Around the beginning of the 3rd month most clients who want to lose weight, experience a plateau, a sudden drop in energy, and a lack of motivation.
90% of people quit by the 3rd or 4th month when they begin working with a personal trainer/going to the gym because they feel they can’t go through with the regime. This happens because the program is either too strict, too mental, too focused on results instead of adapting to what our body needs.
If we have only intense workouts and caloric deficit, one day when we feel low on energy or we lack motivation we will begin to drown ourselves with guilt.
That is why most diets fail. It’s not about finding the motivation or having constant energy to workout. This is impossible. Our biology doesn’t resonate with these modern concepts.
As a Coach, I insist on adapting and being flexible in your approach. What we need changes from one day to the other.
We are used to exploiting our bodies and functioning from a mental plane, with very little connection to what we require. We eat foods that we read are good, without tuning into our stomach and being aware of its cues to tell us if it’s really good for us. We workout until we feel like fainting without noticing if our nervous system is overloaded. This is a recipe for disaster.
Ana began to feel tired, unmotivated and had episodes of extreme hunger during the 3rd month of coaching. She was struggling with feelings of guilt, and shame, because she felt she couldn’t work out anymore. She was afraid that she won’t lose weight if she doesn't keep up the same pace in her workouts. Her mind was on a go, go pace, with no consideration for her true needs.
I encouraged her to eat more during the day, increase her caloric intake to at least 1800 kcal/day. Increase her protein and green carbs intake(broccoli, leafy greens per meal). She felt uncomfortable with this idea, but she went on with it. She began to trust me.
For the third month, I recommended we change the pace of the movement and start my Stress Management program. So we switched to steady pace cardio medium intensity, Yin Yoga, and Meditation, instead of HiiT and weight lifting sessions. By the second week of the 3rd month, Ana requested we do only Yin Yoga and Breathwork.
At the end of the month with only stretching, Yin Yoga, meditation, and Breathwork, Ana noticed that she lost another 10 pounds(5kg).
Her confidence began to grow when she realized she doesn't have to torture herself to lose weight. She understood that you need to eat if you want results. That weight gain can be a result of long-term deprivation.
Introducing Stress Management helped her feel more lightness in the body when she works out, she stopped punish herself as a form of punishment and began to enjoy movement.
Flexibility, Awareness, Rest, and Proper Nutrition are key.
Love,
Teodora
