The human body is an extremely complex piece of work. Bodies are different, how we train is different, and how our bodies respond to food is different. We see this with allergies and intolerances; some people can have dairy and gluten, others cannot, it just depends on the individual person. Certain body types can consume large amounts of carbohydrates and certain people respond better with higher fat diets. The difficult part, especially when it comes to ‘dieting’ (weight loss or gain) is figuring out what is best for your own body. Here’s where the frustration comes in: this process of figuring out the best nutrition plan for you, takes time. Results do not happen overnight; it can take weeks of consistency to understand if what you are doing is right for you.
So how do we stay sane in the meantime, even if the scale is not necessarily moving? Rather than tracking a number, track how you feel day-to-day. Tired all the time? Hungry all the time? Bloated constantly? Maybe something is off food-wise, then you know a change needs to happen. How is your energy during workouts? Are you feeling energized, strong, and motivated? Maybe your nutrition is headed in the right direction. In other words, look for the non-scale victories. If your energy is improving, you feeling stronger, your sleep is on point, and you are doing everything you can in the kitchen to work towards your goals then RELAX. Changes are happening, just because a number isn’t telling you they are does not mean you are not doing the right thing.
In the end, remember to control what you can control. Things you can control when it comes to dieting: water intake, exercise intensity/volume, meal prepping and what you eat, and how active you are during the day (see NEAT blog). Things you cannot control: the number on the scale, where your body loses fat or gains muscle, and what other people do/say. If you are controlling all the things you can control and being consistent with them, then ignore the rest and the changes will happen.
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