33.<\/p>\n
60.<\/p>\n
92.<\/p>\n
On the surface, the numbers mean nothing. They could be a lottery number, a gym locker combination, or the estimated age when all men mature. But if you look closer, these numbers are proof that fitness programs aren\u2019t working the way they should. Or maybe more accurately,\u00a0bad fitness has become the norm.<\/p>\n
Some might find these numbers depressing. The reality is, the numbers\u2014while disconcerting\u2014are a sign of hope and improvement. Because while most experts continue to spend so much time stressing the search for the perfect exercise program or diet\u2014research is finally uncovering why so many people struggle to get in shape.<\/p>\n
And the reason is simple: an important variable is missing that significantly influences whether you see the type of results you want.<\/p>\n
Good health and fitness books or good diet programs work<\/i> because they provide information that has been proven to achieve a particular goal, whether it\u2019s burning fat, building muscle, becoming more athletic, or just boosting overall health.<\/p>\n
Whether a diet and training program works is not why so my people fail. Many diets work. Many types of exercise burn calories. But certain programs are effective for individuals<\/i> because each person is able to crack the code and learn how to<\/strong> change behavior.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s time to flip the script on why certain people are fit and others struggle to fit into their favorite pair of jeans. \u00a0It\u2019s the secret in the fitness world that few people address because most never grasp why some people succeed on the same plan where others fail.<\/p>\n Beyond the calories in versus calories out equation, finding the perfect workout or number of sets or reps, the real breakdowns in body transformation don\u2019t occur in the muscles or fat cells\u2014they happen in your head.<\/p>\n Whether you realize it or not, your success is determined by your ability to adhere to a number of behavioral changes that make it easier for you to experience success on any type of program.<\/p>\n The two most common explanations for why fitness programs don\u2019t <\/i>work are:<\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0 The workout (and\/or diet) was no good and full of nonsense<\/strong><\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0 Your body sucks. Your genetics are awful. Everyone can lose weight and you can\u2019t.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The reality is, the second reason\u2014while valid (genetics do play a big role)\u2014is not a reason for your lack of success. Anyone can change and transform. Weight loss and muscle gain are not restricted to the genetically blessed.<\/p>\n The list of why programs don’t work is missing two essential elements that make it complete:<\/p>\n 3)\u00a0\u00a0 You didn\u2019t follow the program, weren\u2019t compliant, and constantly made adjustments<\/strong><\/p>\n 4)\u00a0\u00a0 The program was delivered in a way that gave you no option but failure.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s this fourth element that most people overlook and never even consider, which is why so many are frustrated because it is probably the most common reason for frustration and a lack of progress.<\/p>\n Unless you inherently love exercise and eating good foods, shifting to new habits takes a lot of mental energy<\/strong>. And if you don\u2019t take the right approach, your brain can literally prevent you from making the changes you desperately want.<\/p>\n Instead of blaming yourself, you can arm yourself with some basic knowledge that will make sure you mind is strong enough to carry your body to its new and improved look.<\/p>\n The first rule of willpower is doing everything possible to not<\/i> rely on it. Willpower is a real thing, and it can be the reason why you head to the gym and eat broccoli instead of lay on the couch and eat ice cream, but it\u2019s also the reason so many people have trouble adapting to healthy behaviors that feel foreign.<\/p>\n You see, you have much less control over your behavior than you\u2019d want to believe. That\u2019s because stress and anxiety\u2014emotions that are inevitable\u2014can wreck havoc on even the strongest intent, and make it difficult for you stay focused and push yourself to stay consistent with new behaviors.<\/p>\n Which is why it\u2019s important when taking on a new plan to be aware of the ways that your willpower might make it difficult for you to experience success. Instead of thinking, “I must avoid all of the candy in my pantry,”<\/em> you need to throw out all the food you know you have trouble avoiding and replace it with the stuff you want to eat.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve noticed that you can\u2019t make it to the gym consistently, hire a trainer<\/a> and make a special request that they text you an hour before your session.<\/p>\n Willpower can be faulty, so building systems that guide behavior can ensure that when willpower breaks down failure is not the only option.<\/strong> The more structure and rigidity to the systems you build, the easier it is to program your behavior.<\/p>\n If you feel that you need to walk more, you can purposely park your car 15 minutes away from work. Sure it\u2019s inconvenient, but it will get the job done, right?<\/p>\n All too often we over-rely on the belief that creating change will be easy. Instead, anticipate that it will be hard and simplify your job by making it easy for you to adhere to your new behaviors. After a while, you will change as a person, and you won\u2019t need the systems any more.<\/p>\n The most frustrating thing about willpower is that we legitimately have limited amounts available. The area of your brain that controls your willpower is located in your prefrontal cortex. You might remember this from biology as the area directly behind your forehead.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the same part of your brain that helps you with all your day-to-day tasks, everything from your short term memory (What did my wife tell me to buy at the store?), figuring out some simple tasks, and even staying focused.<\/p>\n The point is, the pre-fontal cortex is busy at all times. So whenever you take on a new behavior\u2014especially one that is as big as getting in shape, exercising, and eating better\u2014it\u2019s like having a massive project dropped in your lap and being told everyone else in the office is too busy to help.<\/p>\n The result is that desired actions\u2014if new\u2014can be very (very) hard to execute. In fact, it\u2019s more than your brain can handle, meaning you default to old or undesirable behaviors.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how manipulative your brain can be. In a well-known study at Stanford, two groups were given a number to remember. One group needed to remember a two-digit sequence, whereas the other needed to remember 7 digits (Both short-term memory tasks). Then the groups went for a walk. At the end of their walk, they were offered an option of snacks: Fruit or chocolate cake. (This type of dilemma might sound familiar.)<\/p>\n What happened? Those who had to remember the 7-digit number were two times more likely<\/i> to dig into the cake instead of opt for the fruit.<\/p>\n Researchers refer to this as \u201ccognitive load.\u201d The more space you\u2019re taking up in the prefontal cortex, the harder it is to make certain decisions. That\u2019s why you need to train yourself and prepare accordingly so that you have enough willpower to take on new tasks.<\/p>\n This is one of the reasons why resolutions are such a flawed concept. If you\u2019re trying to change 10 behaviors at the same time, it\u2019s nearly impossible for you to succeed.<\/strong> Your brain won\u2019t have it, and,\u00a0as a result, you\u2019ll be more likely to find yourself in December eating cake\u2014and not because you\u2019re celebrating your new body.<\/p>\n Instead of listing off many goals or taking on too many projects, it\u2019s best to focus on one big effort and then break that down into habits.\u00a0 Researchers from Australia found that taking a step-by-step approach<\/a>, such as building one habit at a time helps reduce cognitive load.<\/p>\n So rather than saying \u201cI need to lose 10 pounds\u201d it\u2019s best to program simple behaviors that will help make this possible. This might be, \u201cI will have an accountability team to make sure I go to the gym.\u201d The habit is simple\u2014building a team\u2014rather than something more complex such as promising that you\u2019ll exercise for 60 minutes five times per week.<\/p>\n The lesson: Be aware that your willpower is the most overworked employee in your brain. Make the job easier and you\u2019ll see your habits change along with your body.<\/p>\n In order to make sure you create more willpower and don\u2019t sabotage your efforts, here are five things you need to consider when trying to change your body, take on a new diet or fitness program, or accept a new behavior.<\/p>\n We all want to believe that we can achieve our fitness goals, but all too often \u201cfalse hope syndrome\u201d makes the process harder than it needs to be. You need to set realistic expectations of who you are, what you are capable of achieving, and want processes you need to set up to help you be successful. This goes back to building systems.<\/p>\n If you know that you fall victim to cravings, don\u2019t tell yourself those days are over and that you can completely control yourself. Odds are, you\u2019re lying to yourself and these positive intentions\u2014while seemingly good\u2014can be harmful. That\u2019s because the moment you slip up you\u2019ll not only revert back to old behaviors (not terrible when it happens once in a while\u2014hey, we all screw up!) but more importantly it can crush your self-esteem. And once that happens, willpower becomes overrun and you fall off the wagon.<\/p>\n Therefore, it\u2019s important that you start out confident, but also be realistic with what will be easy and what will be hard. Make a list. Separate it into two goals (easy and hard), and for everything that\u2019s hard, plan certain systems that will help ensure that you\u2019re not putting too much pressure on yourself.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about your fitness goals, you need to determine what other areas of your life should be prioritized less. Go in open-minded and realize that making these changes will be tough; if they weren\u2019t, you wouldn\u2019t be in this position in the first place. So make sure you have the energy to take on the task and be prepared for the hard days. You can simplify this process by:<\/p>\n All four of these elements have something in common: you\u2019re creating new thought patterns. When brain scientists have looked at MRI\u2019s they\u2019ve found that our minds work off of old memories. It\u2019s like a taking a particular route to work. After a while, it becomes you routine. But when it comes to behavior, oftentimes you simply try to tell yourself, \u201cDon\u2019t go that way!\u201d That\u2019s a recipe for failure. You need to find a new route. Don\u2019t try to \u201cnot to do something;\u201d that just strengthens a pre-existing behavior. Instead, create a new line of thinking, build a new neural pathway, and take that route enough times until it becomes your new habit.<\/p>\n This is a good lesson for anything in life: When you set goals, make them specific and tiny. You want to make it as easy as possible to succeed. We all are susceptible to a psychological concept called learned helplessness; fail enough and you come to expect failure. This is the foundation of bad fitness. And yet, all too often goals are set that increase the likelihood of failure. If you make your goals almost too easy to not <\/i>fail, you\u2019re on the right track. This builds positive reinforcement. And in no time, a series of small successes will have you feeling good and making more changes.<\/p>\n Speaking of positive feedback, having a team\u2014whether it\u2019s friends, family, a trainer, or workout partner\u2014pays huge dividends for any fitness goal you\u2019re trying to accomplish. In fact, research from the University of Chicago suggests that your likelihood of success is directly related to accountability and support. The ongoing lesson: don\u2019t convince yourself you need to go at this alone. Build a team that can help you succeed. And the more that team is either invested in your goals\u2014or are willing to be a part of your journey\u2014the more likely you\u2019ll succeed.<\/p>\n If all else fails, bad fitness can be offset by building an incentive system that hacks your behavioral patterns and forces change. Research has shown that rewarding behaviors<\/a>\u2014especially with a monetary value\u2014can help reinforce actions (such as going to the gym) that lead\u00a0to long-term change. While it might be hard to find someone to pay you to exercise, you can invest your own money (in a trainer or gym) that might help make you less risk aversive. But if gym attendance shows you anything it\u2019s that belonging to a gym is not reason enough to get in shape.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.\u201d \u2013<\/i>Abraham Maslow<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019re aware of your brain\u2019s role in the fitness plans, it\u2019s up to you to execute. Build your own structure and systems to help improve the likelihood of success. Or find an option that considers all of those factors.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s online coaching\u00a0or any other proven tactic, you must start with awareness and then move to planning and action. Create a structure for psychological support. Doing so will change your mind, and soon after your body will follow.<\/p>\n A weight loss plan doesn\u2019t have to be a world of false promises and hype.<\/p>\n Now you can join a proven weight loss program with a personalized component of support and accountability with personalized online coaching<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here you\u2019ll learn how to eat, the type of exercise needed, and the actual plans to point you in the right direction.<\/p>\n How to Defy Genetics and Build Muscle at Any Age<\/a><\/p>\nBad Fitness 101: Don\u2019t Rely on Willpower\u2026<\/h2>\n
…But Creating More Willpower Will Help (Yes, it\u2019s possible)<\/b><\/h2>\n
5 Ways to Boost Willpower<\/h2>\n
Create Hope<\/b><\/h3>\n
Think Small (But Still Dream Big)<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n
Set specific Goals<\/b><\/h3>\n
Set up An Accountability System<\/b><\/h3>\n
Create Incentives<\/b><\/h2>\n
Your Move<\/h2>\n
Lose Fat\u2026The Realistic Way<\/h2>\n
READ MORE:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n