Let me start this one off by posing a question..., but don’t answer it just yet. Read through the article and answer the question truthfully at the end.
"Are you better than you were yesterday?"
Now, let’s dive into the article.
Here’s the REAL truth behind getting great results: “it’s never, ever going to be a sprint. It’s a PROCESS!”
A process needs to be in place to produce a favorable result. The process needs to involve 4 main things - learning, adjusting, adapting, reviewing.
Let’s break this down into actionable steps.
It’s never, ever going to be a sprint. It’s a PROCESS!
STEP 1
You have to learn what you need to do (or shouldn’t be doing) in order to see an improvement. I use the word improvement deliberately because truthfully speaking, that’s where it all starts. Small improvements compound to produce great results over time.
STEP 2
After you’ve learnt what you should or shouldn’t be doing, you need to do an honest self-evaluation of your life to see exactly where you need to make adjustments. By the way, most people fail right here. They never get past “Step 2”.
A lot of people are prepared to consume information in the form of videos, articles, books and more, because let’s face it, consuming information is easy. They’ll learn all sorts things but never implement anything because again let’s face it, change is uncomfortable.
Change is uncomfortable.
STEP 3
If you successfully identify the area in your life where an adjustment is necessary, and start implementing what you’ve learnt, the next stage is to allow your body, and more importantly your brain, to adapt to the change.
[Side note]: If ever you’ve heard about that word “consistency”, well.., this is when it becomes necessary. The body specifically adapts to the demands you place upon it time and time again. Science backs this up with the Principle of Fitness & Exercise Physiology called the SAID principle, basically an acronym for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.
Now real quick before we move on to the final step in the process, let me add a bit of context as to why you are where you are today. Simply put, you have gone through the process of adaptation. If you carefully study your day to day habits, you’ll clearly see why you look and feel they way you do.
The human body is a master at adaptation - even if you do absolutely nothing all day, it’ll adapt specifically to that.
Anyhoo..
STEP 4
With the first 3 steps successfully done, a key action to take is to review your progress. You gotta look back and study the data. You have to see if what you’re doing (or not doing) is working. Is it producing the result you’re after? Do you need to change anything or maintain what you’re doing?
Progress reviews are critical for success because you get to analyze the data and re-engage the 4-step cycle. You learn what’s working and what’s not, you adjust where necessary, you allow adaptation to occur, and again review your progress.
This cycle never stops, even when you get the desired results. To keep the results, you have to maintain whatever you’re doing. Science backs this with another Principle of Fitness & Exercise Physiology called “Reversibility”. Basically, use it or lose it.
To stay fit, you have to continually do activities that challenge your fitness. To stay lean, you have to continually keep excess fat off your body. If you don’t maintain your results, reversibility will occur.
Phew, I’ve dropped a tonne of info on you haven’t I? How about we look at that question again?
"Are you better than you were yesterday?"
It’s a simple question, but it sums up the 4-step process I’ve just painted above. Simplify the PROCESS of getting results by making small changes. People fail when they overwhelm themselves with massive and radical changes their bodies just can’t deal with.
Complexity is the killer of execution. Slowly unlearn bad habits and start learning good habits. Implement them one at a time. Do it gradually so that your body and brain are comfortable with the process of change.
Complexity is the killer of execution.
If you drink a lot of alcohol and you know that habit is stopping you from getting into better shape, cut back slowly. Aim to be better than you were yesterday.
If you eat a lot of processed foods, cut back slowly. Start adding whole foods, fruits and vegetables and just aim to be better that you were yesterday.
I guarantee that within months of making small changes and maintaining them, you won’t struggle with the problem you’re dealing with today.
If you’ve experienced any form of coaching from me, then you know that the two key principles I emphasize are “trust the process” and “never stop believing”. There has to be a process and you need to keep trying. Remember the SAID principle? Your body will adapt specifically to the demands you impose on it, so the more you work on your goals, the better you get.
That’s it! ....., but before you go, as a valued reader of my blog, I'd like to extend you an invitation to download a totally FREE nutrition resource you can instantly add to your nutrition protocol.
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