Not Getting Results and Questioning the Process?

Have you ever worked REALLY HARD in the gym for a sustained period of time, eaten well and focused on your health only to hop on the scales and have little to no changes?

Believe it or not, this is quite common, and something that a lot of people can experience from time to time. 

Seeing changes from exercise is a fantastic feeling; it encourages you to do better, it reinforces what you are doing and it makes you feel great! When you work hard and don't get the results you are after, it can get disenchanting. However, don't panic. Let's explore the reasons why you might not be getting the results you are after....

 1. Exercise 

The key to changing ones shape is to build muscle, REGARDLESS of your goal. Many people fear building muscles as they are afraid of looking "bulky" or getting bigger. The more lean muscle one can create will dictate how many calories they burn each day and also determine how body fat they can burn. Many think that cardio is the answer, but scientific research has shown us that the more lean muscle an individual has the leaner their bodies will be. If you are not getting the results you are looking for, start adding resistance training to your program. Not only will your body burn calories and fat quicker, but it will also help strengthen your bones and give you a better quality of life. 

2. Exercise Frequency

In order to get results you must be habitual and structured with exercise. Many people think that 2-3 walks per week will help them lose weight. In the very VERY small percentage of people, this may work. However, in order to really get fantastic results, you need to do challenging exercise 4 times per week. Studies have shown that those exercising 4 times per week get 50% better results than those that train 3 times per week. We recommend a mixture of both resistance (weights) and challenging cardiovascular work. Remember, exercising 4 x per week should take you a MAXIMUM of 3 hours; that's not a great deal of time to sacrifice for a leaner, better you. 

3. Nutrition

We hear it all the time...."I'm eating great and not getting results". If you aren't getting the results you want, it can often be your food that is letting you down. The first thing you must do is write everything down. This is critical for 2 reasons; the first being that you can see exactly what you are eating, and the second is to identify trends. Many people say they are eating great, yet their Friday, Saturday and Sundays and all used eating junk food. Remember, like all things, you can only get success if you are continually focused on what you want to achieve. Now, by no means are we saying that can never eat junk food. However, if for nearly 40% of the week you are not eating well, you can not expect to get fantastic results. 

The important thing to do is try to find a nutrition regime that you can stick to permanently. This way you can maintain healthy habits every day and also have an occasional treat meal if you wish, without it effecting the scales. Being either "all in" with your food or completely "out" will only result in your body never finding its metabolic rhythm. Consistency is key. 

4. Rest 

Rest is crucial in allowing the body to recover, helping muscles to grow and aiding in food digestion and distribution. If you are not sleeping enough, your body is not recovering properly. Getting 7-8 hours per night is recommended. Try putting your phone down two hours prior to bed, reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle. This will eliminate the blue light effect from your phone and also help you to wind down. 

5. What if you ARE eating well, training well and sleeping....

This is the most frustrating of all, and one that can be most upsetting. There are many reasons why you aren't getting the results you want RIGHT NOW. In many cases the reason you aren't getting results as fast as you would like is damage to your metabolism, or metabolic damage. This is when the body is slow to metabolise food and results therefore take longer. This can be frustrating, I know. However, the key is patience. Like all things, it will just take time. If you have been mistreating your body for years, unfortunately a few months is not long enough for you to reverse that process. The good news is that it also WON'T take a few years to get great results. Another factor can be intolerances to food. Some foods that don't agree with your body can cause bloating, less efficient usage of foods and changes in your body. It's important to monitor how you feel and if the foods you love may actually be pushing you further away from your goals. The last thing to look at is your food portions. You may be eating too much, or not enough. If you are eating too much your body will not be able to properly use all of the food and be storing the rest as fat stores. If you are not eating enough, you may be training your metabolism to slow down, resulting in your body not utilising foods correctly. 

What's important is to get someone to help you identify where you can improve and help you get the results you need.

Remember to keep a positive mindset. Rome wasn't built in a day, and although you may want amazing results in just a few weeks, just remember that a sound plan and perseverance WILL get you there. 

Have a great day,

Yours in good health,

MPT Transformations