I recently put myself through a 6
week exercise and diet plan, devised by myself and a colleague (Tony Wilson)
that was geared towards losing body fat, increasing muscle and improving
digestive function. It was a successful period
for me, I hit some personal goals – losing 4kg in body-weight and dropping just
over 3% body-fat in that period, as well as maintaining my strength in the gym.
Those who have read my articles
before will know that my philosophy in the health and fitness world is not usually
geared towards aesthetics – it is more geared towards achieving a healthy mind,
body and soul through understanding of behaviour, nutrition and good movement, so
this was an unusual programme for me to follow. So, instead of writing a blog
about HOW I have achieved my results, I wanted to highlight the GOOD, the BAD
and the UGLY that comes with dedicating yourself to a focused goal and how it
can affect your life and the people around you.
The GOOD!
Let’s be clear about this, there
are many positive aspects of finding a goal, sticking to a plan (even if it’s
all consuming) and achieving your results. I felt really pleased with myself
that I got what I wanted out of the 6 weeks and am able to show my clients that
I practice what I preach. What did I experience?
More energy!
No real surprises here, but I
mainly put down the increased energy to eradicating wheat and gluten and
overall reducing the amount of carbohydrate I was eating.
It is often thought
that starchy carbohydrates and whole grains are needed for energy, but I found that
reducing carbohydrate intake overall and planning the amount based on my daily
activity level really helped give me a boost in energy. No more sugar spikes!!
I
was also keeping well hydrated through lots of water, herbal teas and
vegetables which would have also been a positive factor in my energy levels, as
would the improved sleep I was getting by eating lighter in the evenings.
Improved gut function!
Again, no real surprises
here. I had slipped into a few bad habits over a 6 month period and was
consuming too many grains and refined sugar, which had resulted in a feeling of
lethargy, bloating and weight gain (even though my exercise habit had been
consistent).
Removing wheat, gluten, dairy and alcohol for a 30 day period
helped get my gut functioning better which improved my digestion, my skin
quality, my toilet habits were more regular and I lost weight around my middle
which is what I was aiming for.
A great sense of achievement!
This was on two fronts
– first of all it is a great feeling when you prove that you have the strength
to push yourself physically in the gym past your normal boundaries and the mental
toughness to tackle your diet and create new positive habits in the kitchen.
Secondly there was some professional pride in my results. I spend a lot of time
talking to clients about fitness, nutrition and lifestyle so it’s good to give
them some recent evidence of my own success and prove that I am providing sound
advice and a professional service.
Improved motivation!
Not just in the gym, but
for life. The positive feeling I got from hitting my goals spilled into other
aspects of my life and I was approaching my daily life with a new found zest
and enthusiasm - even more so than usual ;-)
The BAD!
Yes, I’m afraid that anyone
telling you that these type of goals and programmes come without negatives then
they are either lying, or haven’t actually experienced it for themselves. What did I experience?
Obsessive behaviours!
I was beginning to show
signs of obsessive behaviour, which although were helping me form new habits and
track my progress, are no good for a healthy mind in the long run.
- I was weighing myself all of the time – shocking!
- I was obsessed with carbohydrate content and reading food labels.
- I was constantly thinking about my next meal and how I could plan my days around eating.
- I was beating myself up mentally if I ate too much, or slipped up on my diet, or missed a workout.
Narcissism was creeping in!
This I guess could be highlighted as obsessive behaviour too, but I wanted to tackle it individually. I was becoming totally self-obsessed with how I looked. I was always checking my profile view in the mirror, asking my fiancé whether she thought I was looking better and looking at old photos to compare. Now, I know you’re all reading this and thinking that sounds like typical behaviour of most Fitness Professionals and anyone who lifts weights – you may be right in some cases, but it was unusual for me to do it on such a grand scale.
Becoming a bit reclusive!
I think it’s
totally normal and necessary to moderate your social life whilst attempting to
challenge yourself with a fitness and nutrition goal, especially if you have an
active social life and it’s 100% essential to give up booze for a period of
time. But, I was beginning to avoid people so I didn’t have to make choices
about food, or get hassled for doing something that they think is stupid or a
waste of time. I even was happy that my fiancé went to Canada on business for a
week whilst I was starting the ketogenic part of my diet so I didn’t have to
think about her when it came to food (I did miss you too Emily…. I promise!).
This of course was all a means to an end, but I guess the reason I have
highlighted it as a negative is because if it goes on too long you may find your
friends don’t want to invite you out anymore. So, keep your periods of extreme
goals relatively short.
The UGLY!
Haters are going to hate!
What I mean by this is
there are some people out there who are never happy for you – or happy for anyone
probably. When you put yourself out there in the public domain and let people
know you are trying to achieve something, even put out pictures and updates to
help keep you motivated and on track, there are always going to be people who criticise
you. You haven’t lost enough, you could do more, I can’t see any difference,
you’re mad for doing it, it’s not normal etc etc.
So, if you’re
taking the brave step of pushing yourself physically to the next level, you
will have to deal with haters in some form. If you can thicken your skin and
deal with it, then you’ll have no problems, if you are a sensitive soul, my
advice would be to keep your goals private and don’t tell too many people.
To sum up, I found the whole
experience inspiring and despite a mix of positive and negative feelings
throughout the process I felt it was 100% worth the effort. Even if your long
term goal is to maintain a healthy existence I urge people to get out of their
comfort zones and try to push those mental and physical boundaries and adding
in some tough, short term challenges.
Stay healthy!
