I have a client that has seen tremendous progress– She has lost 17 lbs. since training with me, and started in early May of this year (19 weeks). Just like most people, though (myself included), she feels as though the progress could be quicker.
In most cases though, I don’t do things for speed– I do them for quality; the shift in lifestyle; the healthy psyche along with the healthy body. I stress a nonrestrictive diet because losing fat isn’t about reaching a finish line, or losing any sense of enjoyment with food. Losing fat is all about making a positive lifestyle change that is healthy and sustainable.
Case in point, this client works in an office where a coworker is also losing weight, and at a slightly faster rate than my client. That person, though, is on a popular meal replacement diet where they derive a majority of their calories through fluids.
Luckily, my client realized why my method of addressing lifestyle through nonrestrictive dieting is more important. She asked her coworker what she’s going to do when she’s done with her diet, to which her coworker replied, “Oh, I can’t stop. I’m just going to keep on the program indefinitely.”
What? Indefinitely? Rather than learn how to control your nutrition, you would rather sip protein shakes every day? Where is the enjoyment from that? Why not just track your food and control portions? Why limit yourself?
Luckily, my client recognized this, and even brought that up to her coworker, asking why not just get a grip on her overall nutrition? The coworker, of course, said that it would be too hard to track their nutrition.
I’ll never lie to anyone and say the nutritional aspect is easy, but which would you enjoy more: Being able to eat whatever you want, or having to sip on protein shakes every day while not eating most foods out there? Who would you rather be?