We live in a world of now now now!! The urgency we place on things has taken over our ability to wait and be patient. Fast food has been on the forefront of the lunch and dinner scene for many many years, and now there is fast fitness. I’ve had clients in the past that have gotten into their heads that they want a workout that is under 45 minutes. I’ve read articles about a 20 minute workout. There are apps out there offering the same. My question is, Why the urgency? Why so quick?
Fitness doesn’t happen in 20 minutes, and it definitely doesn’t happen overnight or without trial and error. True fitness and health comes from diligence, frustration, tenacity, and grit. You’ve all known someone who went on a crazy calorie restricted diet, and lost a ton of weight, only to put the weight they lost and then some back on after they went back to eating regularly. YoYo dieting be damned!! YoYo dieting is not only unsafe, but also unhealthy and can cause unwanted disruption to your metabolism and hormone balance. Your metabolism has a big job in that it converts the foods that you eat into usable energy, it breaks down those foods and converts them into what is needed, and it also builds up some of those foods and converts them into other needed nutrients. When your metabolism is delivered insufficient nutrients, or unwanted and unrecognizable substances, it gets confused and tries to make sense of what you’ve put in your body as best as it can. Basically, your metabolism sorts through what you give it, and determines if it is usable, nutritious, or poisonous. The poisonous stuff isn’t like a fatal poison like a deadly snake bite, but it is an unwanted poison and will cause unwanted chemical reactions in your body and inflammation. Kind of like a snake bite, but inside of your body. Eww!! Then, there goes your hormone balance! Off the charts imbalances!! This leads to stress and overeating, or undereating and lack of proper rest. It becomes a disaster that you can’t seem to turn around.
Similarly, those get fit quick workout videos can also be damaging to your body. Your joint system can only withstand incremental loading. It’s kind of like a car with a highest speed of 70mph, and you push that car to 120mph. That car is going to shut down, because it isn’t equipped for those high loads. So will your joints when they are overloaded too quickly. Joints that are not ready for high loads will break down. This breakdown could come in the form of a torn ligament, a disc rupture or similar, or a muscle tear, to name a few possibilities. In order for your workouts to elicit a change, your body has to be able to safely withstand progressive weight and intensity increases; it cannot withstand sudden intense load without compromising your joint system. Get-fit-quick routines and diets are not the safe, smart, or sustainable way to go. Your body deserves to be treated with wise and effective diligence, and crafty and strenuous progressions. The safe and smart way will always win out over the fast and the furious approach. So, don’t be a little red corvette, take it progressively smooth, and you will win the race.
Steadily patient,
Tonya T
