Expectations vs. Reality
Change doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not always easy. That’s normal!
Keep going.
Recently I've talked about:
why losing weight according to the scale shouldn't be the #1 focus;
and why we shouldn't judge or comment on anyone else's body.
But I know some of you are probably saying, "That's great and all, but...I still have things I want to change."
That's totally normal, and it's why I do what I do! I want my clients to have the knowledge and guidance to make the choices that will support their goals and promote their long-term health.
One of the biggest hurdles many people face when they're getting started is unrealistic expectations. They think the process is going to go a certain way, and when it doesn't, it's like running straight into a brick wall.
Unfortunately, the same pervasive social influences that overemphasize weight loss -- tv and radio commercials, celebrities, etc. -- are also promoting results and timelines that simply aren't healthy or feasible, which sets people up for failure and makes my job as a coach more difficult!
Here are a few misconceptions clients have had about working out and eating differently, and what I want everyone to know when they're getting started:
Expectation: Lose 1-2 lbs per week
Reality: Weight loss isn't linear.
Many apps like MyFitnessPal will estimate timelines based on 1-2 lbs per week, but that's ambitious.
Someone who is already in a fairly consistent pattern of working out and eating well will likely see slower progress. Someone who is just starting might lose quite a bit more quickly at first, but that pace will generally slow down. And that's ok!
It's important to understand that the calculations that determine the pace of weight loss and timeline for reaching one's goal are just math problems, and they can't possibly predict or take into account the many factors that might impact one's progress. Basically, plan for it to take a little bit longer than your apps suggest, and don't be discouraged if it's not as quick as you hoped.Expectation: Sign up for one personal training session "just to get started"
Reality: One session probably isn't going to do too much.
I'm not saying this just to sell more sessions! There is SO much to learn and consider when it comes to personal training, and 30 minutes is barely enough to even get to know someone, their goals, and where they are currently in order to provide helpful suggestions.
Honestly, it's the same issue when someone buys one session a week for a month -- if you're just getting started, it's probably going to take those four sessions just to get comfortable with basic movement patterns.
If you are serious about improving your fitness, learning how to move better, gaining muscle, and exploring new moves or types of training, that's going to take time and repetition. Give yourself more time to learn and develop your skills by making a longer commitment to personal training, and you'll feel much more confident and knowledgeable when it's time to go out on your own.Expectation: Eating less and/or cutting out certain food groups is the best way to achieve weight/fat loss.
Reality: Restricting too much leads to overeating, binge eating, feeling out of control around food, and "falling off track."
We've been told lies about what it takes to "eat healthy" and get leaner. Slashing calories ain't the way, unless you have a weird desire to lose weight really quickly while also feeling hungry and grouchy until you reach the point where you can't take it anymore and you eat all the things and feel terrible and start the whole cycle again.
If you are restricting your food intake and feeling really hungry or sluggish, you probably need more food. Calories = energy!
If you are restricting your food intake and find yourself routinely overeating at night, you probably need more food.
The calorie targets of many common diets and weight loss programs are generally far too low for most people. This creates rapid weight loss that is unsustainable, which conveniently means you have to continue signing up for the diet or program over and over again. Who does that benefit? (Hint: It's not you.)Expectation: When you work with a trainer, you'll lose weight, get muscle definition, and/or learn to do complex, high-intensity exercises.
Reality: When you work with a trainer, you may or may not lose weight, and you'll do a lot of the same movements.
You might not lose weight working with a trainer, for a number of reasons. Personal trainers are not certified to provide in-depth nutrition guidance, so if you're not also changing your eating habits, you might not see as many physical changes. And if you're not training consistently, or if you're only doing your one session a week, your progress will be limited.
Your personal trainer probably won't (and probably shouldn't) have you do a lot of the fancy and complicated circuits you might have seen online, because what we do know is that doing basic movements well, and progressing those movement patterns over time, is what creates meaningful change. Nearly all clients have some basics that still need work, and blowing past those is just going to create more problems down the road.Expectation: Working out and dieting sucks and I'm going to hate every minute of it.
Reality: It might not always be fun and easy, but it shouldn't be miserable!
If it is, hire someone who can help.
I've had numerous clients tell me they don't like working out, they hate strength training, they're always in pain, etc. The good new is there are so many ways to exercise and move our bodies in ways that work for each one of us! That's where an experienced trainer can get creative and help their clients find something that they enjoy (or at least tolerate!) that also addresses what they want to change.
Same with nutrition: Even if you're seeking to lose fat or weight -- which does NOT ever have to be the goal -- there are ways to do it without feeling miserable. In fact, a smart "cut" should not really feel restrictive at all.
And remember, you don't have to work out or change your eating in order to lose weight or change your body composition. You can simply move more and eat more nutritious foods like veggies and proteins in order to feel better and improve other health metrics.Expectation: If I exercise and diet more, I'll lose more weight.
Reality: If you've been training hard and restricting food intake, and/or if you're under a lot of stress, food and exercise might not be the answer.
I've had clients who worked out religiously, consumed under 1600 calories per day, and struggled to see the changes they wanted to see. They thought they were doing everything "right," but in reality, there was a lot of physical and emotional stress that prevented them from achieving their goals.
Working out hard, especially without rest days or varying the types of training, places physical stress on the body. This is why it's important to give the body time to recover in between training sessions.
Restricting calories -- especially paired with intense training -- also puts stress on our bodies.
Physical stress, added to chronic emotional stress from family situations, pressure at work, dealing with trauma, living in a pandemic, etc., creates an environment where it's nearly impossible for our bodies to function optimally. It's hard to build muscle or lose fat when our bodies are just trying to survive each day. (More on the impact of stress here.)
Sometimes the first step when working with a coach is to do less. That means less working out, less dieting, less everything until the body gets to a place where it feels "safe" before pursuing fitness goals. Most people want to jump right in, but the truth is that stepping back first can have a greater impact long-term.
What questions or expectations do you have about personal training, nutrition coaching, or your fitness journey? Get in touch at coachjustineh@gmail.com or @jchcoaching on Instagram and let me know!
