The Secrets Of Radical Whole-Body Transformation
Contributing post
Life can be unfair, sometimes. We need our bodies to accumulate experience about the world on what we should and shouldn’t do, but by the time we learn the hard lessons, it can be too late. It often takes years to work out the best way to live in a society hell-bent against healthy behaviors that by the time we figure it out, it seems like there’s little that we can do. We’re stuck.
What’s more, the messages that we get about diet and exercise are confusing. One moment the mainstream is telling us that we should eat a plant-based diet; the next, the dairy and meat industries are telling us that butter-fried bacon is back on the menu.
We know, however, from our experience of Instagram transformations that some people really do achieve radical whole-body changes. It is clearly possible; it’s just a question of how.
When it comes down to it, most of the people who stand for those incredible before and after pictures are obeying a series of simple rules. Here are the secrets of radical body transformation.
Keep To The Plan, Most Of The Time
We’re not robots. Few people can do the same thing, day in day out, for years on end. It’s just not the way that we’re constituted. Most of us want to spice it up from time to time.
One of the problems with the traditional approach to diet was its strictness. Before you could go to a bariatric surgeon for weight loss, most doctors believed that the only way to gain compliance was to browbeat their patients. Those on a “reducing diet” had to adhere to the protocol rigorously, otherwise, they’d fail. This approach, however, ran counter to the constitution of most people. A person cannot look at a plate of vegetables and beans and say to themselves, “I am going to eat like this for the rest of my life.” It’s just not realistic.
The modern approach is different. Here the person trying to transform their body “leans into it.” In other words, they try to do things right most of the time. If they fall off the bandwagon at the weekend, then it’s not a big deal. We’re all human. Pretending that we’re not isn’t sustainable.
Practice Mindful Eating
The people who undergo the most radical transformation unfailingly practice a technique called mindful eating - an approach to food that attempts to keep track of what people put in their mouths at all hours of the day.
Research has found over and over that most people radically underestimate how much they’re eating. While they count main meals, they often forget the late-night snacks in front of the TV that research suggests is linked to weight gain.
People who practice mindful eating, however, are often able to nip these habits in the bud and create new routines that support weight loss.
In conclusion, while exercise is essential for toning up and shaping the body, most transformation is a consequence of radical weight loss over a long time - as much as five years. If there’s one message coming out of the literature, it’s that small habits can have an enormous impact.
For more fitness inspiration and barre workouts visit Nadia Murdock Fit on Instagram @NadiaMurdock and the NMFIT Blog!