all, body transformations can be hard. It’s a game of consistency, trusting, eating for Energy output (calorie counting), eating abundant beneficial nutrients, and challenging fitness routine. Where to start? The right attitude for one, define your goals, and seek professionals with the right knowledge to help you on your fitness journey. The worst thing you could do, is waste time testing out all the yo-yo dieting fads, only to make your body sicker and your mind more frustrated. The bottom line of this article, is to chill out, laugh more, be patient and focus on enjoying your journey, loving your body and giving it time to heal. Hate never wins my friends. #cheesybuttrue
Remember, your body is always singing, “Love Me, Love Me… Eat Like You Love Me, Move Me, Move Me… Say That You’ll Honor Me…” No? Isn’t that what the 90s band the Cardigans wrote?
For anyone who needs Nutrition + Fitness Regime guidance Book a Consultation HERE.
With Cheese + Luv,
Coach Jesi
[ REFERENCES ]
CrossFit Journal Article: HOW MUCH FOOD SHOULD I EAT E.C. SYNKOWSKI
