Lean Bodies Consulting

The quote in the title is one that a number of us on the Lean Bodies Fitness forum have gotten used to seeing - namely from one long-term LBC client and personal friend, Ileen Natic. It’s a quote she stands by in the pursuit of her physique goals and it’s powerful in its simplicity - if you’re going to achieve something, you have to want to achieve it. And really want it.

Rather than do Ileen any injustices in my sharing of her journey to where she is now - someone admired by many of her peers for her consistently strong effort and as a result, consistent payoff with results and physique improvements - I’m just going to post it in Ileen’s own words:

To date, I’ve lost close to 60lbs and gosh knows how much body fat. I was at at least 30% when I started tracking and heavier before I did that. Over the years, it’s been a slow and steady work of progress.

It’s been an awesome journey.

Ileen is the definition of determination.

A perfect example of what can be achieved … if you really want it.

Ok, let’s finish this off … I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record with some of this stuff …

Hard. Back to that for a minute.

As I said above (more than once now), it’s the same as saying it’s not supposed to be easy. By saying it’s supposed to be hard, I simply mean, don’t be surprised if it does carry a measure of difficulty with it. Again, “hard” is a word of degree; it’s all relative. It’s HARDER to be very lean or exceptional compared to the population norms than it is to be average or overweight. Can anyone deny this?

Let’s also remember that higher bodyfat (here’s our population context again) – is protective to the regulatory hormones. Meaning, you can do a lot more without any deleterious consequences when your bodyfat is higher than when it’s lower. Less hunger, less regulatory hormone adjustments, less metabolic decline, less leptin decline, etc. Anyone who challenges this, I firmly believe has never been very, very lean – from top to bottom.

It’s also known that women’s bodies tend to be more resistant than men’s – that is, to going from lean to very lean. There is a great adaptive component in women. There’s also no arguing this point either.

Why do most diets fail? Hunger. Again, expect to be hungrier when you eat less than you normally do. It’s not rocket science. By saying it’s supposed to be hard, I’m saying being hungry isn’t abnormal – fun? Heck no. Things are not going wrong just because you’re hungry. If you expect to get very lean, and never be hungry (or never have to adopt hunger-fighting strategies), well, you’re going to have a hard time getting ‘there’.

Or how about this? Don’t expect to be full, always satisfied, etc.

AND there is a difference between true physical hunger and a simply desire to eat – whether simply a want, or out of boredom on a Friday night, etc. Tell me every time you cheated on your diet it was because your body was truly famished. Tell me that it’s never simply because you just want more, want something, are bored, whatever. With all the emotional issues people face with food these days, I think it’s pretty obvious that it’s not just about physical hunger. Remember that comment? The psychology of fat loss is not easy.

Saying you didn’t work nearly as hard as you used to – isn’t saying it’s no longer hard. And no one said it’s supposed to be so hard it’s impossible. It’s simply NOT easy. Find all the satiety you want – good strategy – but if you expect to never be hungry, unless you want to progress at a snail’s pace, well, not likely.

You have to restrict your food intake – that’s not exactly easy is it? Semantics on ‘easy’ aside, it’s harder (again degrees) than not restricting food. That’s the price you pay to get in shape. Period. I’ve read Lyle McDonald put it this way – “either suck it up, or stay fat. Those are your choices”. And that’s a direct quote.

Welcoming it.

My point in saying to welcome it – is to say, expect it. It isn’t to say hey, celebrate hunger because hunger is awesome. Being hungry isn’t fun. We all know that. But again, welcome it means get ready to deal with it, because if you’re not hungry now, you will be at some point if you’re attempting to get your bodyfat really low. If you’re not, then hey, you can probably avoid most of the issues, again, since bodyfat is protective.

So, whether that means welcoming it, finding ways to minimize it (you won’t be able to do this 100%), or something else, the end point is the same. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.

Not welcoming hunger also certainly doesn’t mean you’ll never meet your goals. There is no ‘if-then’ statement there. It’s a bit easier if you learn to accept that some degree of hunger, sacrifice, etc. is necessary. Again, to think you’re never going to be hungry when getting lean is foolish. And if by chance, you can actually never experience any hunger while getting lean, then you’re in the gross minority, or you’re lying. If you’re not lying, then don’t assume that n=1 gives your experience any validity beyond that. If you’re adopting strategies to alleviate it, you’re already accepting it’s a part of the process and you’re trying to ward it off. What’s the difference?

And I’ll close by saying that I’m undoubtedly one of the non-retarded in my approach. Contrast any of my competitors with those of the standard, old-school contest prep circles and you’ll see a vastly different philosophy – I don’t overdo cardio, I don’t drastically cut calories, I don’t restrict food groups, etc. Talk to anyone who’s competed under someone else and then under me and you’ll see that they do NOT suffer nearly as much. Why? Because I look for ways to minimize the difficulty as much as I can.

Ok, so this is a Part 1 of a follow up blog post to my post from the other day titled, It’s Simple, But It’s Not Easy. Turns out that as much as it was liked by many, it wasn’t by some others. Such is the nature of not being able to please everyone. I think some points needed a bit more fleshing out and clarification as I assumed that most would ‘get’ what I was saying.

First off, let me clarify the audience. While much of what I say can be applied to anyone trying to drop bodyfat, the term ‘enviable physique’ for me represents a very lean physique. Not just average by normative standards (ie. not overweight/fat). Additionally, the main point was in the title – simple, but not easy. And as I clarified, the physiology of fat loss is simple, the psychology often is not. (although one is not entirely separate from the other).

Let’s address the issue of my saying “it’s supposed to be hard”. The word, “hard” is a word of degree. Hard relative to what? Harder than what? Quite simply, this is just another way of saying, don’t be surprised if it’s not easy. Why? Because it’s not easy. If it were so easy then there wouldn’t be so many overweight people, there wouldn’t be so many fad diets created with quick, unrealistic promises, there wouldn’t be so many fat-loss supplements marketed by supplement companies who basically are selling you hope in a bottle.

Hunger.

It’s a part of dieting. I say to accept it. Sure, you don’t have to accept it, but it’s going to come anyway, whether you accept it or not. Is hunger synonymous with starving? Of course not. Again, it’s simply another way of saying, don’t be surprised if you get hungry. Does that mean that you shouldn’t look for methods to minimize the hunger? Of course not. Is eating in a caloric deficit the only time anyone gets hungry? Of course not. Who said that? There are phases even in a deficit where you’re not hungry, but on the average, the leaner you get, and the longer you diet, the more your body is going to get pissed off at you and the more hunger is going to pop up. It’s normal. Or rather, it’s not abnormal. That’s my point. Accept that it’s going to happen – again, that is to say don’t be surprised when you get hungry when you start eating less than you habitually were for a prolonged period of time. Should be pretty much common sense.

To offer some scientific support, remember that human bodyweight is regulated – completely undebatable – and the Captain of the Regulatory team is the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus responds to change in bodyweight and bodyfat . What happens when bodyweight and bodyfat decrease? The hormones downstream are affected in such a way that … yep, hunger and appetite increase. Why? In an effort to stabilize your bodyweight. Anyone who denies they’re not more hungry eating less the longer they diet and the leaner they get is lying to you. Note – I didn’t say people are only hungry when they’re dieting.. I said dieting is generally associated with increases in hunger and appetite. Another way of saying once again, don’t be surprised when you get hungry.

And another key point, and here is where that lovely word context comes in – we’re talking about achieving an ‘enviable physique’. Not just not being overweight. Not just having a part of you in shape. Enviable. Now the phrase ‘enviable physique’ is admittedly subject to interpretation, so I’ll offer up some additional context – I’m referring to being very lean, low bodyfat; let’s just call it the bodyfat levels of a physique competitor.

So the degree to which the above happens is largely determined by how lean you are. Obviously the leaner you are, the more your body can end up royally pissed off at you and the more the regulatory hormones respond in a negative fashion. End result? MORE HUNGRY. Again, we’re not talking about being ‘not fat’. We’re talking about low bodyfat.

If you say you’re never hungry and you’ve been dieting for a while, you’re either not anywhere near contest lean, or you’re lying. If you’ve adopted hunger-fighting strategies, you were still hungry, otherwise you wouldn’t have had to adopt any strategies to fight it off. And note, nowhere did I say that we shouldn’t look for strategies to alleviate hunger. That should be obvious as well. If you can find ways to alleviate the degree of hunger you’re experiencing, by all means, provided it’s not a bag of cookies, put it in practice.

It’s a physiological fact that increased hunger and appetite is associated with falling bodyfat, lowered calories, etc.

Hard. Back to that for a minute.

Actually, more next time.

This is from a thread on the Lean Bodies Fitness forum.

Q: Does anyone else have an issue with this? Here’s what I mean: I can know that I have a cheat meal coming and be fine with that, but as soon as I start thinking that it is a reward for doing good on training and diet, I’ve run into problems. If I feel like I ‘deserve’ it, I usually pass on it because I’ve tended to go overboard in the past. However, if I simply think of it as being a treat or ‘break’, I do fine. Does that make sense? Anyone else deal with this?

A: I’m not sure how this is going to come across (I am holding to the fact that you know me well enough to know I’m not being … insensitive or rude) and I’m not sure it’ll be popular either, and I know this isn’t a one-size-fits-all-this-applies-to-everyone answer, but …

I think this represents a very immature mindset. I mean, admittedly the only issue is the way you think about things - you’re in control of that. Whether you want to admit it or not, you are.

A changed mind is more important than a changed diet.

This whole thing starts in the mind - and the only way for it to change is for the thinking behind it to change. Admittedly not as easy as it sounds.

Your beliefs cause your behaviour. The question is, where did these beliefs come from? Find the self sabotaging beliefs and thoughts – replace them with self supporting thoughts.

There are four big Success Factors to consider:

1. Core Beliefs - about what you personally believe you can and cannot do in life, especially in regards to weight loss.

2. Physical Visual Self Image/Self Concept

3. Self Esteem – Sense of Deservability – what you believe deep down you do and do not deserve in life. Do you deserve to succeed at this?

4. Sense of Self Responsibility – whether you believe your ability to succeed is due to some external cause of whether it’s something within you.

Much of it is in the thinking.

This didn’t turn out to be what I was going to write, but …

I was going to just say - it’s time to grow up already! (but that isn’t very helpful is it?)

Choose to enjoy the process. You’re doing this because you WANT to. If you think deprivation, you’re going to feel deprived.

Most answers to this question will come back as something to do with thinking and the need to take control and responsibility for it. How each individual does that, is what needs to be discovered.

Kind of an odd statement isn’t it? “It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” Of course, I’m referring to the issue of fat loss and getting in great shape. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.

To clarify a bit …

Conceptually it’s simple - meaning the ‘how to’ is pretty straight forward. Practically, it’s not so easy. Meaning the application, discipline, self control, etc., isn’t easy. So we could say that physiologically it’s simple and psychologically it’s not easy. Make sense?

I want to focus for a minute on the ‘not easy’ part. More people simply MUST accept this. There is a reason … many actually … for why more people aren’t walking around with enviable physiques. It’s not easy. There’s a reason so many people are yo-yo dieters, gaining and losing the same 10 pounds year in and year out. It’s not easy. There’s a reason why people start a diet, and then quit, only to restart. It’s not easy.

You have to accept this if you want to have long-term success in taking control of your physique … and even your health for that matter.

There is a price to pay for getting in shape. It’s not free. It has a cost associated with it. whether that’s not being able to eat 8 cookies whenever you THINK your body is specifically telling you it needs cookies (it’s not by the way), or having to get to the gym when you don’t feel like it. Actually, the gym tends to be the easy part for most people. It’s the nutritional discipline that is the issue for most.

The question you have to ask yourself is, ‘once you realize there’s a cost, are you willing to pay it’? It’s another way of saying you’re going to have to make some sacrifices if you’re serious. If you’re not willing to, then stop complaining about not making any progress and looking the same all the time.

If you want to adopt an attitude that it’s always okay to cheat or be lax with your eating, then you’re going to look the same. Food will always be there. You want it today? It’ll be there tomorrow. The next day too.

it’s a mistake to have this ‘tolerance attitude’ that says ‘hey, you cheated again; it’s okay. It’s not a big deal”. And you’re right, it’s not a big deal … UNLESS you start complaining about not making any progress.

This is supposed to be hard. The sooner you accept that reality, the better off your chances of being successful. However, ‘hard’, isn’t a bad thing. It’s all in your outlook. Similarly, hunger isn’t a bad thing - unless you think it’s a bad thing. If you always associate hunger with bad feelings, whining, moaning, whoa-is-me complaining, than yeah, you’re not going to be so happy are you? However, what if you shift your thinking? What if you decide to welcome the hunger? What if you decide to associate hunger with good things - like perhaps the fact that eating in a deficit is necessary for fat loss and clearly eating less than your body wants is going to make you hungry. So two plus two equals hunger being a possible indicator that you’re on the right track.

Again, it’s all in the mindset. Choose to enjoy the process and you can’t fail. Choose to whine and complain, justify and excuse, and you can’t succeed.

Getting lean isn’t supposed to be easy. Accept it.

Read that all again.

Follow Up Blog Post #1
Follow Up Blog Post #2

Saw this on another fitness-related blog and had to post it. Only a few words, but they carry a very big message.

2 days can erase 5!

I hope the message there is clear - weekends can kill your fat loss.

And another important point while I’m at it:

Nibbles and extras can also ruin your fat loss. In isolation they might not mean much and can be classified as ‘little’, but little + little + little is no longer little. In the end, these little nibbles here and there DO in fact add up and CAN put the brakes on your progress.

Be mindful of what goes in your mouth.

I find myself addressing this very issue repeatedly in correspondence with clients, so I thought I’d just put my thoughts in one place.

When I say the scale lies, you probably say something like, “I agree.” However, do you really? If you do agree, then whatever number pops up on the Random Number Generator will have little to no effect on you, or how you feel right? If you don’t agree, whatever number pops up relative to the last time you checked will either have you singing for the day or moaning doom and gloom.

Now, I won’t go off on a tangential rant about the scale here a I’ve already done that in my Beware! Rant About The Scale post from a ways back. But I do want to post, what seems obvious I know, a simple reminder.

The scale is information. That’s it. What does it tell you? It tells you what you weigh that moment you step on it. That’s it. It tells you nothing else. It doesn’t tell you anything about the composition of your weight. It doesn’t tell you if you’ve lost fat, gained muscle, or if simply your body’s water balance has fluctuated. It just gives you information, and most importantly, information without any context, is useless.

Doing an honest assessment, I think most of us, when we’re dieting for fat loss are after a ‘look, more than we’re after a weight. The problem is that we tend to associate a look with a given weight, and this isn’t necessarily the case. I can’t even count how many people I know who’ve found themselves smaller than they were in times past (based on clothing sizes), yet are heavier. If you focused solely on the scale, well, this is bad news right? However, clearly if clothes fit better, you’re smaller, you’re leaner, you’ve lost fat. And if you’re all these things AND heavier? You’re fortunate enough to be carrying some new muscle. Don’t complain!

With my clients I have them check in officially at two-week intervals. As part of that check in, they submit their bodyweight that day as well as a number of girth measurements. Now, here’s my point today …

More importantly than the fact the scale doesn’t give you any information on what is happening with your fat and muscle which are slower changes, it also doesn’t tell you anything about day-to-day fluctuations in body water.

It could just so happen that you caught yourself on a ‘high’ day in terms of body water. If you did a little experiment on yourself you could see this in action. If it were not true, you’d basically weigh the exact same every day and any change would be a slow decrease. There’d be no upward blips ever. Weigh yourself daily for two weeks and watch how untrue this is. You’ll see weight fluctuating up and down by a few pounds over the course of the two weeks. Of course, over time the trend should be downward.

Now I tend to not recommend weighing very often because I think people are too obsessed and affected by the results of the stepping on the scale. So, my goal is to break this over time - again because as mentioned earlier, the scale is just information and information without context is useless.

However, in some cases I’ll ask people to weigh themselves daily and submit those numbers to me as well at the end of two weeks. Why? Mostly so that they can see what’s happening and see that bodyweight fluctuates a lot. What if on the biweekly day a person’s weight was 150lbs. And let’s say two weeks ago it was 150.5lbs. You might think, “Meh, only 1/2 a pound lost”. But how do you know that person didn’t weight 148 the day before? Very possible. They just happened to catch themselves on the high day.

Daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators or success of failure. Changes in sodium status, how much water you’re drinking (low water intake promotes water retention), hormonal changes associated with menstruation, glycogen status, etc., all affect bodyweight.

My point is simply to not put too much stock into what the scale says TODAY. It probably said something different yesterday and will say something different again tomorrow. Worry about what you’re doing - sound nutrition, training, and cardio. From there over time your bodyweight will take care of itself.

If you want, experiment with daily weigh ins for yourself so you can see this in action. If you’re a client of mine, I especially want you to keep this in mind. Focus on trends, not absolute numbers.

The following is a guest blog written by Leigh Peele of Avidity Fitness and the author of The Fat Loss Troubleshoot.

You’ll quickly see why I like this write up - it’s a very no-BS-tell-it-like-it-is read. I already know I’ll be referring back to this often.

I am a big believer in things not being very black and white. I am one who believes in the ability of people to change, perhaps because I myself have changed so much. I seem to find often those who don’t believe in others ability to change are those who are afraid or do not attempt to do so themselves. I change, I change everyday. I constantly try to face things I fear, to stand up to the person I know I can be, and to self educate to become a more informed person in the future. I am human, I am flawed, but I try because I care.

Leigh Peele

As mentioned in the most recent newsletter, here is the completed ‘Before & After Transformation’ of LBC client Amy Krajewski. She went on to compete in her first figure competition recently and is now hooked.

You can see a bit more here:

http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/amy.html

He/she has more time.

I have kids and I’m really busy.

I have to work.

I’m tired.

My body told me it needed pizza. Again.

He/she has better genetics.

Sure maybe … or maybe you’re just making excuses.

Good commercial.