(Names have been changed to protect privacy)
Kate and Judith are sisters. Like many parents, they have never put their own health and fitness as a priority, and over the years they’ve gained weight and seen their energy levels decline.
Tired of being overweight and exhausted all of the time, they decided to make a change together. After considering a regular gym, they took the brave step of joining CrossFit and signed up to work with a trainer twice per week.
Years of inactivity meant that they were not ready for much volume or intensity so their trainers kept the workouts simple but effective, focusing on high quality movement.
Judith took the added step of starting the Ketogenic diet, which she followed strictly. Kate was not ready to tackle nutrition, so her trainer focused on small action items such as adding more fruit.
That first month was not an easy one, especially for Kate. Her son became sick and she had to spend several nights in the hospital, during which she lived off of croissants and chocolate. Not a great recipe for body transformation. But she made sure not to miss the workouts. She felt that she was making no progress, and considered giving up. But her sister did not allow her to quit, and her trainer encouraged her to focus on the positive.
At the end of the first month came the time for their weigh in and body composition analysis.
Kate stepped on the scale first. Disappointingly, there was no change there. “Let’s check body fat percentage” said the trainer. Expecting the worst, she reluctantly gripped the electrodes and pushed the button. A few seconds later it beeped, signaling the result.
The trainer had to double check the numbers, because he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She had lost five percent of her body fat in just four weeks without dieting! That meant she had replaced four kilograms of fat with muscle in just 8 scaled beginners workouts.
Judith noticed a difference in the way her clothes fit, plus her strength and endurance improved measurably, both of which are great accomplishments! Her numbers may not have changed on paper, but the discipline and leadership she showed will surely pay off.
I learned two valuable lessons from this story.
- To see big results, take small steps and don’t let setbacks knock you down. Bamboo spends 5 years developing its root system underground before shooting up 30 meters in 6 weeks. A concert pianist spends decades practicing for that one brilliant performance. Keep at it!
- Extreme diets don’t work for everyone. I recommend a sustainable whole foods approach which works for the long term not just for a short period.
Here are two things you can do right now:
- Add physical activity as little as once or twice per week. Even going for a brisk walk is good! Even better, book a free meeting at https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13876588
- Try for 3-4 fresh fruits and 4-6 vegetables per day.This is such a huge deal in terms of supplying your body with healthy fiber, vitamins, phytochemicals and hydration! Doing so will automatically reduce the amount of junk calories you eat and will most certainly cause you to lose fat and have more energy!!
(Kate was doing half of this and she still made a huge change. The main thing is to remember that any small change adds up.)
