It’s the new year, and with the new year comes resolutions. The questions have already started pouring in. What’s the best diet? Should I run or lift weights? How many times should I visit the gym? Should I go low carb or low fat? Have you heard about the hCG diet? Should I lift after I run or run after I lift? What’s the best (fill in the blank)?
And although almost every trainer, nutritionist, and diet doctor will give you his/her advice (and often times it will conflict), it all boils down to one thing……. adherence. Consistency is king when it comes to health and weight loss.
When we first started the gym, I only recommended getting stronger (lifting heavy weights) and performing high intensity intervals for weight loss. It didn’t matter what the client liked or disliked. That was the prescription. I was foolishly arrogant. Dustin Fletcher can attest to that, as I’d routinely downplay running for those interested in losing weight.
Over the years, I realized I was wrong. I was trying to apply a perfect, one-size-fits-all solution in an imperfect, unique world. What if the client didn’t like lifting weights? Tough. What if the client didn’t know how to lift weights? Tough. What if the client wasn’t strong enough to lift a heavy enough weight to have an impact? Tough.
It’s not about what you should do. It’s about what you can do. Do you enjoy walking? Can you commit to doing it almost daily? Great. That’s where you should start. I guarantee you’ll lose a lot more weight walking than if I wrote you a lifting program that you absolutely dreaded doing. Do you feel better on a high carbohydrate diet as opposed to a low fat diet? Great. Do that, and slowly try to reduce your calories. I don’t care if the research says low fat diets are superior.
It doesn’t matter if the method is 100% effective. If you hate doing it/eating it, you won’t stick with it. And in turn, you won’t lose any weight or see a difference. Do something you enjoy, and you’ll continue to do it.
Do you know how many times I tried running? Almost as many times as I’ve tried to eat broccoli. No matter how many great things I’ve read about broccoli and running, I just can’t seem to add them to my daily routine. About every 3 months I make an attempt to add one or the other, and within a week or two, I jump ship. I just don’t like them. And yet, we have tons of members who love running, and quite a few who have lost 30+lbs by only running.
So, if you like walking or running, come to the gym and do that. If you like spinning, join our spin class. If you like dancing, try GloKick or Zumba. If you like lifting weights, come to a bootcamp. Better yet, bring a friend. Not only will she bring accountability, but she’ll also make it more enjoyable. And the more enjoyable exercise is, the more effective it will be. Trust me, there is a reason why almost all of the Biggest Loser contestants regain the weight back they lost on the show. No one can sustain puking her guts out every day after a workout. It’s not fun.
So in short, forget about what the experts say. There is no best method. Instead, ask yourself – Can I do this almost daily? Will I enjoy it or at the least, not dread doing it. Action + Consistency = Results.
